Just a follow up to the posts below. I have now been using the pain relieving cream described below (not the one that had the ingredient that Jerry warned against) for about a week. I am very pleased with the results. It works better on my DC than it does on my damaged joints.

The specific product I am using is Extra Strength ARCTIC-HEAT Fast Acting Pain Relief Cream with the ingredients described in an earlier post. The menthol is a most welcome additive as it makes my hands smell much better than they did with the Sam's 100,000 USP Vitamin E cream. The formula I am using is 2 parts Vit E cream to 1 part ARCTIC HEAT.

I still work it into my palm 4 times a day. Once after each meal and before bed (and any time after I wash my hands).

I can't say that there is any reversal of nodule growth, as some have reported, by it seems to be much less active and more pain/ache free. If anyone else tries it, I'd be interested to hear about your experiences. Please note that my DC is not agressive (as noted in an earlier post) so your experience may vary.

-Val

I should have thought to check that also. I must say that, if anything, the cream seems to be effective at decreasing the activity, but I'll be switching to the Walgreens cream. Thanks for the heads up.

-Val

Hi Jim,

I can't say that the nodule has decreased in size. Seem that it might have, but it might just be a reduction in inflamation. Also can't say that I've really "regained range of motion" except in a very minor sense. If I don't use the Vit E, my finger seems to contract. For example if I lay my hand flat on the table, with my elbows also on the table I can lift my left ring finger (no DC) about 3/4 inch off the table. If I haven't been using the Vit E, sometimes my right ring finger (with DC will not lift off the table). If I stretch it, I can lift it again. I can stretch without using Vit E, but that increases the pain and inflamation.

In order to compare the range of motion, I place both hands on the table with the fingers pointing at each other. Bend over until I get my elbows on the table and then try to lift the fingers and see if the DC finger will lift as high as the non-DC finger. So, I've never really lost range of motion to any significant extent.

The other problem with generalizing from my experience is that the progression of the disease is not constant and I can't tell whether I am not getting contraction or nodule growth because I am in a quiescent period or whether the Vit E is the cause.

I am absolutely convinced that it keeps the pain and inflamation at bay. I think it probably reduces contracture, or at least makes stretching relatively painless. The problem with the theory that it doesn't affect the contraction is that many folks have reported that stretching and splints don't work when the contraction phase becomes active. I just can't tell whether that definition of "active" applies to my current condition.

Sorry not to be able to be more difinitive, but it is so cheap that for inflamation reduction alone (for those of you who have it) it is worth it, even if the constant application is a hassle.

-Val

Hi Grae,

If you search for "Stretching to delay contracture" in the subject you will see a description of my history. My father stretched his DC from the time he was 50 until he was about 65 when other health problems, cancer and severe angina, caused him to quit paying attention to it. In the last 10 years his contracture has advanced to about 60 degrees. He still hasn't had surgery or NA and probably won't as he just considers it a nuisance.

He would sleep with his hand flat under his pillow. Said it was painful sometimes. My experience so far has been exactly the same as his. Got it when I was 50 in exactly the same place. His experience of postponing contracture for about 20 years is the basis for my experimenting with stretching. So I would say that my case is not agreesive and that may be why stretching is effective. It may be counter-productive in other cases. The progression of this disease is so variable that it is hard to generalize, but if someone sees a similarity between my DC and theirs, they may find my experience helpful.

-Val