Osteoarthritis in ring finger joint...anyone deal with this before? Suggestions on supplements, topicals etc.

[Kottbulle]

Sorry if this isn’t appropriate for this forum. But today i was diagnosed with severe osteoarthritis in my ring finger middle joint. Originally the PA who saw me yesterday said it was fractured. but apparently radiology looked at it today and said its just severe osteoarthritis. I am already taking Calcium, Vitamin D and joint stuff. And was advised to try biofreeze by the PA. But other than that it was just kinda like you’re shit out of luck, lady.

Not that i wanted to be in a splint for weeks, but the idea that if it was fractured it would heal, and i wouldn’t be in pain was at least a light at the end of the tunnel. Now I am worried I will have to just deal with the pain. Somedays it isn’t as bad, but overall its not fun, and the joint seems chronically, visibly enflamed. And while I’m sure its not good for my other organs, I take two aleve twice a day. I still have pain, but i definitely notice when the 12 hrs is up or getting close, so it must be doing something.

I actually put off seeing the doctor for several months after the initial injury, where i thought maybe i had dislocated it, which they believe caused an acceleration of the arthritis. So i have been riding and doing everything like normal, but it can be pretty uncomfortable when things get dicey, or it gets bumped hard. And now with this prognosis I will be really working with my OTTB to transition from a double rein pelham to at least a single rein something…lol

Anyone have favorite topical, OTC oral stuff that works, Any different vitamins or supplements i should be considering? Thanks

[imaginique]

Hyaluronic Acid is what I’ve found that works best for arthritis. (Oral) I use it myself and have used it on a horse. As for a topical, I’ve used Aspercreme and it helps a lot. Everyone is different so you might have a trial and error phase as you try to find what works. The oral stuff takes a few weeks to build up enough so that you notice a difference.

[Bluey]

Have you seen a hand specialist?

They may have other that can help you, no need to be miserable.

I have generalized osteoarthritis and once in a while a finger joint flares up and it is miserable, like not being able to fllip the turn signal in the vehicle without the finger screaming back at you bad.

The good part of this kind of arthritis, it comes and goes, some times leaves a knot there, others it takes it half down and away, goofy stuff.

A hand specialist can help you with medication and techniques during flares.
Some of those may involve PT work with heat and wax baths for your hand, until the inflammation subsides.

Maybe yours will settle down after a bit also and it may become an old memory.

[Simkie]

Smother that sucker in Voltaren Gel several times a day to help knock back the inflammation. Hand arthritis is exactly the kind of thing it’s really good at.

If the joint is still just really hot, maybe a steroid dose pack would be warranted to stop the inflammatory process?

[Kottbulle]

@imaginique

Hyaluronic Acid is what I’ve found that works best for arthritis. (Oral) I use it myself and have used it on a horse. As for a topical, I’ve used Aspercreme and it helps a lot. Everyone is different so you might have a trial and error phase as you try to find what works. The oral stuff takes a few weeks to build up enough so that you notice a difference.

that is good to know about the HA. I do know there is 10mgs in my liquid joint stuff along with all the regular usual hitters GC, MSM, etc. Wondering if i might want to do a double dosing for a week, to try and get more into my system. Curious as to what your daily dose is if you don’t mind me asking?

[Kottbulle]

@Bluey

Have you seen a hand specialist?

They may have other that can help you, no need to be miserable.

I have generalized osteoarthritis and once in a while a finger joint flares up and it is miserable, like not being able to fllip the turn signal in the vehicle without the finger screaming back at you bad.

The good part of this kind of arthritis, it comes and goes, some times leaves a knot there, others it takes it half down and away, goofy stuff.

A hand specialist can help you with medication and techniques during flares.
Some of those may involve PT work with heat and wax baths for your hand, until the inflammation subsides.

Maybe yours will settle down after a bit also and it may become an old memory.

Thank you, this gives some hope. And explains why i was able to ignore it for a time, and then it seemed to get worse. I wish i hadn’t cancelled the hand doctor, but the PA told me too, and having and HMO, it would be expensive to just go if she had cancelled the referral. Gotta love insurance…

And it makes me feel better to know it may come and go. though I’m not sure the swelling will decrease much it pretty gnarly looking on the X-ray. But this really does give hope.

[Kottbulle]

@Simkie

Smother that sucker in Voltaren Gel several times a day to help knock back the inflammation. Hand arthritis is exactly the kind of thing it’s really good at.

If the joint is still just really hot, maybe a steroid dose pack would be warranted to stop the inflammatory process?

Is this an RX cream can’t seem to find it on amazon, or even googling it?
It’s not hot, but I have found that neither heat or cold helps…in fact both make it feel worse…

[Simkie]

@Köttbulle

Is this an RX cream can’t seem to find it on amazon, or even googling it?
It’s not hot, but I have found that neither heat or cold helps…in fact both make it feel worse…

It’s RX in the US. It’s OTC in Canada and Canadian Amazon will ship to the US: https://www.amazon.ca/Killer-Strength-Relieve-Voltaren-relief/dp/B01M9GLN5K

[Kottbulle]

@Simkie

It’s RX in the US. It’s OTC in Canada and Canadian Amazon will ship to the US: https://www.amazon.ca/Killer-Strength-Relieve-Voltaren-relief/dp/B01M9GLN5K

Thanks Simkie! just ordered some!

[Bluey]

@Köttbulle

Thank you, this gives some hope. And explains why i was able to ignore it for a time, and then it seemed to get worse. I wish i hadn’t cancelled the hand doctor, but the PA told me too, and having and HMO, it would be expensive to just go if she had cancelled the referral. Gotta love insurance…

And it makes me feel better to know it may come and go. though I’m not sure the swelling will decrease much it pretty gnarly looking on the X-ray. But this really does give hope.

With osteoarthritis, the joints seem to remodel all along, at times getting bigger knots, next time it becomes active and swells then going back down to less than before.

Had a thumb that looked like it was trying to grow an extra thumb from the middle joint, looking bad that one once it settled hard and not active any more, big knot there and stiff.
A couple years later it again swelled up and now it only has a pea sized bump left on it and it flexes again?
Similar with pointing finger’s last joint, over the years at times was a big knot, others, half as big.

Makes you wonder what else is going on inside, in joints we can’t see.

While a joint is actively inflamed, they get exquisitely painful, bending it, touching something and big ouch!
It gives a new meaning to having a sore thumb.

Since that kind of arthritis comes and goes, it is hard to do much for it but take anti-inflammatories when you have a flare-up, then quit once it goes into remission.

I still would want to have a firm diagnosis from a hand specialist, if you could, they really know more after they see you what is really going on in there and may work best for you, is all they do, don’t have to guess at it like a PA does.

[Kottbulle]

@Bluey

With osteoarthritis, the joints seem to remodel all along, at times getting bigger knots, next time it becomes active and swells then going back down to less than before.

Had a thumb that looked like it was trying to grow an extra thumb from the middle joint, looking bad that one once it settled hard and not active any more, big knot there and stiff.
A couple years later it again swelled up and now it only has a pea sized bump left on it and it flexes again?
Similar with pointing finger’s last joint, over the years at times was a big knot, others, half as big.

Makes you wonder what else is going on inside, in joints we can’t see.

While a joint is actively inflamed, they get exquisitely painful, bending it, touching something and big ouch!
It gives a new meaning to having a sore thumb.

Since that kind of arthritis comes and goes, it is hard to do much for it but take anti-inflammatories when you have a flare-up, then quit once it goes into remission.

I still would want to have a firm diagnosis from a hand specialist, if you could, they really know more after they see you what is really going on in there and may work best for you, is all they do, don’t have to guess at it like a PA does.

Ugh… sounds like i should try to get seen by someone. It’s a little frustrating, considering that i had an appointment and nowise cancelled and who knows when i can get seen.
I am glad to know I am not crazy that the pain is so intense. When it was really bugging me, all it took for extreme shooting pain was brushing the top of the knuckle! Heck just getting onto my horse could be fraught with potential pain especially if he decided to raise his neck, even a little, and my hand was resting on his neck mid mount! Fun times!

[imaginique]

@Köttbulle

that is good to know about the HA. I do know there is 10mgs in my liquid joint stuff along with all the regular usual hitters GC, MSM, etc. Wondering if i might want to do a double dosing for a week, to try and get more into my system. Curious as to what your daily dose is if you don’t mind me asking?

I take two 100 mg capsules per day. Directions say to take one or two. So I’d say you should take at least 100 mg. I take 200 mg. But I have arthritis in my feet and ankles.