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Could this be the start of arthritis?

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YadaYadaYada

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Feb 2, 2016
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I'm really at a loss for what is going on with my ring finger. It felt achy but I thought it was because of my ring so I took it off a couple of days ago but it feels the same, so obviously not the ring. I've been dealing with swelling in this finger for a while but attributed it to gaining weight since I had some tough times last year and basically ate whatever I wanted and stopped exercising.

My ring finger on my right hand is also swollen. It's now at a point where I can't wear any of my rings :(sad. It definitely hurts a bit to move my left ring finger but it has never been injured or anything else remarkable. Now to me it just looks like the finger is swollen but the joint doesn't look enlarged but is this how arthritis starts?

My pointer finger looks huge in that top picture, horrible camera angle!

IMG_7772.JPG IMG_7773.JPG
 
So sorry to hear this StephanieLynn,
I have arthritis in my hands. I haven't experienced swelling, only pain. If I were you, I would see my doctor about this. sad :((
 
I would see a doctor StephanieLynn. I have arthritis in my shoulder and neck. My neck hurt badly when I was around thirty. An X-ray showed I had arthritis. It quit hurting after a few months and knock on wood has not hurt since. My shoulder started hurting last year in May. Again they did an X-ray and called to say I have arthritis in my shoulder. Last September it just stopped aching (of course when gardening season ends) and hasn’t bothered me since. It always a good idea to get anything that is causing pain checked out by your doctor.
 
It looks like swelling to me. Maybe the summer heat is getting to you... drink plenty of water. That will help with the swelling.

From what I’ve seen, arthritis causes the knuckles to enlarge, not the tissue between the knuckle, and where your ring goes.
 
Thank you @Calliecake and @Luce, I am planning on making a visit of this keeps up, to me it doesn't seem like arthritis but figured I would get some opinions anyways.

@Platinum-blonde, it is extremely hot here today so no doubt it could be the heat, been working on drinking lots of water but maybe I need even more, it feels like 115 today :eek2:
 
I see what you mean about it being swollen. I don’t know if it could be arthritis. I have it in my fingers, but in the joints not the soft tissue. Have you tried icing?
 
@Bonfire, I have tried icing to no avail, it's the strangest thing but I'm also trying to lose weight so maybe that will help fingers crossed!
 
It could be. Your doctor can have x-rays done to diagnose. I have arthritis in one finger. My doctor says I probably injured it as a child. (I was a baton twirler in high school, so it could have been that.)
Unfortunately for me, the knuckle is slightly enlarged, but it could be worse. Initially, it hurt, but rarely does anymore. 20180702_173422.jpg
 
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@KaeKae sorry about your arthritic finger! If after some more dietary changes, more water and more movement (hard this week because it's over 100 degrees here) it still doesn't let up, I will have it looked at. I did type for ten years, maybe the typing is a factor too :confused:
 
Were you wearing a ring that was too tight? Sometimes after the summer swells a ring will get a bit tight and cause some inflammation. I have suffered from arthritis since I was 15. It started in my hands. I noticed that when it worsened it was and is preceded by a mucous cyst (bump) on the joint that is being attacked. I don't see that bump on your pics. So I am going to lean towards some other inflammation process that is causing the swelling.
 
Unless you can remember a definitive incident that would have caused the swelling & pain (i.e., you slammed it in a door, it took the entire brunt of the weight of a brick, constant repetitive motion in a home project, etc., so you know the cause is a minor injury such that time and care will address the swelling/pain), I would recommend having the finger looked at sooner rather than later.

If it is rheumatoid arthritis or carpal tunnel or flexor tendonitis, the treatment and care would be somewhat different; and who knows if it is any of those things?

Catching things on the early side usually makes it easier to treat/correct/adjust... and clearly something is going on with fingers on both hands.

just my two cents.
 
@LisaRN, my rings were too tight but the swelling has gotten worse apparently because rings I could wear before I can't get on now. So frustrating! I thought maybe the rings were the cause and the swelling would subside but it's been a week and there is little improvement.

@marymm, thank you for your input, no injuries to this finger that would explain this so I am having it looked at.
 
Even if it is arthritis, I would try a couple weeks of super low carb and maybe eliminate dairy and sugar and see how you do. When I changed my diet I had a dramatic decrease in swelling in my hands and joints. I felt like I was ready for a walker and two weeks later I was running up and down the stairs with no pain at all.
 
@luv2sparkle, I used to be strict Paleo and it did wonders for me. Actually gave up coffee recently and increased my water intake but no real difference. Food is definite medicine but I think there is more to this and I will keep you posted when I have an answer.
 
@StephanieLynn, I wasn’t implying that there was not more to it, I hope you know that. Only that in the meantime you might be able to find a small amount of relief in removing some of the things that make inflammation worse. Big hugs and hope for finding both answers and complete relief.
 
@luv2sparkle, no I didn't think that at all, I just took it as something you have found helpful that you were passing on. No worries. I just WISH it was only diet related, it might be, can only hope.
 
Back for an update, went for a blood workup and everything came back normal. I'm trying to remember everything he tested for but definitely autoimmune, thyroid, hormonal imbalance are the ones I remember. I have a physical scheduled next week so we can talk more in depth. I guess the good news is that he also tested for diabetes and cholesterol and those results are normal too.

So then this is probably weight related which is good and bad because on one hand I feel like I almost wanted a reason why losing weight is so hard and therefore something being even slightly off or abnormal would have been welcome. His takeaway advice was watch your salt and elevate your feet :roll
 
Well, good news, if not the one-thing-to-work-on you wanted! :D lol


I've just seen this thread and was wondering how you did on the Paleo diet - I hear about it and wonder if it is something I could/should do (partly because I think I might be borderline diabetic), but it is damned near impossible to avoid sugar unless cooking every single thing that passes your lips yourself, from scratch using raw ingredients, it seems... :rolleyes: :(
 
KaeKae said:
It could be. Your doctor can have x-rays done to diagnose. I have arthritis in one finger. My doctor says I probably injured it as a child. (I was a baton twirler in high school, so it could have been that.)
Unfortunately for me, the knuckle is slightly enlarged, but it could be worse. Initially, it hurt, but rarely does anymore. 20180702_173422.jpg
Click to expand...
I love your ring! :)
 
@OoohShiny, so here is my take on Paleo, it works but I found it to be very restrictive and because of that I ended up burning myself out on it. You are right about sugar, it is in everything but from my experience cutting it way down has been the only way I've lost weight. Now the kicker is I can't just eat Paleo and lose weight I also have to exercise daily (the horror!) and it ticks me off that my husband can lose weight so much easier....men!

Since you are possibly borderline diabetic what might be worth asking your doctor about is if you can go on metformin or Janumet if you are insulin resistant. I have PCOS and one of the symptoms is insulin resistance so they wanted to put me on Metformin but I shun medication.

If you want a good starting point and something a bit easier to follow try the Mediterranean way of eating, not as restrictive and a lot of people see results from that. If that doesn't work then you could give Paleo a try.
 
@OoohShiny
Aw, thank you! Bought many years before PS, while on vacation in Barbados. It's still one of my favorites.
 
@Ellen thank you so much for that, not sure if that's what it is but no matter what it looks like I need a diet spring cleaning and to get out and walk the dog more.

Of course I can also talk to him more in depth at my physical, its just annoying because I know what I have to do and how restrictive I need to be and just don't want to do it (insert toddler tantrum, foot stomping here). :boohoo:
 
StephanieLynn said:
@Ellen thank you so much for that, not sure if that's what it is but no matter what it looks like I need a diet spring cleaning and to get out and walk the dog more.

Of course I can also talk to him more in depth at my physical, its just annoying because I know what I have to do and how restrictive I need to be and just don't want to do it (insert toddler tantrum, foot stomping here). :boohoo:
Click to expand...
tantrum.gif


:mrgreen:

It's hard being a grown up sometimes, isn't it?! ;))
 
Okay how is it you have much cooler emojis? I've seen Missy use them too and I just seem to have the standard PS ones?!

But yes that red guy is the total feeling here lol!
 
Thanks Ellen! Not sure if I can use them with an IPhone but at least I know where everyone is getting them!
 
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