Skier's thumb/gamekeeper's thumb

[Beetle]

I am an LMT with about 12 years of full time work on my hands. I have never had an injury before, being extremely careful of my hands all the time, but two weeks ago I strained (or maybe tore) my ulnar collateral ligament (mcp joint) in my thumb with no evidence of any injury prior to waking up with this excrutiating pain (I had done some repetitive movements the day before, but not massage stuff). It started out with pain when gripping objects (like turning a doorknob or buttoning a shirt) and I had xrays to rule out arthritis, my joints all appear fine. (I have a very old shortening of the tendons in my flexor policis brevis which pulls my thumb down but just a little with no other complications.) I continued to work after the injury, since I could work around any painful movements, and I have had activator chiropractic treatments to my wrist and joints, iced religiously, switched to immersion bathing hot and cold when it seemed to get worse and have been taking NSAIDS and homeopathic meds, traumeel and biofreeze for inflammation, and it is splinted.

Now it seems I have new swelling that is encroaching my carpal tunnel and my first dorsal interosseous. I wake up every morning with no pain, no swelling and within 10 minutes or so the swelling returns and my thumb and forefinger become numb and the pain is back by early evening. I have been out of work for over a week now trying to heal this up.

Wondering if anyone else has had a similar injury and how long the recoupe time was? I should add that I doubt very much that it is torn since radial rotation is the same bilaterally. I am worried I am going to be out for 6 weeks or more!

Thanks for any help

 

[.Me.]

You've done a lot with this and I am just going to throw out there that you may have some qi stuck.

I would still go see the ortho, but if you've been out of work a week anyway, it may be beneficial to see a good acupuncturist who knows the flow of qi and any seforum.xxxnation build-up patterns due to your particular injury.

I have a friend right now who has a build up in her foot. It's taking quite a bit of TCM, etc. to work it out.

Good luck. I am sorry you hurt.

 

[Paul]

Thank you, I hadn't thought of acupuncture (big DUH!). I will give a call now for a treatment.