Help - right hand, ring finger

[Amakura]

Hi there

I'm not sure how to manage this but I'm experiencing a problem with my right hand, ring finger. This digit, literally, went into some sort of spasm and bent inwards (backwards from the knuckle area)!!! As though, it was about to snap off. Frightening experience! The knuckle area, if looking at it sideways, was concave in shape and locked into that position. The first time it happened, I shook my hand vigorously to try and release whatever was going on. Thankfully, it worked but it happened a second time, which was more prolonged and excruciatingly painful. It would not release until I ran my finger, for quite a long time, under warm water.

I carried on as normal but towards the evening, the fingers (excl the thumb and little finger) became visibly swollen and my arm from my elbow to the fingers experienced intermittent shooting pains. My entire hand including my wrist is now weak in comparison to my left hand. There's a marked difference. I was eventually assessed by an emergency hospital nurse, who it seemed looked to Google for assistance and relayed her diagnosis with the aid of the Lupus America site. Their conclusion was inflammation. Obs taken were: oxygen and pulse, no blood pressure and no pathology tests (i.e. blood).

Overall, since this has happened, I feel overall unwell and leading up to this, I was experiencing nausea, sudden weight gain, fatigue, self-diagnosed- lupus-related chest pains and on one occasion vomited. 'Self-diagnosed chest pains' as none of my specialists can identify the root cause of my intermittent chest pains, which have been around since 2018 - post pleurisy and lobar pneumonia episodes.

Has anyone experienced this strange hand contort muscle spasm? Is it something I should be concerned about or should I just make a note and carry on as normal?

Any advice would be helpful.

[Lemrac66]

Hi amakura

I have no answer.

But what happens in my left hand .my fingers go into a spasm.and twist together cann be painfull.

I have to realease them with my right hand

Like you i have no answer to this

[Amakura in reply to Lemrac66]

You've explained it better than me because this is exactly what happens to me but with my finger! Horrible. Have you spoken to your consultant about it?

[Lemrac66 in reply to Amakura]

I will next wednesday at guys

[Amakura in reply to Lemrac66]

Good luck and I hope you dont mind but could you let me know what they say?

[Lemrac66 in reply to Amakura]

I most certainly will.

Today i can feel something going on in my hand .see if it happens later.

[Amakura in reply to Lemrac66]

Thank you and all the best for your appointment

[KnitSewPurl]

hi Amakura,

I have experience only this a few time with this issue on my left arm swelling up. big time that my fingers turn blue my as were cold as though there were no pulse . there were huge like a balloon. they thought I had Kawasaki . but after all the test it was actually the SLE flaring up super big time. this was in 2015. I have had it intermittent reoccurrence of it of my fingers swelling and turning blue which I ended up removing all my rings until they return to normal . I found increase in Salts tend to to that to me . Anything with excessive saltly items if I have too much of it after a few days of it I get the after effects of it. since them I had it once recently a few months back my arms swelled slightly and fingers as well but it did not go as blue as before.

I find best is to elevate them when thsy swell up to allow the fluids to flow back . it helps to reduce to pressure. make sure itit is above your heart. it works much better and faster for the fluid s to clear from your body

Keep a note how frequently you are getting it . try to cut out or reduce your Salt intake. It was one of yhe things my consultant told me to do.

[Amakura in reply to KnitSewPurl]

Believe it or not, I used to not use salt for over 20 years or so. In fact, I was told to reintroduce it into my diet. Have done recently but not to the point that its to the extreme. I use it as though I'm using hot chillies, garlic etc. - very sparingly but not regularly. i.e. last month, I had it twice.

I'm going to make note and see what happens. Not due to have salt towards the end of this week.

Thank you

[KnitSewPurl]

no garlic as garlic can cause massive flare up for me and swelling and pain.

[Amakura in reply to KnitSewPurl]

I'm addicted to garlic but after reading your post, I will cut this out from my diet

[No2Sunshine]

think you need to go see orthopaedic surgeon. Sounds like a trigger finger.

[Amakura in reply to No2Sunshine]

As soon as you mentioned this, I found it at the same time via the internet and rushed to Healthunlocked to share my discovery.

Never heard of trigger finger before! I experience the third photo but the finger was (trying) to bend backwards. lupusencyclopedia.com/lupus...

Thank you, I'll try and find the pathway - via the GP - to an orthopaedic surgeon

[Amakura]

Just updating in case anyone comes across this post but it was a Swan Neck deformity not caused by a sporting injury. Cause is still unknown. As for the other symptoms (weakened grip, wrist and pain from elbow to hand) that it has triggered, I will report back once I have my appointment - currently on a waiting list!!!