A question of thumbs

[lydy]

So, I accept that the problem with my thumbs is almost certainly the crocheting. It is certainly the thing that changed abruptly and recently. And I have, some days, crocheted as much as four hours or so. But if that is the case, why does the pain and clicking decrease during my wake time? Why does it hurt worst during sleep and just after waking up? And why does crocheting actually feel good while I'm doing it? If, in fact, I'm damaging some damn thing or another, why does doing this thing not hurt?

Any gate, see the doctor on Monday.

Comments

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

All my comments to date have been based on the assumption that it's a form of tendonitis due to repetitive stress syndrome. But if that's the case, it does seem like the activity causing the stress should hurt. So maybe that's not it.

I was struck by the comment by [somebody... I'm too lazy to go back and look] that suggested it could be either RSS or "not strong enough" (e.g. tired muscles). That was the comment that said that if heat helps, it is probably the latter. That would fit with hurting the most at night and in the morning. Tired muscles stiffen up when you AREN'T using them and hurt when you start using them again. (As you get older this becomes the case with a larger and larger proportion of your body, which is why we oldsters creak and complain when we stand up or get out of bed).

I have certainly found that sore muscles from any kind of activity are at their worst in the morning (usually not the morning after, but the NEXT morning) and get better once I am up and moving around.

If it's exhausted muscles, that's a good thing. Because in that case you don't have to STOP crocheting, just cut back a little but keep at it until your muscle strength improves. If it works the same as with larger muscles, you should take off alternate days to let the muscles rest, then go back to it. Ibuprophen should still help. And heat, if that feels good.

Good luck with the doctor, but if you get anything more useful than generic advice that you could find just as easily on the Internet, you've got a remarkably good doctor.

[guppiecat]

Fluid build up in the joints maybe?

[adrian-turtle.livejournal.com]

The tendonitis in my thumb tends to flare worst a few hours AFTER the activity that aggravates it. My guess is that I'm doing something to irritate the tendon, and then it takes a little while for the swelling to develop. Relatively few things set off immediate, shocking, pain.

(Crochet was so bad for my hands I stopped trying.. If you love it and it feels good while you're doing it, you might try it for short intervals, followed by icing your hands to prevent later swelling.)

[gerisullivan.livejournal.com]

Good questions. Seeing the doctor on Monday? Even better.

I hope the result is useful information and a plan that keeps the crocheting and eliminates the noisy thumb pain.

[graydon saunders (from livejournal.com)]

If it is muscular, and you're doing it every day, odds are it will get worse, not better.

You take a day off (at least!) between anything that causes muscle damage. (Even when the muscle damage is intended for "getting fitter" purposes.)