Scaphoid "buckling"??

[Clairabella78]

Hi there!

I've had pain in wrist for a good few months, at first it was put down to De Quervains syndrome but had x-ray to rule out a break. X-ray results came back saying there is a buckling to the Scaphoid and am waiting on an MRI......what does buckling mean in this context?!

Apparently the Scaphoid is the most commonly fractured bone in the wrist and can be due to shutting a door a bit too hard type of movement, not necessarily a fall. Having said that, I can't remember doing anything like either that may have caused it.....nothing stands out anyway!!

Because of my mild De Quervains, I put the pain (and the thumb clicking and sticking) down to that so didn't get it checked out for a good while, and the pain is progressively getting worse. I take morphine for a different condition so to still get breakthrough pain worries me.

As instructed by my GP I strap it up to keep it relatively still but the pressure can become uncomfortable so I take it off........am I doing further damage to it whilst I await my MRI and treatment that may follow?

For the condition that I take the morphine for, I am currently receiving a hormone treatment called Decapeptyl and have had Zoladex on and off over the years also.......could my bones have been weakened and therefore I don't remember anything in particular happening to my wrist (it's my left wrist and I'm right handed)? I only started taking HRT to protect my bones from these hormone treatments last July, not from the first injection 20 years ago.

Sorry to go on, just a bit worried is all. My GP is really good but the wrist issue is out of her hands 😉 now.

Any advice or ideas would be great, thank you!!

C x

[johnsmith]

Strapping the wrist can cause muscle shortening. This is a painful condition. It is worth while having someone massage the wrist to ease the tight muscles on the tendon sheath. Use a wrist support if you have to lift something heavy otherwise it is best to keep it mobile.

The clicking in the thumb can be due to tight muscles in the forearm such that the moving thumb is pulled out of alignment. This is something a GP has no idea how to investigate. You need to see a sports therapist on this issue.

Have you had a bone density scan?

A sports therapist can give you useful advice on movement which a GP cannot give you.

Hope this helps.

[Clairabella78 in reply to johnsmith]

Thank you, that does help. When I say"strapped up" I meant a proper wrist support not a bandage.

Bone density scan seems a good thing to get done so will bring it up with my specialist.

Thanks for your help.

C x

[Toplady]

Hi Clairabella78,

Just thought I'd chip in and echo what the other poster said, have you had a bone density scan done? I'm asking as I was diagnosed with osteoporosis 2 yrs ago after fracturing my sacrum but in the 6 years before, I'd also fractured my little toe and my scaphoid. These were also then put down to the osteoporosis but weren't flagged up at the time. I wish it had as now I'm virtually confined to a wheelchair due to the nerve damage caused by my sacral fracture (it's the last bone in the spine and joins the pelvis together. It fractured with no trauma of any kind 😢)

If you've got any bony injury with little or no trauma then you must have a bone density scan done to rule Osteoporosis out, especially given your history of HRT therapy. If I had been diagnosed earlier, my big and devastating fracture might not have happened so I would urge you to bring it up and get the scan done before any further problems occur.

Wishing you all the best ❤

[Clairabella78 in reply to Toplady]

Thank you TopLady!

Since the pain is still very much impacting on my day to day activities i have been referred to an orthopaedic surgeon to pick up my case after the MRI. I'll definitely be requesting a bone density scan, like you say, early diagnosis (fingers crossed all is well though!) certainly helps in osteoporosis/osteoarthritis cases.

The hormone treatments I've had have made my body think it's going through the menopause, a pseudo menopause if you will, and osteoporosis and osteoarthritis are big side effects of the pseudo and real one.... And I'm 20 odd years off going through the menopause for real yet!

I'm sorry to hear how rough you've got it but hopefully you might have prevented the same for me so I thank you dearly for that.

Take care and you can always get in touch with me.

C x 💜

[X01WOOG]

I have had the same symptoms--pain in wrist--had carpel tunnel surgery on both hands. I have had shots in my thumb for trigger finger. I went to an orthopedic surgeon for these conditions.

[Clairabella78 in reply to X01WOOG]

Thank you. I've now been referred to an orthopaedic surgeon.

C x