General Health

[bj1958]

Ok this is strange and any thoughts would be appreciated.  I woke up Thursday morning and could not move or bend my index finger.  I had to use my other hand to actually bend my finger.  There was more of a stiffness than pain, which continued throught the day. This morning the same thing only the pain is intense, my finger is swollen, along with the knuckles and it hurts in the fleshy part between the index finger and thumb as well as the index finger and the finger next to it.  I cannot straighten my finger and the pain is slowly going into the rest of my hand and wrist.  I have not injured myself in any way and do keyboarding for my job.  I have taken extra strength Tylenol it the pain has not ebated, if anything as the day processes so does the pain.  Help please!!!.  

[snowingsunshine]

Have you been around any thorns?  I have a crazy experience that I swear, took 4 years of my life from me.  It was 3 thorns from a rose bush.  That night my whole hand was just kind of numb and stiff.  By the next afternoon, it was my whole upper body.  On the 3rd day I woke up and was flat in bed as my whole body hurt.  I kept telling my mom that my bones hurt.  This led to resigning from my job, selling my house, tried living in Florida, doctored with the Mayo Clinic plus about a dozen other doctors.  I had an infection - caused by the thorns - it was never identified.  Its been 5 years - I started feeling better 2 years ago - a little.  It has gradually improved but I'm still not the same - chronic pain, CHRONIC fatigue, inflammation in my joints throughout my body.  I was put on so many drugs to try - at times I couldn't even think right and could not remember words.  It was HORRIBLE.  A second pain specialist was recommended to me - he slowly took me off all medicine - I spent a month in bed crying on and off b/c of the pain - then had nerve block surgery which was the best thing I did.  Apparently whatever I have causes inflammation in all my joints - my neck getting the worst of it.  An MRI showed I had swelling in my spinal colum that was compressing nerves.  It doesn't last forever but I was much improved for 6-9 weeks.  Through all of this, I've had two knee replacements, surgery on the finger that the thorns went into (a piece of thorn was lodged in my knuckle - they got it out but the infection was already ALL THE WAY through me. )  For so long I couldn't even function - depression set in and at one point my thoughts even drifted to ending my life - I thank my dog at the time for that not happening.  I was all by myself - who would take care of my 15 year old Shih-Tzu?  Thank God for her.  Till this day my white blood count is high, I still fight fatigue, pain is still there, medical marijuana does help and I was never one to ever smoke pot.  I could have survived just fine if Opiods weren't so addicting.  Not that I became addicted but they were the ONLY thing to relieve me from the pain.  I do get about 30 opiods a year - used in emergencies when I'm flat in bed and in tears.  Nicely, this has happened less and less in the last two years.  When I read your situation - just thought I would share mine - you never know.  Hope things are working out for you.

[snowingsunshine]

Sorry - The nerve block surgery took away almost all of the pain for a good 6-9 months (NOT weeks).  The level of pain since this surgery has never reached what it was before - hoping it never does.

[caregiver222]

The symptoms suggest an infectious process, which could have developed as a result of an inset bite. It is difficult to say at which point one should go to "general quarters", however if, and I emphazise "if" this is an infection, it these  can migrate into the bloodstream (the bad news bears) and are best dealt with promptly. I would recommend a visit to a physician.

[stacmann3]

check for spider bite if redness and swelling continue see a doctor!

[nana68]

tendonitis probably