Is there anything that causes finger joint pain and swelling apart from some kind of arthritis?

[salamanda]

The middle joints on my fingers are painful and swollen - I'm waiting to see a rheumatologist but worrying a lot about what it could be! I'm only 30 :(

I have been getting arthritus on and off and Im only 27, celery helps and ibuprofen, I juice my celery and just drink it in has anti inflam properties.
This kind of weather always sets mine off too, have you ever had psoriasis because It can be linked.
My advice is to keep active physically to prevent seizing up.

Sometimes an infection else where can cause secondary inflamation. re your fingers painful and swollen on both hands in mirror image?

Oh thank you! Will try celery definitely, and doc told me to take ibuprofen. Didn't think about it being weather-related. I've never had psoriasis and I'm very physically active already. Do you know what kind of arthritis you have? I've worried myself by assuming it's Rheumatoid Arthritis and that it's going to get worse and worse.

Yes it was both middle fingers now ring fingers too Sparkle, that's why doc has referred me to a rheumatologist. If it was just one finger randomly I wouldn't have worried about it.

Rheumatoid causes the mirroring effect I was asking about. Degenerative arthritis would be unusual given your age. Psoriaritic arthritis would be unusual unless you have psoriasis, do you have any in your family?

Interesting fact about celery...I am allergic to celery and all anti-inflam drugs...makes you wonder if that is coincidfence or connected....

In that case I think rheumatoid is the most likely then....sorry.

No psoriasis in the family Sparkle. Thanks for your reply, even if it wasn't very reassuring . I guess I am hoping that there's something else out there that could be causing my symptoms that is not RA but not worse than RA either!!

Well that sucks! But there are worse problems to have I suppose!

RA can be very managable though...and can go through phases, so it may flare up and then you not have it for years. Just take care of yourself, and don't have those anti inflams on an empty stomach!

Ok, thank you very much Sparkle. I have already been improving my diet over the last couple of weeks, which wasn't bad to begin with - masses of fruit and veg (to which I will be adding celery!) and am now feeling healthier than ever, bizarrely. Apart from my fingers, obv.

Sorry, it was rude of me not to ask - you don't have it yourself do you? I hope not.

Well done with the positive mental attitude salamanda..diet can be very important if it is RA, so you have made a good start. I always think some decent sleep would make me feel much better and healthier

also Ive noticed that once you start putting the right things in to your body, it responds more efficiently to any disharmony within it, because youre not numbing yourself with crap food the symptoms are actually your body trying to help you. You become more in tune with your body.
Good luck

I have EDS, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, which gives me svere joint pain, and makes me dislocate joints and causes joint damage. I am regularly checked for RA as it likely to develop with EDS. I have had some swollen joints and redness, and even some positive rheumatoid factor blood tests, but mine is definitely EDS. I have had it for 25 years now, and my ds, nine tomorrow, has inherited it from me too

That's a good way of thinking itwillbenothing :)

I'm really sorry to hear that Sparkle. I've heard of EDS because I have hypermobile joints and have had physio on and off for it throughout my life. It doesn't cause me too many problems though. Your post has reminded me to mention it when I see the rheumatologist!

was going to say gout but as you have it on both hands unlikely ...I think

I've read about gout ggirl, but you're right, I don't think that's it.

I have this at the moment and also in my knees and wrists. I have slapped cheek syndrome ( the 5th child disease) apparently..must have got it from dd or ds, there is a lot of it around at the moment and in adults the symptoms are joint pain and swelling.

Hope you get better soon puna. I have no rash and no children though.

Do you have a history of joint pain in the affected fingers because of hypermobility?

I was going to ask if you happen to be very bendy (I have hypermobility syndrome) could be the hypermobility :( In that case it's anti-inflam, rest (but not too much rest) and heat, paracetamol if you need it and a rhumatology appointment.

Sorry to butt in - but is it just EDS you are at increased risk of Rhumatoid or is it HMS too? Maybe a moot point considering depending on who you ask the two are interchangeable for dx anyway - but I don't dislocate thank goodness just subluxations and they are bad enough. (she says popping finges back becasue I've been typing too much, I've lost a few this morning to wobbliness)

No, it's never caused my fingers any problems, only my shoulders and hips which come partially out of their sockets very easily (but not painfully). Think it's called partial subluxation? It's pretty common as I understand it, and has only caused me problems when I've damaged the joints through trauma or exercise. Maybe I'm wrong in calling it hypermobility?

The general idea now is that they are one and the same, just different extremes in terms of how affected and how frequently dislocations occur, therefore I think you are at an increased risk either way. It is one of those weird things though, they don't know why the instance goes up, it just does.

I am bendy, but not as bendy as you by the sounds of it Trickle! My fingers don't pop out, just my hips when I walk or my shoulders if I pick up something too heavy.

You are not wrong in calling it hypermobility, it is definitely hypermobility. I didn't just the word sublux earlier, in case you were unfamiliar.... sorry