Thumb arthritis versus tenosynovitis

[Guest guest]

*Hi-

I know someone here mentioned having Tenosynovitis also .... ?? I can't

rememeber now but I recall that someone said they had dealt with it as well.

I'm very concerned about my thumb.. seems so silly.. like such a small joint

compared to the rest of my body BUT it's really quite ridiculous. I have

problems with both hands near the thumb but the right one is the worse. The

latest diagnosis awhile back was tenosynovitis and I have been wearing a

splint on it. First, i was using a whole resting splint and latter a

thumb/wrist stabalizer that stops motion of the thumb. The swelling did

improve significantly but whenever I take the splint off, the pain and

swelling is there, gets worse and is just very painful. I notice that the

palm area near the thumb..... the thenar eminiance is very very puffy and if

I push on it, the imprint just sticks there awhile!!

So I have been reading again about tenosynovitis and all of the pictures of

it seems to be somewhat lower down than where Im feeling much of the pain.

There is a ton of stiffness in my thumb when it comes to trying to move it

through full range but its also hyper mobile so Im not sure just WHAT is

normal?? eep*

**

*There are some descriptions about Basal thumb arthritis which is mostly

from degenerative OA arthritis so that doesnt exactly make sense although I

wonder from some of the YA's with JRA.... do you have early onset OA or

areas with OA damage that isnt normal for your age?

I was in a car accident some years back and when I had my shoulder and knee

xrayed because of the accident, they told me I had calcifications in my

chest area as well as the presence of OA in my shoulder and knee. I was

rather surprised by this information so now im wondering if this thumb thing

is part of the JRA, a new symptom of OA... or what. I know no one is a

doctor.. guess im just looking for soem feedback because despite the splint,

this is really painful especialy when I try and grip stuff. Like turning on

a lamp.. those little things.. that motion is VERY painful as well as

grasping something that is not that heavy like my teddy bear (giggles)... or

holding a plate with food on it.. if there is too much pressure on the hand

holding it, the pain will be very sharp in the lower thumb.. basal joint

area.

Does this sound like hand involvement from JRA or what? I haven't reqlly had

any problems with my hands ever and used to play the cello for like 7 years.

It hurt my hands to play and eventualy I had to quit because of many

reasons.. not just my hands. I have a moderate ammount of hypermobility in

my hands, especially my thumb joints, my elbows a bit as well... and they

all crunch and make lots of lovely snap crackle noises.

my primary care doctor is not very smart when it comes to this rheumatic

srtuff and my insurance issues are SUCH a mess but I guess I need some

direction so that once I can go back and see himn, I can ask him or point

out to him a direction to look in because he will pretty much do what I ask

of him but he's kinda not very proactive when it coems to figuring out whats

going on with me like he has just given up. *

**

*any thoughts?? *

**

*Issadora*

--

" Life- Like the flutter of wings... feel your hollow wings rushing... " (AFI-

Silver and Cold).

my Flight in life is a metamorphosis of growth and this flutter of wings is

within me awaiting to find a space to find it's flow...