Right hand keeps locking up, help?

[burnaz13]

I've had problems with my hand and arm for a long time and it's getting worse and worse. It started a couple of years ago. I went to see my doctor who said it sounded like a trapped nerve in my neck. He said there was nothing he could do about it and that it would gradually ease off. But it hasn't.

Now, whenever I cup my hand around something and hold it there for more than say 15 minutes, my hand locks up in that position when I try to stretch it out. And if I stretch it out too fast (which is difficult but manageable, just!) I get these horrific electric-shock pains shoot through my arm and hand. It's hard to pin-point the actual starting point of this pain but it usually ends in either my index finger, my thumb or the fleshy part beneath my thumb. Aside from this, I get funny feelings in my hand. It goes tingly and sometimes feels like it's burning. Today I also had a new sensation when I stretched my hand out after using a vacuum cleaner for just five minutes. It felt like the skin was crawling on my hand, like there was ants running all over it or something. My right hand also goes very cold sometimes and this seems to worsen the symptoms.

I'd like to know if anyone has heard of this before and what it might be. Thanks.

 

[tutia]

More info:

I have just finished eating my dinner (which was sardines and toast) and my fingers have gone stiff and my hand aches just because I used a fork for ten minutes.

 

[sneely3]

Anybody? Doctors are rubbish, they keep telling me I'm fine.

 

[llatngib]

You'll need to see a "Hand and Upper Extremity" Surgeon, though they may have a slightly different title in the UK.

I assume you've already seen a neurologist - if your family doc hasn't referred you to a neuro yet, I'd seriously consider getting a new family doc because your symptoms definitely warrant a neurological exam.

 

[mamamaine]

Thanks for the reply. I haven't seen a neurologist since you have to get appointments from the doctor that I'm registered with. I will see him again, though. In fact, I'll print the symptoms off and give them to him, see what he thinks.