I'm just fulla questions tonight....

Does anyone here have spasticity in their fingers? I have trouble making a fist in both my hands now...usually the left is worse than the right. I simply can't bend my fingers, and it stays with me throughout the day.

I've read that spasticity is more unusual in fingers, but it does occur--and behavior-wise, this certainly resembles spasticity.

My neuro thinks it's my MS, and my PCP thinks it's my Crohn's---I don't mind which it is, just so long as the meds take care of it!

I read somewhere that keeping your hands active is a good way to combat finger spasticity. I'm a musician, and when I'm not practicing, when I'm just sitting around, I crochet a lot--and I've just bought a new mandolin (I usta kinda, sorta play!) so I could sit and strum and keep them fingers moving!

Anyone else here have this problem? Thoughts, suggestions, vents, or humorous quips to share??? (No mandolin bashing, now!)

I crochet too!!! And I learned how to knit about 2 days before the optic neuritis hit my left eye and I (eventually) discovered that I had MS.

I'm seriously addicted to crocheting and yarn. I'm a yarn addict. I go into a yarn store and I have to pet and fondle the yarn just because it calls to me to pet it.

Got any pictures of stuff that you've made?

Right now I'm working on two crocheted shawls, and a knitted scarf.

i have just recently felt this problem in both hands.
i started PT last wk. the therapist feels that with the PT
and me doing my exercises at home that i will see improvement.

you might ask your dr about some hand PT.

Hi Keely
Like Erin, I am a crocheter and a sci-fi nut. I don't have spasticity in my fingers but I have other issues. They feel numb and hypersensitive and fat like big ol sausages. In those respects they are hard to control.

I crochet to relax, but the feel of the yarn can be so annoying. I do have tendenitis sx in my right arm also. I get a heavy tightness that can be most annoying. I am left handed, but crochet right handed, so it is an issue.

I've always wished I could play piano, so keep doing that. The mandolin how cool and unusual that is. You keep strumming girl! How fun to have met your hubby "at work". Such a romantic story. I hope it goes on forever.

Another thing. I lived in Colo (Denver) for several years and just loved it everyday. The beauty is spectacular and wish for it everyday. I'm now back in OH w/family which I missed alot while there.

Listen to the little voice inside you. Not the one controlled by fear, but the deeper truer one. I'm sure you'll make the right decision about Ty.

Interesting post, and question.

I have numb hands, usually lasting several weeks to months. So far I've always recovered though.

Besides the numbness, they are very stiff and feel like they've been dipped in cement. There have been a few times that the ache goes all the way up to my elbow (and/or to my knees in my legs). It feels like my tendons are being pulled to the max. I have presumed the arm/leg pain to be spasticity, but never considered that the sensation in my hands (stiffness) is also likely spasticity. It makes perfect sense though.

When my lower arms, wrists and hands are stiff, I do the exact opposite to what you are suggesting. I have been told to use arm/hand braces, to limit the movement (which is the opposite of what I've been told for my leg spasticity).

When I have this 'spasticity' in my hands/arms, I find that I tend to contort my wrists in abnormal ways. I will often find my hand clawing (drawing up to my body), and I will notice that my wrists are bent in quite unnatural ways. That is the reason I use the braces; to keep my joints/tendons still.

I will wear the braces in the evenings and every time I sleep, because it gives my arms/joints a rest. I also wear them because I know that I cram my hands in my pockets and/or twist my wrists in various ways when I sleep, and this forces them to stay straight. It definitely does help with the pain, if they are not free to do what they would want to do naturally.

Cherie

Yup, I've got some spasticity in hands as well. My thumb on my left hand tends to draw in toward the palm, and my right hand curls up when I'm asleep. I use my hands for painting, typing, mousing, etc. all the time, so I'm not sure how much more I could do to keep them from cramping. I do know that if they're tired, the spasticity is worse.

Yarn is good! Especially the "real" kind, the exotic wools and alpacas. A few months ago I did a story on an alpaca farm up here in the mountains, and I got to tour the farm, pet the alpacas and llamas, and the see how they process the wool. Now I understand why it's so expensive!

No, Erin, unfortunately I don't have any photos, but I do wear my work! Mostly I run to shawls, ponchos, hats--and I crochet a lot of baby clothes for two charities. One is in Cambodia--a friend of mine goes over every few months and takes them to the orphanage there, and it's so cool when he sends me photos of the kids holding up my baby sweaters and hats and booties!

Finger spasticity IS mentioned in some of the MS sites, but I'm surprised that more isn't said about it. Both my hands literally stiffen up and it's hard to bend my fingers at all. My hands were healthy before this disease!

Anyway, it doesn't matter whether you're a pianist, a crocheter, a hairstylist, an accountant or an Internet surfer----you need your hands! I appreciate everyone telling me that I'm not alone in experiencing this exasperating symptom!

I've noticed my fingers and hands get really painful after holding things a certain way. Ever hold a paper sack that's fairly heavy? After awhile, there's an ache in your fingertips that moves to the palm of your hand, and you have to switch hands. I'm guessing that's spasticity. I've had that problem with my hands since I was at least in my mid teens. Makes me think that I might have developed my MS in my teens, or possibly when I was younger. (I've had a few weird symptoms that I can remember having when I was a child)

My fingers dont do that when I crochet or knit. I'm so obsessed with crochet, that I will crochet for hours (also known as "marathon crocheting") and my hands wont hurt like that. I'm kind of hoping the crocheting and knitting will keep my fingers and hands mobile for years. If I cant crochet, I will go absolutely nuts. Bouncing off the walls insane. It's that big of an obsession.

And here's a picture of one of my projects...it's a shawl crocheted from a doily pattern. (use worsted weight or bigger yarn and a big crochet hook and doilies can be shawls and afghans.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/15224428@N08/2123231053/

Quote:

And here's a picture of one of my projects...it's a shawl crocheted from a doily pattern. (use worsted weight or bigger yarn and a big crochet hook and doilies can be shawls and afghans.

Erin, that's gorgeous! Almost looks like tatted lace. You do beautiful work!

It doesn't bother me much when I crochet, because I don't have to bend my fingers so much. It's not really painful except at moments--such as when I'm practicing music or really using my hands. Otherwise, it's just the nuisance of them being stiff! It's not just morning stiffness--it stays with me all the time!

When my fingers do hurt, sometimes the pain resembles someone beating on your hands with a hammer!

It started just a few weeks ago, but in the last six months, my central nervous system problems have really worsened, so I'm not surprised--you kinda wonder every morning what you're going to wake up with--or without--don't you?

The past few weeks, I've noticed the Uhthoff's phenomenon is my eyes is getting extremely annoying. My right eye vision right now feels seriously bizzare. I can see fine, no blind spots, but if feels like not all the visual information is making it to my brain. It's only really really annoying if I'm trying to read.

It's not so annoying when I crochet because I've been teaching myself to crochet by feel ever since I first had optic neuritis. (actually longer than that, I've just never practiced it that much before)

If you want to make one of those shawls like the one I did (pineapple stitch is sooooo easy! It only looks difficult!) you can find the pattern at this link

http://www.angelfire.com/folk/celtwich/PineFan.html

The one I did in the picture is a worsted weight yarn (Red Heart Super Saver...cheap acrylic yarn) I used a Susan Bates hook, size K. It's such an easy pattern. I'd never be able to do it in thread (those teeny little hooks and skinny thread dont like me)

I want to do another one of those soon. I've made nearly 20 of them. I just want to use a fancier and thicker yarn than Red Heart. I may have to make a run for the really nice yarn store this week.