Jake Di Vita Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 For the past few weeks I've been dealing with a pretty intense pain at the base of my thumb. It hurts whenever something pushes straight back against the joint , but especially hurts whenever I do push ups with my palms on the floor. The pain is in the base of the thumb and around that same area in the wrist. From what I've read online I could either be getting arthritis or have a scaphoid fracture. It does not hurt when I shoot or dry fire. I'd love to go get this checked out, but I don't have health insurance and really can't afford to. Was just wondering if anyone here might have an idea of exactly what the pain is, and possibly how to treat it. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flatland Shooter Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 Jake, I'm a little older than you (OK, a lot older) but when I was around 40 I developed gout that afflicted different joints at different times. One time it could be the base of either thumb, or the joints of my trigger finger, or really painful swelling of the big toe. Per my doctor, gout is a form of arthritis associated with excess urea in your system. The medicines tore up my stomach. This went on for several years. Then a lady at work advised that her husband solved his gouty arthritis by injesting cherries or cherry juice. Not liking all that sugar in my system, I started taking the Black Cherry tablets available at most GNC and vitamin stores. It may not sound so swift, but I take a cherry tablet daily. In the past 15 years, the only flareups I had was when I ran out of cherry tablets and was too lazy to run into town to get some. Don't know if this will help, but it has helped several others with similar symptoms. Take care. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobydog Posted May 3, 2007 Share Posted May 3, 2007 Jake, that sounds like the same thing I've been dealing with for the last 6 years. Mine is severe arthritis at the base both of my thumbs. Pain, burning sensations, pain shooting up my forearm. My right thumb is pushed over 1/3 of the way out of the joint, left one not far behind. Only options I've been given are live with it, fuse the joint (not an option!) or surgery to clean the joint out and use a tendon for cushion. Any of them would have ended my career as an auto tech. I've been on arthritis meds for several years now, and all they do is ease the pain, but I don't dare skip them either. I recently took a desk job and that has helped. I'm pretty good at forecasting weather changes, however Shooting doesn't bother me as of yet. If its arthritis, it will most likely get worse, not much you can do. I have heard about the cherry thing that Flatland mentioned, but haven't tried it yet myself. I even went to a Dr that specialized in dietary changes to help with this, even he told me I need surgery. Not a pretty picture in my case, hopefully yours won't get this bad. I've changed how I do things, pain tells me when to quit, and I go on. Long as I can still support my family and shoot, it could always be worse. Bottom line is, you should have a Dr at least check it out, and try different things to see what works best for you. Internet is a good searching ground these days! Best of luck to you, Tobydog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Di Vita Posted May 3, 2007 Author Share Posted May 3, 2007 Thanks guys, fortunately there is no burning sensation, and the pain is localized to my basal joint / wrist area. I'm really hoping it isn't arthritis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viggen Posted May 3, 2007 Share Posted May 3, 2007 Maybe a break from recoil might be in order, if it's just something bruised. If it's arthritus then you have some research to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Di Vita Posted May 3, 2007 Author Share Posted May 3, 2007 That's the thing though. Recoil doesn't hurt at all. Shooting doesn't hurt at all. I suppose it's possibile I just pulled something, I've done oodles of push ups and pull ups and it didn't start hurting bad till after I was doing that for awhile. I also know plenty of people that work out similar to how I do and they dont get pain like this. I'm really at a loss here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric nielsen Posted May 3, 2007 Share Posted May 3, 2007 Jake I forget your age but i think it's too young for gout, probably too young for arthritis, probably old enough [25] for prolonged inflammatory response. From my AP textbook and from WebMD, it sounds very possible you fractured your scaphoid. Treatment for wrist breaks is just bracing - isolating of most/all wrist movement. The bones are all cube-shaped & there's nothing to set 99% of the time. Or you might have torn a ligament. You might see improvement with: - STOP doing bent-wrist push-ups, for a long time; knuckles only - buy a wrist brace and wear it at night; i like the black ones with 3 wrist straps, 1 thumb strap; mine isolates the thumb really well; you likely use size Medium - treat the inflammation with ibuprofen Inflammation is a particularly dumb response our bodies have - basically, attack whatever hurts with white blood cells until the area is non-functional. Several orthopedists told me that it strikes men over 25 [best guess] because 50000 years ago, not many men lived past that age, so natural selection didn't remove inflammation from our genes. Because of wrist issues different from yours, i haven't done pushups on my palms since i was 21. And the wrist brace at night really helps, most people don't know how often they jam their hand under a pillow or a leg at some crazy angle. Get x-rays done if you possibly can [expensive, i know]. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn jones Posted May 3, 2007 Share Posted May 3, 2007 get thee to a doctor, now. don't be macho! lynn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric nielsen Posted May 3, 2007 Share Posted May 3, 2007 (edited) scaphoid fracture: fracture link carpal tunnel [what my lab partner got after a car wreck jammed her hand back] carpal tunnel link Edited May 3, 2007 by eric nielsen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Keen Posted May 3, 2007 Share Posted May 3, 2007 X-Rays cost about 1/10th when compared to an MRI. Probably only about $100 for 1 extremity, bi-lateral. Nike. Just do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Di Vita Posted May 3, 2007 Author Share Posted May 3, 2007 Trust me Lynn, it isn't about being macho, it's about being broke. Eric, I'm 22. Prolonged inflammatory sounds pretty dead on. The thing is though it never got incredibly swollen...just painful. Looking at it now I can see that it is a little swollen, but nothing really noticeable. I doubt it is gout. The joint is only tender when pressure is put on it from certain angles. For the most part I can move it without pain at all. Only time it hurts when moving it is when stretching it to the side (opening my hand up fully). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted May 3, 2007 Share Posted May 3, 2007 When you are in a hole...quit digging. (I am loving that saying ) Do something completely different in your workouts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dunn Posted May 3, 2007 Share Posted May 3, 2007 From my AP textbook and from WebMD, it sounds very possible you fractured your scaphoid. Treatment for wrist breaks is just bracing - isolating of most/all wrist movement. The bones are all cube-shaped & there's nothing to set 99% of the time. Or you might have torn a ligament. Saw your grades, you just got an F. Jake, is there any history of trauma? You might try a search for DeQuervain's and see if that sounds like what you have, although your symptoms are not classic. Activity modification below the threshold of pain (if it hurts, don't do it) is the best bet, if it still hurts in a week get to a doc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlamoShooter Posted May 3, 2007 Share Posted May 3, 2007 Well this is kind of funny With my Mild dislexia / not so good spelling I thought the thread was > Paint at the base of Thumb joint< not Pain You know paint so that the thumb is at the same spot every time All-though I get paint on my thumbs most every week and my joints feal fine NO Realy now preshur points in the hand trace back to the forarm. Massage the forarm all the way back at the elbow, turn your paulm to face you and rub the big muscel -do not use the tips of the fingers to rub = use flat preshure rotateing. Look to a new chair that has arm rest that may have dug into your arm as the cause Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viggen Posted May 3, 2007 Share Posted May 3, 2007 When broke and hurting, do the same thing that a Doc would be likely to tell you - take a break. Give the body time to heal on it's own. A Doc, no matter what an MRI or x-ray shows, would tell you to back off of what you do with your hands. I'm not saying that something serious might not be happening but at a sprightly 22 it's more likely that you need to rest the hands. And as for shooting, consider switching to shooting weak hand for a couple of months. It will give the hand a break and it will only increase your shooting skill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Di Vita Posted May 3, 2007 Author Share Posted May 3, 2007 John, I've had pain here a few times in the past, but never for this long. I'll run a check in DeQuervains. Thanks. Jake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Di Vita Posted May 3, 2007 Author Share Posted May 3, 2007 Reading up on DeQuervain's, that does very much sound like what I have. I'm going to try and find a hand specialist on the cheap. Jake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bear23 Posted May 3, 2007 Share Posted May 3, 2007 Not a scaphoid fracture, it'd hurt like hell when gripping or under recoil...think bad vibrations. Fractured bones hate it. More than likely DeQuervains, or mild teno-synovitis (which is what DeQuervains is). Avoid things that that aggravate it. Rest, wrap it with a brace, ice the shit out of it. Stop the pushups, or similar maneuvers., or just use your palms. Motrin or naprosyn. FYI... i'm a foot surgeon, but treat mucho tendinitis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulm540 Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 (edited) Ditto on Dequervain's tendinitis.http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/brochure/thr_report.cfm?Thread_ID=52&topcategory=Hand Find you a hand therapist after you consult an MD. Edited May 5, 2007 by bulm540 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Di Vita Posted May 5, 2007 Author Share Posted May 5, 2007 I've been wearing a splint on my thumb and icing it several times daily. I plan on giving it a week or so with very little stress and seeing how it is then. If it isn't any better I'll go to a doctor, but I really want to avoid shoveling out cash for that if I can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam B Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 Having fractured my scaphoid several years ago in a motorcycle racing accident I can attest that it sounds like a scaphoid break/fracture. If you lived over on this side of the state I could have a physical therapist friend of mine take a look at it for free. the real issue you will have is that more than likely you will need surgery to fix the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JThompson Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 It it your right thumb? I get that from loading Beretta mags unless I use the tool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Di Vita Posted May 5, 2007 Author Share Posted May 5, 2007 Now that I do think about it though, if there was a fracture in my hand (another one that is...already have one on one side, but it is old) I'm sure that recoil wouldn't agree too well with it...and I have no pain while shooting. I really think it is tendonitis. It is already feeling better just from the rest and ice I've given it the past few days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Boudrie Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 Google "Hand Surgery" and "USPSA" - You'll find one hell of a nice MD who tends to hand out at USPSA Nationals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9x21 Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 (edited) As a Doctor of practical shooting, I prescibe you skip shooting the Summer blast and Area7/AWARE (if you were going) to rest your thumb. This way, I know I can finish one place higher in both events! (just kidding) Hope you get better soon! JH PS I'm not really a doctor, but I would play one TV if asked Edited May 5, 2007 by 9x21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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