Wellness

[Apple Head]

Thanks to everyone for your informative and helpful posts. I was laid off my job this week, so didn't feel like coming on the boards. I worked there for 22 years. Don't even know how to look for a job in the digital age.

I do appreciate all the advice.

I still wonder if cracking knuckles as a kid would hurt the joints, but doctors all say that's not true. I never played an instrument, but have lifted dumbbells for years, yet none of my other fingers are affected. I still think computer keyboards and the mouse contributes to a lot of joint pain in our hands and wrists.

It doesn't hurt most days, except when I use it wrong or have the ring incident.

Thanks hckynut for the sincere apology. I appreciate it.

[Bird]

On 2/27/2015 hckynut said: I play the keyboard and trumpet(cornet/flugle horn) and it does work my fingers? At times pushing down the valves on the horns is harder than putting sufficient air into them to hit certain "high notes". As long as I got wind, and many here think I have plenty of the hot kind, I will keep right on playing, even the huh-huh-hi notes. Dang that hurt!

For me, it is the hand with which I gripped the instrument. I unknowingly used tension there, gripping, gripping, gripping, instead of what I should have done, which is relax all unnecessary muscles. Just this week I noticed that I grip the steering wheel with that same hand in a weird position, and with tension. Just never noticed that before, and I drive at least a couple hours every day, sometimes 10-12 when it's tractor work. All these little things can contribute to degeneration, I'd guess.

Apple Head I'm so sorry about your job. 22 years - I didn't think "they" could do that kind of thing any more. I remember being 25 years old, getting hired, and seeing the older workers getting laid off disproportionately. It's a bad scene. - Bird

[kristan]

I crochet to keep movement & take Naproxen.

[AnikaBrodie]

I have a history of gout (genetic issue) which usually affects the joints of my feet. However, sometimes it also affects the fingers, especially the thumb area. I take Allopurinol daily which is supposed to control the uric acid but have gout attacks on occasion. Gout is extremely painful and is a form of arthritis.

[sfnative]

Hi Apple Head,

Believe me I hear your discontent about the difficulty you're having in attempting to wear rings, like your grandmother's, on your newly arthritic ring finger. One poster provided photos of a procedure a jeweler could do to your rings to make them really easy to get on and off. I wonder if you could afford that. Wouldn't it be wonderful? That looks great!

My best advice to you would be to find out who the top Hand Surgeon is in your area and make an appointment. Not for surgery, but for the best eval possible.

***

Two and a half years ago I had necessary hand surgery on my right hand, which is my dominant hand. Unfortunately, as a result of that surgery, Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) set in and my right hand is now a wreck. One of the things that occured nearly over night was an acute onset of arthritis in my fingers. I had no artiritis in my fingers prior to the surgery, but within a week my joints were disfigured with arthritis. I can't get any of my wonderful rings on my right ring finger at all and my index finger is downright crooked. Additionally, I used to be a pianist and performed microvascular surgery on arteries that are 1mm in diameter with suture that is one half the diameter of a human hair amongst other abilities which have been lost.

***

Try not to get too down regarding this challenging situation, until such time as you can have your finger properly evaluated. Good luck and God Bless.

[blackhole99]

I have osteoarthritis in both hands and wrists and both feet and ankles. I take Andrew Lessman's Complete Joint Effort. I must say this supplement has made quite a difference in the pain and swelling and the Heberdens nodules I have on my fingers are almost gone and the nodules I had on my big toes are gone. I've been taking this product for 2 years, but you will know after a month if this supplement is helping you, it's not inexpensive.

[bluejeansluvr]

You should have it x-rayed. It could be a fracture. That has happened to me and it hurts.

[Mindy D]

I have to wear some of my rings on my pinky, now. I have changed ring sizes. Info have one joint in my index finger,that is misshapen. I don't wear rings on that finger. You can enlarge one ring at a time, so it won't be too expensive all at one time.

[Pook]

The pain I often have is my concern and wearing rings isn't even on my radar. I get you are upset but not worth obsessing over. You can have the rings resized one at a time as you can afford it. I now have bumps on all fingers except the thumbs. I have gotten great relief from dark cherry juice and noni juice which I take daily. My fingers used to swell at the top joint but don't often do that now but still do get stiff in the morning.

Also if you can't get a ring off try putting ice on it and then greasing it up.

[GSPgirl]

This is what my hand PT does when I get a ring stuck. Go buy the coban stretchy bandage wrap. Wrap your finger from the ring down to the tip. Leave it on only for a little while. It will shrink your finger so that you can get the ring off.