hand pain

[14penny]

inflammation in hand is really hurting and nodules are getting larger have had steroid injection in one hand but pain has come back and not sure what to do to ease it. Rheumatologist visit is not for another six months and they seem to be so busy no one can see me Grrr any helpful advice would be appreciated.

Anny

[janmary]

Have you tried gentle compression gloves - they look like fingerless gloves but stop the hands swelling so much. I get painful inflamed hands and red hot glowing nodules, and the gloves really help- especially overnight .

And soaking hands in Epsom Salt solution - I used to laugh at my mother recommending that and now look at me - mothers are always right..

[14penny in reply to janmary]

Thanks janmary I will definitely give it a try :))

[janny55 in reply to janmary]

Hi janmary

Those compression gloves sound brilliant🤗 I’m going to try a pair my hands and wrists get so painful as I have to use crutches , thank you 👍😁

[Beachwalk]

Hi Penny. Do you have a RA nurse that you can call and visit at anytime. If not ask for one. As my nurse and s invaluable to me. I get 30 minute Appoitments and so much help. Good luck

[14penny in reply to Beachwalk]

Yep I have two nueses but one is always off sick so the other one is always so busy and I have to wait for a cancellation so far two months so am getting desperate for help but I will keep ringing. Thanks again Anny

[Deniseelk]

My RA is mainly in my hands / wrists. I had a steroid jab in finger.... it eased for about 5 weeks then started stiffening and swelling again. I raised it with my clinical nurse, she requested another ultrasound ( she thought maybe first jab didn’t completely do the job) so also requested a steroid shot with the ultrasound chap. At appointment he said there was stiff significant inflammation through whole length of finger and did a guided shot! This time it felt totally different ( felt it going in and “ fizzing” up to end of finger and back down other side. This time it worked! I wouldn’t delay, contact your Rheumatologist team and ask to be seen / ask they request a further shot but I suspect they would want to see you before putting in the request. I was told the steroid shot can take 6 weeks or so to get to full potential and I assume you are past this point? Not worth suffering!!!

[14penny in reply to Deniseelk]

Thanks still waiting for someone to cancel their appointment other wise I have to wait nearly six months for my next appointment and looking for lots of advice the steroid injection I had in back of hand worked only for a little while and it has come back with a vengeance Anny

[sharon6768 in reply to 14penny]

I'm in the U.S. so things might be different, but I have a hand/shoulder surgeon (in addition to rheumatologist) and I go to him for the steroid shots as he gets me in quickly. He has done surgery on my thumbs for osteoarthritis so he has my history and it's a quick in and out for both of us. It also helps to be a VERY sqeaky wheel. When I am on a wait list for a doctor, I call twice a day and ask what number I am on the list. I'm usually have an appointment in a week.

[14penny in reply to sharon6768]

Thanks Sharon, I liked the idea of the squeeky wheel I tried similar and they phoned me yesterday with a canceeled app going so I grabbed it and had steroid shot in afternoon so am waiting for it to work now :))

[sharon6768 in reply to 14penny]

Yay!! I am so happy for you! I had a steroid shot 3 months ago in my hand/wrist and it is still working. I hope you have a similar result. It is amazing how wonderful it is for us to have days without pain.

[Deniseelk]

Really sounds like you would benefit from an ultrasound guided steroid shot. Worth a call to the Rheumatologist team, explain your pain, sometimes i’m Given a non-existent app on the understanding I sit and wait... always been lucky and squeezed in / somebody didn’t turn up! Worth asking them OR speak to yr GP to see if they could expatiate something / contact Rheumatologist???

[14penny in reply to Deniseelk]

Thanks Deniseelk, I was lucky enough to get an appointment yesterday fo steroid injection but not a guided one just pot luck and itt is still hurting today but hopefully after a little while I am hoping it will work

Thanks Anny

[Deniseelk in reply to 14penny]

That’s great news it was so quick! In my experience ( first shot in finger wasn’t guided, like yours) and I found it made the pain worse, more tight etc for first 3 days ( apparently we are meant to rest the joint for 24 hrs to help steroid work but I wasn’t told this). Then very gradually, day by day, it slowly eased. I could tell as I was able to bend and move my finger more each day. It got to its best effect after about 5 weeks. Hope it does the trick for you. If not, don’t hesitate and go back as they will need to do a guided steroid shot as that is accurately injected into the site needed! However, this involves finding an available ultrasound machine and radiographer who is trained in giving steroid shots so can mean some weeks wait. Very best of luck!

[nanapat61]

Swollen, painful and stiff hands are a big problem for me too when my RD flares up, especially in the mornings, so I can really relate to your issue. I've tried warm soaks with Epsom salts and freezable gel ice-packs. For me, the ice-pack works best to ease things off enough to actually use my hands, though the warm soak feels nicer! I agree with JanMary that the gentle compression gloves are very soothing - the OT provided me with a pair and they really do help me. Mine are branded "ISOTONER". I've got an appointment tomorrow at the Biologic clinic so hopefully the flares will be history (or at least fewer and milder) once they add in a Biologic medication to my Methothrexate. I'd cross my fingers if I could LOL! Hope you can somehow get some relief soon - I know how it's so debilitating when your hands won't function.

[14penny in reply to nanapat61]

Thanks for your reply nanapat61, I had steroid injection yesterday and hoping it will work soon but am gratefull for all the helpfull sugestions I have had

Thanks

Anny