Creosote:

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I was formally diagnosed with Dupuytren's in both hands a couple of years back. It's in an early stage--nodules and slight cord formation but no contracture, and has progressed very slowly with long intervals of quiet and not much node growth, if any. About once every year or two the nodules on my right hand in particular will get active--sore and sometimes itchy--and in connection with this I typically get some wrist dystonia (sort of like writer's cramp) and tense muscles/soreness in my pectoral muscles on the right side. Keyboarding aggravates everything. In the past I've been to a hand clinic when this happened & have addressed the symptoms with finger and wrist strengthening, various stretches, ultrasound/laser/ice/electrostim, etc. In general the symptoms have abated and nodes become less active after a few weeks of all this.

The hand clinic closed in an any case I've spent way too much $$$ on PT for an unrelated condition this year so I'm self-treating for now. Eventually radiation therapy may be in my future but I'd like to push that off so long as the nodules are dormant most of the time (that was the advice of an oncologist I consulted with two years ago).

Just wondering what advice others may have for self-treatment at this stage, beyond the hand/wrist exercises and heat / ice / acetaminophen aka paracetamol?

Painful nodules pop up whenever I do anything with my hands that involves gripping; tools, shovel, rake, weights, etc. Now I wear gloves for most everything. And for working out, I wear padded ankle straps on my wrists that hook to the machines. Never use my hands at the gym.

Yes, I've had to give up some things like windsurfing, water skiing, and other grip-intensive activities. But I have tons of other interests to keep me busy the rest of my life regardless of Dupuytrens. The happiest old people are the ones who accept that there are some things they can't do anymore, and they concentrate on what they still can do.

Got steroid injections in several nodules a month ago which knocked out the tenderness, so maybe you should give that a shot (bad pun). But I'm expecting to have my first needle aponeurotomy soon for a pinky contracture if it continues to worsen. Dupuytrens is unpredictable, annoying and may require lifestyle changes, but there are lots worse diseases out there. I hope yours settles down and goes into remission like mine did for 10 years.