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PMR's effect on my hands
Has PMR affected your hands? In February, I noticed my legs and arms were often sore and stiff (no pain in my neck or shoulders). I lived with the pain for three weeks before seeing my doctor. He diagnosed my situation as PRM and put me on prednisone with taper. I am now down to 1.25 mg a day. My legs have been pain free for several weeks, and my arms are also mostly pain free. I don't know whether the soreness in my arms is due to doing something I shouldn't be doing (age 83) or whether it is a residual of PRM. Maybe 6 weeks after I was first treated, I noticed quite a bit of pain and stiffness in my hands. We didn't increase the amount of prednisone once it began affecting my hands. The pain sometimes feels like i stuck my hands in a very hot pot of water. Other times, it feels like many bee stings on my hands. My hands are also often numb or "asleep," especially when I wake up in the morning. Within 10 minutes or so after getting up, the pain/sensations are generally gone for the day, although at times, my hand still go to sleep and become numb during the day. I really shouldn't be complaining when I read about what some of you in the group have gone/are going through. I see my doctor in a couple of weeks. I'll see what he suggests but am wondering whether any of you have had significant hand pain.
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Male, 63, second go-round with PMR (first at 55 y/o).
Pain primarily in hands and shoulders. Currently only hand pain, but managing it fairly well.
Tapering prednisone (4mg) @ 1mg/2wks. and injecting Kevzara every other week. Started at 20mg prednisone in early January after 2+ months of substantial pain.
So what's helped my hands besides prednisone...
Occupational therapy gave me various exercises and a hot wax dip. Pretty simple, but it helps. I find myself doing the exercises all the time when hands start bothering me.
Acupuncture has helped a great deal. Hands actually gripping better than I have in years at times, since my first PMR bout -- usually the few days after a session. Not sure it helps with other parts of my body, but it has been notable on my hands.
That's about it, but so far so good. Hands are definitely the first to feel it when tapering. Determined to take it slow through the summer and be off the prednisone.
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1 Reaction@stonewheel I agree! I pray you get some relief!
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1 ReactionI’ve had pmr since 03/2022, initially affecting upper arm’s & shoulders. Started on prednisone, tapered slowly to zero and started Kevzara. I also got severe wrist & finger pain (felt like on fire) and weakness, and eventually was diagnosed with RA. RA is in remission now, but I now have inability to grip or make a fist without finger triggers, which are painful to ‘untrigger’. Pain is worse in middle of night..stinging & burning. Trying physio to help get grip back, it helps. Do people get better with the hands? I’m 64 and I’m trying to avoid hand surgery, the pain can be managed, but I’m not ready for no ability to grip. Advice/experience anyone?
Having read all the replies it seems a tricky one for the medical members of our care management teams to deal with. It might be OA or RA pain in hands but most of us know it feels like something different. It might be linked to carpel tunnel but again - the nerve involvement is from the shoulder where the PMR pain is.
The morning ‘worse’ scenario indicates PMR not OA.
So tricky 😳
I’m just about the listen to a webinar on the new PMR Treatment Protocols to be introduced in UK. I’ll pass on anything interesting 👍
@gwl
First, I'm very sorry to hear about your hand pain. I'm on 20 MG a day for about two months now. Shoulders and arms as good as new. But hand pain is constant. I've described it as an ache, rather than "pain." It feels as if I spent the day using lawn clippers on thick branches - that kind of overuse ache. Pain subsides as the day goes on. Pain is at its worst in the morning.
I'm curious: Are you trying an manual methods to ease the pain. I've hear icing one's hands can help. My wife has moderate arthritis and uses microwave "mittens" to loosen her fingers up. Have you tried that? I'm worried, because I think heat might actually increase the inflammation.
All told, the prednisone has been great, but my hands seem to be getting worse. Such a strange illness.
Again, I hope you get some relief and feel better.
@barjohnson62
Thanks for this info! I'm doing great on 20 MG prednisone, but my hands are getting worse. Everything else is like it was 30 years ago. No pain in shoulders or neck, etc.
I have to go back to acupuncture! I used to get it for my back and it worked wonders. I'm curious: What kind of occupational therapy do you use? Are there any resources for that?
Thanks again, and glad to know you're doing better.
My hands were very very painful during the night, so painful I had to get up and walk around during the night and the pain went (almost) away, once again laying down in bed the pain came back. This was before taking prednisolone and getting diagnosed with PMR. Hope this helps, take care!