G'day Gang,

Just wanted to mention a little of what I've been up to in the 6 months I was first diagnosed with DD.

I sought a lot of advice (a lot of which came from my brilliant brother - a doctor of Chinese medicine) and I believe I've successfully halted the disorder.

I had two small lumps either side of the crease in my palm, about 1inch below the ring finger on my left hand. For some time after I noticed the nodules they were painful to press... particularly if I picked something up and it pressed them into my palm. I have not had any contraction or noticeable cord. I believed my regular rockclimbing (3+ times per week - hard grades) and my violin playing were major contributors to the onset of the disorder.

So I stopped climbing and changed how I gripped the violin and regularly "massaged" the nodules. I believe it's the way I massage the area that has halted it's progress. The way I do it is to dry my hand (sweat - even a little - doesn't help) or use climbing chalk to help pinch the nodule. It's like I'm trying to pinch and separate the skin (which had thickened over the nodules) from the underlying tissue/nodule. Then I sort of role the skin between my fingers until the purchase is firm then I pull the skin up and away from my palm. This hurts HEAPS! but it feels as if it thwarts the disorder's growth. If I pull the skin up and to the right (toward my little finger) it hurts the most and feels the most beneficial - but this might simply be peculiar to my particular nodules.

The idea behind it is what my brother called "facia stretching". The chinese believe in stagnation of things, in this case the fascia tissue and it's important to keep it mobile. I hope I'm explaining all this ok?! Basically the theory is fascia tissue won't stretch if pulled quickly. It will tear instead. So the idea is to pull it slowly and hold it for at least 30secs. And I do notice the pain subsides after a good consistent 30sec stretch. You might be thinking you want to tear the fascia with a quick, sharp tug (with enough purchase) but the fascia is bound to already moveable substructures... so I stretch it.

The chinese use the fascia technique on other parts of the body (sternum and lower back) to remove/alleviate stagnation. Do you ever get a sore lower back? You can take a good pinch of skin over your back bone above your bum and pull it out til it won't go any further, then tug it sharply from there and you will hear a pop (sounds like a knuckly cracking) You should be able to do that over each vertebrae (roughly) up til about half way up your back. This sharp pop is the fascia tearing - and it DOESN'T hurt at all. If you try it on your sternum if won't tear, here you can only stretch it by pinching and pulling and holding - this DOES hurt.

I should also make it know, we're not of Chinese descent (in case my brother's profession confused you). We are of English/Scottish background.

Hope some of you might find this interesting...

Regards,

Scotty

what about rock climbing triggered the D.C.?

wouldn't exercise increase circulation,which I would think would be good...

I discovered I had DP about three months ago. It was at the beginning stage. Three nodules, two small and one the size of two peas. They were hard. My fingers were not yet contracted. I went to a doctor and he said there was not anything to do at this stage. I looked at this forum and read that certain people had success with stretching and massaging around the modules. Even tho I saw on a site by a doctor that you should not massage near the nodule, I ignored this. I have followed in the last two to three months an aggressive massage and stretching treatment. The two small nodules have virtually disappeared. The larger one remains flattened and after a massage is almost gone. The stretch consists of placing my hands together, like I am praying, and pushing back and forth. Or, locking my fingers palms out, and pushing outside. The massage consists of gentle moving the nodule back and forth, as if I am trying to remove it from the cord. This massage seems to work best when I feel a little pain by stretching the nodule from the cord.

I can't say that what I have done will work for everyone of it it is even a good idea, but it has worked for me.