Painful sudden shifts in wrist

[Nancy T]

Is this arthritis? I will get sudden, painful shifts in my right wrist, but the pain goes away after a few seconds as the wrist seems to ease itself back into place. (No visible shifts, just felt internally.)

Previously this only happened in one small spot in my hand--at the bony prominence that's about an inch and a half away, in a straight line, from the crease between thumb and forefinger. I don't know what that bump is called, but I would feel a sudden painful shift exactly in that spot with often only the tiniest movement of my hand. Now the same kind of painful shift happens straight across my whole wrist, right where the hand meets the arm.

I can be using my hand perfectly normally, carrying heavy things, typing, etc. all day and then suddenly, two or three times a day, I have this sudden painful shift and have to wait a few seconds for it to ease up.

Can this be arthritis? The exact same thing has been happening in the sides of my knees at various times for years. I know I have knee arthritis (from an x-ray). Osteoarthritis runs in my family (father's side).

Thank you for any info!!

[Nancy T]

Hi silverfox, hope your surgery went well. I take ibuprofen and acetaminophen regularly and a couple other meds, but nothing that could affect my joints, I don't think.

Funny, when my spine did that ripply thing, it didn't feel either good or bad. Just ripply! Luckily I don't suffer from back pain.

The only supplement I take is a daily multivitamin, and my doctor just suggested coenzyme Q10 as well.

Thanks,
Nancy

[silverfox67]

   How frustrating for you.  Sorry I haven't been on here - just had surgery.
    Are you taking medications that can possibly be causing side effects that affect you?  Often times we don't even think of our meds when we start having troubles.  
    Btw, I wish I could pop my spine like that with a ripple!!  I think it would feel so good!!  LOL
     So, are you taking any supplements to help your body?  We are in a day and age when so much of our food is modified and not nutritious.  So, we have to take at least multiple vitamins to replenish what the GMOs are taking from us.
    I take so many supplements that I would be embarrassed to let anyone see my "pharmacy".  Some are new and some are some that I took in the past and found didn't work or do anything for me.
    Unfortunately, each one of us will have to determine which supplements work for our individual body.

    Hope you feel better soon.
My daughter has to see the Rheumatologist as she is getting worse.  :(

[Nancy T]

Wow, thanks silverfox. Sorry to hear about your daughter, that can't be fun to have lupus.

I did see a rheumatologist years ago and he was totally uninterested, told me I didn't have any disease, suggested "central sensitization" (i.e., fibromyalgia, which does make sense to me, but not for all my symptoms!) and told me I should think of myself as being in a "time of transition" (yeah, menopause, though I was already 3 years past that).

He did not order a single blood test, but actually I had already had the ANA done 3 or 4 times before and it was always normal, and so are my liver and kidneys. So.. I dunno... not likely lupus. My rheumatologist visit was a self-referral, so maybe that's why he didn't take me seriously.

With some nerve and some joint symptoms, hearing loss, dizziness, Lhermitte's, etc., my case is too confusing and no one takes me seriously anymore, and my symptoms are not severe or obvious. So I have to be my own doctor. The wrist is improving, as these episodes always do, but if it flares up again maybe I'll at least request an x-ray. Bracing it has helped.

Thanks for your advice & encouragement and good luck to your daughter!

Nancy

[silverfox67]

     I think you should see a Rheumatologist since he/she would be in a better position to diagnose anything you might have.  Esp. since you are having pain with the shifting...   Lupus comes to mind as it has connective tissue disease as one of the symptoms.  My daughter has cartilage problems with Lupus.

     Hope this information was helpful...
Wishing you a good outcome

[Nancy T]

Thank you, Silverfox. Yes, I think I might have some mild characteristics of "hypermobility" although not Marfan's per se. Doctors are not interested in diagnosing me with anything, though (I have too many "complaints" and have already seen neurologists for other symptoms). I guess hypermobility is only treated symptomatically anyway. I don't know whether I should rest that wrist or not...if I had a crystal ball I'd know whether it was going to get worse or eventually go away, like so many things do. :) Thanks again for the reply.

[silverfox67]

   There are several conditions that can cause "shifting" .  One is called  Marfan syndrome.  You might want to see a doctor to see if you have something like this.  People who have Marfan's are generally "double-jointed" or have extremely flexible joints.

Wishing you the best

[Nancy T]

Oh, in the past I also had the same thing painful-shifty thing happen in my left elbow, but the elbow has been fine for many years now.

Also I've gone through periods lasting weeks where even slight movement of my back would cause my whole middle spine to "ripple", fortunately painlessly, but I could feel the whole middle part of my spine shifting and popping!