Arthritis Forum - Stiff Fingers


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youngoldlady

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Joined: 13 Mar 2005
Posts: 1
Location: Louisville

Stiff Fingers Posted: 03-13-05 12:32pm


Hi. I am new to this forum. Has anyone ever awaken in the morning with stiff fingers? Painful fingers and not being able to bend them for at least an hour or so. A doctor told me I had osteo-arthritis. Just wondering if anyone has had this and what did you do for a remedy? Thanks!

remembering

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Joined: 05 Jul 2005
Posts: 2

Stiff Fingers Posted: 07-05-05 05:59am


My thumb on my right hand started by getting stiff, then locked. A doctor gave me a shot somewhere in my hand and by next day it was ok. That was about 6 yrs ago. About 3 weeks ago my left thumb did the same thing. The original doctor is gone. New doctor gave me a shot, but no luck. I'm sure I had a steroid both times. Evidently there are different kind of steroids. I'm waiting to talk to the doctor again

stellamg

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Joined: 01 Sep 2005
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Location: Falls Church, VA

Stiff Fingers Posted: 09-01-05 14:42pm


Hi - i started waking up with stiff fingers in a claw like position in the morning shortly after I started taking lipitor. I have stopped taking lipitor for 5 months now and still have the stiffness in my fingers. Sometime it starts at night - right hand more so than the left. Now they are just stiff and I cannot close it into a fist and my right ring finger has developed into a trigger finger. There is no swelling or discoloration and I am concerned as this has not stopped. I told my doctor about it and he ran both blood and urine tests and found nothing. Does anyone know about this?

Dorothy K.

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Joined: 06 Sep 2005
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Location: Phoenix, AZ

Stiff Fingers Posted: 09-08-05 21:54pm


I too have been waking up with my fingers really stiff. My doctor says it is probably arthritis, but didn't seem too concerned about it. It started suddenly and involves both hands. Every morning my hands are so stiff it takes awhile to loosen them up. I read somewhere that it has to do with fluid retention in the arms and hands while you sleep. Now my fingers are sore all the time. I wish I knew what is causing this and if there is anything I can do to keep it from getting worse or to stop it! :?:

The Copycat

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Joined: 05 Jun 2006
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Re: Stiff Fingers
Posted: 06-05-06 11:40am

Dorothy,

after six months of temp work helping a company move their corporate offices, I started waking up with stiff fingers every morning. It would take me several minutes of gentle movement and knuckle popping before I could make a fist and have full range of motion.

I tried changing my diet (eliminating dairy and red meat), strengthening exercises and massage, with no success.

Since my fingers were fine during the day, I began thinking it was a build-up of (sinovial?) fluid during the night. So I tried keeping my hands in loose "fists" while I slept, since that is the range of motion I was looking for. Every time I woke up, I just reminded myself to keep them that way (it was actually pretty easy to do). The next morning I was surprised to wake up with no stiffness and full range of motion.

This is now the morning of my fourth day after trying this technique and the stiffness has not returned. I am also massaging my hands and fingers for five or so minutes each night with ayurvedic oil, but even on the nights when I am too tired to do that, the closed hand position has helped tremendously.

My educated guess is that sleeping with the fingers extended must somehow cut off the circulation in the hands and lead to pooling of fluid.

I suppose if you were not a light sleeper, you could resort to putting sock over your hands to keep them closed. That might sound funny, but I was willing to try almost anything to wake up without the stiffness!

I would be curious to hear from anyone who tries this.

Btw: I am a fifty year-old mail, otherwise in good health, but with a family history of arthritis, particularly in the fingers.

The copycat

dorothy k. wrote:

i too have been waking up with my fingers really stiff. My doctor says it is probably arthritis, but didn't seem too concerned about it. It started suddenly and involves both hands. Every morning my hands are so stiff it takes awhile to loosen them up. I read somewhere that it has to do with fluid retention in the arms and hands while you sleep. Now my fingers are sore all the time. I wish I knew what is causing this and if there is anything I can do to keep it from getting worse or to stop it! :?:

holistichealth

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Joined: 30 May 2006
Posts: 8

Remedies Posted: 06-09-06 07:53am


One thing you can look into that could help is bodytalk. It’s an alternative health care system that is getting great results with all forms of arthritis and health issues. They have an online radio show http://www.Bodytal ksystem.Com/radio/index.Cfm on wednesday the 14th on june and this episode is specifically orientated to arthritis. It’s free so it might be worth a listen! Cheers chris

brittles-orgin

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Joined: 26 Jun 2007
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Location: Little Rock, AR

Fingers Posted: 06-26-07 00:46am


My fingers are getting stiff and it is hard to make a fist. What do I need to do?

acarbonero

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Joined: 19 Sep 2007
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Stiff Fingers In the Morning Posted: 09-19-07 13:56pm


I bought a new house about 5 months ago, and I started doing all the landscaping my self. digging the ditches for drains, sprinklers, and a wall I built out of large blocks (50lb each). I started noticing the stiffness in my fingers after putting in the sprinklers. I figured it would go away, I even theorized that it might be because of all the pipe glue that went on my fingers . Anyways I spent the better part of the summer working on my yard, and now the pain will not go away. Oh I should mention that my regular job is software development, so my fingers never got to rest. Can anyone tell me is this just over use or signs of something else. Like you guys the stiffness only last for an hour in the morning, and one of my fingers gets locked. I'm 31 yrs old.

Best Aunt EVA

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Joined: 14 Jul 2007
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I'm 22... Posted: 10-20-07 16:34pm


my fingers started hurting about 6 months ago. had to quit my job because of it (and other joint problems) I wake up with swollen, painful stiff fingers. my fingers hurt so bad they feel broken some mornings! ...but yet my blood work is normal. blah I'm seeing a specialist next month

catbite4

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Joined: 06 Oct 2007
Posts: 5

I Had Stiff Fingers And Ankles Posted: 10-23-07 20:12pm


I had stiff fingers and ankles until I started taking a special juice everyday. Now I don't have stiffness nor pain. The pain killers gave me an ulcer, but the juice doesn't bother my stomach and also keeps my cancer in remission.

serinaladyaka

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Joined: 15 Nov 2007
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Phn And Stiff Fingers Posted: 11-15-07 01:26am


i have been dealing with the agony of postherpeticneuralgia in my forehead since 11/29/99. some days are worst than others. my doctor has prescribed methodone, morphine, lorcet and lyrica--none of these help the pain; they just put me into a long and deep sleep and the pain is still there when i awake! Help! oh yes, i sometimes wear a lidocaine patch on my forehead. i am diabetic and have high blood pressure. lately i have been waking up with very sore and stiff fingers--Help!

catbite4

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Joined: 06 Oct 2007
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Acai Helped Me Posted: 11-15-07 18:17pm


I used to wake up with stiff fingers and ankles. I began taking Acai juice a year ago and I don't have any stiff fingers anymore.

Ladyncats

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Joined: 12 Dec 2007
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Stiff Fingers - Unable to Close Without Manually Forcing Posted: 12-12-07 15:19pm


I noticed that I could not close my right index finger. It is starting to affect the next finger as well. Doctor said it was carpal tunnel or a form of tendonitis. Could be, as I type a lot and use my hands frequently for crafts. I notice that as the day goes on, the finger loosens somewhat. I can force the finger into a closed position, but feel tendon pain when I do so. I can close the finger normally after forcing it. I'll try the Acai juice if I can find it. Thanks!

gone3uo6

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Joined: 19 Mar 2008
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Location: ,

Re: I'm 22...
Posted: 03-19-08 10:13am

Best Aunt EVA wrote:

my fingers started hurting about 6 months ago. had to quit my job because of it (and other joint problems)

I wake up with swollen, painful stiff fingers. my fingers hurt so bad they feel broken some mornings!

...but yet my blood work is normal. blah

I'm seeing a specialist next month

My girlfriend is close to your age and is having the same problem. I was wondering if the specialist you saw, if you've already gone, has determined the cause.

I didn't think arthritis was something people in their 20's could get.

Bowesy

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Joined: 24 Apr 2008
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Re: Stiff Fingers - Unable to Close Without Manually Forcing
Posted: 04-24-08 04:44am

Ladyncats wrote:

I noticed that I could not close my right index finger. It is starting to affect the next finger as well. Doctor said it was carpal tunnel or a form of tendonitis. Could be, as I type a lot and use my hands frequently for crafts.

I notice that as the day goes on, the finger loosens somewhat. I can force the finger into a closed position, but feel tendon pain when I do so. I can close the finger normally after forcing it.

I'll try the Acai juice if I can find it.

Thanks!

Hi, I am Bowesy. I wouldn´t bother with acai juice if I were you, it is the biggest con I have come across, it is merely conscentrated fruit juice and make no difference to stiff and painful fingers - at all! It's my view there is an opportunist putting this on a site, preying on people who are desperate for help - as I was and still am - to encourage their sales , probbaly as an agent. Thirty-four pounds for two bottles including postal charges. Ridiculous!. Don´t wast your money love.
But if anybody does know of a non-quack remedy I'd be thrilled.

kjbrodnik

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Joined: 12 Jul 2008
Posts: 1

stiff fingers Posted: 07-12-08 20:56pm


I have the same stiffness and pain in my fingers but mainly in my left index finger. I went to the Dr. I got X-rays of my hands and it came back normal, all my blood work was normal also. So, I decided to go to a holistic Dr. he told me to take cod liver oil and other supplements that my body was lacking. My fingers don't feel as swollen in the morning anymore, but my index still hurts, so I took a class on EFT (Emotional freedom tech.) I see a big difference in the pain, it has not gone away completely but I am still doing the EFT. I am hoping it goes away soon.