@noelleklein Good Morning. I certainly sympathize with you. I've had/have Dupytryn's Contracture (sp?) over the years and I know it's very painful. As a professional artist, I eventually had difficulty even holding a paintbrush, or even holding the steering well of my car, vacuuming, etc. I was referred for physio at the local hospital, which included specific hand exercises and the construction of various types of innovative splints to keep my hands as open as possible or to help protect me from more pain.
Surgery was finally necessary and I was referred to a Hand Surgeon. The surgery was done one hand at a time, and a year apart. That was followed by quite extensive physio again, but I'm happy to say my hands are PERFECT now! No more pain, no more contracture!!
I can use them just as I did in my younger days. Good luck to you on the road to recovery. Our hands are so very important to our quality of life! Warmest wishes, Laurie
Hi Laurie,
What type of surgery did you have, I see that there are so many options for treatment but most of them have bad side effects. I still use my devices it help, but it seems unpredictable how much pain I will have and when.....
Thank you so much!
My husband suffered from Dupytryn’s about 12 years or so ago. He looked at all available options and researched each one thoroughly before choosing radiation therapy at Virginia Commonwealth University. He spent a week at VCU having radiation treatment on his hand, which was becoming increasingly painful and troublesome, and another two days the following week. The process was a success. Recently a friend asked if anyone in our neighborhood knew of any treatment other than surgery (which she was facing) and I told her about VCU and she has had the treatment, but over two one week periods. I don’t necessarily say this is a perfect solution for all, but some might want to look into it.
Wow, I never heard either of those risks associated with Dupuytrens. Can you cite a source for that information?
I suppose it could be theorized that there is a higher risk since Dupuytrens is more common in people who have been long time smokers and heavy consumers of alcohol.
I never heard of this. Here’s my family, all with Dupuytrens. Father died at age 90. Brother age 79. Myself age 75+. Yes, we’re of Northern European background. When my D gets bad, I use arnica which relieves the pain. I also use “yoga hands” daily to keep my hands limber and stretched.
I never heard of this. Here’s my family, all with Dupuytrens. Father died at age 90. Brother age 79. Myself age 75+. Yes, we’re of Northern European background. When my D gets bad, I use arnica which relieves the pain. I also use “yoga hands” daily to keep my hands limber and stretched.
My late husband ( American born/Irish ancestry)had it in both hands in the late 70’s .He had surgery at NYUniv Hosp in nyc in both hands followed by PT . —Now There are injections for Dupuytrens contracture, I’ve even seen advertisements on tv .Most importantly go to a specialist, a Hand Plastic Surgeon. I do believe the condition can also occur in the feet. Check info out diligently!
I have very high autoimmune labs including for scleroderma. I have had a lupus diagnosis for 20 years. I thought my hand tightening might be scleroderma but yesterday the rheumatologist casually said it was Dupuytrens as he felt my palms. He didn't talk about it at all even though I said I was having a lot of pain and it was new.
Oddly, I have been going to PT for 9 months for what feels like a shoulder blade (trap) contracture with a pulling sensation all the way down the arm to hand, and my left arm is shorter than my right by about 4". Orthopedist did lidocaine injections to break it up but things got worse.
Does anyone else with Dupuytrens have positive auto antibodies for scleroderma? That also involves thickening and tightening. Does anyone else have this connection to shoulder blade and arm possibly related to the palm thickening and tightening?
Doctors are passing me around to each other. Ortho to rheum to neuro with kidney and endo also. They all repeat tests done by the others. The manipulations and strength tests done by the rheum yesterday left me in bad pain today. I can no longer take NSAID's due to kidneys!
I feel as if docs are chasing diagnoses and noone has offered help for my pain. Fingers and wrists really hurt and shoulder/arm.
My Dupuytren’s developed before the a diagnosis of autoimmune disease was
considered. I have psoriatic arthritis with primarily enthesitis symptoms.
Bilateral carpal tunnel is likely all interrelated.
Keep active and stretch. The hand exercise ball is a good tension reliever in
the car. Treat underlying inflammation. Your doctors should look at all the
markers inflammation. People of European origin are prone. Research concomitant diseases for clues.
I felt gaslighted by my former rheumatologist when I questioned her diagnosis
of osteoarthritis. Be your own advocate and keep moving.
My Dupuytren’s developed before the a diagnosis of autoimmune disease was
considered. I have psoriatic arthritis with primarily enthesitis symptoms.
Bilateral carpal tunnel is likely all interrelated.
Keep active and stretch. The hand exercise ball is a good tension reliever in
the car. Treat underlying inflammation. Your doctors should look at all the
markers inflammation. People of European origin are prone. Research concomitant diseases for clues.
I felt gaslighted by my former rheumatologist when I questioned her diagnosis
of osteoarthritis. Be your own advocate and keep moving.
As I wrote, I have an ANA of 1:5120 and the anti-centromere antibody is >8, the highest it can be (>1 is positive). But I don't have Raynaud's or visible calcinosis.
The rheumatologist was thorough with the usual checklist but said the skin tightening on hands was not scleroderma, but Dupuytrens. He literally mumbled that.
My body hurts all over. I have had "lupus" for 20 years, breast cancer, 7 spinal fractures and generally do not complain. I keep telling doctors that this summer something is different- worse.
I made an appointment with my primary care NP who I like, to go over all the tests other docs want (so many repeats) and say I just want pain relief. Time will tell on the scleroderma. General rheum's don't always know much so I am waiting for appt. with scleroderma center in October.
Meanwhile my hand is tightening every day and hurts quite a bit. Thanks!
Developed this on my right hand. Could not place my hand flat on surface. My little finger was bent. Never painful but was advised to deal with it sooner than later since it would only worsen. Had surgery several years ago. Went well. Rehabilitation was challenging but not unreasonable - had to do several exercises while wound healed. Hand is 99%.
As I wrote, I have an ANA of 1:5120 and the anti-centromere antibody is >8, the highest it can be (>1 is positive). But I don't have Raynaud's or visible calcinosis.
The rheumatologist was thorough with the usual checklist but said the skin tightening on hands was not scleroderma, but Dupuytrens. He literally mumbled that.
My body hurts all over. I have had "lupus" for 20 years, breast cancer, 7 spinal fractures and generally do not complain. I keep telling doctors that this summer something is different- worse.
I made an appointment with my primary care NP who I like, to go over all the tests other docs want (so many repeats) and say I just want pain relief. Time will tell on the scleroderma. General rheum's don't always know much so I am waiting for appt. with scleroderma center in October.
Meanwhile my hand is tightening every day and hurts quite a bit. Thanks!
Can you feel a cord (thickening of a tendon) or a nodule on a tendon in the palm of your hand? Those would be characteristic of Dupuytren's disease. Dupuytren's disease is often associated with frozen shoulder. Dupuytren's can be worsened by pressure on the cords such as from lifting weights in physical therapy. It helps to support the hand with the support gloves that weightlifters use. Have you seen a hand surgeon? They are the best doctors to diagnose Dupuytren's. I would join a Facebook group for people with Dupuytren's. The members can help you find doctors that treat the condition with collagenase injections or topical Verapamil gel. I was able to dissolve a Dupuytren's nodule by faithfully applying the Verapamil gel.
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Hi Laurie,
What type of surgery did you have, I see that there are so many options for treatment but most of them have bad side effects. I still use my devices it help, but it seems unpredictable how much pain I will have and when.....
Thank you so much!
My husband suffered from Dupytryn’s about 12 years or so ago. He looked at all available options and researched each one thoroughly before choosing radiation therapy at Virginia Commonwealth University. He spent a week at VCU having radiation treatment on his hand, which was becoming increasingly painful and troublesome, and another two days the following week. The process was a success. Recently a friend asked if anyone in our neighborhood knew of any treatment other than surgery (which she was facing) and I told her about VCU and she has had the treatment, but over two one week periods. I don’t necessarily say this is a perfect solution for all, but some might want to look into it.
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2 ReactionsI never heard of this. Here’s my family, all with Dupuytrens. Father died at age 90. Brother age 79. Myself age 75+. Yes, we’re of Northern European background. When my D gets bad, I use arnica which relieves the pain. I also use “yoga hands” daily to keep my hands limber and stretched.
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Helpful -
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1 ReactionLove your positive outlook!
My late husband ( American born/Irish ancestry)had it in both hands in the late 70’s .He had surgery at NYUniv Hosp in nyc in both hands followed by PT . —Now There are injections for Dupuytrens contracture, I’ve even seen advertisements on tv .Most importantly go to a specialist, a Hand Plastic Surgeon. I do believe the condition can also occur in the feet. Check info out diligently!
I have very high autoimmune labs including for scleroderma. I have had a lupus diagnosis for 20 years. I thought my hand tightening might be scleroderma but yesterday the rheumatologist casually said it was Dupuytrens as he felt my palms. He didn't talk about it at all even though I said I was having a lot of pain and it was new.
Oddly, I have been going to PT for 9 months for what feels like a shoulder blade (trap) contracture with a pulling sensation all the way down the arm to hand, and my left arm is shorter than my right by about 4". Orthopedist did lidocaine injections to break it up but things got worse.
Does anyone else with Dupuytrens have positive auto antibodies for scleroderma? That also involves thickening and tightening. Does anyone else have this connection to shoulder blade and arm possibly related to the palm thickening and tightening?
Doctors are passing me around to each other. Ortho to rheum to neuro with kidney and endo also. They all repeat tests done by the others. The manipulations and strength tests done by the rheum yesterday left me in bad pain today. I can no longer take NSAID's due to kidneys!
I feel as if docs are chasing diagnoses and noone has offered help for my pain. Fingers and wrists really hurt and shoulder/arm.
My Dupuytren’s developed before the a diagnosis of autoimmune disease was
considered. I have psoriatic arthritis with primarily enthesitis symptoms.
Bilateral carpal tunnel is likely all interrelated.
Keep active and stretch. The hand exercise ball is a good tension reliever in
the car. Treat underlying inflammation. Your doctors should look at all the
markers inflammation. People of European origin are prone. Research concomitant diseases for clues.
I felt gaslighted by my former rheumatologist when I questioned her diagnosis
of osteoarthritis. Be your own advocate and keep moving.
As I wrote, I have an ANA of 1:5120 and the anti-centromere antibody is >8, the highest it can be (>1 is positive). But I don't have Raynaud's or visible calcinosis.
The rheumatologist was thorough with the usual checklist but said the skin tightening on hands was not scleroderma, but Dupuytrens. He literally mumbled that.
My body hurts all over. I have had "lupus" for 20 years, breast cancer, 7 spinal fractures and generally do not complain. I keep telling doctors that this summer something is different- worse.
I made an appointment with my primary care NP who I like, to go over all the tests other docs want (so many repeats) and say I just want pain relief. Time will tell on the scleroderma. General rheum's don't always know much so I am waiting for appt. with scleroderma center in October.
Meanwhile my hand is tightening every day and hurts quite a bit. Thanks!
Developed this on my right hand. Could not place my hand flat on surface. My little finger was bent. Never painful but was advised to deal with it sooner than later since it would only worsen. Had surgery several years ago. Went well. Rehabilitation was challenging but not unreasonable - had to do several exercises while wound healed. Hand is 99%.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionCan you feel a cord (thickening of a tendon) or a nodule on a tendon in the palm of your hand? Those would be characteristic of Dupuytren's disease. Dupuytren's disease is often associated with frozen shoulder. Dupuytren's can be worsened by pressure on the cords such as from lifting weights in physical therapy. It helps to support the hand with the support gloves that weightlifters use. Have you seen a hand surgeon? They are the best doctors to diagnose Dupuytren's. I would join a Facebook group for people with Dupuytren's. The members can help you find doctors that treat the condition with collagenase injections or topical Verapamil gel. I was able to dissolve a Dupuytren's nodule by faithfully applying the Verapamil gel.