osteo arthritic index finger - owww

[MaryAnnSingleton]

The top joint is very swollen and hurts like hell- any suggestions for dealing with this- I can't really see the point of constantly taking ibuprofen. What do you suggest might be helpful? splints maybe ?

No idea. But it spreads to other fingers

Exit, cheery comment but accurate. Currently my right middle finger second joint is louping. Thought I had worked my way through all the joints but must have missed that one. Keep taking the tablets. Heat can sometimes help, so does alcohol. Apparently I can blithely open jars and unscrew bottle caps when I have had a couple of glasses of wine. These defeat me most of the time.

Snap! Although mine has now got to the point where it has kind of done its thing and is now not so painful as it was...
I started a thread earlier on about my arthritis.
If no-one answers me, can we share?

I struggle to peel potatoes, do up buttons and my bra and spray deoderant among other things. I am 54. And doomed

Sorry I don't know about osteo but my rheumatoid arthritic fingers are sometimes alleviated by heat. Basin of hot warm water/ hugging my trusty hotwater bottle/ mug of tea.
It doesn't stop the pain but takes the edge off.

How do you know if it is osteo or rheum?

Rheumatoid tends to have flares - hot swollen joints on matching joints on each side of the body. It has severe fatigue as well as pain, feeling like you have flu/ill and swelling. It is an auto immune disease where your body attacks itself causing the pain/swelling/joint damage. It can affect other parts of your body as well as your joints. It is usually treated with aggressive drug therapies which alter you immune system as well as pain killers & anti inflammatories.
Osteo arthritis is the most common type of arthritis in the uk and is sometimes referred to wear & tear (although this makes it sound less serious than it can be) - good guide here
You are most likely to have osteoarthritis.

I was 53 when my left index finger swelled, became puffy and was painful. GP put me on Neurofen/ibrofen and it cleared up. Being right handed, my left other fingers are fine. The right hand finger joints are very stiff and middle finger bit crooked, but most pain I get is in the wrists.
It is caused by wear and tear, so less wear less tear

it's just that particular joint -I can use it ok but it is bent and hurts and swollen. I really hate taking any meds and don't want to have to keep chugging ibuprofen (partly because I'm on oral chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer and that involves 18 tablets a day,not including any sickness/diarrhoea drugs- I confess to not taking those either as I can't bear to swallow anything else !) I'd rather use something topical and was thinking maybe there's some kind of finger splint to enclose it -ind of putting pressure on it -this seems to ease pain) Am swimming like a demon twice a week which perhaps affects my hand ?

Maryann, I can understand why you don't want to swallow any more meds. Have you tried Ibuleve Gel (ibuprofen) or something similar to the sore bit. I am sorry you are having serious health problems but thanks for letting me have moan. Sore fingers are trivial in the scheme of things but a flippin nuisance as you are always using them.

Sounds daft, but wrapping some Elastoplast type bandaging around the joint when mine was very sore seemed to help.

Ive been prescribed capsaicin cream for my arthritic knees and am also rubbing a bit on my index finger which I suspect is arthritic and worn out from knitting. I just have to remember to wash my hands thoroughly after 30 mins as it is made from chillies. Forget one day and rubbed my eyes, thought I was going to have to go to casualty!
Takes a few weeks to see if there is any benefit so dont know yet.

I've devised a bandage thing to cover my ibuprofen gel slathered finger and put a rubber finger thingy over it- result !

Well done Maryann. Forgot about the the chilli cream (storynanny) not tried it out myself but have heard good things about it. Obviously rubbing it in your eyes is not the preferred option.

So was the wrapping any help? Hope so.

yes, it was quite soothing- think it's more the pressure than the gel-will try it again

My left index finger is horribly bent. I remember my grandmothers fingers were like this. I have been checked for RA and it seems it is osteo arthritis. The other joints are swollen but none are as bent.
I saw a physio last year and she advised me to manipulate the fingers. I do this when I remember. Gently push them "straight". It has helped a bit.