Osteoarthritis of the Thumb: Treatments and Surgery

Part 1

About 2 1/2 years ago I started have pain in the fatty section of my palm of my right hand. It would come and go. At that time taking Ibuprofen and resting my hand worked. Then for awhile I had no problems with my thumb at all. It would come and go. The pain I could tolerate and I was able to still use my hand. Slowly the pain increased and using my thumb to pull up my slacks, cut my food, put my hair up, became difficult but, I managed as the pain was not severe. Finally I went into see my doctor and she referred me to a Orthopedic doctor. I went in for my appointment and Dr. G. had me make a fist, try to squeeze his hand, have me try to pick things up with my thumb and index finger which was very painful and hard to accomplish. He decided to try to treat the joint with an injection of Cortisone directly into the joint of my thumb that attaches to my hand. This was rather painful but I could feel the joint expanding. He said that if I had anymore pain with in the next 2 weeks to come back and he would use and x-ray machine to view my thumb while injecting another round of cortisone.