Oteoarthritis, mainly in fingers and thumbs

merlinton

Has any one else this problem? When I wake up my hands are really stiff and I am unable to close my fingers to grip any thing. Takes about 30mins to come round. I work at a keyboard all day, sometimes if I sit in one position for too long I feel like I am going to drop of to sleep...not good.

dreamdaisy

Hello merlinton, I think it's safe to say that you are not the only one who is struggling in this way. I have two sorts of arthritis, OA and an immune-system based one, and yes, this is a familiar scenario. Some find that soaking their hands in a bowl of warm water can help to 'soften' stiffened joints, or doing an exercise such as playing an imaginary piano can also help to free things. My hands are only affected when my immune-based arthritis flares and yes, it's damned miserable. I hope others with a more relevant experience will be along in due course to offer more advice. I wish you well. DD

woodbon

Hi, I have this problem too. I gradually move my fingers to get them moving, but it takes a while. I do have a resting splint, which I can wear during the night and I know that a lot of people find them useful, but I only use mine if my hands are very achey, as I find them hard to sleep in. Love Suexxx

scozzie

Hi Merlinton, I have this too, but my joints are more sore than stiff and I have trouble opening containers and things nowadays, as well as gripping items such as when tapping down a ream of paper (I work for a printer). My thumbs are probably the stiffest and that can be any time ... lol.

Scozzie

magenta

Hi,

I have problems with my hands and thumbs just now-they're sore every day and sometimes when I'm doing something like baking, my hands stay in the grip position and I have to slowly open them.

I now actually look forward to doing the dishes

Magenta x

scozzie

Yes, the grip position ... I've never heard of anyone else suffering from it ... four years ago I was investigated for that - my hands would just freeze/stick in the same position, sometimes it was just uncomfortable and other times plain painful when the muscles would just continue to contract, even after I had released my grip ... they never did get to the bottom of it. Generally after about 15 to 30 seconds my hands would relax and be back to normal, although stiff and sore.

Was sent to a rheumy and then a neurologist, but they weren't able to figure out what was wrong and that was the end of that ... lol! I wasn't diagnosed with OA til this year? Still happens, now and again, but it's nowhere near often.

Scozzie

Mat48

I'm just coming back to normal after a big flare that was in shoulders, wrists, knuckles and fingers. Not sure how OA and autoimmune diseases differ where hands and wrists are concerned and not yet sure what mine is but these days even when not in flare my wrists and fingers ache and appear to have weakened to the point where it's hard or impossible turning door locks or ignition - and yes washing up has gained some appeal I find that too! Heat of any kind on them feels soothing.

My physio gave me exercises to do where I bend my fingers into the palm to make a hook. For five days I haven't been able to bend them at all but now I'm okay again but if I keep in one position they lock and are more painful to unlock so I try and move them even when splinted wrists at night. The exercise she gave me is to try and push them down into palm so the finger tip touches. Mostly impossible but I do try daily. For wrists I'm to smooth them down an arm rest or table so hands go 45 degrees down where I can. Again with right wrist this has been impossible for months now but it does help build muscle strength she tells me! Mat x
ps it's very common with elderly people that their fingers lock into their palms - physio in old folks home says never prize them open but gently massage them open where possible finger at a time using massage or olive oil.

magenta

Hi again,

I also get a strang feeling that my fingers are pulling into my palms. When walking my hands move into a claw position and it's a real effort to keep them straight. Does that make sense? the top of my hands are painful and numb too :shock:

Magenta x

barbara12

Hi merlington
I have OA and its just started in my thumb and a couple of fingers, my thumb is quite painful, but like you say the fingers are more stiff, I got one of those rubber hand exercise balls, hopefully it will help.
Oh and a very warm welcome to this lovely forum.

Mat48

So how does OA affect finger/ hand joints differently to other forms of arthritis? The tops of my fingers have all got nodules on the joints and I believe this is associated with OA? The rheumy said these are just wear and tear but they've sprung up with me really recently with the arrival of arthritis and sometimes during flares they get really sore and red and look like peas on sides of my top finger joints.

I find my fingers won't bend down now beyond a slight C but the hurt when I try to straighten them too. It's a funny old business this?! Try to keep them moving a lot and also rub them with olive oil and then put rubber gloves on and dunk them in very hot water wriggling them to limber and oil them physio recommended. Mat x