Arthritis in thumbs: symtoms question?

[Orchidflower]

If at the base of your thumb the pad there gets hot, swells and turns a little red, this is just a symptom of arthritis, right?

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Orchid, the term arthritis is pretty generic and just means inflammation of a joint. So, inflammation from infection, gout, rheumatoid or other specific cause are all considered arthritis.

In laymen's terms, most people mean osteoarthritis when the just say arthritis. That's the wear-and-tear kind that so many of us mature people develop. While it can cause painless bumps (really bone callouses), it does not generally cause redness or swelling.

Going waaayyy out on a limb here, but what you describe could arise from prolonged use of a computer mouse, painting the walls, or other repetitive stress. If it lasts more than a couple or 3 weeks, worth checking out with your internist.

Sorry for a long answer to a simple question.

 

[donheff]

If it was your big toe it would sound like gout. Can you get gout in your thumb?

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

If it was your big toe it would sound like gout. Can you get gout in your thumb?

Absolutely. And wrist, ankle, knee, elbow, and kidney stones and other exciting venues. Toe is most common ("podagra") but not the only target.

 

[Orchidflower]

Thank you for the information. And sorry I left the "p" out of symptom in the heading. I type much slower than I think and never proof half the time.
Gout does run in my family, but I eat little red meat now. When I started to get painful shooting pains in my big toe I knew it was gout (and, hey! it hurts, too!), quit eating much red meat and the pains quit totally. My food is not that rich, so I feel I am safe from getting full blown gout like my cousin has--who has to walk with a cane now and is often in severe pain! Who needs that kind of pain...not me.
I suspect from what you say, Rich, that it is from the computer mouse. I do stay on this computer alot, am right handed and the pain is only in the right hand. Makes sense! Thank you again for your information!

 

[donheff]

Gout does run in my family, but I eat little red meat now. When I started to get painful shooting pains in my big toe I knew it was gout (and, hey! it hurts, too!), quit eating much red meat and the pains quit totally. My food is not that rich, so I feel I am safe from getting full blown gout like my cousin has--who has to walk with a cane now and is often in severe pain! Who needs that kind of pain...not me.

It runs in my family too. I believe the red meat bugaboo is a myth. Tell your cousin that a daily dose of Allopurinol keeps it at bay. No need for pain.

 

[haha]

It runs in my family too. I believe the red meat bugaboo is a myth. Tell your cousin that a daily dose of Allopurinol keeps it at bay. No need for pain.

I think strss is a factor also. I had one attack- I had a stressful situation trying to make sales quotas, and I went out at night and had a huge plate of fried chicken livers. I think by the nest day my big toe looked like Rudolf's nose. I quite the job, and slowed way down on chicken livers and it cleared up.

Ha

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Precipitators of gout in predisposed people include gluttony, non-wine alcohol, low doses of aspirin, weight gain, rapid weight loss, meat and fish.

Gout is often felt to be a sure sign of higher intelligence and wit. To wit: Julius Caesar, Alexander Graham Bell, Ben Franklin among others.

 

[FIRE'd@51]

Precipitators of gout in predisposed people include gluttony, non-wine alcohol, low doses of aspirin, weight gain, rapid weight loss, meat and fish.

I've also heard that gout can be a side effect of some BP medications (in particular, diuretics). Is this true?

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

I've also heard that gout can be a side effect of some BP medications (in particular, diuretics). Is this true?

Thiazides raise uric acid levels and can precipitate gout in susceptible people. Same with furosemide (lasix). But thiazides are great drugs for BP treatment and in low doses are very well tolerated (and inexpensive).

 

[toofrugalformycat]

Thank you for the information. And sorry I left the "p" out of symptom in the heading. I type much slower than I think and never proof half the time.
Gout does run in my family, but I eat little red meat now. When I started to get painful shooting pains in my big toe I knew it was gout (and, hey! it hurts, too!), quit eating much red meat and the pains quit totally. My food is not that rich, so I feel I am safe from getting full blown gout like my cousin has--who has to walk with a cane now and is often in severe pain! Who needs that kind of pain...not me.
I suspect from what you say, Rich, that it is from the computer mouse. I do stay on this computer alot, am right handed and the pain is only in the right hand. Makes sense! Thank you again for your information!

Back when I was w*rking at a computer full time, I found switching the mouse from my right to my left hand every week or two helped spread out the wear and tear on achy joints. It's easier than it sounds.

 

[Khan]

Back when I was w*rking at a computer full time, I found switching the mouse from my right to my left hand every week or two helped spread out the wear and tear on achy joints. It's easier than it sounds.

Or switch to a laptop with a touchpad (works for me).

 

[Orchidflower]

I've been taking 81 mg. of aspirin for ages. Why? I have no idea, but I started so long ago that I have just kept it up.
Are you saying that low doses of aspirin can kick off gout Yikes!

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

I've been taking 81 mg. of aspirin for ages. Why? I have no idea, but I started so long ago that I have just kept it up.
Are you saying that low doses of aspirin can kick off gout Yikes!

I'm saying that low doses of aspirin raise your uric acid level. If you have gout, that may make it worse. If you are one of the 95% of people who don't have gout, i won't "cause it."

Oddly, in high doses like we used to give for bad inflammatory conditions, it actually lowers uric acid levels.

 

[donheff]

Gout is often felt to be a sure sign of higher intelligence and wit. To wit: Julius Caesar, Alexander Graham Bell, Ben Franklin among others.

I knew I had something going for me.

 

[Orchidflower]

Now that is interesting...thanks Rich_in_Tampa. Who knew?