Hello all.

First I'll give a quick background of my situation. I posted here a few years ago after my surgery but was unable to log back in so I created a new account. I had a lump in my right palm at the webbing between my thumb and index finger. Dupuyten's was not suspected going into surgery but was the confirmed diagnosis after surgery. I was 25 years old at the time.

One question I have currently is how to best monitor any recurrence of the affliction. My surgeon provided me very little information on what to expect or how to manage this affliction going forward. He merely suggested recurrence as likely but hopefully long down the road. That was about the extent of information I was given by the surgeon. I've since learned a great deal about the disease from online research and this forum.

Since the surgery, I've noticed that both my hands get sore and have a tendency to cramp in the same location where the Dupuytren's nodule was present in my right hand. Initially this occurred primarily in my right hand, which I attributed to being a byproduct of the surgery. But now it is mostly an equal occurrence in both hands after certain strain or usage. This is not an issue that I have experienced prior to the sudden development of the nodule in my right hand several years ago, so naturally I am concerned that this an indication of some Dupuytren's activity. Prior to the nodule forming on my hand the first go around, I would experience some aching in the palm and pain when pressure was applied in the area.

My primary concern and question centers around what to do with this information? I've noticed this soreness in the opposite hand for at least a year now and it becomes quite noticeable after activities such as working out or something that requires tight gripping or straining. Something as simple as handling a video game controller for an extended period of time can result in soreness and aching, and this is the case in the same location on both hands. This aching can last for days. I have no nodules or clearly identifiable chords at the moment but the onset of the nodule the first time around appeared suddenly after an extended period of subtle hand aching.

I'm wondering what would be a reasonable protocol in respect to monitoring and identifying a potentially active Dupuytren's recurrence? I've gathered that my particular circumstances can be indicative of a more active or aggressive form of the disease and also that early recognition of a flare up can provide greater and potentially less intrusive treatment options. Obviously I'd like to avoid surgery, especially considering I've already had it once and will obviously face the potential for a recurrence for a lifetime. Would a doctors visit be advisable based on the symptoms I've described above? Again, I have no nodules or obvious chords so I don't know how much a doctor could glean from a physical examination of my hands or whether there is even anything that could be done without the visible manifestations. However, perhaps a specialist with experience with Dupuytren's could recognize early physical symptoms from an evaluation. Either way, I'm ignorant of what course of action is warranted and would appreciate any advice or comments. I'd like to be proactive and not ignore the signs my body is giving me that something is taking place but I also don't wish to schedule a meaningless doctors visit for something that perhaps is too subtle or vague to be identified or remedied yet.

Thanks for any input and advice you can provide.

Thank you for the reply and sorry for the delay in my response .

What led me to these questions now is the pretty severe soreness I've been getting in my hands after working out or playing sports. After my first surgery I was optimistic that the problem would be under control for quite some time. And other than some mild soreness in my surgically affected hand after too much use, it was. But suddenly I started getting these symptoms in my left hand and recently they have been quite a bit worse in the previously non-affected hand. I'm wondering first and foremost, is it a safe bet to assume this is an indication of Dupuytren's in my left hand as well? The location of the discomfort is likewise on the thumb side. If the answer is yes, which is the only conclusion I've been able come to , then I would like to be aware of all pertinent factors in minimizing any worsening. Is excess strain that results in multiple day soreness possibly aggravating or contributing to progression? My ability to grip is significantly affected by this but when working out, for example, I have to strain and grip with my hands and I simply work through the pain and discomfort. After my last workout doing this, my left hand experienced a much more intense multiple day soreness period where pressure on my palm was rather painful.

As I said before, there are no protruding lumps or cords that I can see but I am experiencing a more significant physical reaction in my hands. One of which I was under the impression was not affected with the disease. I can certainly deal with the discomfort and I know I should feel fortunate that my condition is not as bad some others face but I'd like to make sure I'm not neglecting to take proper actions to mitigate any advancement or worsening at this stage. I've read that radiotherapy can be effective in some instances when used early on. Is it advisable that no actions should be taken until nodules and cords become prominently visible?

Thanks again for any input.