Stiff, slightly swollen hands. Cant grip

[Vaggers]

A few weeks ago I had a slight flare with sore shoulders and legs and painful hands. I was taking three quarters mg of Pred and your advice was to take maybe 3 to 4 mgs which I did. (3 mgs) this worked straight away except for my hands, which are the same. I cant grip and washing and drying them is so painful. Does this mean my hands are not PMR? And, if so, any advice? Thankyou for your support.

[123-go]

May be due to arthritis and would need a blood test to diagnose. Do you have any swellings, knobbly bumps on your finger joints?Until we have painful hands we don't realise how much we need them for numerous daily tasks. This must be distressing for you and you should seek advice from your GP or rheumatologist. Any new symptoms should be reported, Vaggers.

As painful as it is you should try to keep your fingers moving with gentle movements.

[Vaggers in reply to 123-go]

Thankyou 123, i have no knobbly bumps on my joints just a slight swelling of my hands. I will definitely call my GP.

[123-go in reply to Vaggers]

Wise decision. 👍

[piglette in reply to 123-go]

I didn’t know that arthritis could be diagnosed through a blood test apart from RA??

[123-go in reply to piglette]

Should have said RA. Ultrasound scans are useful, too.

[MrsNails]

Hi Vaggers

123-go has pretty much said what l would, Pred masks a lot of old symptoms, l call them ‘War Wounds’ & as l drop they reappear however, we are all older now than when we started on this PMR Journey so naturally it’s possible we’ve developed other issues.

Definitely see your Doctor, incidentally my Consultant always examine my hands when l see him.

Let us know how you get on.

MrsN

[Vaggers in reply to MrsNails]

Thankyou Mrs N. I will let you know how I get on

[piglette]

Does a painkiller help your hands? If so you can possibly assume it is not caused by the PMR.

[Vaggers in reply to piglette]

I take paracetamol and occasional ibuprofen which i think does help and I dont actually feel that my hands are PMR

[piglette in reply to Vaggers]

I have hand problem too. I noticed today I could not open a bottle which I am sure I could have done in days gone by.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Possibly not - but it COULD be something called RS3PE syndrome which can be part of PMR and also responds to a moderate dose of pred. But I doubt 3mgs is enough.

OTOH - pred masks plain old wear and tear arthritis too. One lady with PMR got to try wax baths at the physio department and found them so helpful she got her own.

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

My hands hurt like hell all day everyday and have done for 40 years - what is a wax bath? Note I have a diagnosis of stills but in the last ten years i have developed (PMR) like symptoms in my neck, shoulders and arms hence I follow this forum. GP does not believe in AI diseases so I self medicate with pain relief only. Wax baths sound so soothing?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

assh.org/handcare/condition...

healthlinkbc.ca/health-topi...

verywellhealth.com/top-para...

I'm not endorsing any particular one - the links are to show you what they are and how to use them.

Hmmm - my GP would have to be pretty exceptional otherwise if they denied a/i disease ...

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks, I’ll check them out and understand you’re not endorsing them (😜mad world we live in).GP just said pull yourself together....I said ‘so you are challenging the diagnosis of an eminent specialist from a leading hospital ‘ he said a lots changed since your diagnosis. Let’s do some tests then I replied ...... end of appointment with GP!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

Any GP who told me to pull myself together would be my ex-GP I think unless we were good friends!

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

I just don’t go anymore and if it’s an emergency call 111 and get seen that way. Luckily I’ve only had two emergencies in 10 years but both were last year…..

[LCHRISTOP10 in reply to PMRpro]

Is RS3PE always accompanied by edema of hands?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to LCHRISTOP10]

I think it is one of the diagnostic criteria yes.

[Vaggers]

Thankyou for this, I wish my rheumatologist hadnt discharged me last August. So many things i could ask him. However, I am seeing my physio soon for my dodgy knee so I will ask her advice re wax baths and my hands in general.

[Liby57]

I had exactly the same issue. My hands would swell and I couldn’t grip anything. In my case it was a as I reduced to lower dosage. I had to increase dosage for a while and then start coming down again. It happens very ad hoc now and only seems to last a day at most or sometimes only half a day until the Pred kicks in. My Rheumy said it was most probably a flare. I have had tests and saw him on Tues. He examined my hands and nails. My blood tests confirmed I don’t have Rheumatoid arthritis. I do have some slight wear and tear but no more than would be expected for my age.

[Vaggers in reply to Liby57]

Interesting thankyou.

[Hollybee21 in reply to Vaggers]

I have had similar problems. Had a flare in May/June and slowly lowering my dose of Pred, but my left hand is giving me problems. My knuckle above my forefinger and middle finger is so swollen and can’t bend the forefinger at all. If I touch anything with it the pain shoots up my hand and throbs all night when trying to sleep. Was beginning to think I had broken my finger. Am seeing my Rheumatologist on 20th September so was going to check with him. Will let you know how it goes.

[Vaggers in reply to Hollybee21]

Will be very interested to know how you get on.

[Pongo13]

I’m down to one a day - I’ve had hand issues returning so good to read answers here as I am off to look at wax baths now! That’s what I love about this site - you’re never alone x

[Vaggers in reply to Pongo13]

See you in the Wax Baths Shop !!!!