Is it possible for arthritis to come on suddenly?

[HappyGrace]

First of all, I've always been a knuckle cracker. :( I'm sorry, I know it's horrible as well as annoying! Anyway, starting about three wks ago, I could all of a sudden no longer crack the knuckle on my right pointer finger, the knuckle closest to the hand. It won't go past a certain point, and if I try to push further, it hurts. When I leave it alone, it is somewhat painful but not bad. But I'm having trouble opening jars because it feels stiff. It doesn't look swollen or anything, it's just stiff and kind of achy. I had no injury or strain-this just appeared literally overnight one day.

 

How do I know if it's arthritis? Should I get it looked at? Also, any ways to prevent further damage?

 

PS. I don't need to be admonished about knuckle cracking-I am very embarrassed about it and have tried for years to stop. :tongue_smilie: Having this happen is a HUGE impetus to stop cracking the rest of the fingers, believe me!

Edited October 9, 2010 by HappyGrace

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[IsabelC]

Not sure.

 

I have only got very early stage arthritis in my fingers. Well I *think* that's what it is. My grandmother had it terribly, my mother has it, and I have expected to develop it since the optometrist told me I would (apparently people prone to arthritis have some trait that can be seen on examining their eyes :confused:). Now all my finger joints get pain every so often, particularly one joint which was fractured some years ago and healed badly. Anyway, not 100% sure it's arthritis, *but* it comes on suddenly and I have discovered that it is linked to barometric pressure levels.

 

With your knuckle, I would definitely suggest you get it examined by your medical professional. If it's not arthritis, might it be some sort of infection?

[snickelfritz]

Could it be a repetitive motion type injury (ie....carpal tunnel?) I had many of the symptoms that you described (focused around my pointer finger) and they did come on quite suddenly and I could never trace it back to a single incident. Mine worsened to include pain up my hand, wrist, and forearm. It was mostly in my right, but I felt some pain in my left. It was worse in the morning (I would catch my fingers going numb at night), better during the day, and worse again in the evening (I think from being overused.)

 

Anyway, I iced it, used motrin to reduce swelling, and bought a wrist brace at the pharmacy. After about 2 weeks, it was better. I had done a little research and it seemed as though that was the most a doctor would tell me, unless it persisted.....so I self-treated. :)

 

Anyway.....just an idea.

[HappyGrace]

I don't think it's carpal tunnel because it's just in the joint (at least so far!)

 

Grr..I don't want to get old!

[JudoMom]

I don't think it's carpal tunnel because it's just in the joint (at least so far!)

 

Grr..I don't want to get old!

 

I suppose it could be osteoarthritis, though it wouldn't typically be a sudden onset. Rheumatoid arthritis can have a more sudden onset, but it tends to be symmetrical. I would guess an injury/overuse of some sort would be the most likely cause.

[RegGuheert]

I have had infectious arthritis, which comes on very rapidly (and can go away just as rapidly). It is caused by either a bacterial or a yeast infection. That said, I doubt this is what you are experiencing since infectious arthritis would tend to be more systemic than just showing up in one joint. I had pain in the joints in my legs and arms when I had it.

[Mom2absh]

Is it possible it could be Lyme's Disease? Joint problems can come up later, if you weren't treated for it initially. I would go to the MD & get it checked, and be sure to ask about tick-borne illnesses. Don't let them dismiss you - it's easy enough to start with a blood test.

 

J

[kalanamak]

First of all, I've always been a knuckle cracker. :( I'm sorry, I know it's horrible as well as annoying! Anyway, starting about three wks ago, I could all of a sudden no longer crack the knuckle on my right pointer finger, the knuckle closest to the hand. It won't go past a certain point, and if I try to push further, it hurts. When I leave it alone, it is somewhat painful but not bad. But I'm having trouble opening jars because it feels stiff. It doesn't look swollen or anything, it's just stiff and kind of achy. I had no injury or strain-this just appeared literally overnight one day.

 

 

Gotta start somewhere. Sounds like what I started with, intermittently, in my mid-thirties. It would be quiet for a year or so, and then worsen. Slowly I noticed limitation in range of motion and I found myself no longer willing to do whatever it takes to a get a lid off a jar. My muscles are strong, but I suffer if I put that kind of strain on my joints. It is a big bummer....my folks didn't get this. Base of the thumbs is the worst!

[HappyGrace]

Please don't say Lyme disease!!!! Dd was bedridden with it all last winter!!!

 

I guess it is probably arthritis coming on. If I go to a dr. will they even be able to do anything? Anything I can do to prevent?

[lisabelle]

My dad's arthritis came on quite suddenly, and it was in his hands. At the time our family had received a shipment of pork from a relative's farm and he was the only one who would eat it, so the doctor's initial concern was that he had...is it trichimonas?...parasites.

 

He would have flare-ups where he was really uncomfortable, but I think he must have figured out what some of his triggers were because the flare-ups got to be fewer and further between. Cold is a common trigger, but I think there were some foods as well, and I bet it's one of those things that's different for everyone. I wish I could tell you more about what worked for him, but I was a self-involved teenager at the time and my dad was a quiet, stoic man.

[celticmom]

Food allergies can cause arthritis symptoms. My mother has had major problems with that. Most of her issues were with her hips before she had them replaced.