Re: ]feet and hand - carpal tunnel

[Guest guest]

Hi ,about 6 years ago I had severe heel pain. When I saw my rhemy he said

it was plantar fasciitis and it was very common when you have PA. He injected my

heel in about 10 different spots with cortisone and I have had no heel pain

since.3 years ago I had to have that foot reconstructed due the PA and the

surgeon also lenghtened the achilles tendon. MaureenTADEL630@...

wrote:Went to see the rheumy last night - unfortunately after an ER visit where

I was diagnosed with cellulitis, I haven't been on my Enbrel for about a week

and am really feeling it.

Anyway, during my exam and complaints, she said 2 things to me which I'm

wondering if anyone else is dealing with:

1. Carpal tunnel is acting up in my hands and I'm waking every a.m. with " dead "

hands. She said it's probably carpal tunnel (which I suspected), but that the

PA probably contributes to the carpal tunnel because of swelling in the joint

which make the " tunnel " that much smaller. I guess that makes sense, but I

never considered the 2 could be linked at all. Anyone else out there with

carpal tunnel who finds it is worse during a PA flare?

2. I have had trouble for years with shoes because I can't stand having

anything touch my Achilles tendon. She told me that this and also pain around

the rim of the heel (which I always thought was bone spur) was a very common

symptom of PA. Anyone heard this as well?

Thanks for any comments,

[Ed. Note: I've had a permanently swollen left wrist for many years, but even

though the joint hurts and acts up from time to time, it has never caused my

hands to feel numb nor has it caused any problems using a computer keyboard, etc

(although I do have very limited range of motion in that wrist - in fact it's

pretty much frozen in place). I don't think the wrist is actually swollen from

inflammation, it just appears swollen because of the permanent damage caused by

the many episodes of inflammation I've had over the years in that wrist. Ron]

[Guest guest]

hi tracy,

i'm a 'yes' to both - when pa really set in for me about a year and a

few months ago it appeared in my achilles (both feet)and right elbow

(first joints affected and after initial major flare, it has eased

but never gone away) - know very well how you feel about shoes! re

carpal tunnel, i have asked the same thing of my rheumy - hands have

never gone numb, but i have felt that undescribable feeling in the

carpal tunnel area when my wrists on the inside are all swelled up...

it's very painful and same thing was explained to me by my rheumy.

he said something to the effect the swelling is crowding in on the

nerves in the area...

take care,

karen

> Went to see the rheumy last night - unfortunately after an ER visit

where I was diagnosed with cellulitis, I haven't been on my Enbrel

for about a week and am really feeling it.

> Anyway, during my exam and complaints, she said 2 things to me

which I'm wondering if anyone else is dealing with:

> 1. Carpal tunnel is acting up in my hands and I'm waking every

a.m. with " dead " hands. She said it's probably carpal tunnel (which

I suspected), but that the PA probably contributes to the carpal

tunnel because of swelling in the joint which make the " tunnel " that

much smaller. I guess that makes sense, but I never considered the 2

could be linked at all. Anyone else out there with carpal tunnel who

finds it is worse during a PA flare?

> 2. I have had trouble for years with shoes because I can't stand

having anything touch my Achilles tendon. She told me that this and

also pain around the rim of the heel (which I always thought was bone

spur) was a very common symptom of PA. Anyone heard this as well?

> Thanks for any comments,

>

>

>

>

> [Ed. Note: I've had a permanently swollen left wrist for many

years, but even though the joint hurts and acts up from time to time,

it has never caused my hands to feel numb nor has it caused any

problems using a computer keyboard, etc (although I do have very

limited range of motion in that wrist - in fact it's pretty much

frozen in place). I don't think the wrist is actually swollen from

inflammation, it just appears swollen because of the permanent damage

caused by the many episodes of inflammation I've had over the years

in that wrist. Ron]

[Guest guest]

-- dealing with:

> 1. Carpal tunnel is acting up e that this and also pain around the

rim of the heel (which I always thought was bone spur) was a very

common symptom of PA. Anyone heard this as well?

> Thanks for any comments,

>

>

>

> Hi ,

Yes and yes...the difference being I had to discover these

myself...didn't have a good Rheumy point them out.

On carpal tunnel...my Rheum diagnosed it after I complained of

tingling on inside of wrist and some numbness. Unfortunately I had

already learned the PA can affect tendons when I ruptured a tendon to

pinkie at the wrist from joint damage to the wrist. It just

spontaneously ruptured from rubbing against fused bone.

My heels ache and ache. I thought this was fibro since it wasn't a

joint. Then the radiology report from a bone scan mentioned the

heels in particular as having active arthritis. wierd. Now..to get

me Rheum here to believe me..

Regards,

Marti

> [Ed. Note: I've had a permanently swollen left wrist for many

years, but even though the joint hurts and acts up from time to time,

it has never caused my hands to feel numb nor has it caused any

problems using a computer keyboard, etc (although I do have very

limited range of motion in that wrist - in fact it's pretty much

frozen in place). I don't think the wrist is actually swollen from

inflammation, it just appears swollen because of the permanent damage

caused by the many episodes of inflammation I've had over the years

in that wrist. Ron]

[Guest guest]

-- dealing with:

> 1. Carpal tunnel is acting up e that this and also pain around the

rim of the heel (which I always thought was bone spur) was a very

common symptom of PA. Anyone heard this as well?

> Thanks for any comments,

>

>

>

> Hi ,

Yes and yes...the difference being I had to discover these

myself...didn't have a good Rheumy point them out.

On carpal tunnel...my Rheum diagnosed it after I complained of

tingling on inside of wrist and some numbness. Unfortunately I had

already learned the PA can affect tendons when I ruptured a tendon to

pinkie at the wrist from joint damage to the wrist. It just

spontaneously ruptured from rubbing against fused bone.

My heels ache and ache. I thought this was fibro since it wasn't a

joint. Then the radiology report from a bone scan mentioned the

heels in particular as having active arthritis. wierd. Now..to get

me Rheum here to believe me..

Regards,

Marti

> [Ed. Note: I've had a permanently swollen left wrist for many

years, but even though the joint hurts and acts up from time to time,

it has never caused my hands to feel numb nor has it caused any

problems using a computer keyboard, etc (although I do have very

limited range of motion in that wrist - in fact it's pretty much

frozen in place). I don't think the wrist is actually swollen from

inflammation, it just appears swollen because of the permanent damage

caused by the many episodes of inflammation I've had over the years

in that wrist. Ron]

[Guest guest]

> 1. Carpal tunnel is acting up in my hands and I'm waking every

a.m. with " dead " hands. She said it's probably carpal tunnel (which

I suspected), but that the PA probably contributes to the carpal

tunnel because of swelling in the joint which make the " tunnel " that

much smaller. I guess that makes sense, but I never considered the 2

could be linked at all. Anyone else out there with carpal tunnel who

finds it is worse during a PA flare?

>

I had carpal tunnel about 15 yrs. ago. Both my wrists are frozen, and

the dr. said there were some bones fallen in there from the PA

damage. Mine was successfully treated by wearing a brace - never had

to have surgery. (Of course, that may be influenced by something I

was told at the hospital when I was having tests done: that doctor

said 15% of the population have nerves running up the outside of the

arm in addition to those running through that tunnel, so those nerves

aren't affected - and I was part of that 15%.)

[Guest guest]

-

Bingo to both your concerns.

I, too, have carpal tunnel in both hands that comes and goes with flares. I

had nerve conduction tests that put me just out of the normal range. I'm

not willing to have surgery yet. But having both hands go dead when you

wake up could be the way you are sleeping and pinching your ulnar nerve at

the back of your elbow, the one you smack when you hit your funny bone. If

you're flaring, that nerve and that space can be especially vulnerable. Do

you sleep with your arms folded or under your head? Do you sleep on your

back with your arms down and flat? Either position can pinch that ulnar

nerve. I found that an egg crate mattress pad really helped, as well as

making a point of keeping my arms straight and not bent at the elbow.

Thankfully I have a friend who's a neurologist and doesn't mind taking a

look. She suggested the egg crate and it has really helped.

I saw a new rheumy a few months ago and one of the few things he thought

diagnostic of PA was achilles tendonitis. (He said that joint, muscle and

tendon pain and aching and nail pitting were NOT features of PA!). I had A.

tendon pain for nearly a year before an acupunturist gave me relief. And I

know what you mean about the shoes. That burning is exquisite. The rheumy

also said plantar fasciitis was diagnostic; had that too.

I've found that protecting the joints (with postioning and the egg crate)

without splinting them seems to work better. I sometimes splint my wrists

at night but not during the day. Exercise the joints gently but in the

right way. And try acupuncture if you're so inclined.

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[Guest guest]

> Why isn't there a checklist or something out there,

> somewhere, noting these symptoms, as there is for

> strokes, heart attacks...you know what I mean??

Amen Jane and ...do you think an organization like NPF would do

this?

Marti

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/15/2003 6:36:47 AM Eastern Daylight Time,

michaelszczygiel@... writes:

> Anyway I hope this is helpful to the ppl on here who are suffering with

> this

> Plantar Facittis on there heels, Just one other point , he told me that the

> injections must be done by ultrasound as they can really get to where the

> inflammation is this way.

I had several injections in my heels for plantar fasciitis(sp) and they are

just a temporary fixes. I went to a podiatrist who made me some custom made

orthotics which fit inside your shoes. This was years ago and after wearing

them for a short time I never had heel pain again.

Janet

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/15/03 1:48:20 AM Eastern Daylight Time,

janekarsten@... writes:

>

> Why isn't there a checklist or something out there,

> somewhere, noting these symptoms, as there is for

> strokes, heart attacks...you know what I mean??

> Furthermore, why aren't physicians trained to realize

> what these symptoms are...it only adds to our

> frustration and delay of treatment. Feeling very

> disturbed by this all today...Jane

Hi Jane, coincidentally I just got the bimonthly magazine from NPF and they

have brochures that you can order for doctors...doesn't take away the

frustration but we can try to get to the doctors one at a time....

[Guest guest]

Cool, Micky! Having a Dr with PA can only work to your advantage.

Hugs and kisses (but not in front of your wife or my husband, LOL!)

Penny

it turns out that he

> has had the disease for 10 years plus and he has been having the

same type

> of injections for his PA !! Well I couldn't believe it, I thought

he was

> just being nice and informative , but he was actually talking from

the heart

> !> Micky

> London

>

>

> PS Hugs and KISSES are fine with me Marti !! just don't tell the

wife LOL