Connect
Are painful swollen hands and fingers a PMR flare?
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!
Like
Helpful
HugInterested in more discussions like this? Go to the Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) Support Group.
Connect
my hands were so sore i had no grip. 3mgs you might get off. going to take some dealing with pain. it can last a few weeks or months. But it does get better if your body slowly tries to restart.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionThanks for your reply. Strangely, the hand pain and tightness do seem to lighten up in the afternoon, which occurs with my overall body pain. Don't know if it's because I take my Prednisone in the morning and it takes that long to kick in!
I have too. at 2mg. Saw Hand doc. but she is a surgeon and said I needed carpal tunnel surgery. Gave me a shot for trigger finger and I had no more pain. So if a cortisone shot can fix it. How is it I need surgery after the shot wears off ? Not sure I understand it. Is there no other way to keep inflammation at bay?
I’m 12 years worth of familiar with RA. Pain and Swelling plus weakness in hands is most common symptom of RA. For me it’s hands, wrists, ankles and feet, and less frequently knees and shoulders
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionTrigger finger is an inflamed tendon. Not sure what that has to do with Carpal Tunnel, which is a constriction of the median nerve most commonly where it crosses the plane of the wrist. I’ve had four trigger finger tendon release surgeries. In all cases that was after i had at least two steroid injections. Those tendons were tethered in the palm near the line that crosses the palm near the base of the fingers. Surgery is to release that tether. Same as a carpal tunnel release only in that case you are releasing pressure on a nerve caused by swollen nearby tendons.
You really should only have two injections - max three - or you start Getting spongy bone where ligaments and tendons attach.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
3 ReactionsAbsolutely. By afternoon I can function fairly well.
Same hand symptoms but doc ruled out RA. He says osteoarthritis. And PMR can affect hands. Who knew?
No, RA was ruled out by blood tests.
What did he mean he ruled it out with blood tests? I wasn't positive for RA factor for 7 years. The only other blood results might be Sed rate and other markers for inflammation. But those are common to both RA and PMR. Well time will tell. What drug is he giving you?
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionI am not to familiar with diagnosing RA. When I had my initial blood work done after self diagnosing myself. Rhumy pulled . ESR , CRP, HS-CRP, RA, and CCP(IgA,IgG). My tests were all negative so ruled out RA. Would that be a fair assessment.