Thumbs and fingers subluxating

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turtle
turtle Member Posts: 30
edited 16. Oct 2018, 15:34 in Living with Arthritis archive
My thumb bones go out of place - I have to manipulate them back into their sockets. This has started to happen in some fingers, too. The bones just come out of their sockets.

Rheumy said the bones are eroding. The shoulder bones are eroding, to, as they grind against the arm bone where the rotator cuff used to be.
Has anyone had this happen. Any suggestions? It is very [painful.

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  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    I don't have this either but, as the arthritis has developed, I find I have to pay much more attention to how I am moving, how I am doing things, to reduce the risk of twisting or general awkwardness. The time has long gone when I could stroll along, looking at things and people around me, now I concentrate on how I am walking and the terrain. I've changed the way I prepare food, do the ironing, cleaning etc. because of my fingers (they are affected by psoriatic arthritis) and my wrists (osteo). I admit that if my thumbs were doing this I'd investigate hand splints, over here we can get working and resting splints from the NHS for free but over there I have no idea how things work. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,712
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Subluxation is where the joints 'half' dislocate. I've had it (mostly, now, they've fused) and, yes, it's very painful. But this doesn't usually happen until the patient is at least 5 years in to RA. If I remember rightly, you only said you'd been on hydroxy / plaquenil for about a year. If you had RA before then and it wasn't treated with DMARDS that would probably account for it.

    As Grace111 said, there are finger splints available now and it might be worth asking about them.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • turtle
    turtle Member Posts: 30
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    stickywicket wrote:
    Subluxation is where the joints 'half' dislocate. I've had it (mostly, now, they've fused) and, yes, it's very painful. But this doesn't usually happen until the patient is at least 5 years in to RA. If I remember rightly, you only said you'd been on hydroxy / plaquenil for about a year. If you had RA before then and it wasn't treated with DMARDS that would probably account for it.

    As Grace111 said, there are finger splints available now and it might be worth asking about them.

    I have had RA for many years, just thought it was normal ageing until it got very bad. Then was diagnosed and put on medication, but it is too late to do much about it.
    I will try those ring splints. The ones I have (free) extend from my fingertips to the middle of my arm, leaving me with no function at all in the hands.
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    If you want to reply click on 'reply to topic' which can be found to the bottom left under the red line at the bottom of the thread space. This will bring up a clean page and you can type your response. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • Kazziwaz
    Kazziwaz Member Posts: 32
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    My right index finger was very badly subluxed and in 2016 I had a joint replacement, fast forward to now and it's since been fused as the joint dislocated. It's early days with the fusion but it already feels better than before.
    My thumb is very bad, that's next for fusion hopefully. Doesn't help that both are on my right hand
  • jenzie06
    jenzie06 Member Posts: 708
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    My thumbs and some fingers have had this problem and I've now had both thumbs fused (base of my thumbs) and one ring finger repaired about 4 times. I'm currently in plaster with my left hand and thumb as I've had the top joint fused in the summer (then I overdid it and re-broke it which meant more plaster).

    Overall the results for fusion have been really good. I still need splints to stop others dislocating. I'm hoping to have the others sorted eventually.
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