Hi, all! I haven’t been on this site for a while. I have severe psa pretty much everywhere (easier to list where it isn’t!). I am on enbrel right now which has helped with inflammation and pain, though my range of motion on any of my affected joints is pretty much still bad. My worst problem is that I have swan neck deformity and mallet fingers, and what they call claw toe on my toes which are pretty much curled under. Lately, i have had severe spasms in my fingers and feet/toes which are very painful. This is most likely due to the shortened tendons. the spasms in my toes and feet occur at any time and are worst at nite, so bad that I have to jump out of bed and stand on my feet to stretch them, and the spasms go all the way from my toes to my arches. My hands do it when trying to hold anything or when washing up in the shower. Anyone have any suggestions for relief? Im not sleeping well anymore because of this. Thanks!
Are we talking cramps? I have had cramp, often severe, in my feet and legs for many years and yes, it’s usually at night. My toes seize into into ridiculous, extremely painful positions. I’ve just had a period of about 5 months with minimal cramp but now they’re back. I suppose I did find that they got less awful once I started Humira though. My hands only cramp up after I’ve been holding something for quite a while e.g. a paint brush, so that’s a day time thing.
A hand therapist I saw recently said it was due to my hands getting tired, I didn’t mention my feet 'cos I’ve pretty much given up trying to make any sense of it. I had magnesium, potassium & sodium levels tested once in relation to the cramp, all were fine. I suspect it is due to these blood salts (if that’s what they’re called) getting out of whack at times though, probably mainly due to PsA. If anything works for me I’d say it’s probably a combo of keeping my body in the temperate zone i.e. avoiding getting too hot, not drinking alcohol, not standing around too long, drinking enough water but not too much all at once after feeling dehydrated, eating regular meals and so on. Oh, and getting the PsA under the best control possible of course. How long have you been on Enbrel?
Hi Sybil! Thanks for responding! Yes, severe cramps in my feet and my toes
do the same thing. My hands also but not as bad. My labs all come back
normal. I don’t drink, but i have noticed that i am intolerant of the heat
lately. I have been on enbrel since May. Does hand therapy help you? I have
lost a lot of use in my hands and have had to teach myself a different way
of holding silverware and my toothbrush, etc.
Sybil
August 26Are we talking cramps? I have had cramp, often severe, in my feet and
legs for many years and yes, it’s usually at night. My toes seize into into
ridiculous, extremely painful positions. I’ve just had a period of about 5
months with minimal cramp but now they’re back. I suppose I did find that
they got less awful once I started Humira though. My hands only cramp up
after I’ve been holding something for quite a while e.g. a paint brush, so
that’s a day time thing.A hand therapist I saw recently said it was due to my hands getting
tired, I didn’t mention my feet 'cos I’ve pretty much given up trying to
make any sense of it. I had magnesium, potassium & sodium levels tested
once in relation to the cramp, all were fine. I suspect it is due to these
blood salts (if that’s what they’re called) getting out of whack at times
though, probably mainly due to PsA. If anything works for me I’d say it’s
probably a combo of keeping my body in the temperate zone i.e. avoiding
getting too hot, not drinking alcohol, not standing around too long,
drinking enough water but not too much all at once after feeling
dehydrated, eating regular meals and so on. Oh, and getting the PsA under
the best control possible of course. How long have you been on Enbrel?
Hi Cathy. I’d recommend hand therapy though I haven’t got as far as any exercises as yet. I’ve had an assessment from an OT who’s attached to a rheumatology dept. and was really impressed by her understanding of PsA. And she’s provided me with some nifty gloves for tasks though they’re not much use for washing up or other wet work. I’d imagine a pair of these well-fitting, fingerless gloves might help you. It’s a question of getting used to actually using the things!
The cramp is a real conundrum. I’ve seen many, many people complaining about the same thing on RA forums and to a lesser extent here too. One rheumy told me it’s just one of those things. But when it disrupts sleep it’s quite a problem. Thinking about it more I’d say best thing might be to drink a lot of water but in very regular amounts throughout the day rather than all at once. And someone recommended putting a bar of soap in the bed! Um, well!
Please don’t laugh or think I’m being trite but yes “tired” is a common reason for these spasms but the physiology of “tired” is even simpler and overlooked by most PsA patients despite my constant preaching of drink all the water you can and then drink some more. There is a really quick treatment… Eat a banana. Or if you prefer “pills” potassium supplements. lack of hydration leads to potassium depletion. The routine meds we take do to. Thats why its so important to drink… (water)
Not trite at all, often the simplest solutions are best. Okay, fruit bowl by the bed (along with the water).
Cathy, how about we try more bananas and a more careful check on hydration and report back here in 4 weeks time?
Are those compression gloves? I have heard about them. I will give them a try. I have heard about the soap in the bed. I don’t really get it, but i have read that it works…
Thanks! I will eat some bananas and see if that helps. I drink water very frequently because some of my meds give me dry mouth. I will let you know how it goes!
I get cramps between my thumbs and index finger. I also get what the doc calls trigger finger cramps when my first two fingers cramp so bad they curl under.
I have had to add daily potassium supplements ( low does, be careful), as well as calcium and magnesium.
I bought some full and half finger Tommie Copper gloves, they seem to help and I can type in them, but the quality of the glove is lacking, the seams come out.
I am going to talk to my doc about some prescription compression gloves. I am going to have to talk to him about braces and things for other parts of my body also.
I did get some of the fingerless compression gloves and they do seem to help plus the extra warmth they provide is soothing. Also started eating bananas. My rheumy repeated my bloodwork just before i started the bananas to see if my potassium is off. Haven’t gotten results yet. Thank you for your reply and best wishes!
The cheap soap bar certainly worked for me. Think the soap bar is now under the bed but I haven’t need it in so long now…
Hmmmm. I will give it a try!
I get hand and foot spasms as well. They are less frequent now that I eat more bananas and take magnesium supplements, but they are still there. Doctors have never been able to explain them. Stress is my trigger for all PsA symptoms, and it has been a particularly stressful start to the school year. Thinking about finding a new line of work, lol.
Did I mention these spasms are also caused by statins???
I think you did thanks ! I am not on statins though! 
Cathy, hi! Meant to say, my gloves aren’t compression gloves, they’re thumb-support ones. I really must start wearing them!
Anyway, I have been on a daily banana regime plus drinking so much water there are barely enough hours in the day for all the resulting peeing. It was my husband’s 60th recently and while away celebrating I did indulge in the odd drink on 3 consecutive nights. Normally that amount of red wine (though it was still rather too little, sadly) would result in gruesome night cramps. At worst they’ve been known to go on all night. But no such thing happened!
This cramp lark can be pretty bad can’t it? I’ve never fainted but sometimes when I wake suddenly all twisted up I see stars … nearly fell down the stairs once trying to get to the bathroom. If it reaches the thigh muscles it’s serious torture. My hands are still cramping in the day but for me that’s not so bad, it doesn’t last long at all.
Hi Sybil! Mine don’t travel up my legs, but they feel like my foot is
trying to pull my toes up to my ankle! Though they used to only happen at
night, they have started happening while i am walking. It’s kind of
embarrassing when i start hopping around squealing in public! 
Sybil
September 13Cathy, hi! Meant to say, my gloves aren’t compression gloves, they’re
thumb-support ones. I really must start wearing them!Anyway, I have been on a daily banana regime plus drinking so much water
there are barely enough hours in the day for all the resulting peeing. It
was my husband’s 60th recently and while away celebrating I did indulge in
the odd drink on 3 consecutive nights. Normally that amount of red wine
(though it was still rather too little, sadly) would result in gruesome
night cramps. At worst they’ve been known to go on all night. But no such
thing happened!This cramp lark can be pretty bad can’t it? I’ve never fainted but
sometimes when I wake suddenly all twisted up I see stars … nearly fell
down the stairs once trying to get to the bathroom. If it reaches the thigh
muscles it’s serious torture. My hands are still cramping in the day but
for me that’s not so bad, it doesn’t last long at all.
Actually WALKING can set the off. I’d visit with a good podiatrist about footware. I’ve despite hearing it numerous times that a really do need footware especially getting up at night… FWIW my doc put me in Birkenstocks and similar are now the norm for nursing staff. In anyevent limiting the flexion of your foot does help…
Thank you! I will see about getting in to a good podiatrist! I wear easy
spirit shoes but maybe they aren’t enough even though they seem comfortable!