Thumb and hand joint pain arthritis

Hi Mariette, @marietter absolutely. All true. I haven't had a bad flare since for 20 years because I've done all the right things - low purine diet. But as I aged I could no longer control the rise in my Uric Acid levels. but I did not know the part about the uric acid because my diet controlled the levels and no one ever tested me because I DID keep it in check. The best thing is to drink lots of fluids over the day. My father's trick was to have a little squeeze of lemon in all of his warm water. He ONLY drank hot water with a little lemon squeeze. I never knew about the gout because I guess he controlled it. He never thought to mention and did not know he could pass it on to me. I only found out he had it when my mother had died, and he stopped drinking the hot water with lemon and got gout! He was already 80 years old! And I didn't learn that I had it for another 20 years after that when I tried tart cherry capsules and the inflammatory stiffness stopped. No one (the dang arthritis doctors!) EVER connected it to gout! For me, it is less important about my diet and more important to keep my pH balanced overall. So the fluids are critical for me. Remember - the thing that happens is one's body gets thrown off of its pH and generates an "acidic" landscape. Eating a little "acidic" like lemon pushes the body to balance itself towards "alkaline" environment. The thing that can really bother me is farmed fish. So I try to stick to wild caught. I can drink a little alcohol, eat a few mushrooms and have a limited amount of all the other things as long as I keep hydrated. Yes, the BIG TOE! But I also got it in other places early on. But all under control now. Good health to you and your friend!

It really helps to be proactive with our health. I try to stay informed so I can ask questions and decide if I need to get another opinion. Sounds like you’re all over it research wise! I didn’t know about the lemon and its acidic benefits. I’ll share that, thanks!

I have tried everything, I have severe OA everywhere, hands being the worst and did have Carpel Tunnel. My hands had already caved in when I had the CTS surgery. Dr said he’d never seen hands this bad on a woman my age (I’m 55). But anyway, my hands hurt 24/7, they never stop, and since the CTS surgery are swelling horribly- they look like feet w/long toes(lol). Other than taking out bone between my thumb & first finger there’s nothing they can do for me. They did approve my disability, I don’t know what I would’ve done otherwise. But I’ve tried EVERYTHING! Little to no relief. I have a wax melter tho …and that feels awesome at night on your hands, May not help, but it sure feels good!

@gregv my son age 55 has bone/bone on each wrist on the thumb and first metatarsal. He is a golfer and has been told that his only option is a fusion which will help his severe pain but will limit the function. He has tried many treatments which have not worked and is going to have a cortisone injection. He has not seen a hand surgeon yet and the waitlist for surgery in Canada can be 5 years.
Any help would be appreciated

@joannehart Hand surgeons can be very helpful. There are other options, for example I had a proximal row carpectomy to remove the damaged bones in my wrist, and CMC (carpal-metacarpal) surgery on my thumbs. These can be quite successful. There are also a few places that are now doing wrist replacement instead of fusion.
I would hesitate to have fusion, even at my age of 74 - my friend did it a few years ago, and has severely limited use of both hands/arms.

Is there any possibility he can seek outside care, at least for his dominant hand?

@darma I understand. Fingers are so necessary, and when you either can’t use them at all, or it is really painful to do so it’s awful.

I’ve had 4 surgeries on my left hand: bone spur, trigger fingers, carpel tunnel, and the Sagittal Band that keeps fingers moving in the right direction got loose so repair of that. My hand is not good anymore. The band issue has deformed my fingers.

My right thumb had the arthoplasty surgery where they remove the trapezium bone between the wrist and thumb, and then pack it with tendon. That has taken away all the pain I was having in my thumb.

Have you been to a rheumatologist? They are arthritis specialists.

Hopefully you will find something that will help.

Hi Joannehart. My opinion - any medical treatment needs to have the end intended us in mind. In my case, my cmc bone and trapezium were in bone-on-bone contact. The arthoplasty surgery where they remove the trapezium may work just fine for a golfer - grip with the fingers and palm. I use my hands in other ways that require thumb to index finger grip, and I needed my trapezium to accomplish that. So, after a lot of research, Stablyx made the most sense. The surgeons in my area (Bend, Oregon) refused, so I travelled to San Fransisco - the closest surgeon who did these at that time - Dr. Igor Immerman, Associate Professor UCSF. 4 years later I am still very pleased with the results, and will have my right hand done by him in the near futue. Of course, and treatment does not necessarily permanently fix the problem, and I still do regular hand strengthening exercises. In the process of preparing the cmc bone for the implant, the tendon that holds that joint together must be cut, so that leaves only the muscles around that joint to hold it together, therefore, to me, continued exercises are the key to the successful outcome. The Stablyx process apparently is common on the east coast, but not so much out west, but that was 4 years ago. It may be more prevelent now.
Hope this help, and good luck to your son.
GregV

I know my remedy is only for some people, but it has worked great for me! I have a wrist brace that I wear when I have a flare-up. I may also wear it at night in bed. I bought the brace at the local drugstore but I am sure you can be fitted for one at the medical appliance store. My thumb joint pain does not happen often, but is very painful when I have a flare-up. Good luck!

@ppat4pr

Lidocaine patches beneath braces. Injections didnt help. Parafin dips not very helpful. What is cause? What do you use to rest areas during off hours? Steroids seem off limits due to side effects. Have you seen OT? May have exercises or techniques. Wish you well!