possible help please-inflammation?

littlemisshappy

Hi there,

I am new. I have been unwell for five years and now my joints are affected. I am awating an appointment to see a consultant in a month who thinks I may have a condition called Churg Strauss.

Meanwhile, I am experiencing pain in the first three joints of all fingers and pain in the bunion joint. I also have hand and feet itching together with eyelid involvement. The joint pain is recent and is not worse in the morning or as the day progresses, it is just there most of the day. Some days it disappears only to return a few days later. Is this inflammatory arthritis? There is no redness over the joints but subtle swelling of these joints on the fingers. The bunion joint hurts through the night with a sort of throbbing/stabbing pain. I have asked for an earlier appointment with the consultant but I have been told there is not one. I guess I am concerned that this inflammation is causing permanent damage. I have inner ear inflammation which has left me with tinnitus.

It is clear I have an inflammatory condition which has progressed in the last five years but I wonder if the recent joint pain is caused by autoimmune or if it is the start of osteoarthritis or arthritis. ??

On the fingers, the joints are also sore on the palm side. I am antibody negative and had a recent fource of 40m daily of prednisolone which did not help at all. (??)

Any advice would be welcome.

Thanks so much
Angie

helpline_team

littlemisshappy wrote:

Hi there,

I am new. I have been unwell for five years and now my joints are affected. I am awating an appointment to see a consultant in a month who thinks I may have a condition called Churg Strauss.

Meanwhile, I am experiencing pain in the first three joints of all fingers and pain in the bunion joint. I also have hand and feet itching together with eyelid involvement. The joint pain is recent and is not worse in the morning or as the day progresses, it is just there most of the day. Some days it disappears only to return a few days later. Is this inflammatory arthritis? There is no redness over the joints but subtle swelling of these joints on the fingers. The bunion joint hurts through the night with a sort of throbbing/stabbing pain. I have asked for an earlier appointment with the consultant but I have been told there is not one. I guess I am concerned that this inflammation is causing permanent damage. I have inner ear inflammation which has left me with tinnitus.

It is clear I have an inflammatory condition which has progressed in the last five years but I wonder if the recent joint pain is caused by autoimmune or if it is the start of osteoarthritis or arthritis. ??

On the fingers, the joints are also sore on the palm side. I am antibody negative and had a recent fource of 40m daily of prednisolone which did not help at all. (??)

Any advice would be welcome.

Thanks so much
Angie

Dear Angie

Thank you for your message and welcome to the Arthritis Care forum. It can be very difficult when you are waiting for a diagnosis to be confirmed and experience new symptoms but it is important that you speak to a doctor about any new symptom that you may have in order that you receive a correct diagnosis. If it is some time before you will return to see the rheumatologist then it is important that you contact your GP and speak to him about your symptoms and concerns about permanent damage.

There are lots of different forms of inflammatory arthritis and the conditions that come under the term Vasculitis considered a type of inflammatory arthritis. If you follow the link http://www.arc.org.uk/arthinfo/patpubs/6047/6047.asp this will lead you to the Arthritis Research Campaign’s booklet called Vasculitis that contains information on Churg Strauss syndrome that may be helpful to you.

You are also welcome to contact us here at the helpline on 0808 800 4050 which is a freephone number if you would like any more support.
I hope this has been helpful.
Best Wishes
Dawn