Do I Have Arthritis ?

Do you experience any swelling?

the knuckle of my index finger...just above the palm was slightly swollen when it was hurting...and it would get stiff and slightly painful if i used it too much, like typing or using the mouse or something.

Hmmm. You might want to be tested for rheumatoid arthritis. I believe it's a standard blood test, but I think you'll want to definitely see a rheumatologist b/c your symptoms do not seem to be getting better and a diagnosis will ease your mind. Let us know how it goes!

thanks yogahoneybunny. im scheduled to see the doc next week, so ill let you know what happens after that. and thanks for the input

hey guys, well, i saw my doc yesterday...and basically....its tendonitis in the index finger now...yup, now its the wrist and index finger. he says he sees nothing to indicate arthritis, or carpal tunnel, but i have to do a blood test just to rule out some things.
He says i need to seriously consider changing around my workstation....get a better, more ergonomic mouse, an external keyboard for my laptop etc. the problem is that i am on the laptop all day, cause i use one or two for work each day, drawing, or typing and so on. he attributes the tendonitis to overuse and misuse. i have a wrist brace and he recommends i wear it....especially at night.

i got some meds for the inflammation and pain....so im gonna take em and really try to improve my workstation so this thing can go away or at least not bother me as much.

i have a follow up appt in a couple weeks, so we'll see if anything is different by that time.

Good for you, Kryssja. Thanks for the update.

You know they're thinking of developing touch screen for the masses, instead of mouses. Wouldn't that be cool?

But for now - GET A NEW MOUSE!

And strengthen your hands! Do you want me to outline some brief exercises? I'm a yoga instructor and also spend all day at the computer, so I've got your back. Let me know.

yogahoneybunny...you are a godsend. I would love some exercises that i could use to strengthen my hands....because honestly, im really trying to keep this tendonitis thing from going any further.

Send all you want....ill gladly take them and use them. I have not had the chance to purchase the mouse and keyboard, and as we speak, im feeling slight stiffness and pain in the finger. i did get some meds for inflammation and pain, so i should be ok. i just really, really need to switch everything around.

touch screens huh? that would be wicked!! cant wait to see what they'll come up with

thanks again yogahoneybunny

hey yogahoneybunny, havent heard from you in a while....forgot about me? just reminding you about those exercises you said you would send....trust me, the way my finger has been feeling, im eagerly anticipating them....

Sorry, Kryssa. I was on vacation for a little while at the beginning of September and just got back. Ok...

FIRST EXERCISE : Weight bearing

This will help strengthen your entire upper body, from the fingers to the shoulders. It's called Adho Mukha Svanasana , or Downward Facing Dog and is a principle position in Hatha Yoga practice.


Come onto your hands and knees. Position the knees/hands as wide as the hips/shoulders. Place the hands a little in front of the head and spread the fingers. This is the part that will really help your hands. Orient the index finger to "due north" and make sure that your index fingers are parallel to one another. Now, gently spread the fingers apart so that you have as much space as possible between the thumb and the pinky. Next, create a slight compression under the pads of your fingernails, like a gentl clawing. This should lift the palms of your hands upward. Apply pressure under the thumb, index finger, and pinky finger to ensure that you get even resistance throughout the hand.

Then, turn the toes under and on an exhale, press into your hands, straighten the legs and lift the hips to the sky. Angle the toes slightly to the center to open the hips. Alternately bend the right and left knees, stretching the hamstrings to the floor. Stay here in an inverted "V" for 10 full breaths. Inhale and exhale FULLY! Gently rotate your triceps toward the center line of your body and drop your shoulders from your ears. PUSH your arms aways from the floor, lift the hips a little more, and contract the quads.

Work on this position in 10 breath intervals like this:

3 x day 1
5 x day 2
Then increase ... 3 x 2 minutes, 5 x 2 minutes
3 x 2 minutes twice a day
5 x 2 minutes twice a day

And let me know how you feel after a week....then it's ANOTHER EXERCISE!

hey yogahoneybunny, thanks so much for the exercise. hope you enjoyed your vacation i printed off the exercise and will do it when i get home. ill let you know how i feel in a week or so im hoping it helps cause my hand cause right now im in a good amount of pain....im actually typing with my left hand right now

and im in all day sessions for the rest of the week and up to next wednesday inc. saturday

Poor thing!

OK ... try it today or tomorrow and tell me what you think. I can help coach you through the first couple of sessions. Anytime you feel PAIN, STOP! But, these are gentle enough that we can make adjustments.

Are you in school right now?

no, im not a student. I graduated in 2005. I am a Systems Analyst and a Consultant for a software engineering company. And i am a consultant on a project right now that is taking all my resources

apart from my 9 to 5 job, i am also a grahic design artist, so you can see that i use my hands quite a bit.

i tried the exercise last night but i got stuck because i didnt understand what a part of it was saying....the part from turning the toes under....i was confused after that part so i didnt try it all, but i did apply heat and i stretched, and its feeling better today, stiff and tight, but better not hurting like yesterday.

thanks again for your help

Maybe a photo will help?

hi yogahoneybunny, sorry i havent replied in so long.
I actually purchased a logitech trackball mouse and i use a keyboard rest with my laptop, and since then i havent experienced any pains in my wrist or finger

thanks again for all your help. take care

Hey, Kryssja!

That's wonderful. It's so great to hear that some simple changes have helped. The more we live on our computers, the more essential it is to take care of our bodies! Last week I practiced this really great eye exercise b/c I get all blurry at the end of the day. Basically, you trace figure 8's with your eyes closed. It helps bring blood to the eye muscles and feels great. You start by gazing with eyes closed at your upper R eyebrow, and then down to your cheek, cross to the upper L eyebrow and down to the L cheek. And repeat. Ah, glorious! Thanks for sharing your success and stick around ... maybe there are other people you can help!

~Yoga

Hey YogaHoneyBunny....i am so sorry that i havent been in touch....Happy New Year to you and i hope all went well with you and yours for the holidays.

Yes, it is indeed amazing how a simple act of buying a mouse could have improved my hand still feels great by the way....no pain yet.

I've also been trying to break my right ankle into a regained state of independence...you see, i either have two torn ligaments in my ankle, or a cartilage defect....the doctors havent decided yet....im supposed to do an mri....but in the meantime....i have been functioning without the brace for a good number of weeks, and i feel fine im so happy....you see ive been wearing an ankle brace for the past two years and it feels so amazing to go without it

but so far, all is well....thanks for the figure 8 tip...ill definately give it a shot.

Cool. How did you injure your ankle?

Its quite stupid actually. I was around 16 or 17, and a group of us friends are playing around and pretending to fight and so on, and i pretend to kick a guy and he grabs my ankle and twists it. I heard a "pop", and my ankle was swollen seconds later.

Thing is that i am really to blame, i should have gone to the doctor when it happened, but i just thought it was a bad sprain. It wasnt until sometime later when i realized i wasnt able to run as well, and so on. Then one day i was walking on the road and twisted my ankle and the strain of the torn ligament caused another one on the opposite side of the ankle to tear.

After that is was just months and years of pain. Went to the orthopedic clinic and was prescribed a brace which helped alot.

Right. Injuries are so frustrating. I've been dealing with regret all my life over my knees. I played basketball in high school and we were playing against the State champions, and in a moment of frustration, one of the star players faked me out (faked left, went right) and my body followed her but not my feet. My ACL tore all the way and my knee was swollen immediately.

It was a moment I'll never forget. I relived it many times. But for now, it's just a beast of burden. I'm 32 now and ... well, no more competitive sports. Just yoga.