Joint pain in hands - what to do?

[dottie51]

Originally Posted by cynthiadew

I'm a veteran of arthritic hands. A parafin bath in worth it's weight in gold. They are available at most drug stores and wally world. Use the parafin that comes with them. I like the wax that has orange oil in it, smells nice. I use mine most every morning, it also has the side benefit of strengthing your nails.

Cynthia

[dottie51]

Hi Cynthiadew, I'm new to the message board and I'm not sure how it works. I was recently diagnosed with RA. I moved from Long Island NY to Allentown, PA, so I had to find a new Dr. I did find one and she's wonderful. She did a bunch of tests on me and the last one was an mri on my right hand, and that's how she came with RA. I had a high sed rate for over 17 years. My other Rumie didn't mri my hand, but's that over now. I find my hands wrists and my feet act up at around 3pm, and it get worse until I take my meds at night. I also have Fibro. So I don't know which pain is which at times. The funny thing is my mother had RA, and we weren't biologically related. I'm adopted. I at one time had a parafin bath and my hands felt great. Can you get it at any drug store? Like CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens? I sometimes feel so beside myself with the pain. I end up sniping at my husband of 31 years, and he's usually pretty good about not yelling back. Still he doesn't understand about the Fibro or RA. I'm so glad I found this message board. Please let me know if I'm doing something wrong on this. Do your shoulders hurt also? If you have a chance, please message me back. It's so nice to find a place where you can share your feelings. Dottie51

[jenilee70]

Originally Posted by creinha

Is there a reason you can't take an anti-inflammatory medication? It will help with the stiffness. I had the same problem. I was diagnosed with RA and given Plaquenil, which helped a lot, but I still had some minor pain and significant stiffness in the hands. I added Relafen and it made a huge difference for me.

Yes, there is a reason. I have borderline high blood pressure and seem to be unusually sensitive to anti-inflammatory medication in the sense that my blood pressure shoots up when I take them.

The pain is not always as bad, but when it's bad it's very bad. It's usually worst at night, although it can be bad at any time during the day.

[jenilee70]

Originally Posted by Ronnied

Hi

Do you think you may have psoriatic arthritis? I have had this disease for just over three years, it affected my fingers, and toes at first, it is now in my knees, ankles, toes, hands, elbows and neck. My hands have steadily got worse and I found typing all day at work a bit of a struggle. My fingers sometimes locked as I was typing. I have been on all the dmards and am presently on leflunomide (arava). I wear splints on my wrists as at present being tested for carpal tunnel in both wrists. I am replying to your post as the best thing I did was to give up the job. I only type now at home on good days.

Thanks for your reply, Ronnie. And thanks everyone who has replied to this post.

I don't think I have psoriatic arthritis, since I've never had psoriasis or anything like it. I know that in rare cases the arthritis precedes the psoriasis, but that's not very common. But who knows.

Did you give up working altogether, or did you get a job doing something else? I'm single and I worry about how I would manage if I had to give up my job or work part-time. I've thought about whether I could do something else that involves less computer work, but almost all jobs these days involve working on the computer. I can't do jobs that would require me to walk a lot or stand all day, since I also have pain in my feet, knees and toes. So I'm sort of at a loss as to what to do, although many days I feel like I can't go on.

Anyway, I'm going to try the advice that has been suggested here, such as the paraffin thing (never heard of it before, but am willing to try). Hopefully something will help!

[Ronnied]

Hi,

Sorry cant help with the job front, as like you say, everything seems to involve computers. Somebody suggested reception work to me as you sit down most of the time but you only type a little bit during the day. May be worth considering. I get very down with my arthritis at times. Depends on the day really. Yesterday I was positive and happy, today down in the dumps. Went to look after my little granddaughter for only 2 hours, and now I feel like I have been run over, everything is aching and I feel like going to bed and it is only 7.30 in the evening. I have been told not to think about work at mo, I do get fed up at home, but started hobby and do that when I can. Do not overstretch yourself, get plenty of rest and sleep and give yourself a reason to put up with it all, i.e. a hobby, or pet may help. Don't get too down, there are hundreds of us out there all putting up with it, make sure you spoil yourself now and then.

Ronnie