Hi everyone,
I'm pleased I've found this site, because there seems to be very little constructive info about Dupuytren's. About 5 years ago, I was poking holes in chestnuts, preparing them for roasting, and the knife slipped and poked me in the palm of my hand - it wasn't too hard - not enough to break the skin, but it hurt a lot, and then continued hurting for way longer than you'd expect for a bruise. A while later (can't remember how long), I noticed a nodule developing where I'd jabbed myself with the knife, just below the MCP of my ring finger. Since then, cording has developed below and a wee bit above the nodule, which seems to be stuck to the skin.
So far, it hasn't got any worse than that, and my hand still has normal flexibility.
I found out since, my mum has a similar thing, and also doesn't have loss of movement, but I don't know when or how hers began - she can't remember.
The main thing that bothers me is it can get quite achey, and sometimes burny sensations. Massaging it helps a bit, and Comfrey and Hypericum compresses also seem to help.
Does anyone know if pain is a feature of the condition worsening, or is it just a thing that happens from time to time?
I'm a bit depressed at the idea that, because it started before I was 50, that it is more likely to turn into an actual contracture. And I find it annoying that the affected hand gets pain and I can't lean too much on it, and gripping things can be painful.
But I am interested in people's experiences of things that have or have not helped - e.g. is stretching useful in delaying a contracture, or massage?
And I was interested to read about the chap who has tried radiation therapy in Germany, but not too keen on the idea of getting systemic radiation effects from such localised treatment - is it worth it?
I am not sure what treatments are available in NZ, where I live - it seems to be fairly conservative in terms of medical treatments...

saraha,

Generally Dupuytren's is not painful. You noticed your Dupuytren's at about the same age as I did. Crazy disease, one of my hands has stayed dormant all of this time while the little finger on the other hand contracted to 90 degrees in about a year.

This disease seems to be different for almost everyone. Many feel that stretching the hand will stimulate the disease, while there are some people who think it might help. Very few clear cut answers for Dupuytren's. There are many worse health situations than Dupuytren's so don't let it get you down.

I am surprised that you haven't found much information. Keep digging, there is abundant information available.

Welcome to the site.

I had pain that radiated from my hand to my shoulder. It was persistent and bad. I could not sleep at night. My hand ached with the cold, tingled and felt like something was crawling around inside it. It hurt to grasp, cut, clinch my fist, and if my hand accidentially bent backwards, I thought I would get sick. Not everyone has pain. My DD was aggressive and came on suddenly and quickly turned from a red spot to a nodule to a cord in less than 6 months. The only thing that stopped the pain and the growth was RT. As soon as I had the first round of RT, the pain totally went away.

Lori

Hi everyone - thanks for all the feedback.
It definitely does seem to be a weird disease - no rhyme or reason.
I have found the comfrey and St John's Wort compresses have helped ease the aching, so I'm pleased about that. But it doesn't hurt all the time - just seems to go through phases of aching - I haven't noticed it change after episodes of pain, but maybe it is, but not much...
I will start looking at the possibility of RT at some point - by the looks from this site, there is a chap in Waikato that can do it - don't know how I'd organise that, but I will investigate!
S