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links56

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Joined
Oct 29, 2013
Messages
177
Reason
DX FIBRO
Diagnosis
01/2013
Country
US
State
IL
Hello, I'm a 25 year old male that has been diagnosed with fibromyagia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Other than the fact that I'm in pain all the time, what bothers me the most is the pain in my hands when I'm using them. I try to hold something or or squeeze something and it's like a huge cramp/muscle spasm, it hurts like crazy and I almost drop whatever I'm holding. Is there anything I can do to help this? Thanks.
 
personally I'm still trying to find something too. its got so very bad just lately, i have trouble opening doors let alone jars and stuff.even typing is hard. i have to do that for my job. I do find I get a little relief rubbing in nice moisturiser every hour or so when i'm at work. probably nothing to do with the hand cream but more to do with giving my hands a break and the slight massage
 
Wish I knew, but I also have that issue!
 
Dang, If I find something that works I will make sure I post it.
 
Try wearing any type of gloves, even the kinds for people who use manual wheelchairs, with finger openings and a pad that helps grip the wheelchair tires better. These gloves allow you to do your work but keep your hands warm. The grip part makes it easier to open door knobs and other things.

As you opening jars I use a round piece of rubber with grip lines on it to hold the lid and allow turning of it. I also found that my metal hand nut cracker works well for opening drink bottles and small bottles and jars. My mom has used pliers to pull up the tabs off cans with ring lids. Most cans can be opened with can openers if you can't pull the tabs. :)
 
I originally started seeing doctors because my hand pain was so extreme. I had DeQuervains in both thumbs, ganglian cysts, and fractures. Both of my hands just stopped being usable, first my right then my left. This was about 6 months prior to developing fibromyalgia pain.

I just saw an occupational therapist for a couple months and wore braces. She did local steroid treatments, ultrasound, and massage. She also taught me exercises and and therapies to do to get my hands working again. It helped a lot! I can use my hands normally again, but I have to be really careful. I can't play video games for more than 20 min at a time, I can't open tough jars, I have to take tons of microbreaks when typing, I can't do pushups, and so on. But I can function again!

Definitely worth seeing an OT! I hope you get better- this is so incredibly not fun to deal with!

Oh, and I'm a 26 year old female. You're not the only young one suffering like this.
 
Your keeping your hand in one position too long during the day start doing some hand exercises in between typing to loosen up those muscles also you mite try soaking your hand in as hot a water in the eve till water cools...!
 
This is a good thread, Now I want to share some tips to relief the hand pain like
Ice packs: Frozen Peaz or CVS Peas are flexible even when frozen, lightweight, and soft— meaning they are not painful blocks of ice on your swollen joints. They come in all different sizes and shapes to fit specific joints, including the hands. I usually ice 15 minutes on, 15 minutes off.

Heat: Heating pads or Icy Hot patches. Heat is great for muscle, soft tissue, and nerve pain.

OTC Topical Creams: How effective they will be for severe pain and swelling, I can’t say, since everyone is different. Certainly, they are worth a try if you want to avoid prescription options.

Lidoderm Patches:These are patches that contain Lidocaine applied to the area affected by burning, sharp, aching, or nerve pain. They absolutely work and they work well, but you will need a prescription from your rheumatologist or pain specialist.

Flector Patches :I think same delivery mechanism as Lidoderm, only a different medication: 1.3% NSAID called Diclofenac. These are great for acute soft tissue, tendon, strain, and muscle pain in the forearms/hands (or anywhere else). They are also prescription.
 
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Have you considered trying the braces that carpal tunnel patients use? I believe that may be something that would help you. In addition to that, you can ice them when they are the most painful and also moving them around to increase circulation.
 
This is a good thread, Now I want to share some tips to relief the hand pain like
Ice packs: Frozen Peaz or CVS Peas are flexible even when frozen, lightweight, and soft— meaning they are not painful blocks of ice on your swollen joints. They come in all different sizes and shapes to fit specific joints, including the hands. I usually ice 15 minutes on, 15 minutes off.

Heat: Heating pads or Icy Hot patches. Heat is great for muscle, soft tissue, and nerve pain.

OTC Topical Creams: How effective they will be for severe pain and swelling, I can’t say, since everyone is different. Certainly, they are worth a try if you want to avoid prescription options.

Lidoderm Patches:These are patches that contain Lidocaine applied to the area affected by burning, sharp, aching, or nerve pain. They absolutely work and they work well, but you will need a prescription from your rheumatologist or pain specialist.
]



Flector Patches :I think same delivery mechanism as Lidoderm, only a different medication: 1.3% NSAID called Diclofenac. These are great for acute soft tissue, tendon, strain, and muscle pain in the forearms/hands (or anywhere else). They are also prescription.

I tried the lidoderm patches in the past and they are awesome! I'd really recommend them to anyone suffering from this kind of pain. My hands sometimes get numb, specially the fingers. I wonder if this is normal among people with fibro. They're cold as well.
 
Hello,
I have pain in my index finger of left hand it also swell a lot and whenever i fold it sound came like crack. It's too painful i am having it past 2 years but on more thing whenever i hold finger in warm water it feels good the pain goes...
 
Hand pain sucks. I use meditation balls and roll them around on my palms and that helps with the pain.
 
My husband has not been diagnosed with fibro yet but I have a feeling that it is coming, what are the chances two people with fibro end up married to each other? Anyhow, he has a lot of hand pain and he has seen a chiropractor which helps some. We have also been trying the braces, heat, and ice. Someone recently recommended we try the steroid injections in his hand so I was wondering if those worked for anyone else?
 
I found something to be very helpful. Although it is painful at first in the long run it makes a significant difference for me. I excersize my hands like this. I do a wrist movement a learned from this video I circle each finger on its own, different hand excersizes for 5 minutes or so. It is best to do it when you can let your hands rest afterwards. I do it with my toes too and it has really helped with the toe cramps. A few times a week works best for me.
 
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I have found several things to be helpful for relieving had pain.
1) heating pad- I wrap it around my hands, especially when they are painful and cold
2) arnica- a topical cream/gel made from a natural pain relieving plant extract
3) Anything that numbs the pain for awhile
4) cannabis salve with eucalyptus oil- I make it at home with coconut oil that has been steeped in a crock pot with cannabis, and strained, mixed with eucalypus... it also helps to rub on any sore area.
5) tramadol- pain killer that is prescribed by my doctor
6) simply going easy on my hands and not pushing them too hard to do things that may hurt them worse.
7) compression gloves- I use Tommie Copper brand. They cost me $22 but they are so worth it. I'm wearing them now, and they help with typing because my hands stay warm and comfortable. The snug feeling of the gloves gives relief and supposedly the copper inside the gloves has healing properties.
 
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