I was recently diagnosed with Dupuytrens and ledderhose. over the last week my right hand has begun swelling and I've been feeling a burning sesation under my fingertip pads. I haven't started any type of therepy yet. so when this became to much I went to my hospitals ER with the hopes they would at the very least make a note of this. I realize this is a rare disease. I realize not many ER doctors know anymore about it than I do. What really upset me about my visit to the ER was that the "DOCTOR" prescribed a muscle relaxer! I told her the pain in my shoulder was secondary to the burning in my fingertips. I would have rather she was honest with me and just admitted to not knowing the cause. Has anyone out there experienced this swelling and burning sensation? I just need to know what I should do. the burning feels like a chemical burn under my skin. and my right hand has become discolored. It shows swellig and reddening. I work at a coffee shop and need the use of my right hand. Does anyone out there have any advice for me? I do not see my doctor until next week. and I refuse to spend another 12+ hours in the ER to be prescribed a muscle relaxer!! I was never more insulted before!

I had burning in my fingertips. I also had shoulder pain. It was the pain in the shoulder area that ultimately sent me to the doctor. I had a red spot in my palm that was where the nodule was. As the nodule increased is size, the redness became more white where you could feel the nodule under the skin. I thought the nodule was a callus. My fingertips tingled and were very cold. In fact, as the disease progressed the colder my hand became. I did not have swelling of my hand. When I saw the doctor for my shoulder, I showed her the hand and she did not know what the lump in my palm was. She then referred me to a hand specialist. It took 2-3 months to get an appointment. During that time the nodule became larger and a cord grew that stretched from the base of my middle finger to my wrist. During the next month I proceeded to have a little puckering at the base of the middle finger and a tightening feeling. This tightening feeling made it difficult to grasp objects. I began to see a little pulling of the middle finger down towards my wrist. This all occurred within a 6-7 month period. I was beginning to be unable to use a computer at work. I then had RT, and am in regression.

Good luck with your decisions as to how to treat, and keep us posted.

Lori