Stiff/sore/tight tendons with RA?

I just went to the Rheumy this week for a regular visit and was complaining about stiffness in my hands aand pain in several of my fingers, particularly in my thumbs.  My fingers are hard to straghten, painfull to lay flat on a surface.  When my hands are relaxed and least painfull they are curled nearly closed.  When I wake up I have fingernail marks on my palms where my ring and pinky press into my hand.  I have pain in the joint, but it is not particularly painful to the touch, so when the Rheumy squeezes the joint and asks me if that causes pain, I have to say no.

Except for my left thumb.  When that one is touched it hurts, but she says that the pain is localized just below the joint, in the tendon. I don't remember injuring it at all, but that is what she asked about.  I feel like the pain is in the joint.  (the 2nd joint below the thumbnail) 

Anyway, does the tendons stiffin up with progressing RA, causing the hands to curl in, or is this something totally diffrent to deal with?

 

She suggested that I purchase a splint OTC that keeps my fingers straight to sleep in.  That if I have them straight for those hours that it could help them be less painful in the day. Acewrapping my hands loosly to a flat surface while I sleep.  I am unsure about the idea- mostly because I do not have the money to purchase the splints.  (I am yardselling anything I can spare in the house to pay bills/meds/co-pays at this point)  I am also unsure of having a splint on my hands while I am unaware if circulation to my fingers became an issue. It's a good way to loose fingers while I sleep.
I try to stretch them out, but when I relax my hand, they just close right up.
I should ask about PT or OT, but I hate the idea of adding another co-pay to my monthly bills.  We spend a fortune in medical bills even though we have insurance.  In the end, use of my hands is more important than budget problems. 

Good idea. Do you have an idea on how to make one with ace bandages to I won't have to shell out so much $$$ for OTC splints. I thought of wrapping my hand around 2 of my kids smaller bouncy balls- but that just seems to bulky to me. It would have the right contour though.

Hello Christina,
I only use bees venom sting, this is really helpful
my ID [email protected]

My son gets enthesitis...where the tendons go into the joint and it can be on both sides...above and below the knee, shoulder, elbow....his peeds rheumy says not much can be done with enthesitis except it was getting better when taking remicade but he still has it now and then. Heat and splints work well...he doesn't have those but some moms I know have them for there kids.

I think the Popsicle sticks sound like a good idea but I think you would
Safer if you wrapped it in place with gauze and tape
As apposed to ace bandage. because the lymph flows just under the skin
And ace bandages if wrapped to tightly can cut off the lymph flow
Gauze isnt as severe and will hold it in place just fine I bandage lymph edema
Patients and had no idea that bandaging can harm you if u don't
Know how to do it properly. Similar to putting a rubberband around your wrist
And it cuts into your skin.... It hinders the flow of lymph to your fingers.