Sore finger

[Mumcon]

Hi Ali H

Here’s a pic of my fingers they are getting deformed now but the middle one is the culprit that’s giving all the pain 😞

[Neonkittie17]

Ouch .. the forefinger is drifting too. Have you ever tried the Oval 8 plastic finger splints for holding the fingers in place? An OT/physio can get you these if Amazon but you need to know your size. They are for resting as they make the finger straighten at the knuckle but can help. The middle one looks all too familiar from RA inflammation days when it was rather out of control. Have you had a flare? Ask for help now as mine got quite a lot of drift and deformity but still function well which is just as well as I’m an artist. x

[Mumcon in reply to Neonkittie17]

No I haven’t heard of them, but I will look on Amazon Yes I m in a flare just now my right knee and my left hip is giving me gyp xx

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Mumcon]

Sorry to hear that. Makes sense why the fingers are puffy. x

[Hidden]

My fingers are gong walk about too! I was due to have my index finger joints replaced but it was cancelled as I'd had a lung clot. I did use the figure of 8 splints but the fingers became too twisted as they are rotating so they weren't effective.

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Hidden]

My fingers are very deformed but I can still get relief for some of them with the Oval 8s. Sorry you had your op cancelled. Hope your health is better soon too.

[Hidden in reply to Neonkittie17]

I'd put a photo up but I don't think you can add them to a post.

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Hidden]

No you can’t. Not yet anyhow! Maybe that feature gets added soon someone told me recently. I won’t post mine as they are a bit scary but don’t affect my artwork thank goodness. x

[Niao in reply to Neonkittie17]

I too use the Oval 8s, they can be really helpful but occasionally, if fingers are really bad, they can push on the sore bits but you can usually move them round or put two together. So glad you're still able to do your artwork, my OH is an Artist and his hands have been getting a lot worse and I know it would be devastating if it were ever to affect his ability to paint or draw!

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Niao]

Thank you Niao. x. I didn’t think the Oval 8s would work but they do help. They hold two very wonky fingers in place to give relief!

[Niao in reply to Hidden]

That sounds very painful PaulineS. I really hope you're able to get your operation before too long, though in these times not so likely. I hope too that you have been getting all the necessary help where your lungs are concerned and that things will get better for you. x

[Niao]

That looks sore! I hope you find something to give some relief soon.

[Ali_H]

Hi Mumcon.... sorry for the late response, I hadn’t clocked your post for some odd reason (RA brain!?)Yes the middle finger on my left hand has been painful and looks like an earlier version of yours in the pic. Do you ice the hand/finger or massage it and if so do any of these give any relief? The oval 8s Neonkittie and others mentions above are 1 kind of splint I’ve ordered (2 -one each to go at the sides or the finger. The other one is a kind of wrap around affair.

I use home-made play dough and add some lavender oil to it which helps to keep my hands fit and mobile... failing that some bread making helps

All the best

Ali😎

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Ali_H]

Play doh and lavender oil sounds brill! x. I’ve just been squashing the little Avon rubbery egg/hand exerciser to strengthen my fingers and wrists. I bought it a long time ago but I’m sure there are similar online.

[Mumcon in reply to Ali_H]

Yes I’ve tried ice and massage It helps a little I’m going to try and get these Oval 8’s I’m sure you will agree that no one else would believe the pain you get from a finger When I was first diagnosed with RA and OA it was my thumb that caused the pain, it’s really deformed now but no pain!! X

[Mumcon in reply to Ali_H]

I meant to say that I crochet and I’m determined to keep doing it I used to knit but I can’t now x

[Hidden]

Yours look like mine were about ten years ago. They are so much worse now as all of them have drifted and some are swollen. I showed them to several rheumatologists and they have all said that there is nothing that can be done about it and that it is caused by OA and not RA. It is making many of my hobbies impossible now. I can just about manage to play the piano still, but have no chance of playing the guitar. I used to play classical and Spanish guitar which requires a lot of finger work both on the frets and the open strings. It is also making my crafting harder.

[Pixieouchy in reply to Hidden]

Hi holly-willow I had the same problem with my fingers driving a car was my comfort zone as I couldn’t straighten my fingers .My rheumatogist at the time said there’s nothing you can do to help straighten them.So I went and found a orthopaedic surgeon.Long story short he replaced my knuckles with artificial ones...... couple of weeks of PT later and now 90% straight (right hand was more damaged than left hand )

No more pain for my hands /fingers , no swelling .Can now do things so much better

Don’t let drs tell you ,they can’t help you ,you help yourself 😀

[Hidden in reply to Pixieouchy]

Thank you so much for the information vickie. I know what you mean about having to help yourself as I have done that so many times. So often, I wait and wait for an appointment to come through and in the end I ring the dept and they give me an appointment there and then. As regards my fingers, they are only painful occasionally, it is more the inconvenience of them being out of shape. I am waiting for other operations, i.e. one on my lower back, two knee replacements, a reshape of my foot and toes, another shoulder replacement and a few more so I think that the fingers will have to wait for now.

I am glad that you got help for your fingers. xx

[Mumcon]

It certainly makes life difficult The last time I saw my rheumatologist he said my middle finger was full of Tendonitis and he also sent me for an injection to my thumb but the OT missed the vain and was frightened to carry on in case it caused an infection, and then came COVID I’ve seen no one for well over a year as the appointments were all cancelled but I think I’m going to be forced to call the rheumy nurse and see if they can do anything Other parts of my body are affected to Sorry for the long post 😂😂🌈

[KathleenMary]

my hand looks much the same and as I haven't seen a rheumatologist for two years nothing has been done. I have another phone chat about my Raynaud's so perhaps I will mention it then. When all this Covid calms down will see if I can get to see an OT