1. < Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR)

Are painful swollen hands and fingers a PMR flare?

Posted by deborahinmaine @deborahinmaine, May 15 11:56am

I got off prednisone for PMR after almost 3 years in April. In February I had woken with swollen painful hands and fingers. Because of how I sleep it was diagnosed unseen as carpal tunnel. Finally saw my rheumatologist and she thinks it could be a PMR flare,didn’t look like carpal tunnel. That makes sense to me but she has put me back on only 3mg. of prednisone. I have no strength in my hands and can’t make a fist. Very limited in what I’m able to do.
When first diagnosed with PMR and in terrible pain this same rheumatologist started me on 5mg. of prednisone which did nothing.
Finall got up to 20mg. And got some relief.
Has anyone else had issues with your hands during or after being on prednisone for PMR? I also just found out there is osteoarthritis in my hands.
Thanks!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) Support Group.

Mentor
John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | May 18 10:58am
In reply to @kmw24 "I began having tingling in right hand in March. I still have that and since March..." + (show)
@kmw24

I began having tingling in right hand in March. I still have that and since March that has progressed to sharp shooting pain in my fingers, it goes up into my forearm up into my elbow. I am unable to make a fist because of stiffness and pain which gets better in the afternoon, but then returns in the evening. nighttime has been horrible with pain in my hand and arm. I have not only had sharp pain on different areas of my hand. I have had burning pain in my hand that feels like it’s on fire at night when I’m trying to sleep. I was diagnosed with PMR a number of years ago. I was on prednisone and I went into remission, but I feel like I am back with full-blown PMR and will be seeing the rheumatologist I saw then this coming week. I have a little bit of this in my left hand, but not at all like my right hand. I have OA which runs in the maternal side of my family and I’ve had since it since my early twenties. I’ve had neuropathy in my feet which has gone away for the most part.
I’m wondering how anyone’s rheumatologist distinguished PMR in hands as opposed to carpal tunnel. Before the hand issues, I was having what I thought was a PM flare with aching arms and hips.. I have an appointment with a hand doc for what looks like Dupuytren’s Contracture which runs in my family on paternal side. As it happens that appt is day before appointment with Rheumatologist. Has anyone had this type of symptom/diagnosis issue? Thank you.

Jump to this post

Hi @kmw24, Welcome to Connect. I have carpal tunnel in both hands but worse in my left non dominant hand. My PMR is currently in remission for the second time but I remember when my second flare up occurred it was similar to my first time with pain more in my shoulders and legs with some stiffness in the hands but no real pain. I've had 2 steroid injections in my left hand that helped a little but I still notice the carpal tunnel symptoms. I think it's great that you have an appointment with your hand doc before your appointment with your rheumatologist.

Can you provide an update after your appointments?

REPLY
1 reply
kmw24 | @kmw24 | May 18 11:14am
In reply to @johnbishop "Hi @kmw24, Welcome to Connect. I have carpal tunnel in both hands but worse in my..." + (show)
@johnbishop

Hi @kmw24, Welcome to Connect. I have carpal tunnel in both hands but worse in my left non dominant hand. My PMR is currently in remission for the second time but I remember when my second flare up occurred it was similar to my first time with pain more in my shoulders and legs with some stiffness in the hands but no real pain. I've had 2 steroid injections in my left hand that helped a little but I still notice the carpal tunnel symptoms. I think it's great that you have an appointment with your hand doc before your appointment with your rheumatologist.

Can you provide an update after your appointments?

Jump to this post

@johnbishop thank you for your reply. Good to hear that you’re in
remission. I’m not excited about hand injections, especially if they don’t
give a lot of relief. I’ve had quite a few injections, different joints and
the worst was the foot so I can’t imagine that the hand would be any
better! I will post an update after seeing both physicians.

Kristen Waller

REPLY
scpartain | @scpartain | May 19 6:26am
In reply to @kmw24 "I began having tingling in right hand in March. I still have that and since March..." + (show)
@kmw24

I began having tingling in right hand in March. I still have that and since March that has progressed to sharp shooting pain in my fingers, it goes up into my forearm up into my elbow. I am unable to make a fist because of stiffness and pain which gets better in the afternoon, but then returns in the evening. nighttime has been horrible with pain in my hand and arm. I have not only had sharp pain on different areas of my hand. I have had burning pain in my hand that feels like it’s on fire at night when I’m trying to sleep. I was diagnosed with PMR a number of years ago. I was on prednisone and I went into remission, but I feel like I am back with full-blown PMR and will be seeing the rheumatologist I saw then this coming week. I have a little bit of this in my left hand, but not at all like my right hand. I have OA which runs in the maternal side of my family and I’ve had since it since my early twenties. I’ve had neuropathy in my feet which has gone away for the most part.
I’m wondering how anyone’s rheumatologist distinguished PMR in hands as opposed to carpal tunnel. Before the hand issues, I was having what I thought was a PM flare with aching arms and hips.. I have an appointment with a hand doc for what looks like Dupuytren’s Contracture which runs in my family on paternal side. As it happens that appt is day before appointment with Rheumatologist. Has anyone had this type of symptom/diagnosis issue? Thank you.

Jump to this post

Here's a link to an article about swelling in wrists and hands with PMR. I hope you feel better soon. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8546741/

REPLY
2 replies
usmwp111 | @usmwp111 | May 19 9:07am

As I tapered from 10 mg to 9 mg would wake up with extreme pain and numbness in wrist, hands, and fingers. Discussed with rheumatologist and because the finger pain was specifically to my middle three fingers he suggested it may be carpal tunnel. Suggested sleeping with wristbands. It is now a month later and it has much improved (now on 8 mg). They are still ‘sore’ in the morning, but nowhere near the pain I had been experiencing.

REPLY
kmw24 | @kmw24 | May 19 9:09am
In reply to @scpartain "Here's a link to an article about swelling in wrists and hands with PMR. I hope..." + (show)
@scpartain

Here's a link to an article about swelling in wrists and hands with PMR. I hope you feel better soon. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8546741/

Jump to this post

@scpartain, thank you for the article regarding hand swelling. I’ll take a look today.

REPLY
mtr2601 | @mtr2601 | May 19 2:14pm

I have seen a few posts where people mention that their bilateral hand pain and stiffness started to resolve once they got down to 5mg Prednisone. Curiously i have just dropped to the 5 mg range and woke up this morning able to move my hands without the usual pain and stiffness for the first time since October last year (not gone but at least 70% better). Is it a coincidence ? I am 7 weeks on Hydroxychloroquine which seems to be helping with the PMR pains. I also stopped taking the D3/Calcium/K2 supplement last week because i was worried about calcium deposits in the joints and arteries and started back on the Tumeric supplements ?? Something is finally working at last !!!!

REPLY
trimomlewis | @trimomlewis | May 20 6:30am
In reply to @scpartain "Here's a link to an article about swelling in wrists and hands with PMR. I hope..." + (show)
@scpartain

Here's a link to an article about swelling in wrists and hands with PMR. I hope you feel better soon. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8546741/

Jump to this post

Wow! Thx!

REPLY
1 reply
art43 | @art43 | May 20 9:35am
In reply to @trimomlewis "Wow! Thx!" + (show)
@trimomlewis

Wow! Thx!

Jump to this post

I had hand and wrist pain between 8 and 6, now down to 5 and it is essentially gone. Hang in there…it will get better !

REPLY
formerpaa70 | @formerpaa70 | May 25 6:07pm

I am on my third flare in 10 years, and already down to 2 mgs per day prednisone. Yesterday my hands began hurting so badly and I'm having difficulty w daily routines.
The past two bouts of PMR never affected my hands, just the v typical hips, shoulders.
Anyone have similar issues w hands?

REPLY
4 replies
tuckerp | @tuckerp | May 25 7:09pm
In reply to @formerpaa70 "I am on my third flare in 10 years, and already down to 2 mgs per..." + (show)
@formerpaa70

I am on my third flare in 10 years, and already down to 2 mgs per day prednisone. Yesterday my hands began hurting so badly and I'm having difficulty w daily routines.
The past two bouts of PMR never affected my hands, just the v typical hips, shoulders.
Anyone have similar issues w hands?

Jump to this post

I could barely grip anything. It didnt seem so bad in the knuckles but I completely lost my grip without pain.

REPLY
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.