Hi,

I'm a 23 YO Asian female which apparently puts me statistically at a low chance of having Dupuytren's but I am concerned that I do have it. Over the past ~5 years, I've noticed my hands lose range of motion that they used to possess. Now, it takes effort to hold my fingers completely straight and after holding the fingers straight (on my R hand) for a while, the base of my fingers show slight paling from loss of blood. It's only near the crease where my fingers meet my palm but it's still concerning. Also, my joints sort of hurt if I close my hand tightly and I feel like lots of computer work, especially using a mouse or trackpad makes it worse. I don't notice any cords or nodes but the base of my 3rd and 4th fingers (moreso on my R hand which has less flexibility) have a rough callus like patch on the inside. The callus is a little more sensitive to pressure than the rest of my hand.

Also, I originally thought I had Dupuytren's when I noticed an increase in symptoms after I started taking glucosamine thinking that I possibly had osteoarthritis. Once I read about how my symptoms fit well, I had a bit of a freakout and stopped taking the glucosamine. After a while, my symptoms subsided a bit and I had other things going on in my life that distracted me, so I sort of stopped worrying about it. Recently I started thinking/worrying about it and I am wondering whether this sounds like it fits Dupuytren's. I would like to see a doctor but I am concerned about whether my symptoms would be considered severe enough to fit the diagnosis. I am concerned that since I do not have any nodes/strings or contracture yet, the doctor would not be able to make a diagnosis.

I am very interested in RT since it seems to be the best treatment but I am concerned with the possibility of not catching it early enough for maximal effectiveness. Also, if any one has information of patient requirements for RT, that would be greatly appreciated! Thank you so much for at least reading this far!

Regardless of whether your symptoms indicate Dupuytren's, you should see a doctor. You are experiencing discomfort and progressive loss of function, neither of which is normal or acceptable at your age.

Although my profile (older, diabetic) and symptoms (knuckle pads, cord thickening, Lederhose) more clearly fits the picture of Dupuytren's, I am just going to the doctor tomorrow to seek a diagnosis. Because I am not as familiar with all the permutations of the disease as those here who have had it for some time, I do not feel I know enough to offer an opinion as to whether you have it.

Diseases that are more common in older people, like arthritis or Dupuytren's, are often more aggressive when they appear in people younger than the typical age at diagnosis, so you need to find out what is affecting your hands as soon as you can and whether it can be treated.