My Arthritis Worsens

It started very subtly many years ago: our Indiana friend Vonda mentioned as we sat in a restaurant in Salem, Missouri, that my index finger 3rd joint looked swollen. Looked the same, to me. This was in the mid-2000s. So, 10+ years ago. A year ago, closing my fingers into a fist was getting more difficult; they felt stiff, no pain.

During this past year, pain has set in, not excruciating, but enough to hamper my everyday use of finger-manipulating activities working mostly on my cars. The Doc prescribed Mobic (Meloxicam), told me to take it as needed. But pain isn't the worst symptom; Carpal Tunnel Syndrome has left parts of both hands' finger surfaces numb and "dead", such that grasping objects does not relay the feel of force; I drop things now, sometimes.

The third hand-related complaint is that my 3rd. thumb joint, both hands, has somehow twisted in such away that when I bring my thumb flat against my index finger, the inside side of my thumb contacts my palm and part of the finger's underside. Normal thumbs can't do that. Doc is rather non-committal, but did state if I had surgery done, I would be very displeased with the results.

Took Glucosamine & Chondroitan for some months, no felt difference. Took Oregano drops: UGH, horrible. Charlie's lady friend, retired school teacher, highly recommends "Sour Cherry Extract". Turmeric is recommended.

Would any benefit come about from those two? Anyone have experience? Thanks! Frank

 

The first thing I would try, @Frank Sanoica is another type of chondroitin and glucosamine. My wife had similar problems, and found that the tablet form of the nutrient didn't work for her, but the liquid form did wonders. She had undiagnosed digestive issues, so that may have led to the discrepancy. She did find that she had a cyst form on one of her knuckles, and she had that removed by a hand surgeon. The surgery improved that joint, but she still has some trouble with it. Long term use of any NSAID at our age may lead to issues of a diverse nature, but meloxicam seems to be the best of the lot. Cherry extract and juice is often used for gout, but I am unfamiliar with its use for arthritis, although turmeric is reputed to help with any form of inflammation. If you want to try the meloxicam seriously, try it at the prescribed dose for at least two weeks and see it the carpal tunnel and arthritis pain improves. Sometimes you have to take anti-inflammatories for a while to allow the inflammation to subside. If you don't note significant improvement in two weeks, it probably will not resolve your problem, but it will help with pain PRN. Good luck, Frank. Has your doc diagnosed you with RA, or is this just your old joints protesting the years of punishment?

 

I take Meloxicam 7.5 twice a day and have been taking this for about 3 years or so.. Before that, I was taking Arthrotec twice a day for about 8 years or so.... Both are very good for inflammation caused by arthritis.. My doctor changed my medication thinking it was for the better as Meloxicam is easier on the stomach, although I never had problems with Arthrotec.. I take the pill WITH FOOD.. One with breakfast and one with supper.. Absolutely NO problem and believe me, that Meloxicam works fantastic.. It was stopped 10 days before my shoulder replacement operation and I was in agony till I went back on it which was three days after surgery..
The whole thing is to take the anti-inflammatory regularly and not just when needed.. It takes a few days for the drug to work in your body.. Nothing else is needed to help with arthritis when taking the Meloxicam..

 

I cannot say a whole lot concerning arthritis because other than some knee and elbow pain that might be attributed to it, thus far I do not suffer very much from it.

One thing I really can contribute to this is that sometimes what is called arthritis or a carpal tunnel problem is actually an ulnar nerve problem which I do have.
When someone talks about losing control of or pain around the thumbs like you @Frank Sanoica, I’d have a neurologist, sports med guy or even a chiropractor have a look at it.

If you have: tingling in the two smaller digits, pain in the lower thumb area, loss of control of the two smaller digits and the thumb and pain or numbness in the knife part of the hand, chances are it is the ulnar nerve which has a problem.
Also, if there is unusual pain around the “funny bone’ area, pain in the lower neck connecting with the trapezoid then yup, a problem with the ulnar nerve.
The nerve goes from the neck, through the traps, across the shoulder and through the tricep area, through a small tunnel in the elbow and ends at the thumb and two small digits and worse of all, it’s the largest unprotected nerve in the human body.

The bottom line on this is that it is treatable to some degree. Some surgeons re-route it at the elbow but from what I have heard, it rarely helps. Another thing which I do is yes, take anti-inflammatories but what seems to help me most is a trip to the chiropractor for a neck adjustment and for a time, avoid stretching the nerve at the elbow during sleep by keeping the arm straight.
Wrapping a towel around the elbow area seems to work for some or an elbow sock works well also.
I also found some good exercises to perform on youtube which really helped a lot.

I’m not an orthopedic surgeon, a neurologist or even a chiropractor but when I found that what I have is NOT arthritis nor carpal tunnel syndrome but something completely different, I just wanted to pass it on............

 

@Don Alaska "Has your doc diagnosed you with RA, or is this just your old joints protesting the years of punishment?"

We think it's OA, based on lack of RA symptoms typical. However, I failed to whine about the itching: in the past year small localized areas of intense itching has shown up on backs of fingers, a few on forearms, very few on legs, no real skin change evidence, no scaling, just a dime-sized patch here and there of skin slightly lighter in color, nerves at that point of area screaming. I asked him "Arthritic Psoriasis"? He concurred, prescribed Triamcinolone ointment; it works. Strange, if itching occurs on a finger, and I ignore it, in several hours it is gone, never worsens.

I am admitting to having become a shadow of my former robust self, and it's really aggravating! Frank

 

@Bobby Cole "If you have: tingling in the two smaller digits, pain in the lower thumb area, loss of control of the two smaller digits and the thumb and pain or numbness in the knife part of the hand, chances are it is the ulnar nerve which has a problem.
Also, if there is unusual pain around the “funny bone’ area, pain in the lower neck connecting with the trapezoid then yup, a problem with the ulnar nerve.
The nerve goes from the neck, through the traps, across the shoulder and through the tricep area, through a small tunnel in the elbow and ends at the thumb and two small digits and worse of all, it’s the largest unprotected nerve in the human body. "

Thank you very much for this info. Studying your description above, I have: reduced tactile feeling on the surfaces of thumb, index, and middle finger, both hands, no pain whatsoever above the finger joints. Can bend and swivel wrists easily with no stiffness or pain. No pain or symptoms in arm muscles, or shoulders other than pain swivelling the shoulder joints. Swimming for example would be impossible now.
Frank

 

As @Bobby Cole says, chiropractic can sometimes help if the discomfort originates in the neck, shoulder or elbow, but they can do little but placebo if the pain originates in the wrist or hands. If you have psoriatic arthritis, @Frank Sanoica, there are other treatments for that. RA and other autoimmune diseases can usually be diagnosed using simple blood tests.

 

@Don Alaska
My lifelong aversion to needles dissuades me. Foolish, isn't it?
Frank

 

Yep, it is foolish. It would be nice to know what you have. If it is just OA, glucosamine and chondroitin , along with MSM and some other stuff should be helpful. If it is an autoimmune problem, things are more complicated. I think we discussed DMSO elsewhere in this forum--brought up by Yvonne Smith, I think. That could help you too.

 

@Don Alaska
DMSO could be used to transport what drug, please, through the skin affording relief?
Frank

 

DMSO could transport a number of things, but DMSO itself is an anti-inflammatory that could be helpful with its own properties. Here is a link to where we used to get it:

https://www.jefferspet.com/search?utf8=✓&animal[]=&q=dmso&button=search

If you note, the FDA does not approve it for human use, but vets use it with arnica and other stuff in addition to using it by itself. You just have to make sure your hands 9or what ever part it is being applied to) are very clean, for it will transport whatever is on your hands into the tissue beneath.

 

@Don Alaska
I know there is a medical term for stuff which carries other stuff into the system through the skin. I'm guessing the transported material must be soluble in DMSO. For example, Rogaine is applied to the skin and contains Minoxidil and propylene glycol (I think, quoting from memory). But DMSO is absent.

I did not know DMSO was anti-inflammatory. Is it of any benefit used alone?

The condition of my hands has reached the point where, to pick up tiny particles or pieces, like a sewing needle dropped to the floor, my thumb and index finger just can't grasp it, so I lick my fingertip, and use my sticky saliva to pick it up, glued momentarily to my finger. I use this trick with many things, even in my shop. Tiny parts like screws or nuts, not manageable between fingertips are similarly handled or done so with tiny pliers.
Frank

 

DMSO was originally used alone on horses who had developed laminitis and other things, so it is reputed to act alone, and when my wife used it when we had livestock, she noticed a marked improvement in her hands. Not promising it will work for you, but it has worked for others. @Yvonne Smith, didn't you use DMSO alone?

 

@Don Alaska
While we were were still in the Phoenix area, vendors were selling DMSO claimed to contain Laetrile imported from Mexico. Claimed to cure various cancers. Subsequently, DMSO sales were banned. Apparently that was a local thing, as I understand it may be purchased today. I will look into it.
Frank