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scleroderma vs Dupuytrens palm thickening
I have had an ANA of 1:5120 and an anti-Centromere antibody >8 (positive is >1). I have a possibleleft frozen shoulder, or a contracture, that feels like it pulls on my arm.
Over the last 6 weeks or so the skin on the palm of my hands has tightened (esp. left side but both sides) and some fingers have started to curl in.
Orthopedist thought this was scleroderma and sent me to a rheum locally (I have an appt. at a scleroderma center for October). Local rheum did not seem to know much about scleroderma and told me this was atrophy or Dupuytrens in the palms of my hand.
Can someone tell me if skin tightening with scleroderma ever happens with the inside of the hand, or is it always on the outside?
This hurts a lot to be honest.
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Hello @windyshores, It must be difficult to deal with the pain and not knowing the cause and how to deal with it. Hopefully you will learn more at your upcoming appointment. While we wait for members with experience to respond, here's some information from Mayo Clinic on scleroderma that may be helpful.
"Nearly everyone who has scleroderma experiences a hardening and tightening of the skin. The first parts of the body to be affected are usually the fingers, hands, feet and face. In some people, the skin thickening can also involve the forearms, upper arms, chest, abdomen, lower legs and thighs."
--- Scleroderma - Symptoms and causes: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/scleroderma/symptoms-causes/syc-20351952
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1 Reaction@johnbishop thanks! I have a book on scleroderma and have been looking online but was surprised that the local rheumatologist checked for tight skin on the outer hands but thought the inner hand tightness was something else. He could be right. I dislike diagnostic rabbit holes. I do think time will tell!
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1 ReactionYou need to have surgery to relax them. I have Dup. It really does not keep it from happening in the future. I am 71 and I had the surgery when I was about 60. I see and feel the tightening in my palms but no pain really. At least not yet. My Rheumy told me no surgery again until fingers are turned in.
Are any of your ancestors from Northern Europe?
I wish you the best dear.
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1 Reaction@cher50 orthopedist sent me to rheumatology in light of my high antibodies for scleroderma but rheum was not interested in my hand and just sort of mumbled about Dupuytrens.
I guess I will wait to see if it gets worse and then see a hand surgeon. It is quite painful but the pain goes from shoulder down so maybe the ortho can help too. I am doing PT 😉
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1 ReactionYou are doing what you can. That is a good step to start PT. Let me know when you find out what it truly is. Hugs.
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1 ReactionAny where there is skin, inside and outside, Scleraderme can occur. Schleraderma, now called systemic sclerosis, and it means Hardening of the skin.
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1 Reaction@2baformerredhead Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect! I’m glad that you’re here and can join some conversations. You joined this group—do you have scleroderma?
yes, I was diagnosed at the Univ. of Minnesota when I was 20 and told that within 3 years, I would spend the rest of my life in a wheel chair. I had to drop any class that required stairs. Fortunately from I was seen a bit later bt Dr. Joyce Funk and she sent me to the head of rheumatology at the U. Hospital. He put me on a 5 days a week physical therapy regiment. He also decided to try me on prednisone. For me , it was a God sent. I am now 80 years old, and other than my digestive track, I have been intermission for many years. My digestive track ,I am told, is text book. I can live with that. I also gave birth to two healthy babies who are now 56 and 53.
My message,Don't give up . Find a doctor who cares.
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