It could also be tendonitis or bursitis. I had to go to physical therapy for this and I totally forgot about the pain. One day I just thought "my shoulder doesn't hurt any more" and the pain completely disappeared. When I was going to PT, I couldn't bend my elbow or raise my arm over my head. Go see an orthopedic doctor or a neurologist. My neurologist sent me to an orthopedic specialist (this is when I found out I had severe osteoporosis). The doctor knew this just by feeling of my arms and sent me for a bone density test which confirmed the osteoporosis. Please post what you find out.

I have participated on other forums but just came upon this one looking for something else, hope you don't mind me adding my two cents. Marie, I had the same problem over 6 years ago. It started just as you say numbness in the toes and fingers, mine was on my right side. But then it progressed up my foot & wrist, not all of the time though. Over time the numbness went up my leg and arm, I just kept ignoring it until it reached my thigh and I started having pain in my right thumb and eventually up my arm. Then the pain got so bad I couldn't sleep. So I went to my MD, who sent me to a neurologist. Who took several sets of xrays, but didn't see anything. Did an EMG and said everything was fine. He prescribed anti-inflamatories, which worked ok for the pain but not the numbness. Until I started rectal bleeding. So I went to a gastroenterologist who did a colonoscopy which showed I had diverticulousis (which had nothing to do with the pain, but just meant I had to stop taking the anti-inflamatory) But the pain got worse and I couldn't sleep and I couldn't straighten my right arm and I couldn't feel a pin prick in my thigh. One day I happened to mention this to some coworkers and one mentioned I may want to see a chiropractor. At this point it couldn't hurt. I called and mentioned my symptoms, they saw me the next day. When I went in imagine my right shoulder up at my ear and holding my right arm up against my breast, with a limp. To make a long story short, after he took xrays and ordered more xrays from my GP and an immediate accupuncture treatment I walked out of his office nearly pain free. The chiro pointed out over 11 vertibrate that were misalligned and explained how they were causing my pain & numbness. After six more months of chiropractic and accupuncture treatments and deep tissue massages I no longer had the numbness or pain. That was over 5 years ago, I still have the occassional numbness in my leg, but that is from decompression in two of my vertibrate (4th&5th) in my lower back. I am an avid gardener and thank God every day for my chiropractor and licensed massage therapist. During the growing season the first thing they ask me is what I did the past two weeks? And then shake theirs heads as I recite all of the heavy gardening I did and where I needed work done on my back or neck. I tried the B12 supplements, didn't help. One thing that did help temporarily was weight bearing exercising, until my husband was laid off and we had to cut back on expenses, when I stopped the weight bearing exercising that is when it got the worst. Unfortunately finding a good chiropractor or licensed massage therapist isn't easy. We've moved three times and I've had some good and some so so chiropractors, the best is recommendations. Ask around. Same for massage therapists, even if your state doesn't require them to be licensed look for one that is and one that continually is updating their skills. And just recently I started yoga for the stretching, because I need to cut back on my visits to the massage therapist and chiropractor. And by all means drink water to flush out the toxins that build up in your muscles and joints. Many people poopoo chiropractors, in fact my husband and son thought it was all in my head. Until they saw the change, they both go now and are true believers. My son had whiplash and the GP thought it was TMJ. I'm not saying this is the answer, but if it bothers you that much or gets worse what can it hurt. BTW...it cost me ove $1500 that first 6 months out of pocket. But that is because the chiro didn't accept insurance, and unfortunately the good ones usually don't. Karen

Jenn -- exactly the same thing happened to me. I cut my left index finger when peeling potatoes, and shortly thereafter the pain started. This has been going on for a couple months, and now I can definitely see a protrusion on the middle joint of the finger. I'm assuming it is arthritis. I'm starting to have real sympathy for people who have widespread arthritis.

Hello, I am a 24 year-old apprentice to a small historical restoration company. I started this work in July. We are putting back together a log house in central Pennsylvania right now. My hands, especially the middle finger joint past the knuckle (I see it's called the proximal interphalangeal joint) and the pinky knuckle hurt everyday now. In the mornings I can't straighten the middle finger of my striking hand! I am young and never had problems with joints and bones other than once in my hip joint when I ran 4 miles with out building up to it. My hand pains must be caused by all the mallet pounding and lumber lifting. Has anybody experienced this, and how did you deal with it? How long did it take for you to heal, and did you change the way you hold tools or added soft grips to tools? I am taking off from work for a week in hopes of letting the hands heal. One of my friends, 26 years-old, told me to get gel-padded gloves and take dietary supplements glucosamine / chondroitan. I am going to see a specialist, but I would like to hear other peoples' experience with the injury.