sore weak fingers

milmandy

My situation is that I now have a regular blood test annually( I have suspected PA/inflammatory arthritis )or if things get worse. My discomfort of tendon involment/various bursa etc never goes away day or night but my fingers and thumbs are very sore and weak at the moment..not sure if this is "worse" or different. I find pain hard to assess, especailly when no one is asking!!My elbows, hips, feet, ankles, wrists seem much the same I think..am I alone in this situtation of it being difficult to know when to go back to Dr when it's a wait and see diagnosis!My problem (even if a good one) is that I don't have swelling to speak of and my inflammatory markers have only been raised twice in 3+ years.I know most of you would love to be this vague about it all as you are in pain etc but I find it really hard.
Thanks

lindalegs

Hi Milmandy,

There's no harm in going to see your GP, afterall if your fingers feel weak and sore then you're possibly not using them properly. How far are you off your annual monitoring - it's no use living with discomfort if something can be done about it?

Luv Legs

breane

Hi Milmandy,If your fingers are sore on a daily basis I would definately go back and see your GP. :? My OA and RA started off with sore stiff fingers.For about a year they were stiff and uncomfortable and when I finally mentioned it to my GP,he ran several different blood tests and at first it showed up as OA.Then about a week ago,after more blood tests,it showed I also have RA.Some days I have trouble in picking up objects,especially first thing in the morning.If your last blood test was a while ago I would ask if another could be done as things can change very quickly.I'm sure other members will have more advice for you.Take care,Breane.

lindah

Are you taking any meds yet to take away the pain.I found that taking paracetemols regularly with the anti inflamms helped with the flexability in my hands and feet.
Linda h 8)

mistywillow

lindah wrote:

Are you taking any meds yet to take away the pain.I found that taking paracetemols regularly with the anti inflamms helped with the flexability in my hands and feet.
Linda h 8)

Hi Milandy
Sometimes things do rattle on for ages in a non specific way before diagnosis, and sometimes diagnosis is just made on clinical symptoms without any definite test results. The main thing though is to try and alleviate some of your pain. A frank talk with your GP might be a starting point. Finger stiffness whatever its cause can be helped by gentle exercise to get them moving a bit and trying not to overstrain them when you use them. eg try and spread the load throughout your 2 hands rather than picking up something heavy or awkward with 1 of them. Use things to help you grip, I believe there is a make called 'good grip' that do a wide range of products from tin openers to garden tools. Many shops sell these and I find them very helpful. I often stick ice on my hands when they are really uncomfortable (packet of frozen peas can improvise)
Some people like using a wax hand bath. Used to be able to buy the wax from the chemist, not sure if health an saftey allow it now but probab ly a beautician would do it.
Similar with feet although not the gripping bit Comfortable shoes with soft supportive insoles etc.
It is frustrating not to have a diagnosis but that should not mean suffering without help until you get one.
Take care
Gillx

haagan

Hi Milandy

I would definitely go back to your GP. I have PA and was finally diagnosed last August, PA affects fingers and toes especially and that the fact that you have changes in your hands but not elsewhere could get you on to treatment that will help. It wasn't until I had problems with my hands and toes that I finally got a name for the arthritis which had been plaguing me for 15 years. Fay

milmandy

Many thanks to all of you have replied..paracetamol with anti inflams is what I've been taking. The gentle moving of fingers in the morning or when I wake stiff at night certainly helps and during the day although they are weak and sore they are not stiff if I keep moving them!I fnd straigneing them sdoesn't hurt but beidning them does..is that just me?!You've all been very encouraging..I shall go back to GP soonish..I just feel reluctant as it's always a bit of a downer(in a funny way I know) when there is nothing to report in the results, although the pain is real the results often show nothing amazing!
I find the insoles and good grips etc useful already but I do keep trying to lift with one hand without thinking and drop things(!)so that's a good reminder to just THINK first.
Thaks all very much for your help, it's so good not to feel a lone voice.

woodbon

Hi, I'm sorry about your hands being stiff and painful. I have painful hands and wrists caused by OA and carpel tunnel. My aches and pains alter from day to day, even hour to hour, depending on what I've been doing sometimes, but not always.

Pain is an individual thing, but it is the bodies way of telling us somethings wrong, so I would definatly go to the doctor, sometimes it takes them a while to work out whats going on, and the best way of treating it. What everyone has told you, I agree with.

Hope you can get it sorted out soon. Love Sue

haagan

Hi again
In answer to your question about pain when you bend your fingers and less or no pain when you keep them straight is exactly how I am with mine. I'm always dropping things and it's very difficult to do most things keeping your hands flexed. Fay

milmandy

haagan wrote:

Hi again
In answer to your question about pain when you bend your fingers and less or no pain when you keep them straight is exactly how I am with mine. I'm always dropping things and it's very difficult to do most things keeping your hands flexed. Fay

Thank you for that answer, so wanted to know it wasn't only me! I thought everyone else had pain on bending or straightening and it is so kind of you to show it isn't just me!Thumbs bas at moment which makes holding things v difficult as you know!Thaks again