Help with recent diagnosis of osteoarthritis in my thumb.

[Tolkienista]

I've had ongoing issues with my right thumb since May.
Started with pain/discomfort on my palm in the fleshy part below my thumb. Then in recent weeks moved round to the area on the front of my hand below my thumb.
Had a doctor's appointment on Thursday and within a minute of examining my hand she said it's osteoarthritis at the base of your thumb

To be honest I was shocked. Never had any issues with my joints. Not overweight, exercise regularly, eat well .....but here I am with a degenerative condition and I'm scared of what's to come.

Didn't get much in the way of advice, take painkillers when I need them, use ibuprofen gel
Keep my hands warm in winter. I did a few hours of gardening on Friday and my hand was sore afterwards. Took two paracetamol on Saturday & I was fine for the day. No painkillers today, but I did wince in the kitchen when I was unscrewing things, using a can opener etc. Ouch .

I really need any personal stories, advice, product suggestions etc
Thanks in advance

I have widespread OA (joy!). Some of it is very painful. I listen to podcasts about chronic pain and while it's interesting I haven't learnt much practical. I did however learn that they did research in Stamford University and concluded that acupuncture is an effective way to treat pain but they are unsure why it works - they have theories. I have had it on NHS before so I asked my GP to refer me but they refused saying I don't meet the criteria. I think I do. I would do it privately but couldn't find any locally that seemed legit.

I take supplements in the hope they help.

I take

• Bowesellia https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7368679/

Vit D Vit B Magnesium Vit C Collagen Omega 3

I have only been taking Boswellia for a couple of weeks but it does seem to be helping with a bad flare up.

GP has advised against taking ibuprofen as I was taking for too long and it can damage heart etc ... GP has prescribed strong painkillers but I am not reluctant to take them.

I do think general exercise helps a lot but probably more for my mood. I find it soothes me.

It’s wear and tear on the joints so it goes without saying that people will start to notice symptoms in their 50s / 60s. I’ve had it in my jaw since my 40s, now in my knees, hips and wrists.

Forgot to add I take HRT too in the hope it helps with OA and it does seem to have helped a bit. If you read into it there are theories that it's not just wear and tear but some type of inflammatory response triggered by various things (including lack of oestrogen). I think there are debates in the science world on the inflammatory aspect. My Rheumatologist said I was likely hyper mobile as a child. I do recollect that. For some reason that's associated with OA too.

Yes I apologise for being so surprised, but honestly it came out of the blue.
As I said, I've never had any joint issues & in fact I've never had any health issues.
I'd obviously heard of arthritis in hips and knees & know many people who have that, but I don't know anyone who has it in their thumb.

This thread has been really helpful.
My pain levels are currently minimal.

Actually, I've just been to the toilet and administering toilet paper (the way my hand is curved in holding it) has just caused an ouch moment!

If your pain is minimal it may never get beyond that. I started with arthritis in my 20s and it was only in my 50s (after many tendon surgeries) that I started to have the thumb steroid injections for the arthritis.

As others have mentioned, compression gloves are good to wear if it is niggly occasional pain and to adapt things if you have any additional issues. For example, years ago I stopped reading books as they are too heavy to hold but I have kindle on my phone so I am still an avid reader. There is normally a solution of sorts.

Those ouch moments! Yes. Really irritating and also rather minor at the same time! It feels like a bit of a betrayal!

I like the silicone jar openers.

This is the link - I found it useful for managing my approach to pain. Pain and brain connection

There was another article I read which suggested using language such as ‘wear and tear’ was detrimental as there was an inference that we cannot do anything to fix or adapt to living with arthritis. I know first hand that strength exercises are very beneficial even when uncomfortable. Strong muscles help a lot. I don’t like grip strength training but it has become a necessary evil as the thumb arthritis has set in.

Ibroprofen and trainers. The pain has only gone since I had the operation.

Thanks for your message. At the moment the pain isn't too bad and as it's very early days I'm assessing things going forward to see what will work best for me.
I'm happy to do exercises to strengthen my thumb as I want my hand to serve me hopefully for another twenty years plus.
This thread of replies has been excellent.

I think you are lucky to get to your age and only just starting with the arthritis!

I had to give up work at 44 due to how bad my hands became, I have already had a trapeziectomy on one hand, the other hand is all gnarled up and painful now, I am 55

I wear compression gloves at night and take regular painkillers, I have arthritis in all my joints, I am always creaking and cracking😃

@SimpleBitch Having read all the replies, yes I do think I'm lucky to have reached my age without any major joint issues.
I'm sorry to read about your problems especially having to give up work so young at 44, that is really tough.
Thank you for sharing your experience, that is extremely helpful for me in understanding this condition.

You adapt. I started with painful fingers at 50. They are now extremely bent and some won't straighten, I couldn't do a fist to save my life. However as these things creep up gradually you adapt and find workarounds. The biggest thing I can't do now is writing by hand, but it's very rare anyone needs to do that.
I think you are incredibly fortunate to be 67 and no health
@limetrees32 had excruciatingly painful big toes earlier this year, so bad I thought it might be gout ( I do have autoimmune disease so that's not unusual). Anyway I was tested and it wasn't gout it was just a flare of rheumatoid arthritis in a toe that's already damaged by osteoarthritis. I saw a very good podiatrist who gave me some foot and toe exercises designed to strengthen and straighten. I did see a big improvement.

Things that definitely make mine much worse:

• Eating dairy, wheat and drinking alcohol. I can feel the difference for days afterwards.
• stress

Things that make mine better (probably):

• turmeric capsules
• glucosamine tablets
• exercising and using it through the discomfort

@myplace that makes sense !
Silly me !

@KateShugakIsALegend that's interesting about you reacting to diet. Were you tested for allergies or have you observed triggers. My DS has severe allergies and also complains of joint pain and also hyper mobile. Wondering if there is a link with autoimmune and osteoarthritis. From what I've read online I think science is beginning to think it's autoimmune related. I have other autoimmune conditions.

I think we have one connected 'bodymind' system, and modern medicine unhelpfully breaks us into imaginary, unconnected siloes of specialisms.

I paid several hundred pounds for food testing, which confirmed the dairy and wheat intolerances.

I can make my arthritis crippling, or virtually disappear, depending on what I eat and how I look after myself (sleep, stress etc).

I have osteoarthritis in both my thumbs & have had this for 15 years plus.
Over the years I have had guided steroid injections, braces,creams & anti inflammatories.
As the thumbs are used all the time, nothing really changes.
I’m waiting for a Trapeziectomy now. You can Google the details of this operation
The Osteoarthritis has affected both of my hips, lumber spine & knees. The condition is the penalty for getting older!! Sometimes it seems to be genetic.
Everyone is different but for me the two hip replacements have helped, hence my decision to have the Trapeziectomy.
Good luck, the pain is very debilitating.

Thanks for your candid reply....... I can see you've really been through it.
I'm newly diagnosed and at the moment I'm just sussing out how to move forward.
The pain is ok, I went through today fine, until I decided to move some boxes into my garage and was stretching my hands up to higher shelves, I really had some ouch moments but a few minutes later I was fine.
15 years plus is a long time.

I’ve had it in my big toe joint for about 20 years now. Can’t wear certain shoes and it aches in the cold. I try to keep walking on it though otherwise it gets stiff.

I’ve had it for 18 months but only diagnosed 6 months ago as I’d been told it was a torn ligament from gardening that would heal in time. I was given a steroid injection which hasn’t really helped that much but will be seeing the specialist again next month. A splint helped when it was bad. I’m 63.

Yes I was told by the GP that cold affects arthritic joints, not a problem at the moment but in our perishing cold winters that will be an issue.

I was diagnosed with it in my fingers during lockdown. The gp told me she'd refer me to occupational Therapy when things started up again. So when my thumbs got it too I went back. New GP, said he'd never heard of anyone getting referred to OT for arthritis, but I could self refer to the physio if I thought it might help. A friend of mine has had surgery on her thumb on the NHS. I don't think I'd get that from my GP without a fight.

Firstly, be thankful it's only in one thumb - most people get Osteoarthritis (wear and tear) when they get older. I've got it in both hips, and sometimes it has been agony to walk (I had to have physiotherapy for months).

Take Ibuprofen (the Physiotherapist told me Paracetamol are no good for that type of pain), or Naproxen if very bad (on prescription only). Hot and cold compresses might help - alternate them. I'm 66.

I have it badly in my left thumb. I am late 40’s. The consultant said it’s as bad as it can get, I have barely any cartilage left and in winter the bone on bone pain is really bad. I am booked in for a CMC joint replacement which will hopefully sort it but it’s depressing as I am now getting the same pain in my other hand.