soreness in my fingers.

I was wondering about the soreness, slight pain, I am experiencing in both my hands at the moment, because when I press each finger it feels sore. I think it must somehow be linked to the flare I am trying to get under control, as I have felt this before, but never as strong as it is now and so I am wondering if I should be seeing someone or would my GI be the person to talk to ? It's not horribly painful, but still, I am just concerned it may get worse, as I am an artist and it is in both hands, and this morning I felt a bit of a pain in my thumb when I was reading and holding my kindle, so I thought I would ask you good people...

Everyone is different but in my experience I had severe arthritis during my last flare that completely went away when the flare ended. My knees hurt to the point that climbing stairs was a chore, and I couldn't make a tight fist with my hands. I thought it was interesting that sometimes the pain would be in both hands or day by day switch from one hand to the other.

Arthritis is one of the most common of the 'extraintestinal lesions' (EIL) of IBD affecting about 25 percent of patients. Other possible EILs are inflammatory eye inflammation, skin lesions, kidney stones and liver disease. The good news is that the arthritis disappeared when my flare ended.

Kazbern, who unfortunately doesn't post here anymore, said that the IBD drug sulfazine is effective at relieving joint pain and at resolving inflammation in the colon.

When I got to a very low dose of medrol ( basically prednisone)
I got these sore almost crampy like pain in my fingers.
My GI warned me before hand that it might happen and it was ok

Fingers tend to become more sensitive & arthritis-prone as one ages. I've had a lot of trouble with stiffness/pain in ring & small fingers off & on for a couple yrs. The topical lotion containing 30% salicylate (In USA: Icy Hot) helps to relieve this; also try not to carry heavy parcels with the weight on your fingers, such as in shopping bags. I read this latter advice in a senior citizens' magazine, where they recommend putting the strap over your forearm, rather than across your finger joints. Now if I have to carry any bag with thin straps, I wrap an old soft yarn glove around the straps to keep them from cutting into my fingers. It definitely seems to help! (Of course having UC makes us more vulnerable to joint pains, especially when we're flaring.) I know the thumb pain/soreness can really cause problems because a couple months ago it really hurt me to open/close bottles with screw-caps, ouch! Another point to note: try not to sleep on your hands-- in case you tuck them under your pillow, for example. / Old Hat (35 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)

You can also try arthritis gloves found at most pharmacies. The slight compression helps alleviate tenderness and is especially helpful when you are doing repetive tasks such as typing, painting, writing, needlework etc.

Sound like repetative strain injury.......considering what your profession is and what you do in your off time such as holding Kindle.

Rest the Kindle on a pillow.
the pain in your hands could be from the muscles in your arms or even neck or upper back issues.

I think you should have a good assessment through physio, chiro, massage therapist, and or rheumatologist. Even if part is related to your flaring, it doesn't mean it's an extraintestinal manifestation.....you have multiple things happening from what I see, and im basing that on my own experience.

Look at the ergonomics of what you do daily, how you sleep, what supports you can utilise tonhelp things heal during downntime....etc. Do what you can no before things get exacerbated.

q