Pain in fingers

[sylvi]

Does anyone have an answer to the pain i'm getting in my fingers. It is getting that bad i am struggling to hold a paper or magazine. Thank you..

[Hidden]

I have no answers for you Sylvi - I remember having this type of pain myself and know the only things that relieved it a bit for me was wax baths or rubbing your hands in olive oil and then putting on latex gloves and wiggling them gently in hot water on and off. Maybe hot water followed by cold would help? Hope it gets better soon. Tilda x

[sylvi in reply to Hidden]

Thanks tilda,I do put them in cold water. Its just this morning it was hard work just holding the newspaper and i had to keep putting it down. xx

[Hidden]

Time for some more effective RA drugs perhaps? Tilda x

[sylvi]

Tilda, i am at the drs in the morning so i'll see what they say. I'm sure i'll get told to see the rheumy and visa versa. I am very fed up with this disease. How are you getting on as i know you have a busy period coming up related to your art work. Love sylvi.xx

[Hidden]

I'm afraid this is how my RA mainly affects me Sylvi. It's been a long time since I could hold a newspaper or book. I keep up with news on the internet and read my books on a kindle as it can just balance without straining my fingers. My fingers and knuckles have been sore today too so you have my sympathy. I just accept it as part of my life with RA and hope it doesn't become too severe.

Paula x

[jonsi]

its my hand that are the worse, and my knuckles swell up so bad its a throbbing pain, i just hope it doesnt get any worse, coz i love driving.

[thekeys46]

Its my hands that are the worse too.Going to investigate getting an ipad as I struggle holding a book for more than a minute. Supposed to be having methotrexate injections but was told there is a 2 month wait. Hoping they will help. xx

[td09]

Hi Silvi, don't have any answers either I'm afraid - my fingers are really painfull at the moment too - took me 10 mins to do up 5 buttons this morning!! I hope the dr helps and you get some relief soon! Tracy x

[SootyB in reply to td09]

Saw a great device in Asda at the weekend - it's similar to a needle-threader, but on a larger scale, and you put it through button holes, around the button, and pull - it puts the button in the hole and saves the fiddling!

[Hidden in reply to SootyB]

Hi SootyB, do hope you are keeping a wee bit better? I am very interested in what you have descrlbed, as like many of us I struggle badly with those awful things called buttons. Could you give me any more details and costs please? weemikec

[sylvi in reply to Hidden]

Have a look in the kleenezee books they should have them in there for not many pounds. The answer to that is clothes with no buttons,but in you case weemikec not a solution. I also use two handled mugs and cups as well,now they are brilliant.xx

[Hidden in reply to sylvi]

will look them up on the web later, I would be to embarrassed to use two handled Mugs etc Sylvi ,(pride} although given it a lot of consideration, maybe later on? weemikec

[sylvi in reply to Hidden]

Pride has nothing to do with it, it is a needed to save me dropping it through my fingers. I only use them at home. I also have thick handled cutlery as well. xx

[sylvi in reply to sylvi]

This the website, its solutions at renwoods.... renwoods.com Phone number 08444821555

[td09 in reply to SootyB]

Hi, sounds interesting - might have to go have a look for it! Thanks for letting us know!!

[sylvi in reply to td09]

Let me know about the mugs and i can give you the name of the company. xx

[sylvi]

Thank you lovely people. I can see by your answers that i'm not alone. I usually get asked how long the stiffness lasts in the morning,so far i have been able to say not too long,but now it lasts all day. If i get no joy at the drs in the morning i will ring my rheumy nurse and see what she has to say..

Once again thank you. xx

[Gina_K]

Hi Sylvie, sorry you have this new pain, I have always had issues with RA in my hands and feet, would an ice pack help? or anti inflammatories? You take quite a lot of painkillers for your knee? maybe the doc will prescribe something stronger to help with hands. I find pernaton gel very good.

Gina

[sylvi in reply to Gina_K]

Gina, i see another one who can't sleep like me. I think theres a lot going on in my body at the moment. My throat is sore,but it seems to be only on one side at the moment. Most of the pain is in my right side too. My left fingers though sore are nothing compared to my right side. Every time i go to the loo i fill the sink up with cold water and soak my hands in it. My right hand was where my ra started and it has always been a problem. I am seeing the doc later so i'll see if i can get some answers from him. Not holding out much hope though. Just had a calippo lolly to ease my throat,it seems to be the only thing that eases it.

Love Sylvi.xx

[Hidden in reply to sylvi]

Hi Sylvie. I'm hoping you're feeling a bit better this morning.When my RA was at its worst I too suffered with a sore throat every evening (one side or another). As I'm feeling somewhat better at the moment I realized I hadn't had this for ages so think it must somehow be caused by the RA.

Gentle hugs to you

Carolyn x

[Hidden]

Hi Sylvie, sorry for not getting back sooner have been unwell. Anyway hope you are sleeping better these days?Have the gils and hubby recovered yet? Doc's said for ages that the probs i had with both hands were down to RA, now saying it's Carpul Tunnel as well. Can i suggest you ask GP next you visit. No harm in asking Sylvie. Please take care. weemikec

[sylvi in reply to Hidden]

I know how you feel, sadly i am still downstairs most nights. The problem with my throat is due to blocked sinuses. I have been given a nasal spray to use. My head doesn't feel like its on this planet.

I hope you are now feeling better. Sylvi. xx

[Hidden]

Hiya Sylvi, oops, looks like i spelt your name wrongly last time. my apologies. but cannot get down on my knees to grovel, nor get back up without help, so this will have to suffice i'm afraid. Blocked sinuses (with personal experience) are very painful Sylvi, so you have my sympathy. Doc just gave me pills and it took a month to get back to some sort of normality. Feeling a wee bit better today thanks.The pain (all over) was bad It was one of those days when Morphine just does not help. How are you today, any better? weemikec

[sylvi in reply to Hidden]

Weemikec, I have just got back from having my nails done and i feel like rubbish. I have a nasal spray and it should start to work soon. I am also using a facial sauna to try and break it up. He said that there is enough nasal spray to last me a month so he expects it to take that long.

As long as you don't call me anything nasty i don't worry how you spell my name,it means that you haven't forgotten me. I am having a lot of brain fog at the moment so i am also forgetting silly things .

Sylvia. (thats my full name,had to adapt it as there was already a sylvia on here) xx

[Hidden in reply to sylvi]

Hiya Sylvi, thank you for letting us know how you got on. Thought it would take that long to feel a wee bit better, but I hope it's quicker for you? Would not call anyone anything nasty (well) snigger, as like you, I do care about people .Forgetting wee silly things means that you are human Sylvi, at least i hope so because i do it all the time, being so unwell just makes us notice it more but it's out of our control. PAIN RULES. weemikec

[earthwitch]

My mum had incredibly bad RA and she always says that what saved her hand function was learning "joint preservation techniques" many years ago. She had a physio who was extremely good at showing ways of using your hands that didn't put additional stress on joints, but kept them moving as best they could. She has also said to me that some things people think are good exercise for hands can actually do more damage than good, so important to get advice from a properly qualified physio. You might find if you did this that you didn't end up in pain quite as often and could do more easier.

[Hidden]

Hi, like Earthwitch's mum, I had to learn joint preservation techniques. The RA Occ Therapist taught me how to deal with household chores and gave me a variety of gadgets too, like my carving knife with the handle at right angles to the blade, and self opening scissors. They also gave me a resting splint to wear at night.

There are useful physio exercises to do too, which build up the tiny fingers muscles.

And one thing that helps with pain and stiffness is kneading bread dough or Play dough, or anything like that. It surprised me that I was able to double my grip strength by doing these exercises.

I often do my finger-routines when I am stuck in traffic, stops me getting impatient and stressed! (I don't care about the funny looks I get either.)

[sylvi in reply to Hidden]

I am always flexing my hands to keep them moving.I use my keyboard a lot as well to keep them mobile. I have thick handled cutlery and a two handed cups and mugs.

Sylvi.xx

[Hidden]

Hi Silvi, I do sympathise with you, there is nothing more frustrating. I have had RA for 19 years and it all started in my fingers and toes,and has attacked different joints over the years leaving it's damage behind. 19 years on and two operations later I still have bouts of painful swelling and inflamed joints in my fingers and hands. I think you have received some helpful tips and information on different products to help with dexterity problems. I have lots of them myself especially in my kitchen but I just want to say, "where there's a will there is a way" (I even use wooden spatulas to help me to tuck in bed sheets) It's surprising how resourceful we become when living with RA. All the best, Frances.

[emsyb1986]

I wear these gloves - amazon.co.uk/Anti-Arthritis... - £7.99 for 2 pairs - i have been wearing them overnight which has been helping, but if and when my hands hurt, the gloves warm them up within 20 minutes and provide relief. hope these help!

[shellys]

hi all i to have been getting swollen fingers and last week couldnt make a fist with either hands pain was bad i put them in a bowl hot water took pain relief and went bed it eased after a couple days x

[sylvi in reply to shellys]

Thank you,i put mine in a basin of cold water. I already have ra gloves. Everywhere seems to ache today. sylvi.xx

[shellys]

hi this might sound what are RA gloves and where can i get a pair from and do they work x

[sylvi in reply to shellys]

They are like pressure gloves,they keep your hands warm as well. There are two types of gloves,one pair are thinnish and there is another sort that are grey and thin, both so the job. Go onto amazon as i know they sell the thin ones and they are not very expensive. The other one are from a company called solutions i think..... sylvi.

[honey_redza94]

Me too had the same pain in my finger. At 1st it only happen in 1 finger, later i hit that finger and affected my thumb. Now both fingers agonizing while holding somethin. I took mefenamic acid 3x a day to relieve pain. Im scared cuz it start after 7 days i discharged from hosp by DKA. Now hurts over a week. Is it infection?