Closed hand during night

NicolaS
NicolaS Member Posts: 4
in Chat to our Helpline Team

some mornings I wake up with my right hand in a semi closed position with the middle finger the worst. I have to gentle coax it open over a period of time. Once open it’s fine. Because of this I try to sleep with my hand flat (usually under me).

I’ve heard of hand splits to keep fingers straight. Are these any good for night time use.

I’m on hydroxochroloquine, which hasn’t starting taking effect yet. Have to take for 2-3 months before seeing any benefits, so I’m only half way there.

Any comments good or bad appreciated.

Comments

  • helpline_team
    helpline_team Posts: 3,777

    Hi @NicolaS

    Thank you for posting on the forum, I am sorry to hear about your right hand and what’s happening for you when you wake in the morning.

    There are various splints including resting splints which might be helpful to you, I have given you the link (below) where you can read further about splints.

    https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/treatments/splints/

    Resting splints are best used:

    • if you have pain overnight that disturbs your sleep
    • occasionally during the day if your hands are especially painful
    • during flare-ups of your arthritis.

    The people best placed to help with splints would be an occupational therapist, a physiotherapist, or a hand therapist.

    Hopefully once your hydroxychloroquine starts to take effect you will see the benefit. You might like to repost on the living with arthritis forum where you should have more responses.

    https://community.versusarthritis.org/categories/living-with-arthritis-forum

    I hope this is of some help.

    Best wishes

    Lynda

    Helpline Advisor

  • jamieA
    jamieA Member Posts: 837
    https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/58355/closed-hand-during-night

    Hi @NicolaS

    My hands were the 2nd part of me to be affected - after my knee - before I was then diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. I wake most nights usually around 4am because of my hands. During the day I wear compression gloves but one of the rheumatologists I saw said it wasn't good to wear them 24/7 and I think they help me more during the day. I also do exercises for my hands using exercise putty which helps free the joints up. A rheumatologist told me that the body naturally produces steroids but that during sleep time it stops doing so hence the stiffening up during the night and first thing in the morning.

    I also had steroid injections into the base of my fingers that helped.

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