United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

hiya,

i haven't posted here for ages, but still browse regularly.

I now have a problem and just wondered if any1 had any ideas. Iv developed a really intense pain under my thumb/on the muscle of my thumb! lol really had to explain where it is! but its a horrible type of pain not jsut sore but feels like its shooting right into my bone! i doesnt extend to any other part of my hand jst the same spot all the time. Also at my shoulder joint (where its all not fitting correctly) i have pain that i dnt no if it feels muscular or joint pain! but its just sore! its not sore all the time just wee bursts of shootin pain that will last ffrom about 30secs to a minute at a time!

I havent started any new activities, i do go to the gym quite a lot but i havent being doing anythin new with my arm that could cause this. its also not that cold in scotland at the moment that it would cause this sort of pain!

I havent been to the doctors because when iv been in the past they'v not really known what to do. I dunno whether it is worth goin to the doctors to get refered to the hospital just to make sure everythin is ok.

at the moment iv just been givin my thumb a wee massage to help and also using ibruprofen rub on it! but it doesnt really help that much.
Anyone got any ideas?! I have exams soon and i dnt think i can handle the pain sittin for 2 hours.

Hello Michelle,
Besides ibuprofen, I found doing gentleexercises and just walking in a warm water pool gave me alot of pain relief in my hand and particularly in my thumb because in water my hand is completely open. because my thumb closes so tight and takes the brunt when holding things in my left hand( myold survivalthing of being "normal") and that's the 1st place my artheritis set in was in my LOBPI thumb. When I'm in the warm water pool--a hot tub for 15 min is fabulousfor pain--,
my thumb has no pressure and my whole hand stays open when doing just walking or gently swinging my arms back & forth under water. This really gives alot of relief for that ole' thumb! I also now at this age, keep a soft pliable rubber/morf or cloth ball in my left hand so it doesn't contract tight enough for pain in that ole' thumb.
Did I ramble too much?? If you have any questions just ask away.

HUGS,
Carolyn J
LOBPI/69++

ye, maybe heat would help the pain. unfortunately i dont have a hot tub...maybe a basic of hot water might need to do! lol

Is your hand/fingers normally in a fist position? i have really good movement in my wrist and fingers with only my fingers being a bit squit in a fist position. So i dnt really experience any pressure in my hand at all!

Michelle

Yes Michele, my left hand stays in a fist if I don't have something in the hand that's why as a Caseworker I always carried a pen or my notebook in my left hand. about 10 years ago when I had to retire because of pain and "forcing" myself to go, go, go comuting in terrible traffic, I hit an emotional wall that I was nausiated all of the time and I could not understand why I had so much physical pain. After I retired , my hand stayed in a tight fist and rarely opened . 4 years ago when I found a name for my injuries & UBPN and found I wasn't the only person in the world with this injury from birth, 1st I cried and than I read everything, resource articles ,link is on the Homepage, and had my MD refer me to a Hand theraptist. He said nothing could be done at my age and made a hand brace that was more painful to hold than anything because my hand was fully contraced and painful by that time. I, myself, came up with trying a soft ball instead. Now I collect different textures and colors & sizes. Whichever feels best on a given day, I use. My hand has more functional use now when cooking & I can pull up a zipper with it now without hurting or letting go. But I think walking in a warm pool swinging that handfingers spread open under warm water really helped most!

HUGS,
Carolyn J


Message was edited by: Carolyn J