Chronic Left Ring Finger/Arm & Shoulder Pain

Hey all. I'm 31 and for 5 years now I've been in agony. The inside of my left ring finger has gradually been increasing in pain - even a feather touch sends agonising shooting pain up my arm. It's progressed in the past 2 years whereby my elbow hurts, my left armpit and upper chest hurt like a sprain.

Tests & Meds I've had the LOT. MRI on hand, Thorassic and Cervical regions. 2 x Nerve & EMG tests, physiotherapy, hand therapy, Gabapentin, Strong pain killers. Everything has seemingly been ruled out - Cubital & Carpel tunnel, Thorassic outlet syndrome, neck trapped nerves etc etc. I cannot live with this anymore it's in constant pain 24/7 (even now it's agony in my hand and elbow at the moment And I've had 2 x zapain). I've booked privately for Osteopathy and apparently my case is being raised at a MDT but I'm at my wits end. Just want to know if anyone has similar experiences or advice because I don't know what to do anymore.

Thank you for reading

[Hidden]

Hi

I really feel for you, it's horrible being in pain 24/7 isn't it? Could it be trigger finger or arthritis? Do you hurt anywhere else? I usually get about and hour's sleep or less cos of pain. I've had a little more tonight, exhausted I think. That will be it for a few nights now. I do hope you feel better soon, I know it can drag you down but do try and stay positive which I know is very hard to do

Thinking of you. Take care Lynne

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi Lynne. Thank you for taking the time to reply. Yeah all the finger specific things were ruled out earlier on including trigger/arthritis and (can't spell it) Dupytrenes? I did find an interesting article about Glomus Tumours I may raise because the main area of pain when knocked is from the nail - I had to stop having my nails done properly due to the level of pain so I just wear sticky on ones as they don't hurt but does if there's a light touch which radiates down the arm and cold used to be the main trigger. The doctor was going to close me yesterday but I insisted my case being discussed at the MDT so I'll have at least another appointment to raise issues. I want every single possibility ruled out because I cannot imagine living with this for ever and ever! Rules my entire life.

[cyberbarn]

You may find that osteopathy sorts this out. I was having a lot of problems in my hand and the NHS physio was dismissive because what she was doing wasn't helping. So a friend who was training as a physio did an assessment on me and said that there was a problem in my neck, and until that was sorted out the hand wouldn't get better. So I went to an osteopath and I was amazed at how quickly things got better. He treated the problems in my neck, not my hand, but it made my hand better.

So give it a try and see if it works.

[Hidden in reply to cyberbarn]

I've got Osteopathy booked for the end of the month-figured no harm in trying! I've been told by hosp that neck is all clear of disc prolapse or nerve issues but I'll try anything. I am going to request that the Glomus Tumour is also ruled out because it's apparently hard to diagnose and the listed symptoms for that are what started this all off. I think the extended pain is just where it's all increased in intensity now and shooting up my arm. But the nail bed was always the main point of sensitivity & I had to stop having my nails done as the pain wasn't worth it she may aswell have taken a chainsaw to my hand for the pain it was causing on that specific nail. Just want something to work

[Macblank]

If it's definitely the inside of the ring finger n little finger, then that's the ULNAR nerve.

On top of cubital tunnel, there's a smaller one, and it's at the base of your hand... The little lump under your pinky, also causes ulnar problems. It begins with a G, but can't remember it's name.

Have you had isotope analysis done or MRI with injection?

Were you a chef previously or did a lot of long cycling?

[Hidden in reply to Macblank]

Hey. It's exclusively the ring finger side closest to the middle finger stemming from the nail. It's the nail being knocked or touched which causes the pain to shoot back down the finger. Not a chef or cycler lol I've had ulnar nerve checked twice by nerve tests and ultrasound but all clear apparently.

What's the isotope analysis?

[johnsmith in reply to Hidden]

You say: "I've had ulnar nerve checked twice by nerve tests and ultrasound but all clear apparently".

You need to find out where the tests were done between. You are been exposed to a form of incompetence that is very common. Nerve tests are done between two points. If you have referred pain issues the nerve tests would not pick them up. You end up in a situation where the nerve is being compressed at nerve root level and everyone claims every thing is okay when it is not.

You need to see a chiropractor to check for nerve pressure issues at the spine. Some chiropractors can check for nerve compression issues on the body other than spine. A McTimony chiropractor can do this.

Three Cases of Subungual Glomus Tumours of the Fingers – A Case Series

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

The above is worth looking at to determine if you have an argument to present for another type of problem.

[Hidden in reply to johnsmith]

Hi John. Apart from the photos making me feel wiggly that first story highly resonates! "The pain was excruciating with waxing and waning episodes, pain increases in cold weather and not relieved by any analgesics". I've said until I'm blue in the face about my nail and cold and episodes going from extreme to dull but all day. I've had a rare benign tumour removed from the base of my opposite hand thumb so rare stuff seems to be as speciality of mine. Tempted to go private with that hand surgeon tbh. The second nerve tests I had were done in my actual finger - the one person who listed to where I said my pain was not venturing through my entire body first lol I've got some lovely potent painkillers that knock me out but not the pain so at least I get sleep if nothing else. Why is this SO frustrating

[johnsmith in reply to Hidden]

Referred pain does not make sense. To the individual with the problem or to the physician who has to listen to the complaining patient. Result frustration all round.

It took me three years to understand that a slight bit of discomfort in my neck led to excruciating pain in my arm. Of course I presented complaints are about arm pain and dysfunction. Nothing can be found in the arm. The problem is pressure on a nerve some distance from the area of complaint.

The medical person is looking at your area of complaint and cannot see anything. The problem area is elsewhere.

[Hidden in reply to johnsmith]

My neck is ok (No pain etc) they only checked it by MRI as a last resort & I've seen that scan. I'm gonna ask for the tumour check because it can only be ruled out if nothing else. Then I may chop off my finger! I've said I can't live with it as it literally rules my life. Just there all. The. Time.

[johnsmith in reply to Hidden]

MRI is wonderful for showing tissue and bone relationships. It does not show tight muscle applying pressure to things that do not like it.

Try a McTimony chiropractor. They have sensitive hands which can check of areas of tightness and they can give you an opinion as to what needs to be checked by a doctor hopefully.

Anyway you have the article to present to the doctor to read.

[Hidden in reply to johnsmith]

I do & thank you for sharing that article I have saved it ready as ammo!

[Hidden in reply to johnsmith]

Forgot I'd posted this lol had an operation in December 2019 and it WAS a glomus tumour. Post operation pain was unreal but now I'm pain free and I could cry lol it's just such a relief

[Macblank in reply to Hidden]

That's not your ulnar nerve.

The ulnar is just the pinky side of the ring finger, and the pinky finger.

For.me, it starts there and then numbs the whole hand n forearm, and sometimes just the elbow!

Have you had a full nerve conduction test?

... Isotope is a power dye they inject to make everything inside you glow!

[Amk31]

I'm really sorry. Hope you get some pain relief soon.

[Hidden]

This can be caused by many different things, you mention ring finger. Sometimes I know in my case I need to have my wedding ring cut off, a jeweler will remover a ring for you, they cut the ring by cutting it from inside the ring, then they can resize it so if fits well once more. However at the moment my ring is tight and the finger swells with the heat, could that be a problem.

BOB

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

No ring on that finger for me as unmarried (It's wedding ring finger lol)

[Hidden]

Ok Tigger,

Have not got the finger cuff fitted yet. It sounds like you have nipped a nerve, and damaged a tendon, I had an operation on a thumb that ease the pains and trigger finger, the operations was a frozen hand and the cuts etc took only five to ten mins.

I get pain from my shoulder down to my wrist and hand, I have problems with C1 and C2 and that transmits down my rhs arm, I also have problems in my jaw, with stiff necks because of damage I suffer severe headaches.

I was damaged in a car accident many years ago and they had considered a hairline fracture in the neck, I had manipulation on multiple occasions Now forty years later I feel the problems are now causing dizziness