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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I occasionally have cramping in my hand when I am trying to fasten the back of my bra for example. I do have a reaction to sulfites like in wine and found if I use a latte frother and let it foam up about 5 times, the sulfites dissipate and I don't have the terrible leg cramps.
We were just at Mayo for my husband a few weeks ago and could not sleep for 2 nights because of terrible leg cramps (No wine, lol). I looked at the bottled water we were using and it stated "sulfates" and. I was drinking extra water because of the cramps. Problem solved when I switched to a pure water.

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oh yeh, didn't understand what or why but if trying to do something requiring close dexterity hard pressure, all the sudden fingers contract in spasm at 2nd joint and lock, push them down on table or squeeze between knees to open helps, but am already on 2400mg gabapentin for years, rec diag mgus, tingling and internal vibrations hands feet lower arms, 1014 diag ess empty sella syndrome, dehydration and posterior of pituitary fully compressed by csf, host of other issues, vit D was tanked so 2500mg daily and lots of yogurt and sun if can handle it for short periods, anything over 67f and I cannot do physical exertion in sun, a few minutes and sweat just pours off me until in crisis, absorption of fluids slow when try to hydrate, D.mg

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@migunner

oh yeh, didn't understand what or why but if trying to do something requiring close dexterity hard pressure, all the sudden fingers contract in spasm at 2nd joint and lock, push them down on table or squeeze between knees to open helps, but am already on 2400mg gabapentin for years, rec diag mgus, tingling and internal vibrations hands feet lower arms, 1014 diag ess empty sella syndrome, dehydration and posterior of pituitary fully compressed by csf, host of other issues, vit D was tanked so 2500mg daily and lots of yogurt and sun if can handle it for short periods, anything over 67f and I cannot do physical exertion in sun, a few minutes and sweat just pours off me until in crisis, absorption of fluids slow when try to hydrate, D.mg

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Has the Gabapentin helped?

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@kalliope56

Has the Gabapentin helped?

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I don't know, would have to stop it and see, it's such a slow taper and I did stop it briefly 3 years ago and started getting pinching twisting nerve pains in arms legs chest, doc thought it muscler in nature so I started pounding the local hills that are max steep pushing a bike to top and ride down 4 or 5 days in a row to prove not, went back on gaba and faded, now and then I get a spell and the site of the pain is weird, a pinpoint location that squeezing and massaging have zero affect on it, however a very light brush of a fingernail across it and a burning flare like burned by coal, goes away after few sec and will repeat, doc has no clue, told her the Gabapentin I was prescribed years ago for migraine help now has been masking something totally different, am about to ask for sec opinion doc, kp gen pract is frustrating, I had to tell them test for blood inflammation markers and they came back MGUS, I ha to tell them for 9 months dehydration issue wasn't in my head, D.mg

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@kolady1

Yes my fingers will contract out of the blue! Not sure why. Always index finger and bird finger lololol. I thought it might be statins but it’s not. So I just live with it. It’s not life threatening!!!

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Same here...index and middle fingers and sometimes my thumb

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I have lymphedema, trigger finger and tendonitis. physical therapist says it is lymphedema making it worse... I do have gabapentin from itchy radiation??? will try it.

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Try taking magnesium and make sure that you stay well hydrated. I have this intermittently. I sometimes massage my hands, do online hand stretches to get circulation good. Since it is intermittent, I do not think it is a new deal, but keep asking your doctors. Mine does not show as a problem with arthritis.

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Yes, have my fingers & thumbs “lockup”…..I drop everything at the moment and massage and try to move them as quick as I can and it usually goes away……it is frightening because you think they are going to stay that way forever, but they don’t…..keep trying to move them and massage them at the same time and they will go back to normal very soon…

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I don’t have spasms, but terrible trigger finger - right hand middle. If affects my ability to open jars. It locks on tight grips too. Saw a hand specialist and he was of no use, just take anti-inflammatory pills. I explained I have Elhers Danlos Syndrome and I don’t want to take the pills, I prefer finger splints, he ignored me. I’m waiting to see a different specialist. Anyone else with EDS experience this?

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@michc

I don’t have spasms, but terrible trigger finger - right hand middle. If affects my ability to open jars. It locks on tight grips too. Saw a hand specialist and he was of no use, just take anti-inflammatory pills. I explained I have Elhers Danlos Syndrome and I don’t want to take the pills, I prefer finger splints, he ignored me. I’m waiting to see a different specialist. Anyone else with EDS experience this?

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Welcome @michc, While you wait to see if anyone else with EDS has experienced similar problems with fingers, I thought you might find this information from Mayo Clinic which mentions some additional noninvasive treatments helpful.
--- Trigger Finger - Diagnosis and treatment: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/trigger-finger/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20365148.

Did your hand specialist suggest any therapy or stretching exercises to help the mobility of your finger?

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