Baffled my doctor with this one…. Both my knuckles and fingers have become swollen. Usually worse first thing in the morning. I have weakened grip. So frustrating as my grip was already weak.
Is this fibro related?
Blood tests come back normal - have been referred to Rheumatology.
Hi there, I am not medically qualified but not sure why your GP should have been baffled. Going on my own experience and given your age it sounds like OA My hands and toes are like that every morning to be honest and have been that way for years.
I had blood tests done just two weeks ago for a flare up of pain in my joints not muscles. Because fibro pain is found more in the muscles than the joints . Thankfully no inflammation was found. which with OA you would not expect to find I believe that is correct.
So my Gp said and I agree, it's more likely to be wear and tear. OA tends to effect the small joints first like fingers and toes and it can be very painful at times. Glad to hear you going to see a specialist I am sure they will be able to give you a better idea about what is going on with your hands Because there are other reasons for swollen fingers other than OA.
This NHS symptoms for OA in the hands and fingers may be of help xx
Osteoarthritis often affects three main areas of your hand:
the base of your thumb
the joints closest to your fingertips
the middle joints of your fingers
Your fingers may become stiff, painful and swollen and you may develop bumps on your finger joints. Over time, the pain may decrease and eventually disappear altogether, although the bumps and swelling can remain.
Your fingers may bend sideways slightly at your affected joints or you may develop painful cysts (fluid-filled lumps) on the backs of your fingers.
In some cases, you may also develop a bump at the base of your thumb where it joins your wrist. This can be painful and you may find it difficult to perform some manual tasks, such as writing, opening jars or turning keys.
Quite surprised at the bafflement like Dizzy.OA is very common and often causes joint swelling , and quite rapidly in very cold weather like it has been recently.
Is it also causing pain or just less mobility and weakness?
There are other possibilities like poor circulation causing swelling in the cold.
But it's also worth having a think about environmental stuff too.
Such as which medication are you on , or have you taken a new medication or supplement recently?
Both medication and supplements can cause side effects of swelling of fingers especially at the joints.
The same hypersensitivity reaction can happen if you started using any new creams , toiletries , washing powders or new foods . These can cause swelling and weakness with no , or little pain , and often without the tell tale redness or burning skin we expect for an allergy.
Water retention, dehydration, salt imbalance, or certain low vitamin levels like Vitamin B 12, Folates and Vitamin D can also effect the joints and cause swelling or weakness , and are vitamin levels and internal hydration can become lower in the winter.
Good luck with your appointment, Bee
while waiting for the docs, perhaps some compression gloves may help to keep joints warm. they are made out of a t shirting fabric, they may help the swelling, however if fibro flaring may cause distraction.
loosing grip is a problem, there are exercises can do, on the internet viewing website Search for 'hand exercises to strengthen', although if in pain and worried about causing damage perhaps wait till have another chat with doc.
Swollen hands and fingers with clean blood tests are the reason for finally getting my referral for neurologist and diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. Hopefully it is not anything else, FM is enough .
GL with the appointment.
This is a usual everyday occurrence for me, Swollen hands fingers and joints.
Again I’m not sure why the GP is baffled!
When I go to see my consultant Rheumatologist that is one of the first things he looks at. Feels my hands, fingers and joints. “Yes Swollen hands and joints” signs of inflammation.
Very strange the GP is baffled by it.
Agree with the other posters above. I have mild OA and the onset was redness, swelling, pain that felt different to the fibromyalgia… and I couldn’t even turn a key in the door.
Hi cookie this was one of my first Fibro symptoms along with neck & shoulder pain. I wouldn’t be able to bend my hands in the morning as they were so stiff & swollen. They would also be really hot. I found a few things helped one was wear compression gloves a couple of hours a day ( Physio approved) using a hand strengthener ( can’t remember what’s actually called - Fibro brain!) and when hands were really hot putting them in a wine bottle sleeve from the freezer.
I have osteoarthritis as well as fibromyalgia. My knuckles swell due to the osteoarthritis usually in a morning. I try to massage them as best as possible. Once fingers are moving the swelling seems to disappear until the next morning.
Cramp in the legs and swollen hands
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