Does anyone get cramp/spasms regular in their hands?

[debbyftm]

Does anyone get cramp/spasms in their hands when holding or gripping something eg..like when holding knife to peel an apple or holding phone. My hands cramp up and get stuck and the pain is awful. This just started a few weeks ago...is it related to RA?

[megant]

Hi Debby

My hands tingle, the best I can describe it is ... when you go out in really cold weather and your hands/fingers go numb, then when you go in somewhere warm they start to "thaw" out and tingle and throb, that's how my hands feel and sometimes my feet are the same.

Alison

x

[ElizabethJ13 in reply to megant]

I notice that nobody has mentioned statins. I get very bad cramps in my left hand, causing index, middle and little fingers in particular to spasm and lock. I was on simvastatin for sometime and noticed that I was getting increasing muscle pain in both shoulders and upper arms. My doctor changed my prescription to atorvastatin which helped for a while but the pains returned, so I stopped taking them and after some time things improved. However at my last annual check up my cholesterol levels were slightly up again and my GP told me to go back on atorvastatin. In the 3 months since, neck and shoulder pain has returned and left hand cramps have started. This could be due to carpal tunnel syndrome (I am waiting for cts op on right hand) but I find the juxtaposition with restarting statins highly indicative.

[SootyB]

My fingers cramp up on a regular basis - especially if I've been holding something, or doing a repetitive action. My thumb was stuck up the other day, and if I tried to bend it back down, it was too painful, so I spent nearly an hour looking like a human Facebook 'like'!

It may be that the inflammation in the joints is affecting the musculature around the joints, hence the spasms and cramps. Best to have a chat with the rheumy, though.

Sara xx

[baf75496 in reply to SootyB]

Hi so you do have RA?

I have really just started having similar in my fingers and also in my palms. The pain is off the charts... I searching for answers. I think it happens more in cold weather...

Thanks

[helixhelix in reply to baf75496]

This is an old post, so you may not get many answers. Maybe best to do a post yourself and you should get people responding....cramps, pins & needles and spasms in hands and feet are quite typical.

[Caza]

Hi, I get it a lot in my feet.One time I couldnt stand up for 2hrs. Ive been on hydroxy for four weeks & they do seem a lot better. Im not sure if its down to the meds but Im taking full advantage & doing lots of walking while

[Caza]

Oops, while I can x

[Hidden]

My hands go prickly as with pins and needles and ache a bit just now but they haven't cramped for a long time although they used to before I was diagnosed. My GP said that this locking/ cramping is caused by inflammation and added daily anti-inflammatories to my pre-mtx/ hydroxy recipe and it made a big difference and the locking/ cramping stopped apart from the odd flare up before the DMARDs kicked in. I would say it is most likely to be caused by RA yes. Tilda x

[pottypam]

Hi , My hands always go into spasm if holding anything longer than a few mins, so can not use my walking stick as i drop it and then can not pick it up I can only drive if I wear a splint as the tendency to spasm is not so much and the pain is manageable . The pins and needles and tingling is my main bug bear at mo . But the pain coming down from my shoulder neck and then into my hands is not nice and did get better for a while but is coming back with a . So mention it to your Rhymy and see if they recommend a hand /wrist splints . So I hope you sort it or get used to it as best you can ... but it is a pest lol

[Rockpool60]

Hello...My pinky fingers on both hands have recently started to cramp and lock. It is horrible and have dropped many a cup. No idea but my right hand has a trigger pinky now. Take care. x

[earthwitch]

The best way for me to stop those muscle cramps and spasms is to work hard at getting inflammation under control.

[debbyftm]

thanks all. I am on mtx injections, I was on tablets. I don't feel any different. I know my esr still isn't that high but it was 5 this week its 15, so it shows it still not under control really. Going to phone rheumy nurse and chase up appointment.

[magglen]

Yes, I get cramps in my fingers and hands as well. I suppose it is due to the joints being deformed. I also get a finger that goes cold and numb occasionally. The low temperatures this summer has not helped.

[Ee70s]

Hello debbyftm,I also did get that a hell of alot,gave up driving because of the cramp/spasam in my hands and finger joints.I was put on 4 tablets of Sulphasalazine 2grams twice daily,which i have been on now for 5yrs,i started driving again 2yrs ago.I still do get them but maybe once/twice a day and last for 1-2mins,manyly in the evenings.Which you luck x

[parkie]

Hi everyone, I get cramp alot, in my neck, hands, legs and either side of my torso, I didnt realise that you could get it in such odd places!!! I have told both of my consultants, we cannot pin point what it can be. I need extra salt for one of my conditions maybe get low.and need 'topping' up. Take care Ann x

[debbyftm]

I've tried Sulphsalazine but it gave me stomach pain and diarrhea

[joan_w]

Could be you are starting with carpel tunnel syndrome. I get pins and needles in my wrist and hands quite often and have been tested for carpel tunnel because of that. It is starting with me but not bad enough to need an operation at present.

Jo

[debbyftm]

I do get pins and needles in my hands too. I go to see my rheumy nurse in November will mention it to her. x

[bola32]

We must be twins....I do unlock finger/s and sometimes I have to sit on the hand or it just

locks up again....I am allergic to simvastatin, so I avoid all statin drugs.....I will try running

warm water on the next cramping....I can't hold a wooden spoon too long, nor a pen/pencil....told my doctor about the cramps, but she didn't seem concerned at all...so that was the end of that.