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diamond

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Sep 18, 2015
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1,548
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DX FIBRO
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01/2008
Country
UK
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anywhere
When i first got fibromyalgia 8 years ago my hands would ache sometimes and along with my arms etc other times provided i didn't over do it i could use them quite a bit for light chores a bit of light gardening like potting up a couple of hanging baskets or a bit of raking and picking up leaves in short bursts.

I haven't been at all well for the last year and have been indoors most of the time and spent a lot of time typing or browsing the internet.

My hands are now next to useless and start off very stiff and get more painful and stiff with use. I am struggling to type.

Its not a flare and is the same every day for months.

Do many of you have problems with hands and fingers. Maybe i have brought it on myself using a laptop when i cant do much else bodywise which is sad because give me active over laptop any day.
 
Hi Willow,

I'm sorry are having hand pain - that is very frustrating as it interferes with pretty much everything.

My hands are the main place I feel pain. In the months leading up to my fibromyalgia diagnosis, I wrote my pain off as too much computer time. It was actually the onset of fibromyalgia.

Usually it is general burning in the joints, sometimes I also get sharp stabbing pain in particular joints. When my hands are really bad, I can trigger a line of sharp, burning pain through my hand and/or forearm just by tapping very lightly on certain knuckles (something I find pretty bizarre)

Anyway, I've found two things to be soothing - warmth and water. Swimming is very helpful to me; if I can't swim I take a bath or just hold my hands under warm water from the tap. My husband got me heated glove liners for Christmas, and I really love them. My mother in law, who has inflammatory arthritis in her hands, has a wax hand warmer that really helps her.

The pain goes up and down along with other fibromyalgia symptoms. I can make it worse by exerting too much strength (lifting something heavy or opening a stuck jar lid). Light repetitive motion only makes it worse if I don't take breaks.

If this is a new symptom you might consider going in to the doctor. There might be something they can do for you.
 
I Have a lot of problems with my wrists being sore and stiff and I'm not really sure how to handle it and I also lose strength in my hands while I'm writing or doing other things so I can understand somewhat of where you are coming from. I have seeked no treatment for it yet so
On that end I can not help I'm sorry.
 
Thanks guys seems is a fibro problem the warm gloves sound good i use a fluffy covered hot water bottle. Seems by only your replies we are in the minority with hand pain.
 
Hello all!

Hand pain is one of the symptoms I've had steadily for over 30 yrs., diagnosed 7 years into that. Had other friends w/FM ... they too always had hand pain. warm water is a blessing. I learned that everyone's hands close to a fist while sleeping ... and I used a practice tennis ball inside those little stretchy gloves you find in stores in winter. Looks kinda silly, but wow does it help.

Another help, I use every night now is putting a good hand cream and wearing light cotton gloves. Fights our dry skin, so it's easier to bend.

Q: Does ANYONE have spasms in their hands? every now and then my hand has a quick muscle spasm, so if I'm using the computer (endless for contact with the world AND doing my digital art work!) or just writing, my hand makes a quick right or left turn without me :)

Unrelated Q: does anyone have dental problems that are unusual? While I am in my 70's & some extra problems are expected ... even my dentist of many years says it's still unusual. Two front teeth recently just snapped off at the gum line. Fortunately, no pain as it turns out
when we get older, along with all the other of our parts, tooth nerves recede!

I know i've mixed some items ... and must again say this disease stinks. Rots. Sucks. Is draining my life. My heart goes out to you, Willow, and
to all of us sufferers.

Peace out: PhillyFibro
 
Hi PhillyFibro, good to meet you

I did not know that about making a fist while sleeping - I will have to try your trick.

I sometimes get mild twitches, but nothing strong enough to move my hand off course. I also have hand tremors, which is a new, Post-fibromyalgia development.

I don't have any new dental problems, but I haven't been at this very long
 
Tennis ball inside of stretchy glove I have been having to do with our youngest daughter, who is now 21, since she was 18 months old. She was diagnosed with JR A Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. This method preserves your hands and like you guys I am dealing with hand pain to, but I guess I had the jump on what to do. Also find the little heat packs you can slip into gloves in the winter time, they help so very much along with Voltaren and very gentle hand massage only after heating the hand up first. Plus it tends to relax to the point of almost falling asleep. Another tip, have any of you tried a program that types what you speak? One good one is called "Dragon Naturally Speaking". It may be just what you need to give your hands the break they need without missing out on life.
 
Willow I too have experienced very bad pain in both of my hands. Thanks goodness it comes and goes and has not stayed with me for a long period of time. But when it flared up I would use compression gloves they work so well for the pain. I don't know if you can get them where you live. I just bought mine at Walmart they were very reasonable. They are just like gloves but your fingers and thumb are free. I am sure pharmacies also sell them or you could get them online. I hope this helps you!
 
I tried scen's suggestion a while back - I find the compression gloves helpful too. They are also called arthritis gloves.
 
Thanks for all your tips. Much appreciated x
 
Pain in the extremities is common in patients with FM though it could be caused by other factors like various forms of arthritis. You feel hand pain even when performing simple chores like typing and this can stem from allodynia which can be exacerbated by restricting blood flow to the hands and nerve pain. Light massage or myofacial release of the entire upper body can be effective through upper body exercises. Hand exercises also increase blood flow and oxygen to the hands and this helps to alleviate pain. You can refer to the Facebook page FibroFitPeople1 for these. You can give your hands a break for a few days if possible. Natural relief therapies like a few teaspoonfuls of turmeric helps.
 
That's the thing, the therapies that usually help involve resting the hands, but without using them there's not much we can do. It's a new and hard reality, we just need to adapt to it.
 
Yes whatever i try the pain is fixed made worse by even tapping on my mobile or typing...anything in fact. So all i can do is rest them a lot and put up with severe pain if i want to do anything for longer than a few minutes. It's so frustrating.

My right hand that gets used more is worse of course!
 
My hands are so painful.my fingers lock up they hurt so bad I wanna chop them off, your buggered without your hands.
Feet are bad enough but u can use a wheelchair .hands well your stuck .
I'm sure I she'll need more X Ray's but they never fin anything ,but I'm sure I have CT .inhabe been watching YouTube on hand massage .seems to help a little .
 
I started having problems with my hands as well, it all started when I was younger :( My hands are the part that hurt most, but that mostly happens during the coldest months... there are days I just can't type due the pain and stiffness. That area has always been troublesome, also my wrists.
 
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