Since there seems to be only older threads on this, I’m starting a new one. I’m finding that my index finger on both hands is getting more and more tender, especially after using them on a keyboard or heavier yard work. My right index finger frequently locks when I am at rest, have an afternoon snooze or in the morning. If I sleep with my finger curled, I can’t straiten it and if I sleep with it strait, I can’t curl it. If I keep it moving, it’s ok but tender all the time. The middle joint is only slightly swelled and doesn’t show as inflamed. (all my inflammation is hidden!) The locking of the finger is only on the right hand but my left has as much pain and seems on the edge of locking up. If I massage and gently pull on the affected finger, it releases and I’m back at things. Is this another sign of PsA progression? Any others with similar experience? Should biologics prevent this?
Biologics should possibly ‘halt’ things (think of a truck or train braking only but still needing to go forwards eventually) but they can’t ‘prevent’ a thing. Biologics don’t ‘cure’ anything for us. And our disease activity will anyway wax and wane on its own merry dance regardless. The aim of biologics is to ‘slow down’ your disease activity and progression and hopefully minimise actual damage. The emphasis is always on the phrase ‘slow down’. So issues arise even on the best of biologics for us sadly.
When PsA first hit me it really attacked my right hand viciously. And the tendons from my fingers to my palm were literally bunching up causing my fingers not to straighten. It was excessively painful too and had me unable to use much of my hand or fingers.
I ended up with a specialised hand physio as orginally I thought it wasn’t PsA nonsense but the beginings of Dupuytrens contracture which my Mum had. She hand made me splints to wear at night only and after around 4 months it all stopped and my fingers and palm stopped trying to meet eachother and the pain went away and my right hand returned to full function bar a couple of small knots of tendon in my palm which only I notice and are completely not painful at all.
PsA loves inflaming tendons, especially my tendons it seems. And most people’s PsA inflammation is well hidden too. Your fingers are literally only operated by tendons. So something like trigger finger is a real possibility for us. Sometimes actually one of your joints in your finger has swollen and is catching the tendon too, hence the locking issue. Other times it’s the tendon that’s swollen locking things. Either way the result is as you’re seeing now. I would massage with a little Volerol type stuff too. If it progresses see a specialist hand physio as they can work serious magic. Something else that might help you is to use the old fashioned wax hand bath scenario. Amazon sell them and the warmth of the wax drying on your hand is amazing for helping.
But you do need to lose the thought that just because you’re on biologics they are failing you because new issues arise. Often they aren’t really unless new issues are popping up relentlessly, mainly you’re just experiencing a breakthrough which does resolve with a little help too.
I’m not sure what I can possibly add to this. I’m frequently reminding myself that slowing progress is the key point of the needs but that there will be things that happen along the way
I didn’t get a lot out of the steroid shots. Massage was helpful. For trigger finger I preferred thc/CBD topical. And I’ve had three releases.
Thanks for the sound counsel…much appreciated. I think when something “new” happens, my mind quickly goes to, “I was quite settled with all the current issues, I don’t need another.” But you are right, things do come and go and hopefully this will go. I’m also being evaluated for knee replacement surgery.
Thanks. When I did the old googly search, almost every thing said about trigger finger is directed at the finger curling in. I have as much trouble with mine locking in the pointing position. I’ve only been slapped once for pointing in public, so I keep that hand under my jacket. But its much easier to take ones glove off with a pointed finger than a curled finger. And the g’kids love it as they play donut toss with g’pa’s silly finger…quite handy!
Poor you. Remember with joint replacement we rehab at much slower pace altogether. So keep that in mind too.
With our system, likely 18-24 months away. By then, AI might have a cure and joint replacement by osmosis.
Actually there is amazing research going on with joint replacements - one being a kind of injection of some sort of stuff which sorts out the surfaces of the joints instead. Probably too late for the likes of us but fascinating otherwise.
I started having trigger finger on my ring finger dominate hand. My rheumatologist suggested a more ergonomic mouse. Chiropractor had me lookup stretching exercises and they really helped. Anytime it locked up I would stretch. Ice helped with swelling and a little Voltaren generic helped. It took a couple months of sticking with it but it finally got better. Hang in there and let us know how you do.
There might be some very accelerated research etc in many of the fields of medicine as AI does have a few benefits.
Some days the finger issue is better with exercise, using garden tools etc and then other days, using my hands makes it worse. Pretty unpredictable. But there is a good chance that something somewhere else is lurking to kindly distract me from what is to what is coming!
Knee replacement surgery would most certainly distract you from your trigger finger.
Interestingly, when I wound up in the hospital with pneumonia a few years ago, I have very bad trigger finger which has since been released. All the pain just went poof! Now. I was miserable obviously and I would not recommend it as a way to get it reprieved, but it was very interesting to take note at that
I experienced a similar triggering of my right hand and eventually, my rheumatologist gave me a steroid injection near the tendon, which cleared things up (I was told there was a 50/50 chance it would help). A year later, I started to get something similar on my left hand. I decided to teach myself piano (using a digital keyboard) and my daily practice has actually kept the hand feeling limber (at least, I assume it has been helping. Might be coincidence, but I’m enjoying the music. It’s definitely a better hand workout than a computer keyboard! )
Thanks for sharing your journey. How long did the steroid injection last?
The finger that was injected had resolved within a week or two and hasn’t recurred. (It’s been over a year). The injection wasn’t comfortable, but worth it to get use of my hand back.