1. < Bones, Joints & Muscles

Does anyone suffer from random hand cramping and finger contractures?

Posted by kalliope56 @kalliope56, Jun 15, 2023

I am at wit’s end with a problem I’ve been having with my hands and fingers. My hands randomly have spasms and my fingers randomly contract. In particular, the fingers that contract are my index finger in my middle finger and occasionally my thumb. My fingers curl inward towards my palm and will not release for a few minutes. I saw a hand specialist last week who took x-rays and checked me for carpal tunnel and trigger finger, and said I did not have any major issues with my hands. He thought the issue might be spine/nerve related and he referred me to a neurologist. The neurologist ordered blood tests to see if I had any vitamin/mineral deficiencies and also ordered a thyroid test. All results have come back normal. Something has got to be causing the painful spasms and the finger contractions. The neurologist prescribed Gabapentin, and I just started taking it. Has anyone else had experience with random hand spasms and finger contractions?

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kalliope56 | @kalliope56 | Jun 18, 2023
In reply to @kilh "I have the same problem on both hands. First, there is Arthur and then I have..." + (show)
@kilh

I have the same problem on both hands. First, there is Arthur and then I have a pinched ulnar nerve which needs surgery. Then the median nerve may get pinched and two fingers will contract. According to my hand Ortho Dr., I have to watch not to lean on my elbows or keep my arm at a right angle for long periods. I try sleeping with my arms straight at my sides or on a pillow. Sometimes this is hard. On another note, all my labs are normal. So no help there. As you said try and make the best of the situation. KLH

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I try to keep my arms straight, too, when sleeping. I just don’t understand why the neurologist won’t check for pinched nerves. I feel like I need to find ways to bring on the contractures while I am at his office.

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1 reply
kilh | @kilh | Jun 18, 2023
In reply to @kalliope56 "I try to keep my arms straight, too, when sleeping. I just don’t understand why the..." + (show)
@kalliope56

I try to keep my arms straight, too, when sleeping. I just don’t understand why the neurologist won’t check for pinched nerves. I feel like I need to find ways to bring on the contractures while I am at his office.

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Thanks for the reply. I get my thumbs injected every three months and have been for years. My Dr. has watched as my fingers are getting bad. But the pinched ulnar nerve was caused when I had an RSR and now I need surgery to fix this. Now I live this and try to watch the pressure on my elbow. Also, my fingers are always cold, and sometimes wear gloves in the house. Is life not grand? KLH

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1 reply
kalliope56 | @kalliope56 | Jun 18, 2023
In reply to @kilh "Thanks for the reply. I get my thumbs injected every three months and have been for..." + (show)
@kilh

Thanks for the reply. I get my thumbs injected every three months and have been for years. My Dr. has watched as my fingers are getting bad. But the pinched ulnar nerve was caused when I had an RSR and now I need surgery to fix this. Now I live this and try to watch the pressure on my elbow. Also, my fingers are always cold, and sometimes wear gloves in the house. Is life not grand? KLH

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My fingers and hands get cold indoors during winter months and I get lots of hand spasms in the winter. I’ve started wearing fleece lined fingerless gloves indoors to keep my hands warm. It helps.

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sarahstuart Sarah Stuart McIlvain | @sarahstuart | Jun 18, 2023
In reply to @kalliope56 "Personally, I’m thinking it’s repetitive motion related although the specialists are not convinced. I used to..." + (show)
@kalliope56

Personally, I’m thinking it’s repetitive motion related although the specialists are not convinced. I used to crochet and loom knit a lot... I play lots of games on my phone..I garden and play a lap harp and a Kalimba...lots of strain on my fingers and hands. Hand specialist recommended soaking hands in warm water and Epsom salts. I may try the gloves.

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Soaking your hands in warm water is always first choice, but doesn't always fit into my schedule or any other normal woman's schedule. Gloves that make marvelous driving gloves and fit under mittens or leather gloves are more practical for many of us.

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1 reply
kalliope56 | @kalliope56 | Jun 18, 2023
In reply to @sarahstuart "Soaking your hands in warm water is always first choice, but doesn't always fit into my..." + (show)
@sarahstuart

Soaking your hands in warm water is always first choice, but doesn't always fit into my schedule or any other normal woman's schedule. Gloves that make marvelous driving gloves and fit under mittens or leather gloves are more practical for many of us.

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Right! I’m retired but if my hands suddenly go into a spasm and I’m in a restaurant (happened last month), warm water and Epsom salts would not work.

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kilh | @kilh | Jun 19, 2023
In reply to @kilh "I have the same problem on both hands. First, there is Arthur and then I have..." + (show)
@kilh

I have the same problem on both hands. First, there is Arthur and then I have a pinched ulnar nerve which needs surgery. Then the median nerve may get pinched and two fingers will contract. According to my hand Ortho Dr., I have to watch not to lean on my elbows or keep my arm at a right angle for long periods. I try sleeping with my arms straight at my sides or on a pillow. Sometimes this is hard. On another note, all my labs are normal. So no help there. As you said try and make the best of the situation. KLH

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@sarahstuart Thanks for the reply. My family all grew up in Michigan (Pentwater and Ludington). It is a small world. KLH

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1 reply
sarahstuart Sarah Stuart McIlvain | @sarahstuart | Jun 19, 2023
In reply to @kilh "@sarahstuart Thanks for the reply. My family all grew up in Michigan (Pentwater and Ludington). It..." + (show)
@kilh

@sarahstuart Thanks for the reply. My family all grew up in Michigan (Pentwater and Ludington). It is a small world. KLH

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It is a small world! My husband was a good friend of Greg Milkens, one time Superintendent of Pentwater schools. And I was raised nearly next door to his ex-wife Sarah Jane Litscher Milkens.
I was born and raised in Grand Rapids.

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1 reply
kilh | @kilh | Jun 19, 2023
In reply to @sarahstuart "It is a small world! My husband was a good friend of Greg Milkens, one time..." + (show)
@sarahstuart

It is a small world! My husband was a good friend of Greg Milkens, one time Superintendent of Pentwater schools. And I was raised nearly next door to his ex-wife Sarah Jane Litscher Milkens.
I was born and raised in Grand Rapids.

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One cousin lives in Grand Rapids, two live in Pentwater, and two live outside of the area in Michigan. I have not been back since 1994 when my Dad passed away. It is a pretty country with the Michigan side of Lake Michigan.
I was born in Chicago and grew up in Evanston, Illinois. I went to Iowa State (Ames) and married the farmer's son. So here we are 58 years later still out on the farm raising cattle in SW Missouri. Take Care KLH

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Bones53 | @bones53 | Jun 19, 2023
In reply to @kalliope56 "I had never had mineral levels checked before so nothing to compare to...can you recommend a..." + (show)
@kalliope56

I had never had mineral levels checked before so nothing to compare to...can you recommend a good Magnesium supplement?

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I use “Stress-Relax” magnesium citrate. I serving (1 scoop) has 300 mg. which is equal to 70%+- daily allowance. Another great benefit is it calms me and helps with the occasional constipation that can happen with certain medications.

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laurapix | @laurapix | Jun 19, 2023

I had a mastectomy anad 10 lymph nodes removed. 3 years later trigger finger and tendonitis. I am receiving physical therapy. Also take magnesium (3 different kinds in one cvs).

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