Sore right hand

[Cyclegirl54]

This is my second week of 12mg (40 mg a year ago)and I’ve noticed my right hand thumb joint, back of hand and wrist have acquired a dull ache. Gripping, lifting my tea cup and other movements like cutting my cheese 😂are becoming quite awkward and painful . Any advice? I do have a GP appointment on the 21 Jan so can be added to my list!

[piglette]

I have a similar problem and was told it was arthritis.

[Cyclegirl54 in reply to piglette]

I do seem to have developed a bony bit at the base of thumb and joint nearest nail.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

It would be sure sign for me that I was on the verge of a flare.

[Cyclegirl54 in reply to PMRpro]

I’ll keep a watch on things. Thanks.

[Koalajane]

It is also a sign for me that I need to up my dose

[Hellyowl]

I get this on and off in either hand. I put it down to keyboard and mouse and arthritis. Soaking my hands in warm water and stretching them really helps

[Cyclegirl54 in reply to Hellyowl]

I’ll try that, thanks.

[nuigini]

I had a very similar problem a few weeks ago. I have arthritis at the base of both thumbs, which is apparently quite common at my age. The left thumb doesn't give me any problems, but the right (dominant hand) can fire off brief sharp pain at times. I developed a mild ache in the right wrist, similar to a mild sprain and did some searching on the internet and found a couple of light wrist exercises that relieved the problem very quickly.

[Cyclegirl54 in reply to nuigini]

Thanks , I’ll do a bit of research myself too. 🌸

[Noosat]

I found that I will get a pain and a cramp occasionally in my right thumb, however, I tracked it down to the way I was holding my book or kindle. I believe it is more to do with arthritis than PMR.

[Asbeck]

I'm not an expert, but here's what happens to me. I don't have arthritis. But when I have tapered my Pred. dose the last two times (DNS method) I have had a problem with arteries in my left hand. One time it was the Ulnar artery. We know where a nurse takes a pulse on our wrist (near the thumb). On the other side of the inside of the wrist is another pulse. When it "went bad" I couldn't turn my palm face up, and there is a LOT of pain and weakness. The other time it was a digital artery in the palm. There is an upside down U shaped artery in the hand. Digital arteries spoke off of it to the base of the fingers. When it "went bad" I had problems with my ring finger and the part of the palm at the base of the finger down to the upside down U shaped artery. I researched some and found an article about imaging the hand arteries. It listed GCA as one of the reasons to do so. I've told my Rheumy about this. She doesn't say definitively, but my sense is that this is clear GCA, and we simply live with it (with a little more Pred.). I think that my antibodies attack the artery. Three days of higher Pred. abates the situation. But for about 2 weeks there is resilient weakness after this "flair." I asked if it would happen elsewhere (for example in my brain)!!! The rheumy said probably not!!!!!! You can look at google images and see the arteries in the wrist and hand. Maybe you can pinpoint the pain to an artery. I certainly don't know if you can or if it's an artery.

PS I have had GCA and PMR for a long time--more than 6.5 years--more than 6 years after diagnosis. I am at 2.75 mg. Pred. These problems have happened when I try to taper .5 mg. from 3.75 down to 3.25, and then from 3.25 down to 2.75.