hand pain

[jpcpa]

Have been treated for hand problems for last several years.  Problems have varied from wrist to thumbs and fingers.  Have been treated a few times for tendinitis - in wrists, thumbs, & elbows.  Have 2-3 mm broad-based disc protrusion @ c5-6, contacting ventral cord, contributing to mild central spinal stenosis and mild inner zonal foarminal stenosis on both sides.  have .5 - 1 mm bulge of annulus @ c6-7.  Have 1 - 1.5 mm central to left paramedian disc protrusion @ c4-5, minimally contacting left ventral lateral cord.  Have "attempted ankylosis or advanced narrowing of intervertebral disc spaces" @ c3-5, moderate thinning of discs @ c4-c6, and anterior / posterior marginal oseophytic changes @c5-6, plus mild disc thinning @ t1-5.  Have very mild arthritis in hands.  Have 2 fingers on right hand that won't straighten correctly & 1 on left hand.  Have 2 fingers on left hand that I call joined - they lean against each other & operate together - 2 middle fingers.  Have pain in various knuckles & in thumb, plus on palm of hands @ base of fingers.  Have pain & stiffness in left thumb @ night upon waking & in morning.  Can't lift things using left thumb in mornings w/out pain.  Usually subsides as day progresses.  Pain in knuckles & fingers can radiate.  Sometimes, it will feel like one knuckle, sometimes another, sometimes I can't tell which it is.  Knuckle / finger pain is associated w/ usage - computer, driving, being main contributors - but can also occur w/out usage.  Palm pain can vary in intensity, but can be so bad that even light touch hurts.  Seems to be associated w/ usage, but can occur just from walking.  Doesn't last long - only a couple minutes - but comes with more frequency as day progresses.  Have had mri's of both hands, have been tested for carpal tunnel, and have been tested for rheumatoid arthritis.  All tests negative, except for things already stated.  No tendinitis, no tenosynovitis.  Latest conclusion from various specialists is that it is either some sort of inflammatory problem or some sort of neuropathy.  Have been told the symptoms are symmetrical, if that makes a difference.  Specialists have included neurosurgeon, neurologist / physiatrist, orthopedic surgeon, hand surgeon, and rheumatologoist (although I seriously question the rheumatologist's abilities).  Other than two fingers being joined, finger / palm symptoms have occurred subsequent to last visit w/ neurologist / physiatrist.  Do symptoms match any sort of neuropathy?  Could problem be from the cervical arthitis & herniated discs?  I am scheduled for cortizone spinal treatments.  Might this take care of problems?  Have an appt still scheduled w/ neurologist / physiatrist.  Suggestions on what I might need to tell any specialists that I haven't yet?