Any one else with Dupuytren's Contracture??

[SillyChicken]

Quote:
Maybe you should create a support group!

 

[crazy goose lover]

I developed this when I was in my ealy 20's. The doctor said that it is unusual for a woman to have. He said that it is usually seen in men that do repetitive work that abuses the palms such as jack hammering or roofing. I could not think of what I did that repetitavly bruised that part of my hand. I figured it out. I worked in a daycare kitchen and opened 10-20 number 10 cans a day with the type of can opener that attaches to the edge of a counter and you raise up a bar and bring it down to puncure the can then fold the handle down and crank to open the can. well I realized that the curve of the handle put most on the pressure on a spot on my hand. (like this one you can see on ebay) http://cgi.ebay.com/COMMERCIAL-CAST...88462430?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0in The finger that contracted was the finger next to the pinkie on my right hand. The doctor put a cortizone shot into the tendon shealth at the base of the finger. It hurt and swelled up the size of an egg but it numbed the finger so that I did not feel the pull and used it more normally. He said it might take several injections. Well after the injection, when I used the can opener I realized that the han was swelled right in the spot that I needed to use to get enough forse to open the cans. I bought an industrial electric can opener and between the shots and stopping the repetitive movement that was causing the problem I made a full recovery after about a year and have not been bothered since. That was a long time ago.

 

[j&jhenhaven]

My husband has this condition is both hands. He had surgery on the worst hand about a year ago and it is fine now. The other hand is a very mild case. He says he'll have the surgery done if it progresses as the right hand did. He was blessed to have an excellent hand specialist.

 

[Junkmanme]

As with MANY other things, I am not at all familiar with THIS CONDITION...

However, I have a friend (whom I have known since childhood) who has hands that are "folded-up" badly...and..painful. The Doctors told HIM that it was Arthritis (but we don't have many GREAT "Doctors" out here in the "sticks").

I also have Rheumatoid Arthritis...but it seldom bothers my fingers. (I do exercise them a lot..squeezing a racket ball, etc.)

My friends hands are like "claws".

PERHAPS a visit to a GOOD Rheumatologist MIGHT help.

I dunno,

Junkmanme

 

[woodmort]

This isn't arthritis but a calcification of the tendons. You can actually feel the calcified sheath around them in the palms of my hands.

 

[theoldchick]

My friend had the surgery and she is doing well. Went through PT and continues some of the exercises at home. I agree with the idea of starting your own support group.

 

[twentynine]

One of the guys I work with has it! In fact all the male members of his family (6 brothers) have it to one degree or another.

In his case it has not advanced much, but he told me a few weeks ago that one of his brothers was having some sort of corrective surgery.

 

[justbugged]

My father has this condition. He has now had surgery twice on the the same hand. Do remembering him telling us that there are a lot of doctors that don't know what it is or how to treat it. He was living in the North end of Seattle when it was diagnosed. There is a large population of Scandinavian people in the area. My dads grandparents were off the boat Norwegians.

 

[Junkmanme]

I HOPE that THIS type of surgery is MORE EFFECTIVE than surgery for "Carpal Tunnel Syndrome".

Of ALL the people that I have known who had "Carpal Tunnel Syndrome" surgery...NONE felt that they benefited in the long-run. (Just what I've "heard".)

It's CERTAINLY an area with which I have NO KNOWLEDGE....just skepticism...NOT of the "disease"...but skeptical of the "solutions" offered to us by the "practicing" Doctors. (I've NOT been impressed with the abilities of the "Medical Community".)
IF an Auto Repair Shop did business like Doctors do...they wouldn't last SIX MONTHS !!!

my 2 pesos worth,
Junkmanme

 

[PineappleMama]

Quote:
I always try to remember that all those things that 'run in the family' started with one person having it... so I can't just assume that just because no one else has had it yet doesn't mean I won't be the first... dernit.

So sorry to hear you're suffering from this... just about any muscle or bone issue is always painful.