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Avatar universal

top of thumb won't bend

I'm a 26 year old male, a little more than 5 weeks ago I woke up with a strong pain deep in my elbow when I bent it. That pain left in a day and was replaced by a tightness and burning in my forearm when I stretched for something. Not sore to the touch or numb at all. It took about 5 days and that went away. Now the weird part, the day my arm stopped hurting I felt my thumb getting weak. I couldn't light a lighter very well. In the morning I couldn't bend the top joint at all. I have spoken to a doctor outside of his office. He feels like it is a tendon issue, almost like my arm forgot that movement. Upon touching thumb tip to pinky I couldn't stop him breaking my grasp at all. His opinion was at least 2 months to heal without anymore stress. Has anyone ever heard of this happening? It is not sore, or numb anywhere but also doesn't seem to be improving movement. Should I wear a thumb brace? I paint houses for work and discovered just how much I have to bend and force my thumb throughout the day. Thanks for your time here
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Avatar universal
i was in a Polaris Rzr side by side UTV. It rolled on my arm. My arm appeared to be extremely broken X-rays showed nothing. Within minutes of being at the hospital I noticed my last distal join on my thumb stopped working. I feel as if the motion never existed. Almost like "my arm forgot the motion" as well. This is the first time i've seen anyone relate to my thumb dilemma. I understand my injury considering it was the weight of 1400 lbs (625KG) on my arm. as for the rest of you with 0 trauma or strain I don't understand.
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Avatar universal
I also have the same problem as the original post. I have been to physical theryapy and the pain in my forearm has greatly improved but still can't bend the top of my thumb. My next place i'm going is to see a hand specialist. It's been like this for 2 months now.
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Avatar universal
I also have the same problem going on and they think it's from a pinched nerve in my shoulder area. Been going to a physical therapist and still no improvement.
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3 Comments
Same here, exactly, people enjoy bending it, exept i have it in both hands, i did the maths and(roughly) only 7130 people have it in the world...
Ignore that ^
Ignore that ^
Avatar universal
I know how you feel, i have the exact same thing except i was born with it. Along with having no strength in it and not being able to bend the top joint, it also looks a little weird because there is no wrinkles on the knuckle and the finger is much smaller than any other. People are facinated with it and i haven't been able to find anyone else born like this...i hope you figure out what it is because no doctor has ever told me a specific answer about what causes it...also its on my left hand so its not a huge issue.
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1 Comments
Same here, exactly, people enjoy bending it, exept i have it in both hands, i did the maths and(roughly) only 7130 people have it in the world...
Avatar universal
Hey,

Hopefully I can help. I had a similar experience. I was doing crossfit and did an intense wrist, forearm and shoulder workout and the next day, I felt a weird pain in my arm. I couldn't really trace exactly where it hurt, but I figured it was around my elbow to my hand. A few days later, the pain was gone and I had no strength in the tip of my thumb. I could move my thumb base, but the tip had no strength.

I had an x-ray on my spine and saw a orthopedic surgeon for my hand but had no results. Then I saw a neurologist. He determined that I had a pinched nerve in my forearm that was causing my thumb issue. He said that it would take a few months for it to heal naturally and to stop doing any strength activities that involved my wrist/forearm.

Hope this helps..
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Avatar universal
Very similar story, earlier elbow/arm,shoulder pain that disappeared, but no known injury and 62 year old female, use computer mouse, keyboard a lot.  No pain in thumb, just doesn't work to bend last distal joint.in right thumb.  Same story, first noticed with trying to use a lighter. First joint seems to work fine.  Just thought it was a curious mystery "fluke"  associated with age, and not a big deal.  But I guess it's been about 5 weeks so wondering how others have fared.
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Avatar universal
I have the exact same thing described in the original post, down to first noticing it (even before the "funny bone" pain subsided" as the inability to work a lighter. As the pain sent away, the paralysis got worse. Three weeks later, no improvement.

I hope you are still following the thread and can tell me what your outcome was.
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Avatar universal
hi a couple of years ago my dad was trying to open a wine bootle and by mistake some of the glass of the neck of the bottle cut his ligament in his thumb. Ever since he cannot move his thumb and the wrinkles on the joint of the thumb have disappeared. He doesn't usually go to doctors but if he goes what can they do about it and will it ever be back to normal? My dad says it will need surgery and if possible how much will it cost?
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Avatar universal
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hello!

If may be a nerve related or a tendon related problem.
You can wear a thumb splint
You need to visit an orthopedician for proper examination and need to do some physiotherapy on a regular basis to relieve your symptoms once your healing starts.

Take care!
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