mrl:

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Al - According to your web page "Prof Seegenschmiedt referred to nodules changing through various states starting off soft like a "tomato" through to hardened like a "coconut" .... He said that the hands need to be in an "active" state of change from soft "tomato" to hard "coconut" in order for radiation therapy to be effective."

I have a nodule in the palm of my right hand, that is pretty hard, and nodules in the bottom of both my ring finger and pinky, also pretty hard. So I'm wondering whether RT would help me or not. Only my ring finger is deformed, by about maybe 20 degrees from the PIP. The PIP joint was probably like this for at least 6 months. I thought it was simply arthritis when I first felt it curving (I'm a 56 years old male).

Only a month ago did I accidentally discover that I couldn't flatten my hand, and realized it was due to the hard lump in my hand. I made the mistake of trying to do some stretching, by pushing on that lump. By doing this, I was able to have more flexibility, but after doing this for a few days, it aggravated my chronic tendinitis, that I've had in my hands for several decades. I'm presently trying to get that pain to subside. There was no pain in my hands, before accidentally discovering the lumps and curvature.

I'm trying to determine whether RT could help me, in my stage. Specifically, I would like more flexibility. That would probably require a softening of the nodule on my palm. But the statement above from Prof Seegenschmiedt, seems to indicate I'm not in an "active" state, and RT wouldn't help me. Do you have any further thoughts on this, given yours (and possibly others) experiences? Thanks.

- Mark