Spontaneous thumb fracture??

[girli1111]

I have RA but also apparently osteo in my left thumb which has been causing intermittent problems for some time. Quite suddenly today my thumb was incredibly painful, although no specific injury, it's still very painful (and useless) that I'm wondering if I've fractured it?! Anyone know if this is possible or has this happened to anyone else?

[Horsemadhere]

Hiya I have RA and osteo in my left thumb too. It was very painful and my Rheumy gave me an injection into it (cortisone maybe) and altho not completely pain free, it is many times better than it was!

Could you ring your helpline and get in to see a Rheumy nurse, she may even be able to do it for you. Mine couldn’t do thumbs as they haven’t had the training yet!

Hope you get it sorted as I know how painful it is!

[girli1111 in reply to Horsemadhere]

Thanks for your reply. I saw my gp this morning (annual rheumatology review) and I’m now hopefully having an X-ray of my hand later today, and after that she says she may request an mri. I may well decide to ring the rheumatology helpline as an injection may be what I need to get me over the problem in the short term. Thanks

[Gitaga]

Hi

I also have RA. Have a similar problem. Have to wear a brace for my thumb. Doc saw me yesterday and suggested cortisone infusions (high doses), and a brace made especially for my wrist and thumb. She said that it should settle after that and that it was necessary to treat the inflammation rather than to have surgery or injections. Im not sure if this is the right way to go....hoping for some feedback

[girli1111 in reply to Gitaga]

Thanks for your reply. I also wear a thumb splint, which helps. The odd thing is that mybinflammation markers which were checked only last Friday are currently really good, yet my thumb is useless to me today! It’s crazy how the simplest things are hard when just a thumb is out of action..... didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when I struggled to put my knickers on this morning! 😂

[shareasmile]

Hi girli!

I have had issues with my left thumb also. It began spontaneously with extreme pain in the cmc joint at the very base of the thumb. It felt like it had slipped out of place. Over and over it happened until I realized that I could pop it back into place by pushing on the base with my other thumb. I saw a hand specialist who did xrays and diagnosed instability and crepitus and arthritis with spurs in the joint. He thinks I may have a loose bone fragment also. I've had a steroid injection which helped and a splint. But lately, it slips out of place numerous times a day. I'll have corrective surgery done in August.