Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...

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aggie83 05/30/2011

Wow, what kind of an idiot am I?P!!!

Got in the car this afternoon with the hubby and I'm driving. I slammed the door on my own hand while sitting in the car! Now how awkward is that!? I smashed the DIP joint on the three middle fingers of my left hand and had to get my dear hubby to open the door... just a little painful. (Not to mention I was about to pass out..) I do not think any bones are broken, maybe cracked but not broken.

Well, I've iced it up and it was okay for the first few hours. Now BOTH hands are hurting! And the PIP joints are hurting now too! Could the trauma of my stupidity be bringing on a flare? I am taking 200 mg plaquenil twice a day, and have weaned down to 2.5 mg prednisone every other day. Been feeling great lately and have not had any hand pain.

AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

deleted_user 05/30/2011

You should definitely go get an xray done. You have too many RA issues to add another unknown. At least you could have peace about how bad it is and get a pain med to help you sleep tonight if the other stuff you take isn't working. I'll be praying for you to get some relief.

deleted_user 05/30/2011

I am so sorry! How awful! I agree with Elizabeth, you should have an xray just to be sure, plus if you broke the skin make sure you are current on tetanus -- although if you aren't I'm not sure that you can have the injection.

I shut my hands in lots of things, I just can't feel them all the time. Watch out for yourself!

deleted_user 05/30/2011

Don't you hate it when that happens? Remember the days when you could acccept the hurt and bruising, and just wait and see? Now you know PIP joints, trauma and meds.

Best wishes on this. I agree with the others. Don't think stupidity and get it checked out, for your own peace of mind.

deleted_user 05/30/2011

Do you think you are more clumsy than you used to be? I'm really noticing it a lot lately. Yesterday I smashed my head into a towel rack in my bathroom that has been there for 11 years.

If it is not one thing, it is another. I hope nothing is broken, and don't worry, we all do things like this sooner or later. I think even well people do stuff like this. LOL

loftyc 05/31/2011

Agree with the others you should get it checked and xrays.

deleted_user 05/31/2011

Ouch! I've done this myself a few years ago. I felt like an idiot! I couldn't imagine how painful it was having RA and smashing anything! My daughter opened our bedroom door and I was standing in the way, and the door hit my elbow and the corner slammed into my foot. I cried like a big baby. It hurts though! The pain is magnified when you have RA.

I agree that you should have it checked out just to be sure nothing is broken. I hope the pain subsides soon.

deleted_user 05/31/2011

Go get an xray. Do you have xray vision? Do you know what damage was done? Even soft tissue injuries are painful, serious, and can take a long time to heal. You might need a cast or a wrap or a brace. Just because you have RA doesn't mean you don't need medical attention for other things too.

Fonzy09 06/01/2011

I'm so sorry you hurt your hand. I am praying it gets better soon and no lasting damage. But I have one question. How in the world did you close the car door on your own hand while sitting in the car?

aggie83 06/01/2011

all's well in the finger joints---no pain, no swelling, no bruising. swelling in the tops of the feet and other parts of the hands though.... I think it was sparked by the door shutting trauma-drama! That and heightened personal stress (will the new Texas budget have my salary in it? ) create the perfect flare storm!

How did I do it from inside? Only an Aggie could accomplish this! I believe I reached back with the left hand to grab the seat belt to make sure it was inside before shutting the door. (The latch tends to point outward). With left hand cupped, palm facing the backseat, I was preparing to scoop that metal part when my right arm reached over and shut the door too quickly.

CharlieBaxter 06/01/2011

I think that it would be worth a trip to the Dr. and maybe an X ray. All I can say is Owwwwwwww, that had to hurt. I haven't done anything like that for years, last time I remember doing a finger in the door was when the kids were little, got two on the left hand closing the rear door after loading my daughter into a car seat. My problem is just being tippy on the old feet. Falling down every now and then, kinda gotten used to it :-) Hugs, Charlie

deleted_user 06/02/2011

I'm glad that the swelling went down. I relate to your story because I have done this before. It's like my mind was so set on closing the door but it wasn't aware that my hand was there, LOL.

I'm sorry all of this has caused a flare though and I hope you come out of it soon.

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