Re: Arthritis and Pain

Dear All:

Thanks so much for your reflections (no pun intended…oh, maybe just one) on hand problems. I’m always in such a rush that my previous letter contained two spelling errors and I forgot to identify myself. Yes, I’m Fran’s husband and a retired English teacher. Also, 7-8 years working part-time and sometimes full-time in many areas of hospitals as and orderly, a ward secretary, a unit clerk, and as an expediter in a purchasing department. Over the years I learned a little bit about hospitals, etc., though nothing about GBS until Fran became ill.

What makes we wonder about the possiblity of arthritis being involved with her hand problem is this: what I’ve read about GBS and hand problems
is that the illness causes the hands to curl inward to the palms. This did happen initially with Fran, and therapy has been helpful in straightening out the fingers. The problem with skewing of the fingers is a different matter. The tendons, muscles, and nerves become twisted about, and repositioning of the fingers does not seem to have a beneficial effect. All in all, this problem reminds me of arthritis, although I may be wrong. Does anyone know anthing about skewing of fingers being an effect of GBS?

—Don