my hands are so painful

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it started with the middle finger on my right hand, the joint is bigger and painful to touch. I then started getting some pain in other fingers on my right hand. Pain then started in my left hand and although not as bad as my right, they are both getting worse. My fingers on my right hand swell up and different times and the joints at the top of my fingers are now hurting as well. Today my little finger feels strange, not sure if it is just stiff or slightly numb.

I have been to the doctors and blood tests revealed nothing. I've been sent away to see what happens.

It is getting more painful doing things that i used to take for granted, holding my coffee cup for example. If I bang my fingers on something, the pain is awful.

Any ideas? not sure how much longer I can deal with it but i don't want the doctor to think I'm making a fuss about nothing.

bump

Push push and push for your GP to get to the bottom of what is wrong.

I waited a long time before I was diagnosed with arthritis (was 26 years old). Not saying that's what is wrong with you, I'm no doctor, but the not knowing and not getting proper treatment was awful.

Has your doctor referred you to an orphapedic/rheumatology consultant? Push for this if you are still in pain.

Good luck.

Can you go to a different doctor in the same practice. My GPs dont mind this. I have worked out which ones are better for different things[I have a large family} eg a couple are more empathetic, a couple rush you in for tests, and some GPs have more interest in certain medical areas than others, some are more child frindly etc.
And if you find talking to a doctor makes you tongue tied, take in a piece of paper with the details already written ou t, with the symptoms you are feeling.
Hope this helps.

It does sound like arthritis, but I'm not a doctor and even if I was there are different kinds, so you need a diagnosis before you can think about treatment options. If you doctor isn't taking you seriously, make an appointment with another and don't take 'no' for an answer.

Thanks for replying. I don't mind going back to the doctor, but I'm just not sure how pushy I should be. Could this just be me getting older? I'm early 40's, maybe this is what's to come.

it does sound like rheumatoid arthritis, my friend has this and it's very painful and flares up in the miserable or damp weather.

Hi there, I am 41 and was diagnosed with RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis) just before my birthday. As others have said I am not a doctor but I would want to rule RA out or in . RA does not always show up in blood tests I only showed positive in 2 out of 4 blood test so it is a process of elimination. The earlier a diagnosis is found the better the lomg term progosis. Fingers crossed it isn't RA and it is esily resolved

The doctor did say originally say that he would refer me, whatever the outcome of the tests, he then changed his mind. I guess I need to go back and tell him that things are getting worse and I want the referral.

I've been reading about pain relieving creams today. Do they work? Can I just use them anyway regardless of not having a diagnosis?

I have no experience of the creams but i would suggest that using over the counter medicines would be a good starting point obviously folowing advice on the packet. ibrupofen and paracetamol can be used together and prove effective. Keep pushing the gp for further tests and a diagnosis, dont be fobbed off.

Go back to the GP, previous poster was right in that just testing for Rheumatoid factor doesn't mean you don't have an inflammatory condition. It could be one of several inflammatory diseases, which need more specialised tests from a Rheumatologist. If they won't refer, could you afford to go private for an initial consultation?
If you can, then you can ask for any tests to be done through the NHS, which would save you money.
Don't be fobbed off by your GP, you have what's called a 'red flag' symptom of inflammatory conditions which ought to have further investigation. Good luck.