swollen fingers

518 Views 10 Replies 8 Participants Last post by Jessica1, Jan 12, 2013

jazzytonk

Discussion Starter · Feb 5, 2008

Hi everyone, I haven't been able to post anything on here for a while because my fingers have been so swollen and painful, it is really hard to type at the moment, I was just wondering if anybody else suffers with very swollen fingers? I can't seem to straighten them and the top knuckle seems really bent, also the back of my hands are very swollen in between my knuckles, Iv'e had painful hands before but not this amount of swelling. Does anyone have any ideas about this?
Jazzy

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mmair

· #2 · Feb 5, 2008

Hi Jazzy,

I have swollen fingers as well, "puffy fingers" is what my doc always writes. I can't straiten then anymore and the ens joints are also bent like hooks. I have MCTD which in my case the mix is Lupus and Scleroderma. The "puffy fingers" is called sclerodactly. The swelling and tightening of the skin doesn't really hurt, but the tendons are often swollen as well (tenosynovitis) and that can be uncomfortable. I have more pain and problems from the Raynauds. I don't know what your diagnosis is (if you have RA, Raynauds or Scleroderma) this could be related to any of those. Does anything help like warm, or cold? Is it better when you move (loosening up) or does it improve when you rest? Have you brought this to your doc's attention?

LG,
Monique

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SoCalEric

· #3 · Feb 5, 2008

All fingers? Both hands?
Just curious. I've got a problem where one finger (or thumb) will start to hurt and swell up a bit. I'll be hard to bend and impossible to use the digit. Pain can be very intense, even keeping me up at night. Then it tends to go away after a day or two...sometimes moving on to another finger. Often I'll put a splint on the finger to avoid using it till it gets better. It's horrible when it's a thumb, kinda makes that hand unusable. My Doc. wants to see it, but it never seems to be going on when I'm in his office. Had a big problem with it for awhile, nearly always had a finger out of commision, but these days it just seems to happen every now and then, not too often, so I don't worry about it much, but just this last Friday it happened again (right index finger, it's fine now).

Eric

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jazzytonk

Discussion Starter · #4 · Feb 5, 2008

Hi Eric and Monique
It's both hands and all my fingers and both thumbs, They look like sausages, I have been battered about from one Doc to another in the last 10 months, it seems to me it's quite normal to be passed around but I have got an appointment with a rhumey at long last. March 10th and counting. I am just so fed up and down right now, I couldn't walk last night the pain was so bad in my feet and legs, I have always been very active so I am really feeling it not being able to do much. I have trouble swallowing, ibs chest pains head aches strange rashes, fever, pain all the time in my legs, but hey, it might all be in my head!!!! sorry for the rant but I needed it.
Jazzy

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Raglet

· #5 · Feb 5, 2008

I was just thinking to myself 'sausage fingers' when I read your second post, saying they look like sausages !

Thats what mine always look like when I have a joint flare - hot, swollen, and very red. Very painful.

If this has just flared up lately, you probably should let your doctor know as it can be a sign of a flare. Or, if it is something you always live with, you have my sympathy. I know how painful it can be.

regards

raglet

ps. sometimes doctors call this 'spindle fingers' thought to me sausage fingers is much more accurate.

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Marshmellow

· #6 · Feb 6, 2008

at the moment my fingers are exactly as you describe raglet , hot, swollen, red and painful, worse than they've ever been,

one finger in particular is so hot it itches, typing this really hurts, the doc doesn't seem to be able to offer any helpful advice other than increasing my plaquenil and circulatory meds but this upsets my stomach and i'm alreday underweight!!!!

any suggestions from anyone much appreciated

Thanks Rachel

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Raglet

· #7 · Feb 6, 2008

could you ask your doctor about methotrexate ? Metho is often used for joints when plaquenil alone isn't doing it.

The other thing is that are you on anything to protect your stomach ? Sometimes that is a way that you are able to take drugs (like the extra plaq) that you are not otherwise able to tolerate.

hope the hands settle down soon

raglet

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dudley

· #8 · Feb 6, 2008

Hi Jazzy

Yes I have had that happen and still do. Told rhummy when it happened first time and he brushed me off. Rhummy is a drive of at least 45 mins away. And could not drive when hands were so swollen.

Then I took picture of it. Picture is worth a thousand words. Was dx's with osteo arthirtis once he saw pictures. He also ran the tests of course to make the DX.

Was put on metho.

Have a camera

I know how painful it can be.

Best of luck

Elaine

Was DX with Osteo arthris

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jazzytonk

Discussion Starter · #9 · Feb 7, 2008

Thanks everyone for your input, I will take on board what as been suggested and I'll get my camera out.
Jazzy

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Jenn1027

· #10 · Jan 12, 2013

That sounds like gout. Have your dr test yo.

SoCalEric;496181 said:
All fingers? Both hands?
Just curious. I've got a problem where one finger (or thumb) will start to hurt and swell up a bit. I'll be hard to bend and impossible to use the digit. Pain can be very intense, even keeping me up at night. Then it tends to go away after a day or two...sometimes moving on to another finger. Often I'll put a splint on the finger to avoid using it till it gets better. It's horrible when it's a thumb, kinda makes that hand unusable. My Doc. wants to see it, but it never seems to be going on when I'm in his office. Had a big problem with it for awhile, nearly always had a finger out of commision, but these days it just seems to happen every now and then, not too often, so I don't worry about it much, but just this last Friday it happened again (right index finger, it's fine now).

Eric

That sounds like gout. Have your dr test your uric acid levels. It's also a form of arthritis

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Jessica1

· #11 · Jan 12, 2013

Hi Jenn1027 and welcome to the forum.
Do you have Lupus? It would be good to hear a little more about you. You can start your own thread, maybe in the 'Introduce yourself' section as this is an old thread and you may not receive any replies as the members may not still be visiting the forum

I'm going to lock this thread now as it's old; I hope you enjoy being a member of the forum and we look forward to hearing more about you.
Best wishes,

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