Is this arthritis?

Hello all. I have problems with my hands. When I was 20 I worked a shovel for 4 years, I would palm the tip of the spade where the tip was in the center of my hand and I would chip away at whatever I was digging in that fasion. After working there for just a few months, I quickly had problems. My forearms would hurt and my hands would cramp up and become very stiff, especially during sleep. Ever since then I have to shake my hands out after typing or writting or even steering for a while. Now, at 30 I have a job where I pull heavy cages into a trailer with my hands in a hooked position. The pain in my hands came back big time. Now, I have to flex them when I wake up and it takes a full 10 seconds to open and close them. After a while it gets back to normal, but Im still worried. Any thoughts?

Hi Jerry,I agree you do need to see a doctor and if he/she think you need a Rheumy they will reffer you to one and then the Rheumy will exam you and do blood work and also do what they call a 16 point check to rule out RA and other's.I think you get the picture.I hope that you find some relief from your hands.I would like to say this though when my hands start hurting and throbing and get that burning pain I have found that if I put my hands under the hottest water I can stand it eases them up,so you might want to try this and see if it will give you some relief.