Thumb has mechanical problem....

[Matheous-2]

I 'developed' a 'click' in the joint nearest my thumbnail which I had put down to the cold snow weather we recently experienced. The joint is slightly painful and difficult if I move it inward toward my palm. Any one have ideas or experience of this.....I badly staved the joint in question about twenty years ago (without seeing a doctor).....

[smurfchops]

Trigger finger. Google it for info on what causes it. I had it, dr gave me a steroid injection and eventually I had a small operation (local anaesthetic) and thumb is fine now. Apparently it is quite common in middle aged women on their right hand !

[Sqad]

Although the thumb is not the commonest joint to be involved, it does indeed sound like "Trigger Finger"....a problem that involves the tendons.

I would certainly take something like Ibuprofen which may well settle the condition completely.

If not, or the condition worsens, then as smurfchops says a small operation can relieve the symptoms.

[Matheous-2]

Thanks guys - sounds like a good diagnosis.....The 'operation' bit scares me though!!

[smurfchops]

Don't worry Mat, its not a big operation. I was in and out in an hour, no pain. It was really weird though, when the doc made the incision he asked if I wanted to have a look ! I declined. Sorry mat, really, it doesn't hurt. Maybe I shouldn 't have told you that!

[woofgang]

years ago I cut my thumb deeply at the knuckle and severed the nerve. As it healed it grew a knot of nerve tissue on the scar that looked like a wart. The thing was permanently painful and used to split if knocked and bleed profusely. My then GP in Somerset looked at it and said he could cut it off for me under a local I trusted him so said okay. The only thing i felt was the first injection and I watched him cut out the thing and sew it up....honestly never felt a thing.

[smurfchops]

Be brave Matheous :)