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My hands! My hands!!

(46 Posts)
MissAdventure Thu 15-Sept-22 22:37:30

For a few years now, my thumbs have occasionally seemed to suddenly bend inwards, and get stuck in a sort of spasm.

It's impossible to move the thumb back into its normal position unless I prise it with my "good" hand.

The last few weeks though, both thumbs do it, along with some of my fingers.

It's very painful- like cramp.

I'm not asking for a diagnosis, just wondering if anyone else gets it.

The whole outer side of my palm is now curling inwards, ouch ouch ouch!

Georgesgran Thu 15-Sept-22 22:42:41

DD2 has this. Like you she has to prise her hand open as she’s terrified it will stay twisted. It’s excruciatingly painful too,

MissAdventure Thu 15-Sept-22 22:44:23

It's been really bad today.
My hands feel bruised where they've contorted, and my arm just decided to join in the fun, too.

Callistemon21 Thu 15-Sept-22 22:46:46

Yes, it's really annoying.
I think yours sounds like cramp like mine and I take a magnesium tablet if I start to get cramps. They do work.

Do get it checked out though, one of my younger relatives has
Dupuytren's contracture where the fingers bend inwards but it's a gradual process and the fingers can't be straightened. AKA the Viking disease.

MissAdventure Thu 15-Sept-22 22:48:58

I just took a pic

Callistemon21 Thu 15-Sept-22 22:49:22

MissAdventure

It's been really bad today.
My hands feel bruised where they've contorted, and my arm just decided to join in the fun, too.

I once had the most dreadful cramps all over and thought my time had come. It was agony. That was before I knew about magnesium which is a muscle relaxant.

MissAdventure Thu 15-Sept-22 22:50:41

Oowww!!! I took that pic using my chin!

Georgesgran Thu 15-Sept-22 22:53:23

GP says my DD has fibromyalgia.

Germanshepherdsmum Thu 15-Sept-22 22:53:40

I have Dupuytren’s contracture in both hands, fingers only, not thumbs - bloody annoying but not painful.

MissAdventure Thu 15-Sept-22 22:56:06

This is very painful, and annoying.

I have a rare autoimmune disease, apparently, Georgesgran.

MissAdventure Thu 15-Sept-22 23:01:05

That is what they call trigger finger, isn't it, gsm?

Lexisgranny Fri 16-Sept-22 00:31:23

It is always risky giving medical advice, but you could try massaging at the base of your thumb in a circular motion. You may find a knot there, with luck it will jerk back into place. I have never had it in the thumb, only the fingers.

Now and again the outside edge of my hand (this is really difficult to explain) sort of turns inwards on itself and my hand twists and sticks in the position, so I do the circular massaging at the base of my little finger and The finger next to it and eventually it jerks back. At that point everything feels a bit stretched. I was taught how to do this in A&E as the first time it happened I was actually with a doctor in another department and he sent me there.

Your problem may not be the same, but it maybe worth a try as gentle circular massaging is unlikely to do any harm. My autoimmune system is a bit of a mess as well.

Germanshepherdsmum Fri 16-Sept-22 10:33:04

I don’t know MissA.

SueDonim Fri 16-Sept-22 11:35:57

sad MissA. My Dh gets hand cramps but not in that particular way. He also gets leg cramps, bad enough he volunteered himself to go to the doctor! They prescribed quinine. There’s little medical evidence for how it works but it is effective in done people and useless in others. Luckily, it’s helpful for Dh.

I noticed in your photo that your thumb and the side of your hand look rather white - do you think you could have a blood flow issue?

BigBertha1 Fri 16-Sept-22 12:54:43

Both my thumb joints have turned inwards and stay there. Strangely enough the peculiar way you have to hold a golf club means I can tuck it right in under my thumb!!Weird

Nandalot Fri 16-Sept-22 13:36:43

That happens to my DH, MissAdventure. No idea why.

Elegran Fri 16-Sept-22 14:36:54

I get a similar thing, but with my foot or calf. I have found that my best move is to pull on my muscles as hard as I can in the same direction as the cramp is trying to take them and not to try to pull back out of the cramp. After a few painful minutes, I gradually release the muscles and relax them. If I do it slowly enough they go back to normal, but any sudden move tightens them up again.

Callistemon21 Fri 16-Sept-22 14:50:31

My toes do it too sometimes, turn under spontaneously and it takes a while to go. As for my upper right arm - it has a mind of its own, jumps, twitches, goes in spasms and it hurts too.

Barmeyoldbat Fri 16-Sept-22 15:24:47

My toes do it as well Cal, especially my big toes and irs b….y painful. Lying down at the moment after having a day of spasms in the upper back, only just gone with hell of morphine but feeling absolutely zonked

Mamissimo Fri 16-Sept-22 23:28:12

I read this thread earlier today and passed in by as I had nothing to offer......but at dinner with friends tonight my friend yelled as her thumb turned inward. I asked her if she knew what it was and she told me that her GP said it was a form of Arthritis. She has medication and a special wrist and thumb support and apparently people find the support thing and drug therapy help. She said it hurts like h**l when it happens.

Drs for you Miss A - I hope they are helpful ?

crazyH Fri 16-Sept-22 23:36:34

Indian Tonic Water - a glass a day for a couple of months and my cramps was sorted. Try it - it’s harmless ( I hope ). Take it at bedtime. Good luck !

MissAdventure Fri 16-Sept-22 23:52:21

Thank you all.
It kept me awake all night!
I do have health issues, either of which could be causing the crabby hands, their colour, and so on.

I just saw the the rheumatologist a couple of weeks ago, and didn't mention it.

nanna8 Sat 17-Sept-22 02:57:15

Just to say good luck Missad,hope you find a solution soon !

Whiff Sat 17-Sept-22 05:39:40

MissA you need to talk too your GP unless you are still under the rheumatologist . If you haven't been discharged by them phone the department at the hospital and get an other appointment and tell them everything. I know it's difficult for you to get around but you don't want to lose the use of your hands you need help.

Beautful Sat 17-Sept-22 10:01:40

I am no doctor ... but could be trigger finger ... I have one ... yes can be extremely painful ... when I bend it I have to put mine straight there and then as so painful ... never know anyone else with it till I meet a couple on holiday recently, both had one, although the mans was stuck in a bend position ... best to speak to your doctor