Structure of the hand

[greencreeper]

My right hand. The thumb. Looking at the inside edge and moving down about an inch or so, there's a bit of a dip - almost at the wrist. I think it might be this tendon here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extensor_pollicis_longus Not sure though One for Rammy, maybe, or Salu.

[tick]

painters hand maybe?

[danielf]

So many jokes there, but I'll be good this time

[greencreeper]

Originally Posted by tick

painters hand maybe?

Mouse hand

[Alien]

Originally Posted by danielf

So many jokes there, but I'll be good this time

I know what you mean, first that post in the moans thread, now this. If he ever wanted a career as 1 half of a comedy duo he'd make a good straight man.

I hit my ganglion with a hammer the other day and it went away

[Ramrod]

You are probably looking at the structures of the anatomical snuff box Why do you ask?

[Ramrod]

Originally Posted by zinglebarb

I hit my ganglion with a hammer the other day and it went away

A bible is the traditional way.....

[greencreeper]

Originally Posted by Ramrod

You are probably looking at the structures of the anatomical snuff box

Yes. That diagram confirms it - definitely that tendon

Originally Posted by Ramrod

Why do you ask?

It hurts, on and off, and it's useful to know what's hurting. I woke up one Sunday, a while ago now, and couldn't move my thumb at all - terrible pain. Thought I'd broken it but the casualty doctor said it was tendonitis and gave me a splint and NSAIDs. Since then, the pain comes and goes - never as bad, but enough for me to to pull up when taking hold of things. Dull ache that sharpens when I use the thumb in certain ways.

[edit] Might be this: http://www.indianahandcenter.com/med...quervains.html Lot of the symptoms fit, plus the Finkelstein's test hurts like hell

[Xaccers]

What we really want to know is; what are the chances of his thumb falling off cos that'd be really cool (though maybe a tad disconcerting for greencreeper, but we all have to make sacrifices you know)

[Salu]

Hi greencreeper.

It sounds quite likely to be a tendon sheath problem, possibly DeQuervains? Do you use a mouse a lot or do some other repetative movement with your hand (resist puns please..)? Have you lifted something heavy with your thumb and forefinger stretched widely recently? Like a paint can etc?

How long have you had this problem now?
How long did you wear the splint?
How long did you take the NSAIDs?
Are you tender over the tip of the radial styloid? (You should be able to locate that via WIKI...)

Finkelstein's I've found is better done passively, by the way. That is your hand moved not using the muscles of the affected hand but preferably by someone else.

[Ramrod]

Have you tried icing it?

[Cobbydaler]

Originally Posted by Ramrod

Have you tried icing it?

Buttercream, fondant or royal?

[greencreeper]

Originally Posted by Salu

It sounds quite likely to be a tendon sheath problem, possibly DeQuervains? Do you use a mouse a lot or do some other repetative movement with your hand (resist puns please..)? Have you lifted something heavy with your thumb and forefinger stretched widely recently? Like a paint can etc?

Heavy mousing, plus I've been painting quite a bit recently, which won't have helped. Oh and pressing the spacebar - I just can't get my brain to use my left hand for pressing the spacebar. Like I said, it comes and goes - can be fine for a few months, and then it'll start aching again.

Originally Posted by Salu

How long have you had this problem now?

Not sure - certainly more than a year. Was at Uni - 3rd year. So that would be about 4 years actually, now I think.

Originally Posted by Salu

How long did you wear the splint?

I can't recall - I think it was a few weeks. I know it was a nuisance.

Originally Posted by Salu

How long did you take the NSAIDs?

Again, not sure - I think it was a strong dosage over a short period of time. At the moment, I take Ibuprofen or Volterol (I have a few left over from when I did my neck/shoulder in)

Originally Posted by Salu

Are you tender over the tip of the radial styloid? (You should be able to locate that via WIKI...)

I've done a bit of research and I think I know what you mean and yes - sort of. It's the bit where the tendons group together that is tender.

Originally Posted by Salu

Finkelstein's I've found is better done passively, by the way. That is your hand moved not using the muscles of the affected hand but preferably by someone else.

Ah right. Well I've been snoozing and it aches more then - after inactivity. At the moment, griping the thumb in the hand is painful, without even moving the wrist. It'll ease up though.

Originally Posted by Cobbydaler

Buttercream, fondant or royal?

If it's really gnawing at me, I put a damp towel in the freezer for a bit and use that.

[Alien]

Originally Posted by greencreeper

Again, not sure - I think it was a strong dosage over a short period of time. At the moment, I take Ibuprofen or Volterol (I have a few left over from when I did my neck/shoulder in)

My mum was on Volterol for quite a while for arthritis. She nearly ended up on a dialysis machine because of it. Apparantly [I have no idea why] it can really mess up a person's kidneys, but there doesn't seem to be any pattern as to who gets affected & who doesn't. I had to have them when I had kidney stones, but stopped taking them as soon as the pain reduced enough for normal ibuprofen to be sufficient.

Originally Posted by greencreeper

If it's really gnawing at me, I put a damp towel in the freezer for a bit and use that.

I had a sore kneck the other week, it's something that happens every now & then. Over-the-counter painkillers weren't quite enough, so I used 1 of those blue ice brick things people use in those cooler boxes, wrapped in a tea-towel. You can probably pick those ice pack things up really cheap from a number of places, I got mine at 2 for 99p in the Co-op.