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What Causes Severe Sudden Onset Of Hand Pain?
Question: My husband has severe sudden onset hand pain ... both hands. No swelling, no redness, just pain. We cannot get an appt with our doctor for a week. My husband is 64, has diabetes Type II, has 3 stints from 2 heart attacks (2005 and 2006), and had a stroke in Oct. 2014. We have tried bio-freeze, heat, Aleve to no avail. He tried one 5/325 Oxycodone. It helped slightly. Is osteoarthritis the most likely cause, or could this be related to his stroke, even though it is several months after the event? Because it is so sudden, I am worried that it is something worse than osteoarthritis.
Brief Answer:
Stroke unlikely to the cause.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I must say your concern is understandable.
Stroke at times when affecting certain areas can cause pain in a limb. However it would affect only one side and usually more of the limb than only the hand. So the answer is no, I do not think it is related to stroke in your husband's case.
Osteoarthritis is one possibility. Another possibility is carpal tunnel syndrome, compression of the median nerve in the wrist. It is common in diabetics and it can be bilateral, usually the pain more prominent on the palmar side of first 3 fingers, though it can irradiate. However if the onset was very sudden and both sides at the same time it is a little uncommon for both these conditions.
There is also diabetic polyneuropathy, but it involves more commonly the lower limbs first, the upper ones come later, but still there are less typical presentations.
While I understand you can not see a doctor for now I suggest you try and check yourself his pulses on both hands, to make sure they are felt (actually there should be some color changes if the pain was related to lack of blood supply, but still better to make sure).
I remain at your disposal for further questions.
Stroke unlikely to the cause.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I must say your concern is understandable.
Stroke at times when affecting certain areas can cause pain in a limb. However it would affect only one side and usually more of the limb than only the hand. So the answer is no, I do not think it is related to stroke in your husband's case.
Osteoarthritis is one possibility. Another possibility is carpal tunnel syndrome, compression of the median nerve in the wrist. It is common in diabetics and it can be bilateral, usually the pain more prominent on the palmar side of first 3 fingers, though it can irradiate. However if the onset was very sudden and both sides at the same time it is a little uncommon for both these conditions.
There is also diabetic polyneuropathy, but it involves more commonly the lower limbs first, the upper ones come later, but still there are less typical presentations.
While I understand you can not see a doctor for now I suggest you try and check yourself his pulses on both hands, to make sure they are felt (actually there should be some color changes if the pain was related to lack of blood supply, but still better to make sure).
I remain at your disposal for further questions.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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