My thumbs have been killing me lately. Sometimes, it's difficult to bend them. Or, perhaps, they will really hurt if I accidentally bump my thumbs against anything.

I can empathize.

TheWino

Thanks for the quick responses you guys. The little buggers are locking too. All new to me. Heat really helps, BTW.

Both of my thumbs hurt but my right hurts the most & has two nodules at the base of the joint. They didn't used to bother me but lately they've been hurting a lot.

My massage therapist works on a spot/trigger point near the outside of my elbow that makes it release sometimes. In my case, it seems to be inflammation where the tendon attaches to the joint. My big toes hurt in the same place and I have a nodule at the base of the right one that's shown up in the last week or so. No nodules or pain on my palms or soles of my feet, but my toes do cramp up like crazy sometimes and point in different directions. Haven't tried injections yet. But I might if they keep bothering me. (Ive had bad reactions in the past to cortisone inj in my back) You don't realize how much you use your thumbs until they hurt. Writing & using my hairbrush were really painful today.

I don't take plaquenil just mtx & Enbrel at the moment.

that's a big 10-4

Thanks again for your responses. Sucks for us, but it's good to know... well... that it's "normal"... normal crap!

My mom has had good success decreasing cramps by adding a calcium supplement to her diet. You could try it if you're not already taking one. I find that I get cramps in the side of my hands when I'm doing repetitive small motions (think shelling peas, crocheting....). I think sometimes it's partly because I don't do as much stuff as I used to and when I have to do something that works a lot of muscles they start to cramp up....definitely irritating....