About five or six weeks ago, I performed an action, which I perform hundreds of times a day, and I got this excruciating pain across the front of my wrist, which radiated both directions, up my forearm and down my hand. I didn't yelp. I practically YOWLED. Unfortunately, both kids were present.
"Mom are you OK"
"Yes, Love. It's just my hand"
"Did you pop a bone?" (don't you love the casual EDS shorthand we have in our house?)
"Actually... No." (I don't know what I had done. I just knew it wasn't a bone. And it hurt!)
My hand was hot, tender, very painful and virtually unusable for hours afterwards. Ever since then, certain movements can really, really hurt. I knew it was soft tissue. The pain wasn't IN the joint, but around it and radiating from it. I thought maybe I had a bone out of place in my wrist, which was effecting ligaments or tendons. I tried to fix it. Unfortunately I was at the dinner table at the time. Grace said (in exactly my tone of voice) "Do you HAVE to fix your bones at the dinner table? That's disgusting, Mom!" (Ha!)
I kind-of hoped that maybe it would go away. Certain movements, like pincer grasp seemed to aggravate whatever-it-was, so I tried to avoid these and rest my dominant hand as much as possible (again: Ha!).
Then one day I used a manual can opener and YOWCH! I ended up on the kitchen floor, actually crying with pain. From soft tissue! Who knew? So I decided enough was enough and called the Rheumy the next business day. I finally got to see her this week.
I have tendonitis in my wrist. Thankfully, it is not De Quervain Syndrome (thank you, God!).
"Can I still knit?"
"Does knitting make it worse?"
"No"
"Then you can still knit"
(oh good)
So I have a diagnosis and a treatment plan, which is good. However, I can't help thinking that here is more connective tissue that has let me down. First it was the ligaments, now tendons are complaining.
What's next? Will my cartilage take out a work-to-rule (and WTF IS a work-to-rule anyway?)
But -Good news: I think I have finally found an application where Voltaren gel actually works!
Happy days. (or something)
Voltaren gel works on tendon pain? I wonder if it would work on tendon pain in the thigh. I suppose that might be too much to hope for.
I'm surprised your kids think it is gross to reduce joints at the table. That's generally when I find I most need help. Forks, plates, glasses, pans full of hot things--it's amazing the number of times I find that I both need someone to remove what I am holding and to coax my hand back into shape.
Posted by: yanub | February 19, 2010 at 12:45 AM
We have the shorthand EDS conversations my daughter and I. I understand so well all that you say regarding this injury, acute pain from a minor manouvere so common amongst us lot.
I went on an injury prevention course with my Occupational Therapist and she told me never ever to even brush my hair without thinking before 'how I was attempting the task'. It helps sometimes but hard to remember.
I think the problem is there to see when you write - 'I performed an action which I perform a hundred times a day......' injury is so common amongst us lot after performing everyday tasks that to non collagen challenged individuals is taken for granted.
Whatever the task was look try looking at the angle of your thumb, wrist etc. and see if you are out of alignment without realising it. The chances are because it is an action you do often you may be doing it in a very bendy way. I hope the injury and pain are relieved soon.
I so get what you mean when you say I have finally found an area that responds to Voltarol gel!!
I am the same eating is not as easy at it may seem - who would think that, elbows, wrists, fingers, shoulders, back, sacroiliac etc oh yes and jaw could be problematical just eating one's dinner!
Take care and I hope the pain abates soon.
Posted by: achelois | February 19, 2010 at 07:51 AM
Yanub,
I think the Voltaren worked on the wrist because the skin is thin there and the tendons are close to the surface, so the medication got to them.
I think the main problem with Voltaren not working in other areas, (and this is just a gut feeling) is that it doesnt penetrate very deeply, so if the pain is in the joint, or any deeper than a few mm down, the medication just isnt getting to it.
Well, Grace had a point at the time: I had placed my hand on the table right in front of her placemat, and had pulled my wrist completely out of joint (and it did look disgusting) while the poor kid was trying to eat a chicken drumstick.
OSM
Posted by: One Sick Mother | February 19, 2010 at 12:05 PM
That really sucks but I hope your other tendons don't rebel. I was thinking about you and it shows a real addiction that you ask not about 'can I snort cocaine' but 'can I knit' (obviously as important as any serious addiction). Glad you still can.
Posted by: elizabeth | March 05, 2010 at 05:50 AM
Is it permanent tendonitis or can it recover? One is bad other is very, very bad. I guess I am rooting for 'bad' (but the good 'bad' - oh, my head is spinning).
Posted by: elizabeth | March 05, 2010 at 06:07 AM
Just came across the blog, found it while searching for info on those herbal remedies which you showed were a scam. I am living with daily pain too, because of a totally voluntary Vasectomy. I hope you hand feels better.
Posted by: ToddTheWetSprocket | March 10, 2010 at 09:37 AM