Painful hands

heather89
heather89 Member Posts: 10
edited 30. May 2012, 07:37 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hello everyone! Just wondering if anyone can help me..my hands are very painful at the moment, especially the right one, with my ring finger in particular very swollen. I find it painful to wash and dry my hands - you never realize how often you do this until....!! ANY tips you can pass on would be very welcome! I've had a quick check through the forum, but can't see this addressed anywhere? Any other ideas how to minimize pain in my hands will also be welcome! :D
Keep calm, and keep smiling!

Comments

  • fowls48
    fowls48 Member Posts: 1,357
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Heather

    Sorry , Although i have arthur in my fingers , i am still a virgin as only been diagnosed last month .Hope someone will be able to help , at the moment i'm just taking pain killers if i have pain .Both my index fingers are the worse all others seem to have settled down .I'm sure it will not be long before someone can give you some good tips .

    Karen.XX
  • liesa
    liesa Member Posts: 821
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hiya Karen

    i have been suffering for many many weeks now with both hands, my fingers and knuckles are really bad on index and little finger left hand and right hand is little finger and thumb/base, my little finger has a nodule/bump type thing at the top knuckle i have reynaulds syndrome and have two cold hands well the fingers both hands my ring finger left hand i cant get the ring off, having said that i vowed i would never take it off but if needs be and i 'had' to i would, we renewed our wedding vows in florida with all the kids/grandkids around us 2 years ago and Steve bought me a new ring, we made a point of buying a bit bigger cos of swelling but now its kind of stuck... my index finger i cannot bend it down as in clenched its sooo painful, and if i catch it on folding washing etc its murder! not sure what i can do other swirl both hands in war soapy water xx
    love and hugs
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  • dotty123
    dotty123 Member Posts: 122
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Wish I had the answer as I am really suffering too, esp in this heat as it makes my Arthur worst. I can't clench my right hand into a fist as it is too painful, my thumb aches and I caught it on the seat belt in the car and have made it worse.. My knuckles are knobbly and I can't get my wedding ring off at all. Sorry I am of no use.

    Lots of TLC tho

    xx
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I honestly think meds are the best option for hands though you might try alternate bowls of hot and cold water to try to get the circulation going a bit. Some kinds of wrist splints will hold your fingers steady but are probably not a good idea for long periods of time. I gave up on rings years ago as they wouldn't go over my knuckles but, forced on, hurt when anyone touched me. There are hand exercises in the AC exercise booklet which will help long term though probably not short term.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • emsjane
    emsjane Member Posts: 351
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    HEAT!!!

    Putting your hands on a hot water bottle would be very soothing. I had hand therapy a while back to see if they could help with my pain, not a lot helped, but they did put my hand in a paraffin wax bath and i sat for about 30 mins with my hands covered in the wax and wrapped in plastic and a warm towel and it really eased my pain for the rest of that day at least!!!

    The obvious like paracetamol also helps and the voltarol emugel to rub on your hands can helps sometimes.
    LOVE EMMA X
  • Rallymad
    Rallymad Member Posts: 84
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    How glad I am that someone else is feeling the same as me!!!!!!! Sorry I know how selfish that sounds......... :oops:
    I have had major pain in both of my hands recently and am now on my second flare up since January, work won't be happy (again) but think it is them that has triggered this one, have had to take my Grans wedding ring off my right hand due to the swelling, I also vowed also not to take it off but didn't want to get it cut so had to come off. Been back to the GP today and broke down, there is only so much a person can take :cry:
    She did say that I wasn't to worry and she is trying me on Naproxen, not sure how this will do, have tried Lodene, diclofenac and meloxicam so fingers crossed :roll:
    Sorry to hear that you are suffering too, and if I hear one more person say this weather must be doing you good? Grrrr, not everyone has the same benefits as mentioned on other thread. Hope you feel better soon xx
  • heather89
    heather89 Member Posts: 10
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi everyone thanks for taking the time to reply, good to know we're not alone with all these "little" problems!!
    Keep calm, and keep smiling!
  • fowls48
    fowls48 Member Posts: 1,357
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Its Not selfish at all , its nice to know you are not alone .Yes index fingers are taking time to heal .Today i can actually bend them HOORAY ,I Have KNOBBERLY bits on all fingers and thumbs except my wedding ring finger that has not been affected at all?pads of hands are sore and hurts when i change gears when driving .But the meds seem to be working well .Next week will be my second App so will get to see xrays of hands .

    karen xx