Please Compare These Pictures Of My Hands With "normal"

[JoshB]

OK. I have joint issues, which may or may not be fully celiac related. If it all is from celiac, then is seems like there's not much to be done except continue eating gluten free. Possibly take more supplements and/or go militant-crazy on gluten-strictness.

Option B is that there's something else wrong, and if I don't pursue it, then I'm just waiting around while more and more damage is done. It's certainly possible for other diseases to occur with celiac disease; auto-immune problems are even much more common.

I've got other joint involvement, toes are similarly altered to a much greater degree. My knees and elbows hurt with use. But what really concerns me is my hands, cause what can you do without your hands?

Lately, I've been paying more attention to other people hands, and it's clear that some imperfections are "normal". So now I'm pretty confident that "hands hurt"="bad", but not that "fingers curve"="something wrong". I took a picture of my hands four months ago to have a point of comparison for the future. I'd just had x-rays that the doctor said looked normal, so I figured all I could do is look for further changes down the line. It seems to me that my hands have changed from that point, but only slightly.

So I'd appreciate some opinions on this. Look at the picture I'm linking and compare with your own hands. Do you think mine are relatively normal? Am I worrying about nothing? And of course if anyone on here is looking at this and thinking "That sounds like alphabet-soup syndrome. I have that!" then please pipe up.

[pricklypear1971]

Hands are tough things to judge by sight. My husband has pretty ugly hands thanks to sports injuries....

Someone like a rheumatologist is a best bet for judging what's right or wrong with your hands.

[Skylark]

My index fingers curve in a little like yours if that's what has you worried. They always have.

I agree that the best specialist for joint pain is a rheumatologist. Also I have a friend who swears by glucosamine/chondroitin supplements for his mild joint pain.

[irish daveyboy]

  On 9/16/2011 at 2:39 PM, JoshB said:

OK. I have joint issues, which may or may not be fully celiac related. If it all is from celiac, then is seems like there's not much to be done except continue eating gluten free. Possibly take more supplements and/or go militant-crazy on gluten-strictness.

Option B is that there's something else wrong, and if I don't pursue it, then I'm just waiting around while more and more damage is done. It's certainly possible for other diseases to occur with celiac disease; auto-immune problems are even much more common.

I've got other joint involvement, toes are similarly altered to a much greater degree. My knees and elbows hurt with use. But what really concerns me is my hands, cause what can you do without your hands?

Lately, I've been paying more attention to other people hands, and it's clear that some imperfections are "normal". So now I'm pretty confident that "hands hurt"="bad", but not that "fingers curve"="something wrong". I took a picture of my hands four months ago to have a point of comparison for the future. I'd just had x-rays that the doctor said looked normal, so I figured all I could do is look for further changes down the line. It seems to me that my hands have changed from that point, but only slightly.

So I'd appreciate some opinions on this. Look at the picture I'm linking and compare with your own hands. Do you think mine are relatively normal? Am I worrying about nothing? And of course if anyone on here is looking at this and thinking "That sounds like alphabet-soup syndrome. I have that!" then please pipe up.

Hi Josh,

My Fingers are straight, but then what's normal ? each individual is different.

There are two things that struck me straight away.

1. Curvature of your fingers

2. Little finger (Pinky) much shorter than then 1st distal joint on the ring fingers. (a visible indicator for Celiac disease etc)

I don't suffer (as yet with rheumatism/arthritis) in my hands, but unfortunately can't say the same for my spine or hips.

Not much help I'm afraid, sorry.

David

[Jestgar]

hmmm, if your hands have always looked like that, then they're normal.

Keep the pics so you can compare them later, if you need to.

[JoshB]

  On 9/16/2011 at 4:55 PM, irish daveyboy said:

2. Little finger (Pinky) much shorter than then 1st distal joint on the ring fingers. (a visible indicator for Celiac disease etc)

That's really interesting, Irish. I'd never heard of the pinky thing before. I wonder how good a predictor that is?

And yeah, I'm keeping the pictures, Jestgar. I don't think they have always looked like that, but it's so hard to say. Apparently if I say "I know it like the back of my hand" then that actually doesn't mean very much. I'm a little concerned, though, that I'll monitor changes through the pictures until something is really obvious. Then I'll go in and they'll say: "Why did you let it get that bad? We could have done something before."

[IrishHeart]

  On 9/16/2011 at 4:55 PM, irish daveyboy said:

2. Little finger (Pinky) much shorter than then 1st distal joint on the ring fingers. (a visible indicator for Celiac disease etc)

REALLY?? that IS indeed very interesting, Irish D...I have never heard of that as an indicator of celiac. Can you tell me where you read this? I have "short" pinky fingers myself....cheers, Irish H

To JOSH---I do not think your hands look "peculiar" in any way, hon. They look like a pianist's hands. My index fingers curve slightly inward as well. Sadly, I have added some arthritic knobs and inflamed knuckles (my right thumb is quite fat)--all that developed in the last 3 years as the celiac reared it's ugly head. And yet, I do NOT have rheumatoid arthritis.

[GFinDC]

Hmmm, a little dirt under the fingernails but other wise not bad. LOL just kidding!

My fingers curve like that also, I don't think it is a big problem. then again my fibula's (lower leg bones) curve too, so maybe I am just well rounded. Hmm, but then my spine is a little curved too, so maybe curvy people are better celiacs?

If you have joint pain it could be caused by diet though, at least was for me. Soy, thou ugly bean, be gone!

[Skylark]

Nightshades are notorious for flaring arthritis.

[frieze]

Davie, we have done this on gfab, yes? I wonder if this anomalie is tied to a particular gene? or set of genes. I everybody that has had genetic tests, checks their fingers and posts the results it may prove very interesting!

[irish daveyboy]

  On 9/16/2011 at 6:49 PM, JoshB said:

That's really interesting, Irish. I'd never heard of the pinky thing before. I wonder how good a predictor that is?

  On 9/16/2011 at 7:16 PM, IrishHeart said:

REALLY?? that IS indeed very interesting, Irish D...I have never heard of that as an indicator of celiac. Can you tell me where you read this? I have "short" pinky fingers myself....cheers, Irish H

You may find this Powerpoint Slideshow interesting - slide 51 deals with the 'short pinky'

Open Original Shared Link

[IrishHeart]

  On 9/17/2011 at 3:23 PM, irish daveyboy said:

You may find this Powerpoint Slideshow interesting - slide 51 deals with the 'short pinky'

Open Original Shared Link

Why, thank you, Irish D...I will take a look at it. Cheers, Irish H

[Skylark]

I hate to burst your bubble, but 75% of females and 35% of males have pinkies less than 3/4 the length of the middle finger. It's a little hard to make any conclusions about celiac disease using a trait that happens more often than not. Another interesting sex-linked hand trait is length of your index finger compared to your ring finger, measured from the base of the finger. In general ring fingers are longer, but the length is closer in women than men.

[mushroom]

  On 9/17/2011 at 5:37 PM, Skylark said:

Another interesting sex-linked hand trait is length of your index finger compared to your ring finger, measured from the base of the finger. In general ring fingers are longer, but the length is closer in women than men.

Ha, my index finger is waaay longer than my ring finger. Maybe why mom was always telling me not to point

[beebs]

See how your knuckles are a bit "bobbely" for want of a better word? That may or may not be arthritis - you need a rheumy!