1. Community
  2. Bones, joints and muscles
  3. Osteoarthritis

Arthritis

Posted , 6 users are following.

kim08822
kim08822

I had swelling and pain in the base of thumb also the next joint up. I was sent to see an occupational therapist and she put my hand and wrist in a splint. I was given 2 splints, one for the day and a lightweight one for sleeping in at night and was told not to use my hand. After 6 weeks of doing what ive been told i went to see the therapist again and after i told her the pain is getting worse she said ive become to dependant on the splint and is referring me to a hand specialist. Wtf. Im confused and a quite abit pede off.

2 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • jeannie5639
    jeannie5639 kim08822

    Posted

    Hi Kim, I really don't think you can become immune to hand splints, but I'm no doctor! You may have arthritis and that may be why you are being referred to a specialist. A lot of people are getting arthritis in your hands and especially the lower part of the thumb. You never said how old you were and for the most part it does seem to affect older people. That is the basal joint where the pain is located, and it not only hurts but sometimes a burning sensation can be felt, along with pain. But you may have carpel tunnel syndrome. Me.....I have both unfortunately, and getting ready for surgery in a few days to hopefully get some normalcy back in my hands so I can go on and live life like I should be able to! I'm in hopes for that outcome anyway. Good luck, hope you find out soon what your problem is and feel some relief soon. !

    • kim08822
      kim08822 jeannie5639

      Posted

      Hi jeannie im 44. I know its osteoarthritis as my suffered terribly with it. She had steroid injections which did the trick for a few weeks. Anyway my therapist thought it was tendonitus but i kept telling her the pain is in the joints. The basal joint is very painful and quite swelled. Therapist said its muscle wastage due to me wearing splints. Even though it was swollen when i was first referred to her. Like i said im just confused by being told to do something then being told im doing more harm
    • jeannie5639
      jeannie5639 kim08822

      Posted

      I would definitely get a second opinion if I were you! What your being told just makes little sense to me. Hope you get it figured out soon, pains in the hands sure ain't no joke. I know the down time is lengthy after the surgery but hopefully it will be worth it in the long run. Good luck! Jeannie

  • wknight
    wknight kim08822

    Posted

    When my fingers swelled up I was sent straight to the specialist. The on,y time he put medina splint was after the joint replacement surgery which is wonderful as now I am pain free and have some movement back. get you GP to send you to the consultant they are the real experts. 
  • sukes
    sukes kim08822

    Posted

    Hi Kim,

    I can understand your frustration after not being able to use your hand for 6 weeks and then being told that you have become dependant on the splint. frown

    I'm 68 and like you have swelling and pain in the base of my thumb.  My Rheumatologist gave me a steroid injection into the base, but unfortunately it didnt help.  I am now waiting to have another injection under Xray to ensure they get the right spot.    I've had several injections into various points, back, hips, shoulders etc and although they help for a while, it never takes away the pain completely.  I hope you get sorted soon. x

    • kim08822
      kim08822 sukes

      Posted

      Thankyou sukes. I think therapist is just covering herself because she has been treating me for De quervaims tenosynovitis. Which i questioned her about it. Now she said she it isn't and it is the joints and ive been made to feel ive made things worse by following her instructions

  • KavonK
    KavonK kim08822

    Posted

    I get it.  Tough to not use my hand at all. I still use it durig the times it does not hurt. I feel mine is not nearly as bad as a lot of you out there, as I still have use of mine, at this time.  I am however going for a second opinion on different surgery options, next Tuesday. From what I understand, resting does not fix the problem.  I have read and been told that it is better to get it fixed while you can, as at some point, it will no longer be fixable and you can lose use of that hand.  Not a good thing.  

    I also have all sts of issues with my foot, that keeps getting worse, it is frustrating when you don't know what is causing something and don't know who to go to to find out. I will keep you informed of my progress. Kavon K

  • Spookz9
    Spookz9 kim08822

    Posted

    Hi Kim,

    It is probably a good idea that you are going to see a specialist. If remedial therapy doesn't help (splinting) it probably means that the cause needs to be discovered. An xray will more than likely show whether the arthritis has worsened and determine the next course of action. Obviiously the first treatment was unsucessful. Do not take her comments personally. An OT is not a Specialist.  Good luck.

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.