I'm 59, four months ago I fell on a hard surface on the palm of my right hand, with the hand outstreched. I had a wrist strain which is slowly healing, but the main probem now is with my 4th and 5th fingers: since the fall they slowly began to become stiff, now I can't touch the palm of my hand with them and the tendons are swollen, both on the fingers and on the hand palm area (on the palm there are also small lumps / nodules aling the tendons, they started very small but now the largest one is the size of a pea).
The problem is more evident in the morning when I wake up, the fingers can hardly move and there is an acute pain when I try to flex them, then it becomes a little better with warm water. I tried antinflammatory drugs, Arnica and stretching exercises, but I haven't seen any improvements so far.
I had a MR exam two months ago and I went to see two hand doctors, who told me I have tendonitis and gave me prescriptions for antinflammatory drugs, but the situation has only got worse since then.
Looking for information online I found that my symptoms are associated with a disocuraging range of diseases, from generic tendonitis/tenosynovitis to more exotic things like Guyon's canal syndrome, Dupuytren's disease, Lyme disease, Fibromyalgia , cubital tunnel syndrome, trigger finger, nodular stenosis tendinosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus.
Since I definitely have these lumps on my palm that are growing I think I might have Dupuytren's disease, of course I can't make a diagnosis by myself but since I already saw two hand specialists I'm afraid that there are many doctors who can't malke it either, so if possible I would like to learn what is the process that an experienced doctor follows to differentiate between DD and other conditions with similar symptoms.
If it is Dupuytren, I read that it is very important to take action (Radiotherapy) in the early phases, so I want to move quickly.
Any help or suggestion would be greaty appreciated, this is my right hand and it's essential for many daily activities

Thank you, your reply contains very useful information.
Now my challenge is to find a doctor who has real experience diagnosing Dupuytren here in Milan (Italy), where I live.
I'm attaching a photo where I have marked the nodules, in the picture they are not very visible but looking at my hand they are.

Andrea

Edited 01/09/15 12:30

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Hand 2015_01_03.jpg (18x) Mime-Type: image/jpeg, 375 kB

Thank you, I already knew Dr. Pajardi and I'm trying to get an appointment with him. The price of a visit is not cheap, but at this point I'm scared enough to pay what it takes

I would suggest you wait a while and follow my original advice of keeping a photo log. Maybe you will not develop a contracture, ever, or for quite a while, and so have time to consider the options. However if the condition seems to be moving along quite quickly, then RT still remains the only option to slow or arrest it, and while NA or Colleganase might straighten a contracture it will not stop progression or prevent recurrence. It's a choice to be made, and maybe it would help to consult with someone who does treat DD with RT? So either way investigating who might do RT for you is something to do, even if you don't eventually need or have it done.

Hi Christl, so with RT you were able to stop the disease, that's good to hear!
I'm starting to look around here in Italy, but it really looks like RT for Dupuytren is totally unknown here and considered dangerous because of its possible side effects.
I wonder how this is possible, I live in Milan which is not far from Germany and Austria where RT is considered a normal practice.