Gripping Problem

[CannibalCrowley]

For starters, I’ve already seen a doctor; but he said he was “not exactly sure” but he thought it was a tendon issue. He gave me a prescription for Naproxen Sodium (435 mg twice a day) and I’m supposed to take it until I see him again in a couple weeks.

My problem is mainly in my right hand the ring (and sometimes middle) finger tends to swell and I’ve been having reduced grip strength. It’s especially bad in the morning; I often can’t even make a fist. It generally gets better throughout the day; but it often remains swollen and a bit stiff.

I say often and sometimes because the symptoms vary greatly in severity from day to day. I’ve had these symptoms for quite some time; but it normally lasted no longer than a day or two before returning to normal. It’s just in the past month that things have gotten bad. I took some time off BJJ to give the hand a rest (and because it was frustrating not being able to hold a grip; but that hasn’t seemed to help any.

Does anyone have any thoughts as to what the problem could be? Hopefully somebody has heard about this before and I won’t have to spend months of appointments to get a correct diagnosis.

[Kintanon]

Is the swelling in the join of the finger or is it where the finger connects to the hand? do you experience in soreness or stiffness in your forearm at the same time?

[CannibalCrowley]

Is the swelling in the join of the finger or is it where the finger connects to the hand?

A little in the joint; but it's most evident in the fleshy part of the finger between the hand and first knuckle of the finger.

do you experience in soreness or stiffness in your forearm at the same time?

No.

[Bang!]

See a physio, an osteopath or a good RMT. A GP isn't going to be able to tell you a goddamn thing.

[metarat]

See a physio, an osteopath or a good RMT. A GP isn't going to be able to tell you a goddamn thing.

What he said.

It sounds, symptom-wise, something like carpal tunnel; so perhaps some structure closer to the heart may be swelling and restricting fluid return, causing your hand to swell. Ever injure that wrist?

[CannibalCrowley]

See a physio, an osteopath or a good RMT. A GP isn't going to be able to tell you a goddamn thing.

What's an RMT?

As for the osteopath suggestion, I've had nothing but problems with them. The last incident consisted of a D.O. trying to pump one allergy medication after another into me in an attempt to solve a chronic congestion/sore throat problem. I got tired of that, saw an M.D., got my septum repaired and my tonsils out, and haven't had a problem in that area since then. That situation finally caused me to swear off osteopaths forever though.

Ever injure that wrist?

Not that I can recall.

[Bang!]

Weird. Oteopathy is different in Canada -- they don't get to call themselves doctors, for starters. I always thought that taking osteo more legit would be the way to go, but I've heard a few stories of D.O.s acting like nitwit family doctors with their over-prescribing.

An RMT is a registered massage therapist. There are mediocre ones, there are bad ones and there are harry men who will massage your prostate with a tamarind-scented whale harpoon. However, there are also good ones who know a shitload about the body. Definitely worth trying.

[JohnnyCache]

What's an RMT?

As for the osteopath suggestion, I've had nothing but problems with them. The last incident consisted of a D.O. trying to pump one allergy medication after another into me in an attempt to solve a chronic congestion/sore throat problem. I got tired of that, saw an M.D., got my septum repaired and my tonsils out, and haven't had a problem in that area since then. That situation finally caused me to swear off osteopaths forever though.



Not that I can recall.

How bad was getting your tonsils out and septum worked on as an adult?

I get a bad case of congestion about once a month and I've really come to the conclusion I need to see someone about a tonsilectmy or an ear/nose/throat guy about having SOMETHING done to my nose so more air gets through it.

[Kintanon]

If you have pain/swelling in the fleshy part of the hand there and taking Aleve (or another over the counter anti-inflammatory) for 2-3 days doesn't cure it then you should definitely go see a physician of some kind. I recommend a Sports Medicine clinic. Those places usually know their **** and will have better advice than "Take some pain killers and don't use it for 4 weeks". Which is probably what you'll hear from most other medical folks.

[CannibalCrowley]

How bad was getting your tonsils out and septum worked on as an adult?

It really wasn't that bad, more uncomfortable than painful. I've heard plenty of horror stories about having even one done as an adult; however, most of those could have been solved by finding a doctor that does NOT pack the nose with gauze. A lot of people say that the gauze is painful to have in and OMFG painful to have taken out. My doc used flexible plastic splints and I never had a problem, they only felt a bit weird when he took them out.

I also think I got a bit spoiled. I had a mandatory stay due to the swelling risk of having a T&A (tonsillectomy & adenoidectomy) along with the septoplasty. Since I stayed the night, I was given a morphine drip. After I was released I was on liquid Vicodin and lidocain for pain (plus antibiotics and other non-fun stuff).

The best part is that since people tell plenty of horror stories about it, it's easy to get plenty of sympathy from your girlfriend/wife/harem.

Oteopathy is different in Canada -- they don't get to call themselves doctors, for starters.

Here, even Chiropractors can call themselves doctors.