pain in hands and wrists

[bBarnabus]

I recently developed very sore and very stiff fingers and wrists, particularly bad in the morning. The pain is debilitating and tends to ease off during the day without ever disappearing. I am also getting shoulder and hip pain, aching legs and fatigue. I suspected a flare and increased my steroid dose from 9 to 15mgs. This was 9days ago and things have not improved. I’m beginning to suspect arthritis and because it was sudden and bilateral even RA.

I have been doing too much, with work on the new house and overseeing builders and the inevitable worry. But this flare is especially painful and fatiguing. Any thoughts?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Time to speak to your doctor! It could be osteoarthritis, especially since it sounds as if you have been using your hands a lot. But it could be inflammatory arthritis or the PMR - in addition.

[bBarnabus in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks I saw the doctor today and she thought it was osteoarthritis said take paracetamol and keep them moving. I took a flooding dose of ibuprofen instead and now at 10.00pm things feel a lot better.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to bBarnabus]

If you need ongoing pain relief though, paracetamol is safer. Ibuprofen for occasional use is great but less so over long periods

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to bBarnabus]

Try using Flexiseq for hands - have linked site which gives advice on use etc…worth trying- and if it works it’s very often on offer either online or in pharmacies…

flexiseq.com/pages/products

This is good as well - and both are drug free -

naturalskincarefactory.com/...

[bBarnabus in reply to DorsetLady]

Thanks I will try that

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

If after 9 days you haven’t noticed any significant improvement, then agree with PMRpro have probably have something else going on as well as/or maybe in place of PMR .

[AtopicGuy]

It could be tendon-related. The fingers are operated via tendons that pass through the wrist and connect to muscles in the lower arm. One set of tendons run across the palm, to close the fist. Another set run across the back of the hand to open it. Increasing age and corticosteroids are known to affect tendons.

[bBarnabus in reply to AtopicGuy]

Thanks for that. My main worry was that the pain came on so fast, it was not gradual. Anyway with ibuprofen it seems to be subsiding and now using my hands is a lot less painful