Hi everyone,

This is my first post, as I was diagnosed with DD yesterday, so please excuse the length. I'm feeling a bit concerned about the whole thing.

I'm 30 years old and in very good health otherwise (no diabetes, smoking, excessive alcohol use). As far as family history goes, my mom recalls her mother mentioning decades ago that her mother's brother had curled-in fingers and needed treatment. The name Dupuytren's Disease wasn't used, and my grandmother died a number of years ago, as did her brother, so I can't really verify. It does sound like DD though...

For about the past year I've had a small (maybe 1cm diameter) lump in the palm of my hand about 1 inch down from the gap between my pinkie and ring fingers. In typical young-person fashion, I decided the best treatment was to ignore it, as it wasn't hurting me. A few months ago, however, what appeared like a small callous began to develop on the lump and was causing some discomfort. I went to the dermatologist. He wasn't sure what it was, but suspected a wart. He biopsied it and about a week later called to say that the biopsy came back positive for a wart. I came back in and he did the freeze treatment.

With the wart diagnosis and freeze treatment, I've become much more conscious of my hand. About the same time as the freeze treatment, I noticed a cord running under the skin up to the "wart." The cord isn't visible, but can be felt. It's about 1 inch long and seems to lead up from another lumpish-feeling spot, but that lump also isn't visible. I have no apparent symptoms anywhere else in this hand or my left hand (or my feet). I'll also state, to my relief, that I have basically no contraction. I can still hyper extend the fingers on my right hand, although I feel some tension in the ring finger when really hyper extended, which I don't feel in the left hand ring finger at the same angle.

Some internet research had me concerned that this might be the beginnings of DD, so yesterday I visited an orthopedist who specializes in hand surgery. He diagnosed DD. He told me that many, maybe even most people with DD never progress to the point of requiring intervention, and he suggested to wait until I couldn't pass the "tabletop test." At that point, he'd recommend surgery, as he feels that the non-surgical options have a higher incidence of recurrence.

So, those are the broad strokes of my story.

I'd love to hear from anyone else diagnosed with DD around age 30. How has your disease progressed? I'm concerned that my young age foreshadows a difficult time with DD over my lifetime. It seems that most people without contraction develop DD later in life. I'm concerned that with, hopefully, a long life ahead of my, there's lots of time for my DD to get out of control...

Also, has anyone else heard of DD being misdiagnosed as a wart? I'm having the dermatologist send the lab report to my orthopedist. Maybe it really is a wart, but the cord runs right up to it and ends at it, so that seems like too much of a coincidence to me.

Thank you all so much!!

spanishbuddha:

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Hi

We have some threads on younger people being diagnosed with DD. Start here https://www.dupuytren-online.info/Forum_...1545730998.html

Your diagnosis doesn't sound too convincing!? You dont mention the usual related symtoms, soreness, itching, tingling, aches, or other related conditions, etc, You are not that far from a day trip to Dr Pess in NJ who has a wealth of experience in treating DD, usually with NA, and a consultation with him to confirm or deny the diagnosis might be useful. He would be your go-to in the event of a contracture.

It's true that most people with DD don't get a contracture, but it is impossible to predict for sure. Any other related symptoms or associated risk factors?

I would be inclined to have a further consultation with a specialist, research your treatment options and have a plan ready for the different stages, if the condition deteriorates or progresses; that might mean researching who in your area might do RT, NA as already mentioned, or even surgery; and then half-forget it and carry on with your life; although avoid risk factors if possible and injury or trauma to hand, wrist, shoulder as much as possible from DIY, hobbies, etc

Best wishes SB

noodles12:

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Also diagnosed recently - 33yo. Left pinky contracture - no other symptoms yet...

The more worrying thing is not so much the bent pinky, which has minimal effect on my life, but the potential for long term progression. It sounds like in general, progression is quite random and difficult to predict - even for people who get it young?

Edited 02/17/21 19:18