Question: 6I left NJ on 12/26 for vacation in solana beach, ca. On this first day of the trip I felt sharp pain in my thumb as I reached into the back seat to grab a snack for my husband. In abingdon, va i purchased a thumb brace which seemed to help. Later in the trip I purchased a second brace to extend protection further down my thumb which also was painful with movement. The braces provided some protection against pain but not complete. I arrived in solana beach on 1/2 and noticed the following: stiffness in my thumb following inactivity, heat felt good and facilitated some mobility. My pain is concentrated in the joint at the base of my thumb. Pain is 6 on a 1 to 10 scale with movement out of a minimal range; 10 being labor pains. I also have a vague recollection of my thumb bothering me before the holidays and maybe loading heavy stuff into the car contributed to the problem. I am obviously out of town which complicates matters. I want to fix the problem, but i am also concerned that the measures i have taken (partial immobilization, heat, movement) might be exacerbating my condition. I think I need an x-ray to rule out an unlikely fracture. I would be grateful for any help.