Dupuytren's Contracture

[pinkjewel]

Anyone dealing with this? I believe I have it, although I'm heading to a hand specialist this week to confirm. It's weird, but I didn't have any any lumps in the palm of my hand until I had the Moderna Covid vaccine, then a small lump appeared in my palm about a week later. I didn't think much about it, but over the next few weeks it got a lot bigger and then a second lump appeared above the first. I started to get a bit alarmed at that point. Now from all my reading on DC it shows it to be a slow progression, but mine is progressing rapidly. When my hand is a bit stiff or cold, my ring finger does not work properly. As I try to open my hand the finger locks then jumps open. I can work the finger and my hand open and closed and the finger starts to work better. My father had DC (I have no other underlying factors for it), but his progression was very, very slow. In fact, I even forgot that he had it, until I started looking up "lumps in the palm of your hand" and saw that it started this way. I do think the vaccine has taken something that I was predisposed to and set up an inflammatory response in my body that has it progressing at a rapid rate. I'll be interested in seeing whether the specialist has thoughts on this. Anyway, if anyone has this are there supplements you recommend, or hand exercises that have helped? thanks!!

 

[missy]

Hi @pinkjewel I probably have it. I had hand surgery in April 2019 and my surgeon said most likely I do have it. Unfortunately I pointed it out to him after my surgery and during one of my follow ups. He said he would have biopsied it during the surgery if he had known. I’ve put that on hold for now. He said it can wait til it becomes a quality of life issue. So many other things we’re dealing with. It can (if I understand correctly) be managed with surgery if necessary. I hope you don’t have it but if you do don’t panic. Sending you good wishes. (((Hugs))).


ETA it doesn’t sound like you have it. Perhaps it’s a temporary reaction to the vaccine. That’s what it sounds like to me. Good luck.
My surgeon said there’s no exercises to help. But I never researched this so I can’t say for sure.

 

[Dee*Jay]

I have this! It's been a verrrrrrry slow progression. No real issues except sometimes the area at the base of my pinky and ring finger on my right hand gets a little sore.

Now that you've mentioned a reaction after the vaccine I'll be very aware of that possibility (and probably psychosomatically imagine one, LOL).

I understand it is hereditary. My dad has it too (again, very slight) and since mine appeared first he said he "inherited" it from me, ha hah.

I did go to a hand doctor once and he said not to worry about it unless I get to the point I can't lay my hand flat on a table. I would be really afraid to have any sort of surgery though because the issue is right at the base of my pinky on my "enter" finger. If anything went away I'd have to learn to type in a different way. #OldDogDoesn'tWantToLearnANewTrick

 

[winetime12]

That sounds more like trigger finger which can appear suddenly with no cause.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Pinkjewel, I can post a pic if you think it might be helpful. (But I don't wan to weird anyone out with an unexpected close up of my hand, haha, so I'll hold off unless you say you want to see it.)

 

[missy]

Pinkjewel, I can post a pic if you think it might be helpful. (But I don't wan to weird anyone out with an unexpected close up of my hand, haha, so I'll hold off unless you say you want to see it.)

Haha. Same offer @pinkjewel. Happy to share if you’d like.

 

[pinkjewel]

Hi @pinkjewel I probably have it. I had hand surgery in April 2019 and my surgeon said most likely I do have it. Unfortunately I pointed it out to him after my surgery and during one of my follow ups. He said he would have biopsied it during the surgery if he had known. I’ve put that on hold for now. He said it can wait til it becomes a quality of life issue. So many other things we’re dealing with. It can (if I understand correctly) be managed with surgery if necessary. I hope you don’t have it but if you do don’t panic. Sending you good wishes. (((Hugs))).


ETA it doesn’t sound like you have it. Perhaps it’s a temporary reaction to the vaccine. That’s what it sounds like to me. Good luck.
My surgeon said there’s no exercises to help. But I never researched this so I can’t say for sure.

I hope it's a temporary inflammation. I should know more after I see the ortho hand doc on Friday. Surgery it seems is pretty much a last resort, and I know there are some meds, and cortisone injections, but I'm hoping I won't need any of those in the near future.

 

[pinkjewel]

I have this! It's been a verrrrrrry slow progression. No real issues except sometimes the area at the base of my pinky and ring finger on my right hand gets a little sore.

Now that you've mentioned a reaction after the vaccine I'll be very aware of that possibility (and probably psychosomatically imagine one, LOL).

I understand it is hereditary. My dad has it too (again, very slight) and since mine appeared first he said he "inherited" it from me, ha hah.

I did go to a hand doctor once and he said not to worry about it unless I get to the point I can't lay my hand flat on a table. I would be really afraid to have any sort of surgery though because the issue is right at the base of my pinky on my "enter" finger. If anything went away I'd have to learn to type in a different way. #OldDogDoesn'tWantToLearnANewTrick

I'd love to see yours!! Funny that you got it before your Dad. My Dad ended up having surgery when his finger had curved so far in, it almost touched his thumb!! But his progression was slow and took years and years to get that way! I'm glad to hear yours is a slow progression too.
I can still lay my hand flat, so that's good and that does seem to be the measure that's used for any treatments. I was hoping that some sort of hand exercises might help, but it doesn't sound like your doctor mentioned anything like that.

 

[pinkjewel]

Haha. Same offer @pinkjewel. Happy to share if you’d like.

Yes!!! the more hands the merrier-lol. I have a hard time getting a decent picture of my lumps to show up on a photo.

 

[Dee*Jay]

 

[Dee*Jay]

Sorry for doing this in two posts but it's easier to get pics up from my phone and then type on a real computer. You can see that my pinky now kind of wants to go to the side, but I can bring it in against the other finger. Every once in a while the pinky and the finger next to it get a little numb-ish, but I'm not inclined to do anything about this until it becomes an actual problem. Like I said -- that's my ENTER finger and I use it A LOT, ha ha!

 

[SparklieBug]

My DH has Dupuytren's, as did his father. Definitely a slow progression for both of them. DH has an auto-immune disorder, and his father also had the genetic markers for it although my FIL didn't manifest the AI disorder.

DH's look like long lumps along the tendons on the palm of his hand. Sometimes they bother him (painful), and most times, not.

 

[pinkjewel]

Sorry for doing this in two posts but it's easier to get pics up from my phone and then type on a real computer. You can see that my pinky now kind of wants to go to the side, but I can bring it in against the other finger. Every once in a while the pinky and the finger next to it get a little numb-ish, but I'm not inclined to do anything about this until it becomes an actual problem. Like I said -- that's my ENTER finger and I use it A LOT, ha ha!

thanks for posting the photo!! so It kind of dimples in on your palm? Is there a large lump, too?

 

[pinkjewel]

My DH has Dupuytren's, as did his father. Definitely a slow progression for both of them. DH has an auto-immune disorder, and his father also had the genetic markers for it although my FIL didn't manifest the AI disorder.

DH's look like long lumps along the tendons on the palm of his hand. Sometimes they bother him (painful), and most times, not.

thanks, SparklieBug- so your DH is just watching them. Is it affecting multiple fingers?

 

[SparklieBug]

thanks, SparklieBug- so your DH is just watching them. Is it affecting multiple fingers?

He has it mostly on his left hand and nothing on the right hand. It appears to be along three of the tendons on the left hand. His father had surgery but his fingers were also bent right over, he couldn't straighten them out. DH's is, at this point, simply uncomfortable at times. Most times, though, they aren't painful.

 

[Dee*Jay]

 

[Dee*Jay]

Sorry, I'm not doing a good job of taking a picture of the far side of my right hand while holding my phone in my left hand, ha ha!

But yes, there is a lump.

 

[pinkjewel]

He has it mostly on his left hand and nothing on the right hand. It appears to be along three of the tendons on the left hand. His father had surgery but his fingers were also bent right over, he couldn't straighten them out. DH's is, at this point, simply uncomfortable at times. Most times, though, they aren't painful.

thank you!

 

[pinkjewel]

Sorry, I'm not doing a good job of taking a picture of the far side of my right hand while holding my phone in my left hand, ha ha!

But yes, there is a lump.

yes, I can see the lump now and I guess it is pulling the skin leading to the "dimple" below, right?

 

[Dee*Jay]

yes, I can see the lump now and I guess it is pulling the skin leading to the "dimple" below, right?

Exactly!

 

[missy]

Yes!!! the more hands the merrier-lol. I have a hard time getting a decent picture of my lumps to show up on a photo.

Quick pics I took in the car on my way to getting vaccinated.

 

[MMtwo]

I had similar problems years ago, The ring finger had electric jolts (nerve) and would not close. I had severe carpal tunnel. One wrist release later, and it was better.

 

[pinkjewel]

That sounds more like trigger finger which can appear suddenly with no cause.

OMG- i think you may be right!!!! I just looked it up and it fits exactly what is happening to me. I had never heard of trigger finger before and when I looked up lumps in palm DC kept coming up. but the locking of the joint especially in the morning, the tender nodules all fit exactly. In addition I do have hypothyroidism so it may be time to see if my medication needs to be increased. Thank you wine time 12!!!!!!

 

[pinkjewel]

Quick pics I took in the car on my way to getting vaccinated.

Yay on getting vaccinated!! Interesting that the nodules are up the thumb, too. I am beginning to think I may not have DC after all , but trigger finger. Everything fits. I'll be interested in seeing what the doctor says on Friday.

 

[pinkjewel]

I had similar problems years ago, The ring finger had electric jolts (nerve) and would not close. I had severe carpal tunnel. One wrist release later, and it was better.

oh my, I'll now have to add this to my list too! Glad you are doing better

 

[MamaBee]

I had surgery on mine..I still have my finger lock up after many years...I don’t really do anything about it. I can release it by moving my fingers but it’s annoying. My finger got very swollen after the surgery...and it never went down to the same size..

 

[pinkjewel]

I had surgery on mine..I still have my finger lock up after many years...I don’t really do anything about it. I can release it by moving my fingers but it’s annoying. My finger got very swollen after the surgery...and it never went down to the same size..

I'm sorry your finger still locks up even after surgery. And I guess you had to get all your rings resized, too- or maybe it could be an excuse to buy new rings. Have to look at the glass half full!!!!
MamaBee- just to clarify. You have DC not trigger finger, right?

 

[MamaBee]

I'm sorry your finger still locks up even after surgery. And I guess you had to get all your rings resized, too- or maybe it could be an excuse to buy new rings. Have to look at the glass half full!!!!
MamaBee- just to clarify. You have DC not trigger finger, right?

@pinkjewel I have no idea what it was...I think it was DC but it could have also been trigger finger. It had a lump and my finger was bent and wouldn’t straighten at all..I have photos but I don’t know how squeamish people are. I sent them to @missy..hahaha

 

[pinkjewel]

@pinkjewel I have no idea what it was...I think it was DC but it could have also been trigger finger. It had a lump and my finger was bent and wouldn’t straighten at all..I have photos but I don’t know how squeamish people are. I sent them to @missy..hahaha

probably DC, but I have read that trigger finger can "lock" in a bent position, too- so guess it could have been either. Feel free to post your photo here!!

 

[MamaBee]

probably DC, but I have read that trigger finger can "lock" in a bent position, too- so guess it could have been either. Feel free to post your photo here!!

Haha! Ok.. Warning!