That is my experience also - my rheumy doesn't quite find the spots that hurt, but they are there for sure. I actually had two rheumatologists examine me yesterday and the same thing happened. I'm sore today from all the squeezing.

The good news is that I don't have any inflammation or damage, so we are sticking with just the Plaquenil and the Cymbalta for the pain. I get a little disgruntled by the things I can't do, like playing ball with my 11 yo son, but maybe I am supposed to make more of my relationships instead of always "doing" things.

Hope you feel better soon.

Jane

My rheumatologist has me fill out a form that is one page front and back that asks me to rate my physical abilities, my pain, if I feel my pain is worse or better. It also has a section that has me indicate which joints I'm having problems with. He usues this each visit as comparision to last forms to see if I'm better or worse. Based upon my answers, he asks me during the physical exam which areas I hurt the worse and he examines these areas asking me if it is tender or where it is tender. Communication is key between patient and physician.

Open the lines of communication and ask the doctor what he is looking for when he is doing this examination and if he needs you to tell him where you are hurting. More than likely he is feeling for inflammation and changes in the joints, but ask and participate in your assessment. :)

My rheumy does the "squeeze" test - checks each joint in the fingers - they also don't hurt when he presses, but then he squeezes my hand - yup that hurts, same with feet - and yes, when I'm done there - I hurt all day!! :/ Of course, I also go to a huge Boston hospital for my visits and infusions so there is a lot of walking to day!

I'm having issues with my rheumy right now that I won't get into here .... but when a rheumy tells you you have no sign of inflammation, after treating you for 5 months with an infusion after saying that "your disease is active"...that blows...

My Rheumy doesn't do any of that. She has a form that has a picture of a body and she tells me to show her what joints I am having problems with that day and she makes a mark on the body picture. About once every 3rd visit she will do a full exam where she will move my joints and ask me how the movement feels. She just tells me she can see that I still have issues with swelling and inflammation and the other things that seem important to her is how long I am still stiff in the morning and how many joints I am having problems with.

Oh i am the same he says is this sore i say nope all good but i try to explain the pain is sharp and shooting and makes them not work what a crazy thing we have.

Sometimes. Has a set routine and I am so much more stable now and in a state system I mainly see a nurse unless I pay to go privately. But all of them have a very similar routine. I actually save time and say where I most hurt nowadays. There is usually plenty to get through in a half hour slot so that saves time. I also say where I have been most affected since my last appointment.

I am however interested about them checking the "webbed" part of your fingers rather than on the joints. I did some alternative health training and learned about the way imbalance in the body can show up in such places with pain. Like early warning signs. eg the part between thumb and first finger is a classic. I find it so strange that a conventional doctor would look here when with RA the inflammation centres around joints and I have never been checked between fingers although have between the bones of the feet running down from the toes, but that makes sense.

I totally agree with the law that states that almost all pain will disappear on entering the rheumy's lair....

This discussion is so enlightening. I, too, have my best days when I see my rheumy. What is up with that, guys? I have only seen my doc twice so far. First appt she spent an hour with me and checked a lot of joints. She didn't do the between the fingers thing. She checked the actual joints. The second appointment she spent going over lab work and only checked my still-swollen elbow joints, but I did tell her I could type now w/o my fingers huring. That appointment she also gave me my handicapped placard, and said she was happy to see I was wearing more supportive shoes. I like this woman. She takes her time with me and she does seem to care about my pain.

My rheumy always checks my hands and other joints. She also asks me to assess the pain I have and identify the body parts it is in. Sometimes, I think she knows my body better than I do!

Lynne

Basically you need to be as descriptive as possible. Most Drs. are not mind readers. lol I hurt a lot in-between fingers too but whether it's my H or his partner they always go for the joints first. One thing they do have on their side that many Rheumys don't is an ultrasound. So if like me your body is playing games with you the day of the appointment and all of the sudden all pain disappears the ultrasound can pick it up anyway with tell tail signs of inflammation, loss of blood flow, joint damage or injury. If you can find a Dr. with an ultrasound this is sooooo helpful not just in finding the exact location of problem areas but is much safer when injecting areas such as wrists, ankles, fingers and areas that are small or where more injury can happen if the needle strays.

Lorilou

thanks, all. my doc does check my finger joints also btw, it's just curious to me that he checks the webbed thing etc. (i do sometimes get swollen in there but so far not when I've seen him , of COURSE ) LoL
last time he did it , I said at one point, no I don't think that hurts and he said "you have pain there" or something similar which made me laugh and made me wonder, am I so used to the pain at this point that I don't even realize some of it? It's possible. I'd been undiagnosed at least 8 years. probably longer.