[babyblues3]

So OMG I have been going to a occupational therapist for weeks now, 3 times a week. I thought she was a PT but not.Today we started 1 hour appointments. I thought I was going to die when I left there today. I was so excited she got the swelling down and got my fingers moving. I came home grabbed a spice bottle(per therapist)to hold on to. To keep my fingers working. I went in to a store for 15 minutes without the bottle and my hand and fingers blew right back up. And I can't move them at all. 15 minutes of not using them, are you kidding me. I'm really not liking this new diagnosis.

[catra121]

Yep...use it or lose it. It's something I have had a hard time adjusting to since the spread to my hands. Even if I'm holding something I have to make sure to remember to move my fingers, flex my hand, etc. 2 years after the spread I am almost used to it...almost.

Good luck and take care. You will get used to some of the adjustments you have to make over time.

[babyblues3]

Originally Posted by catra121

Yep...use it or lose it. It's something I have had a hard time adjusting to since the spread to my hands. Even if I'm holding something I have to make sure to remember to move my fingers, flex my hand, etc. 2 years after the spread I am almost used to it...almost.

Good luck and take care. You will get used to some of the adjustments you have to make over time.

Did you invest in anything like a paraffin wax thing? Or is there anything I can get.My fingers are so swollen they just don't bend.Have you had the nerve blocks?

I have been constant flexing my fingers since Nov 2009 it's the only thing that stops them seizing up. Hurts to get them going in the morning but nowhere neaar as bad as if I didn't do it

[mollymoo123]

when i was first diagnosed GP told me to have complete rest for 10 days to see if they went away. In about a week i lost use of my hand and with some research i realised it was the worst thing to do. I ty to do lots of gentle movement with my hand and things like typing have been great for my fingers. Its not great when my fingers are sencitive, but i do as much as i can. Over summer, I saw picking tomatoes in the garden as physio. It was great. now I stil have pain but it attempt to use my hand as normal as much as i can and keep it moving through the day. Perhaps you could find activities that keep your hands and fingers moving to use as therapy. I also found hydro therapy good in the beginning. For me it got easier with time. Now with the help of meds, I have good movement with some stifness and only a little pain.

[catra121]

Originally Posted by babyblues3

Did you invest in anything like a paraffin wax thing? Or is there anything I can get.My fingers are so swollen they just don't bend.Have you had the nerve blocks?

I had nerve blocks...they are what caused the spread to my hands (and whole upper body) so that was the end of those for me.

I find that hot baths with Epsom salts are good for all my RSD areas. I also have found a lidocaine cream on amazon.com that is good on my hands for the pain. It doesn't help a LOT but it does take the edge off sometimes. I also have Voltaren gel (Rx) that helps with the inflammation if that gets bad.

But mostly...just keep moving. When it first started I did puzzles because my physical therapist told me that was great for my hands. Not only to keep them moving but also because putting the pieces in the place required control and precision movement that was good for me. I also do cross stitch and that helps...but I can't hold the frame with my one hand any more so I have to prop it on something or use a stand (because just holding it will cause my hand to freeze up). But the flexing is the most common thing I do on a regular basis just to keep my hands moving.

Oh...I also got Tommie Copper compression gloves that I like. They protect me from the cold and provide some warmth too. I don't know that I buy all the stuff they say about how good they are for you in terms of pain relief...but they do work better for me than just regular gloves...so it may be worth a try.