pain in elbows and fingers

[Cashewnutty1962]

Hi all, is pain in elbows and fingers part of PMR or too much messing in the garden? Or even too much crotcheting? I have given knitting a break for now….

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Probably more likely to be gardening and crocheting (especially as that’s repetitive)… but never rule out PMR. Have you tried painkillers and heat therapy to see if that helps?

[Cashewnutty1962 in reply to DorsetLady]

Hi.. I think it’s more likely the gardening and crotcheting… I was almost painfree until I started both. I feel like I can’t do anything that I enjoy these days….. funnily enough, heat does nothing for me!! Painkillers like paracetamol don’t really make much difference and anything stronger makes me feel ‘off’. I’m going to stop both gardening and crotcheting for a while until the pain goes. Thank you for that super quick response. ☺️

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Cashewnutty1962]

How about topical gel? Used sparingly..

[Cashewnutty1962 in reply to DorsetLady]

GP gave me Voltarol emulgel which helped.. I’m not happy to use it as I have solo kidney..

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Cashewnutty1962]

Okay.. understandable.

[bookish in reply to Cashewnutty1962]

Hi, try a magnesium spray for the pain (not on broken skin), and check your B vitamins are at a good level, especially B12 and folate. But don't take oral B supplements until tested as you may need injections if low (oral doesn't work reliably for everyone but will skew blood results).

[Cashewnutty1962 in reply to bookish]

Thank you. I have magnesium salt baths but feel no improvement. I will try the spray again. My B12 levels were normal when last taken.

[bookish in reply to Cashewnutty1962]

I am afraid that serum B12 may be somewhat irrelevant, as you can have a cellular deficiency at any serum level. There are other tests which can help to identify a problem, but all of them can be 'normal' and you still have a B12 injection responsive condition, especially neuropathy. If you have a track of your serum B12 over time this may be useful, but your 'healthy' could be anywhere in the reference interval. There can be a number of reasons for deficiency and B12 metabolism is strongly genetic.

[Cashewnutty1962 in reply to bookish]

Oh ok. Thank you.

[SnazzyD]

🧐 so what have you been doing in the garden exactly? Tugging, gripping and pincering small weeds are not good for arms and hands. Can you pinpoint exact spots?

[Cashewnutty1962 in reply to SnazzyD]

Hi.. all of the above!! I tried using a proper fork as opposed to a hand fork to save my wrists… I even have a gardening stool and kneeling pad to try and save my hips, shoulders, wrists, elbows, fingers any bone, joint muscle, only thing left is my brain!!!

At least I enjoy walking several miles almost daily.. it makes me feel better psychologically. Ps: I tripped over a tree root over the weekend and went down almost to my knees jolting my hips especially. Sure that didn’t help😂

[SnazzyD in reply to Cashewnutty1962]

I turned into the 10 minute gardener for ages, it is amazing how much you can get done even though it is frustrating as hell. We tend to think that because we are doing a job or it’s enjoyable, it somehow isn’t strenuous. Ligaments hate it too.

[Blearyeyed]

Crocheting in small amounts is fine , but do it for hours and it's the crafters equivalent of an extreme sport!!!Gardening always causes pain in the elbows and fingers if you do it intensely or for too long. It's actually classed as coincidental low intensity , steady state exercise and can use up as many calories and more muscles than brisk walking or pilates even if your leaning down on a knee pad.

The combination of both can easily cause a case of DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness).

So I'd say it's the activity more than PMR in this case , give it a rest for a few days though because if you keep doing it the added inflammation and discomfort could cause a PMR flare.

[Cashewnutty1962 in reply to Blearyeyed]

Agree… no more gardening for a while… at least the garden looks nice😂

[Holidaytime89]

I have inflammation in my hands and wrists with my PMR and using secateurs makes it worse 😕

[Hopelessatbest]

I am on 2 mg of pred. and have pain in the fingers of both hands, but especially first finger left hand (I am right handed) and also pain in the elbows. Never had this pre PMR. I believe it is part of PMR. My physio gave me exercises for the fingers (to spread the fingers away from the palm and then bring in towards it , bending at the knuckles but not making completely into a fist). Repeat several times. This helps a great deal. With the elbows I just rest activity till they improve.

[SID3]

I have developed pain in both inner elbows during the night, and stiff fingers, as part of a general worsening of PMR. Also collar bone. Consulted a rheumy privately who thinks it could be my Ank Spon from youth resurfacing but I am not convinced.

[Hosers2]

Statins cause the same pains everyone here are describing.