Joints locking?

merri

My elbow and hand joints seem to be getting worse, it used to be they locked if they were kept in the same position for a few minutes at a time, now it can be less than a minute. It's excruciatingly painful to straighten them out again and can take some time to do.

Does anyone else have this? If so, what do you do to help it? I've had to take today off work as my other joints are flaring up and I need to nip this in the bud.

Thanks for reading

pinkbritishstars

My knee keeps locking

Am seeing my Dr next week to get put back onto morphine.

xx

dreamdaisy

I don't have this trouble, I think there are some on here who do and I hope they look in at some point. What kind of arthritis do you have Merri? I'm sorry, I cannot remember but if it's an auto-immune type maybe it's best to ring your rheumatology helpline, or if OA then maybe have a chat with your GP. It sounds very uncomfortable and I hope you can set summat sorted soon. I wish you well. DD

merri

Thank you both for the replies

pinkbritishstars - ouch that must be horrid!

dreamdaisy - it's kind of cloudy at the moment, the Rhumy is sticking with inflammatory arthritis but not specifying exactly which one :roll:

earthspirit

totally horrible. ive had that in my hands and sometimes got some handcream to massage them a bit which seems to ease the pain a little. its difficult to move them probably and the cream gives you that momentum. if you can gently rub up the wrist towards your elbow too that can help to take the stress out of the situation and relax the muscles. if you cant use your hand to do it try the back of the opposite arm - the slight pressure you put on them may ease the pain.
goo luck

Numptydumpty

When this happens to mine I use heat, hot water, wheat bag, wax bath any thing warm. Then I keep gently trying to move them. Ultimately though I just have to wait for them to unlock themselves. This can take minutes but sometimes it's several days! I would never try to force them though, too painful. I once had two fingers lock for four months, and they were painful, then one day I just found they would move again. Weird!
If you find anything that helps please let me know.
All the best,
Numpty

barbara12

Hi merri
This locking thing is awful, my hips do it but its very rare thank goodness, but lately my hands have been diagnosed has having OA, and when I wake up in a morning my fingers take some moving.
I do hope you get some relief very soon, the elbows locking must be so painful.
You take care xx

julie47

I have had this happen to me in my hip, Shoulder and elbow although I am a rheumatoid patient. Although it is painful, I just keep moving the joint until it frees its self.

I hope your other joints calm down soon and then you start to feel a little better too

Take care
Love Julie PF x

phoenixoxo

Hi merri,

Yes, my joints lock now and then. A couple of years ago my left elbow locked at quite an angle, but once I'd managed to calm myself down I realised I needed to apply the same procedure that my fingers required: bend as much as possible, wiggle around a bit, and somehow everything straightened out again.

These days my hands and arms aren't too bad, but my left hip gives me quite a lot of trouble. Typically I'll get out of bed or rise from my recliner chair to find that I can't start my usual shuffling until there've been a few creaks and bangs! I agree with Numpty that heat helps, and careful massage around the joint is pretty good too.

Best wishes,
Phoebe

stickywicket

I had it with knees pre-TKRs. It happened when I was sitting and they'd lock so's I couldn't stand. I found if I jammed the opposite knee hard against whichever one was playing up it would free it up a bit.

With fingers I did the same thing basically. Pushed hard against the palm side of whichever one it was or just rubbed it.

Not nice, merri. I hope it doesn't last.