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Ankylosing Spondylitis: finger stiffness and pain

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masha17
masha17

Hello,

My latest flare up left me with pain in my fingers, most notably in my middle finger of the right hand (I’m right handed). It is swollen and “rusty”. Sometimes the pain wakes me up during the night. In the morning the pain and the sensation of stiffness are the strongest. It's starting to affect other fingers as well.

This is surely exacerbated with any kind of work. But if I do not move, then the fingers get even stiffer.

What worries me is the fact that now my middle finger of the left hand seems to be affected as well.

I took prednisone which cleared out the back pain and my spine is straight again, thank God. But it did nothing for my hands.

Here’s what I’ve been thinking about:

Just before the flare up, I hurt my middle finger of the right hand twice. Nothing major. Could it be that this “injury” has provoked a chronic inflammation? Could it be that my body is mirroring the pain on its left side?

I had an X-ray of my hands and everything seems to be in order, so I’m guessing that the problem is with the soft tissues.

Has anybody ever hand anything similar? Is there a solution? Will it go away on its own? In truth, I think that it is getting worse.

Thank you!

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • lilly29834
    lilly29834 masha17

    Posted

    Hi Masha,

    I have often found that a previous area of injury is the target for persistent inflammation.

    Yours sounds similar to what I had in my toes, swelling, immobility and pain. The anti inflammatory med couldn't abate it. What ended up helping in the end is steroid injections into the toe at the joint. My rheumatologist did the injection. I wasn't able to keep up my flexibility in my toes afterwards and some deformity resulted. You should ask about steroid injections and biologic drugs if you are not on them.

    Best of luck to you.

    Lilly

    • masha17
      masha17 lilly29834

      Posted

      Thank you so much Lilly!

      The doctors I have seen mostly look for spine-related symptoms and ignore all the rest.

      I wish you all the best!

  • jennifer02008
    jennifer02008 masha17

    Posted

    hI I have had lower back problems since 2009 it got worse and worse until 2011 I was rushed to hospital with gas and air as I had this agonising pain in my lumber spine and down my right leg. I was given an emergency operation in the January and I was still suffering they told me that I now had bulging disc. I then had to have another operation in the may of 2011 in which I caught a terrible infection. I continued to suffer and was told that I was to have a third operation in the November of 2011. I was unable to take that time as I had caught a urinary tract infection and my surgeon told me that he was unable to go ahead with it. so I continued to cope with the discomfort and pain for over 2 years and in August 2013 I was attacked and robbed the perpetrators jumped on my back pushing me down onto my knees and elbow causing me tremendous amount of pain cuts to my knee and elbow. I was unable to cope with the pain I called the police who took photos of my injury and called for an ambulance I was to shook up to wait around for it so I got a cab home I went on suffering a great deal of pain until my consultant told me he was taking an Mri of my whole spine which then showed a prolapse of the c6/7 disc. I belive that being jumped on caused pressure to my upper back I then had to have a fourth operation to my upper back decompression and fusion and this was in November 2016 and the fusion still has not fused yet the CICA say that I am not in titled to any award for compensation. as I have had a history of lower back problems. who agrees with me that I was coping with the lower back problems until that traumatic day in which I had to have a furather fourth and the existing lower third operation

  • jennifer02008
    jennifer02008 masha17

    Posted

    I have been given anti inflammatory drugs and pregabalin Narproxin are the name of the anti inflammatory drug. They are very good for swelling and pregabalin are for trapped nerves. I hope you can find the help you need masha 17. I have prolapse,disc,bulging disc of the lumber spine I had three operations was robbed in 2013 and they jumped on my back pushing me to the ground causing pressure in turn prolapsing my upper disc leaving me to have a fourth operation decompression and fusion at C6/7 which has not fused.

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