Author Topic: Painful knuckle joint - old break - Arthritis?  (Read 1021 times)

Painful knuckle joint - old break - Arthritis?
« on: 30 October, 2019, 12:56:41 pm »
O.k. I've been noticing a sharp pain shooting up the inside of my index finger. It happened when I opened up the gap between index and middle finger. Only on the hand which I had a complex,  comminuted fracture of the  first metatarsal. I think that's right. Layman's terms I broke the knuckle of my index finger in a straight crack into the joint.

I got told a few times that I might get arthritis in the joint. The physio was more forthcoming by saying I will get it and in about 3 to 5 years.

I'm 46/7 and the break happened early 2000s, possibly 2003. I have noticed cold and damp in the joint for years now so kind of expect arthritis at some point.

Is this it? The dull ache I thought was more arthritis.

Re: Painful knuckle joint - old break - Arthritis?
« Reply #1 on: 30 October, 2019, 01:10:05 pm »
<evil cackle>
Get used to it, you'll feel like that in half the joints in your body once over 50.

It is probably the cold weather hitting your joint.
<i>Marmite slave</i>

Re: Painful knuckle joint - old break - Arthritis?
« Reply #2 on: 30 October, 2019, 01:16:54 pm »
Gout?

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Painful knuckle joint - old break - Arthritis?
« Reply #3 on: 30 October, 2019, 02:59:22 pm »
Sharp, shooting pains make me think of nerve pain/entrapment more than arthritis.

I'm speculating a rough healed fracture sight is impinging on a nerve intermittently.

(The first metacarpal serves the thumb, second the index, third the long, fourth the ring and fifth the little finger.)

Re: Painful knuckle joint - old break - Arthritis?
« Reply #4 on: 30 October, 2019, 04:44:33 pm »
Sorry,  second metacarpel. My mistake.

Was a nice crack straight from the thumb side through to about the middle of the knuckle. Add in skin off palm, big gaping wounds across knuckle and swelling making my hand looking like a boxing glove. An immunity to local anaesthetic and needing stitches with no numbness to my hand. Not my best work considering it was self inflicted.

Trapped nerve?  Still haven't found out about my finger numbness issue,  especially when sleeping. If it's a trapped nerve in my finger then my gp will probably check my knee reflex to find it. Not particularly impressed by GPs who diagnose with the help of patients.co.uk! :facepalm:

Sorry if that's denigrating anyone's profession. I mean no respect but the gatekeeper effect is only going to get worse.  Not least as I'm cruising towards my 50s so more things might go wrong if I don't keep on with my healthy ways.