Eurotherapy device - anybody used one?

blokefromstoke

Hi folks . I'm 47 and have been diagnosed with osteo arthritis in my finger joints. They are not causing me too much pain right now - but my hands do feel stiff after using them for heavy DIY sessions. I was at a show at the NEC the other week - and saw a vibration device - from a firm called Eurotherapy. They were advocating that it could help to reduce the onset of the nodules on my finger joints. Has anybody got experience of using these types of machines - can they be detrimental at all? Think they've been sold as "Biocomfort" previously too.

Anna

Hi @blokefromstoke and welcome to the online community,

I haven’t heard about eurotherapy, and there’s nothing about it on the NHS website or other reputable support websites dealing with arthritis. It will be interesting to hear if other members have experience of using it. You’ve come to the right place to hear from others who are living with arthritis and who have plenty of suggestions and advice about living with this condition.

Here’s a link to some finger exercises that might help you strengthen your joints and relieve the pain:

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/exercising-with-arthritis/exercises-for-healthy-joints/exercises-for-the-fingers-hands-and-wrists/

Anna ( Moderator)

blokefromstoke

Thanks @Anna - I was struggling to fid any solid third party references - so thanks for the note.

As you say - waiting to see if anyone can chime in on here with experience of any sort of massage / vibration machine that can help with finger joint issues…

Trish9556

Hi @blokefromstoke

Beware of magic cures and equipment sold at shows/events/fayres - a lot of them can prove to be expensive mistakes.

There a lot of things you can use and purchase, just do your research without the sales pitch pressure that makes you buy there and then.

Keep your hands and wrists moving, keep them warm, fingerless gloves, 'hot hands' little packs of magic that work for 12 hours, best thing I ever bought.

If you search on my name you'll find lots of posts on trapeziectomy advice etc, all of which will prove useful for fingers too.

Please shout if you need anything

Trish

blokefromstoke

Thanks Trish - have you ever come across the concept that the nodules on my end finger knuckle joints may be reduce by any approach?

Trish9556

Hi @blokefromstoke

Nope, I haven't come across anything that gets rid of nodules of any sort. I just work through and find things that help relieve the symptoms and the pain. I'm afraid a lot of GPs and some physios are about as much use as a chocolate tea pot telling us it's a part of growing old and to get used to it.

Some people also swear by diet which can help but not a magic cure.

Trish

Jonsysmum

I am 75 now and began suffering with pain and swelling of finger joints in my 50s. I have always knitted and sewed plus had a job using a PC with keyboard and ⁷a typing speed of 50 words per minute so my hands have had a lot of use as well as all the usual daily tasks. However 10 years ago I spoke to a lady who like me had a really swollen finger joint which was very painful. She was given a finger joint replacement at an NHS Orthopaedic hospital fortunately within an hour's travelling distance from where we lived. I went to my GP and asked for a referral and after Xrays and consultation had the small top joint on my right index finger fused. The op went well with follow up hand physio therapy and is absolutely pain free. 7 years ago the same Surgeon replaced the lower joint on my right hand ring finger and to this day it works well and I can make a fist and use the hand well. Six weeks ago I had a replacement lower joint on the left hand ring finger which has gone well and now having hand physio therapy which hopefully will enable me to make a fist on this hand. I can't tell you what a difference it makes. I do have osteo arthritis all over my body and practice yoga and cycle plus eat healthily and watch my weight. None of this is easy but the fact that my hand pain can be reduced does help plus I can still do my knitting and sewing. So maybe insist that your GP refer you to either an orthopaedic Hospital or Department and see what they can offer. They will probably begin by offering you injections but if like me the pain returned very quickly there is the surgery option if they think that is the answer. I am posting this because people know about the larger joint replacements such as knees and hips but most people I speak to don't realise that finger joints can be replaced. Like every operation there is always a risk but for me I felt it was worth taking and as long as we engage with the physio therapy (which is just as important as the op) then there is a good chance of success and pain relief. Hope this helps.

blokefromstoke

Hi @Jonsysmum. Thank you so much for sharing your experience here. I didn't even know fusing the joints was an option. So does that joint then just get fixed in place - or is it a little mechanical replacement? I'm not in any pain right now - but great to hear the options here if it should decline in future years…