Erosive Osteoarthritis

Posted by anniebrook @anniebrook, Feb 12, 2021

I have been trying to get answers for many years to find out why my OA in my hands is so painful and debilitating. It doesn't look as bad to the eye as many other people I have met that also have OA but have huge joint nodes but say it's not too painful. I had the traditional basal thumb surgery on left and right hands,left went well 10yrs ago but right which I had one yr later has never been pain free.. About 6 mths ago the pain in the back of my right wrist became so much worse at the same time a large lump appeared.I thought this was probably a Ganglion then a few weeks later a softer round lump appeared on the dip joint on the inside of my right little finger which as made the joint very swollen. Eventually got Xrays of both hands which have now been diagnosed as Erosive Osteoarthritis which I have never heard of. Prognosis doesn't look good with this type of OA. Has anyone else been diagnosed with this and do I ask to be referred to a Rheumatologist ? How do I deal with this ? Is there any meds I can take for pain and to slow down the progression ? Thank you

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@ga29

@parrotqueen thanks for the tip, I would like to try it. I just had back fusion on my lumbar and I think after 3 1/2 weeks that it is going to be successful. I am very hopeful, but I also have a lot of arthritis pain particularly in my hands. I also overdid the nsaids and I can’t take them anymore. Can you tell me do you buy yours at a health food store or over the Internet? Does it cause you any stomach indigestion? I find taking calcium and some vitamins really upset my stomach.

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Yes I have major back pain too and again the pain clinic just puts shot's in there and/or a an ablation on the nerves.

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@colleenyoung

Here is more information about boron from evidence-based sources.

– Brains, Bones, and Boron https://www.healthline.com/health/brains-bones-boron
"While boron supplements have been considered as a possible treatment for people with arthritis, more clinical evidence is needed to support this claim.
Boron is considered safe for most people, but large amounts can be harmful. There also isn’t data regarding a safe level for children younger than 1 year old. Its safety hasn’t been studied in pregnant women.
It’s important that you talk with your doctor before taking supplements. It’s unlikely that boron supplements are necessary. Most experts recommend increasing intake through dietary sources like fruits and vegetables before considering supplements.
If you don’t want to take additional boron supplements, eating foods that contain boron, like prunes, raisins, dried apricots, or avocados, can help increase boron levels."

– NIH Medline Plus: Boron https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/natural/894.html
"When taken by mouth: Boron is LIKELY SAFE when taken by mouth in doses that don't exceed 20 mg per day. Boron is POSSIBLY UNSAFE when taken by mouth in higher doses. There is some concern that doses over 20 mg per day might harm a man's ability to father a child. Large quantities of boron can also cause poisoning. Signs of poisoning include skin inflammation and peeling, irritability, tremors, convulsions, weakness, headaches, depression, diarrhea, vomiting, and other symptoms."
"Hormone-sensitive condition such as breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids: Boron might act like estrogen. If you have any condition that might be made worse by exposure to estrogen, avoid supplemental boron or high amounts of boron from foods."

- HIN Boron Factsheet for Consumers https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Boron-Consumer/
- NIH Boron Factsheet for Professionals https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Boron-HealthProfessional/

The last 2 articles also include links to other useful related articles. Luckily, I eat prunes for digestive reasons (a-hem: helps keep me regular) and I love avocados. I'm confident that I'm getting enough dietary boron.

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I'll start slowly for sure .I am a retired nurse so would always watch out for side effects Thank you

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@colleenyoung

Here is more information about boron from evidence-based sources.

– Brains, Bones, and Boron https://www.healthline.com/health/brains-bones-boron
"While boron supplements have been considered as a possible treatment for people with arthritis, more clinical evidence is needed to support this claim.
Boron is considered safe for most people, but large amounts can be harmful. There also isn’t data regarding a safe level for children younger than 1 year old. Its safety hasn’t been studied in pregnant women.
It’s important that you talk with your doctor before taking supplements. It’s unlikely that boron supplements are necessary. Most experts recommend increasing intake through dietary sources like fruits and vegetables before considering supplements.
If you don’t want to take additional boron supplements, eating foods that contain boron, like prunes, raisins, dried apricots, or avocados, can help increase boron levels."

– NIH Medline Plus: Boron https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/natural/894.html
"When taken by mouth: Boron is LIKELY SAFE when taken by mouth in doses that don't exceed 20 mg per day. Boron is POSSIBLY UNSAFE when taken by mouth in higher doses. There is some concern that doses over 20 mg per day might harm a man's ability to father a child. Large quantities of boron can also cause poisoning. Signs of poisoning include skin inflammation and peeling, irritability, tremors, convulsions, weakness, headaches, depression, diarrhea, vomiting, and other symptoms."
"Hormone-sensitive condition such as breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids: Boron might act like estrogen. If you have any condition that might be made worse by exposure to estrogen, avoid supplemental boron or high amounts of boron from foods."

- HIN Boron Factsheet for Consumers https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Boron-Consumer/
- NIH Boron Factsheet for Professionals https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Boron-HealthProfessional/

The last 2 articles also include links to other useful related articles. Luckily, I eat prunes for digestive reasons (a-hem: helps keep me regular) and I love avocados. I'm confident that I'm getting enough dietary boron.

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Thank you for those links! I ordered some boron online and will try it immediately. Anything that can help arthritis pain and my increasing osteopenia is worth a chance! I will start slowly and increase up to 20 mg. I think.

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@anniebrook

Yes I have major back pain too and again the pain clinic just puts shot's in there and/or a an ablation on the nerves.

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Yes I’ve done both and had no relief from the shots, only relief from the first ablation then nothing from the next two.

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@ga29

@parrotqueen thanks for the tip, I would like to try it. I just had back fusion on my lumbar and I think after 3 1/2 weeks that it is going to be successful. I am very hopeful, but I also have a lot of arthritis pain particularly in my hands. I also overdid the nsaids and I can’t take them anymore. Can you tell me do you buy yours at a health food store or over the Internet? Does it cause you any stomach indigestion? I find taking calcium and some vitamins really upset my stomach.

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was the post surgery very painful ?

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@anniebrook

was the post surgery very painful ?

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Yes, pretty intense for the first week, but I'm 4 weeks today, much better. So far I am very thankful I had the fusion. Slow and steady, just walking for therapy and hamstring stretching as my friend who is a PT told me that's very important. In a few weeks I expect they will tell me to get PT.

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@anniebrook Erosive osteoarthritis is a subset that principally affects hands and fingers. It may be associated with general osteoarthritis, or occur by itself.

I have found that topical NSAID gel or cream (Voltaren or Diclofenac, for example) is helpful in easing pain without taking the meds internally over a long period of time. Other soothing treatments can include heat or ice - I like a paraffin hand bath when I ache. Steroid injections also work, but if you choose to have one, it may delay surgery because the presence of steroids inhibits healing, so there is a waiting period.

As to your question about who to consult, the Rheumatologist can evaluate your condition, but the hand surgeon (a specialty certification that can either be sought by a plastic surgeon or an ortho surgeon) can operate on it if warranted - you may wish to see each of them.

You do need to act sooner rather than later, though. The swelling on the back of the wrist may well be related to your erosive osteoarthritis - a condition my best friend and I both have. When my wrist became painful & swollen at age 50, my very wise mother sent me posthaste to the hand surgeon, who monitored if for a time, then performed a carpectomy, removing the worst eroded bones, and scraping others. Now, nearly 20 years later, the wrist is shorter than the other but pain free & functional. I have likewise had successful CMC repairs on both thumbs. My friend was afraid to have surgery, and put up with the condition, using splints and Kinesio tape for 10 years. By the time she sought help, wrist fusion was her only choice.

Good luck seeking treatment, and if you choose surgery, make sure to see a good hand therapist after to regain full use.
Sue

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@lustarr

This all sounds so painful. I have osteoporosis arthritis just about everywhere in my body but my hands have been the latest part ive added to the list. I have trigger fingers on both hands ; mainly the middle and ring fingers and now the thumbs. I’ve been seeing and orthopedic hand surgeon who wants to open those trigger points in my hands basically by the base of those fingers. I’m a tad worrisome about that surgery since I haven’t heard anything about it previously. I just found out that the other knuckle problems in my hands typically the middle knuckle in my thumbs and fingers do not have any repairs or meds to help them. I do take celebrex once an evening for overall degenerative disc and knee problems.
I’d be interested to hear if anyone has any. 1. Insights on the trigger finger surgery and 2. Help with the degenerative knuckle osteoarthritis. Good luck with your erosive arthritis. Prayers.

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@lustarr Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. You are looking to connect with people that have experience with trigger finger surgery.

It makes sense you are concerned about surgery, since trigger point surgery is a new concept to you. It is also a new concept to me.

Below I have linked a previous discussion related to trigger fingers. Members @stefspad @pjc820 @artscaping @tyort have previously discussed this topic. You may wish to scroll through the previous discussion and comments for information and/or connect.

- Extreme pain in hands https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/extreme-pain-in-hands/

You are also interested in connecting with members that have experience with degenerative knuckle osteoarthritis. Them above listed members may be able to support you and/or direct you to members/information that may be helpful.

May I ask what kind of a timeline do you have for surgery?

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@parrotqueen

I got that done on my thumbs and it worked brilliantly - nothing to it really. Please do not go hog wild with shots of cortisone into your fingers - it eats the bone up. The BEST thing I have found for arthritis - particularly in my hands - is boron. Boron is a trace mineral and I've been doing a lot of research on it. I've been taking it a little over two years for osteoporosis - but it took ALL of my arthritis pain away! If I feel any pain, I just pop another one. But basically I take 6 mg at breakfast, 6 mg at lunch, 6 mg at dinner, and 6 mg before I go to sleep. You can get it from raisins and prunes and other foods (you can do a search for this) - this is why Ruth Bader Ginsburg ate prunes all the time. You just cannot get enough from prunes to do much good. The upper limit for boron has been set at 20 mg/day - but I have spoken to hundreds of people who are taking 120 mg/day, and they have been taking that dose for years and years (EDS, osteoporosis and arthritis are the main reasons for taking boron). It is hard to find good research about boron - I was able to find some at the NIH (National Institute for Health). Doctors don't know anything about boron. My hand surgeon wanted to do extensive surgery on my hands and I was all set to get it - then I discovered boron. There is no way I am having any more arthritis-related surgery now that I have boron. And it is super cheap.
Good luck to you! Arthritis really hurts - I used to cry myself to sleep with my hands just hurting so bad. Now I can crochet and play piano again. A nutritionist might be able to tell you about boron. It is really hard to find anything about it - and yet people have been using it for hundreds of years for arthritis. This is my third winter without pain and I LOVE it!

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After reading your post on BORON my husband went straight out and got me some. I just took 1x3mg the 1st day to see how I felt then 3x3mgs a day.Not feeling any relief yet so I wondered how long you had taken it before your pain felt less ? Thankyou

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@anniebrook Hi I'm not @parrotquern but have followed her recommdations as I have o.a.all over hands the worse I started of slow and increases to 2in am 2 p.m I noticed then how better I felt I'm doing 3 a.m. @3 p.m and feel none now in my back which for me was the worse outside of hands .So keep taking it been on it now about 2months Haven't taken any pain pills for awhile now She has a lot of knowledge

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