I always thought this could be some sort of psoriasis, but my daughter had one last year and she doesn't have psoriasis or PsA. They are so painful--especially when you bump them, like I did this one. I get them all winter long, sometimes several at a time.
I usually bandage them when I want to avoid a lot of pain, because they hurt like a bugger when they get bumped, if even slightly.
Does anybody know how I can avoid getting these? I use lotions, but I'm not as religious about it as most women--obviously you can tell by the dry skin on my thumb! I suppose wearing rubber gloves often would help.
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I have used clotrimazole and betamethasone dipropionate cream in the past to help heal but not as a preventive measure. I only have psoriasis involvement with my finger nails. Occasionally on my fingertips, the skin will crack and peel during the winter mostly.
This will be my 1st winter since I’ve started methotrexate injections. I noticed today that after 6 months, my nails look almost normal.
I’m still having a lot of inflammation and pain in several joints, mainly in my fingers, hands, wrist, elbows. I also have stiffness in my neck and lower back and SI joint. Actually, there’s not many joints that aren’t affected! It sounds bad when I describe it but it really is affecting the majority of my joints. Im just not the same person anymore. My husband and teenage kiddos will vouch for the change in my personality. I make it through the work day and come home and crash. I usually stay home all weekend and sleep or read. I have no energy.
I’m hoping that when I go for my appt on 1/22, a biological is added to my treatment protocol.
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Excuse my whine session! The cream that I mentioned works great.
i use super glue. it works every time. But its prob not good for you.
If not, i use an antibiotic ointment and a band-aid overnite. this helps with soreness.
Ouchhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!! I can see how painful that must be Grandma J. I suffered with this really, really badly some years ago and not just in the winter. I eventually went to the doctors when I sat at my work keyboard with nine out of ten finger tips bleeding into the keys and wanting to cry with every keystroke.
The treatment regime given for me by my doc for the cracked fingers is: At night apply a small amount of topical steroid ointment (I use Betnovate/betamethasone) topped with a large blob of emoillient (I use Epaderm but the shea butter I got for my feet would be just as good I think), then wrap the finger(s) in plastic food wrap/clingfilm and tape securely. Sleep peacefully! Daytime same thing but without the topical steroid and sleep (sorry, silly comment!) ..... I guess because when covered you absorb more of the steroid. And ALWAYS wear rubber gloves for all water tasks. Keep whole hand well moisturised.
This always starts the healing process for me in two or three days but the trick is not to stop too soon otherwise it all just unravels again. Maximum seven days with the steroid, a weeks gap and another seven days if needed was the guideline given to me but I've never needed to go that long. It's a pain in the ass at bedtime when you just want to crawl in to bed and sleep but it makes such a difference so quickly that it's worth the effort.
Wishing you smooth, pain and crack free fingers as soon as possible.
No problem, aberry. It's good to vent--we all know what you're going through. And I've also been told my personality has changed. My daughter asked me yesterday, are you a wreck? - after I told her I was planning on calling in sick to work today because of my back pain and now I have the flu or something.
I've tried using betamethasone for these in the past but I'm not sure it helped. I'll see about clotrimazole. Right now, my sore throat/adenoids has gotten worse and my nose is all plugged up so I probably won't leave the house today.
Thanks for your advice!
aberry22 said:
Excuse my whine session! The cream that I mentioned works great.
I can't even imagine using super glue--wouldn't that make matters worse? But, I have thought about purchasing some liquid bandage. Maybe that would protect it so it can heal. These cracks usually last at least 10 days and it is torture.
Sunny51 said:
i use super glue. it works every time. But its prob not good for you.
If not, i use an antibiotic ointment and a band-aid overnite. this helps with soreness.
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Thanks, Jules. Omg I can't imagine 10! Last year was my worst when I had 5 at one time. When one starts coming on, I should try what you do right away. But, yeah, I am lazy at the end of the day and don't want to 'putz' with anything!
Jules said:
Ouchhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!! I can see how painful that must be Grandma J. I suffered with this really, really badly some years ago and not just in the winter. I eventually went to the doctors when I sat at my work keyboard with nine out of ten finger tips bleeding into the keys and wanting to cry with every keystroke.
The treatment regime given for me by my doc for the cracked fingers is: At night apply a small amount of topical steroid ointment (I use Betnovate/betamethasone) topped with a large blob of emoillient (I use Epaderm but the shea butter I got for my feet would be just as good I think), then wrap the finger(s) in plastic food wrap/clingfilm and tape securely. Sleep peacefully! Daytime same thing but without the topical steroid and sleep (sorry, silly comment!) ..... I guess because when covered you absorb more of the steroid. And ALWAYS wear rubber gloves for all water tasks. Keep whole hand well moisturised.
This always starts the healing process for me in two or three days but the trick is not to stop too soon otherwise it all just unravels again. Maximum seven days with the steroid, a weeks gap and another seven days if needed was the guideline given to me but I've never needed to go that long. It's a pain in the ass at bedtime when you just want to crawl in to bed and sleep but it makes such a difference so quickly that it's worth the effort.
Wishing you smooth, pain and crack free fingers as soon as possible.
I know rubber gloves would be the best remedy probably. I've just never found any that feel comfortable. But I'm getting so sick of pain, anything is worth trying.
That's funny about the super glue! I didn't know soapy water helped! That must've been embarrassing! Lol
sybil said:
Oh Sunny, I can't believe you said this! I once superglued my fingers together and not on the same hand. That was when the stuff first came out and we thought of it as really super, we had no idea that soapy water would do the trick. My son had passed his driving test the week before so off we went to A&E. Yep out came the soapy water ..... oh the shame, the shame.
Grandma J if you've got a tendency to get these nasty cracks - it looks so painful - I think you really should wear rubber gloves for all watery tasks.
Sunny51 said:
i use super glue. it works every time. But its prob not good for you.
Grandma J,
I have it on good authority from a woman who has a nail salon that she sees this most often in people who trim their nails quite short--and as I don't get my nails done she wasn't telling me this in order to sell me a bunch of product and a mani/pedi! I do notice that this happens to me if my nails break near the finger tip--and they break very often. Anyway, a preventive measure could be to try to keep your finger nails just a wee bit longer. It seems everyone covered the usual bases for treating the crack once they appear. And they take forever to heal, in my experience.
I could try that, janeatiu. I'd definitely need to start using a nail hardener because mine are very soft and they break off easily.
janeatiu said:
Grandma J,
I have it on good authority from a woman who has a nail salon that she sees this most often in people who trim their nails quite short--and as I don't get my nails done she wasn't telling me this in order to sell me a bunch of product and a mani/pedi! I do notice that this happens to me if my nails break near the finger tip--and they break very often. Anyway, a preventive measure could be to try to keep your finger nails just a wee bit longer. It seems everyone covered the usual bases for treating the crack once they appear. And they take forever to heal, in my experience.
I understand, GrandmaJ. Mine break readily, too. What I do is to file them instead of cutting them and try not to go too close to the finger tip.
Grandma J said:
I could try that, janeatiu. I'd definitely need to start using a nail hardener because mine are very soft and they break off easily.
Been thinking some more about finger wrapping this afternoon because, as you say, it's alot of 'putz' right before bed. So how about finger cots and just a bit of tape to secure .... I use micropore but mainly because I'm allergic to the adhesive in bandaid etc.
Was also thinking that maybe for multiple finger involvement some kind of lightweight disposable glove might be the answer and even cut off the fingers you don't need so they get less hot and sweaty.
Possibly you might also find disposables more comfy for your water tasks. When I was working in the cattery I wore these all the time for cleaning with a pair of cotton gloves underneath and so long as you buy either the latex or nitrile you will get several wears out of a pair so long as they don't get snagged and ripped.
Personally I have to be really careful as although I've tested negative for latex allergy if I'm in direct contact with it for any length of time it causes a horrible rash but I can definitely vouch for nitrile over vinyl.
'Putz' or not just a couple of nights and that finger is going to be so much better ........
Oh, on the subject of soft and breaking nails. When I was stuck with a dermy while she laboriously did my latex testing she said that my weak nails, especially my psoriasis thumb with the horrible ridges and grooves, were down to the psoriasis causing damage to the growing nail bed. When I queried why then my toe nails had gone the other way and were more like cutting into a hoof she laughed and said "oh, yes psoriasis can make them go either way". Oh joy!
Haha Lol about the hard toenials, Jules! That's mine, too! I never heard of finger cots--I'm gonna look into that. Just a matter of asking at the drug store when I'm there.
Oh my, the wind is howling here! Sounds like s blizzard!
Jules said:
Been thinking some more about finger wrapping this afternoon because, as you say, it's alot of 'putz' right before bed. So how about finger cots and just a bit of tape to secure .... I use micropore but mainly because I'm allergic to the adhesive in bandaid etc.
Was also thinking that maybe for multiple finger involvement some kind of lightweight disposable glove might be the answer and even cut off the fingers you don't need so they get less hot and sweaty.
Possibly you might also find disposables more comfy for your water tasks. When I was working in the cattery I wore these all the time for cleaning with a pair of cotton gloves underneath and so long as you buy either the latex or nitrile you will get several wears out of a pair so long as they don't get snagged and ripped.
Personally I have to be really careful as although I've tested negative for latex allergy if I'm in direct contact with it for any length of time it causes a horrible rash but I can definitely vouch for nitrile over vinyl.
'Putz' or not just a couple of nights and that finger is going to be so much better ........
Oh, on the subject of soft and breaking nails. When I was stuck with a dermy while she laboriously did my latex testing she said that my weak nails, especially my psoriasis thumb with the horrible ridges and grooves, were down to the psoriasis causing damage to the growing nail bed. When I queried why then my toe nails had gone the other way and were more like cutting into a hoof she laughed and said "oh, yes psoriasis can make them go either way". Oh joy!
Sybil, are you in more pain than you usually like to admit?
sybil said:
I too need to go to the blacksmith for toenail cutting whilst my fingernails break constantly. This is a minor irritation for me but an irritation nonetheless. You know how you need to twist your hand to file nails, then twist it back to take a look? That particular manoeuvre has to be done very slowly or it hurts a lot and the damn things need filing so often. Perhaps I'll take to wearing marigolds all the time then it won't matter what they look like.
That is great! It just sounded as if your hands are stiff and painful.
Well, I am at the moment.....my feet are fine, my stiffness is on hold for the most part, and my psoriasis doesn't bother me much at all. My back hurts worse today than it has since September, except it's the left side now and so far the right side is holding out. I'm having all I can do to rest and use the heating pad and ice pack as much as possible. So scary this pain has been bothering me since Thanksgiving and just when it seems to be letting up, it comes right back--this evening in full force. I'm not into too many pain meds, either. I don't tolerate nsaids very well....when I took 3,000mg/day of ibuprofen a few months ago for a week I ended up with bloody stools and that scared me half to death. I'm praying that this miraculously goes away, but I've avoided lifting and did everything at a snails pace and nothing's working! My last ditch plan is to sit on the heating pad for the next few days--take another day or two off work next week and hope this goes away. Otherwise, I'll ask for a steroid injection or something--which would be a very drastic measure for me. :-(
On top of that, I have a head/chest cold so I was advised to hold off taking Enbrel for a few days. Ugh.
Thanks, Sybil. Base of thumbs same here but they don’t bother me as much anymore either! My left one is very enlarged but that jabbing pain is infrequent now–yes, twisting a jar lid off is still painful and pretty much impossible with the weakness in my hands/wrists. I finally started taking some ibuprofen every 4 hours for my back. I had been taking Tylenol and aspirin off and on, but I’m going to do the Motrin religiously. You’re right about everything tensing up and making matters worse! The bleeding issue was weird–not bright red (which isn’t uncommon for me)but pinkish and I won’t go into further detail, but it was different than anything I’ve ever had and after I had taken a lot of ibuprofen which I had never done before. It’s all so confusing what to do. Haha this discussion started about cracked fingers–which, btw, is healing and not hurting anymore.
