Understanding Stiffness and Clicking in the IP Joint
I'm a 22-year-old male. About four weeks ago, I took an elbow to the tip of my thumb while playing basketball. Initially, I didn’t notice any issues, but roughly three days later, I began to feel stiffness and a catching sensation in the interphalangeal (IP) joint of my thumb. Although there's no sharp pain, the popping sound is quite bothersome and adds to my discomfort. I've observed that the stiffness reappears each time I wake up, take a short nap, rest my hand, come into contact with cold water, or even at random times throughout the day. Whenever I attempt to move my thumb after a period of rest, it feels as if the joint is stuck and requires a pop to regain full motion. Additionally, I'm experiencing clicking sounds with any movement of the joint, and it seems to stiffen unpredictably. I suffered a distal thumb fracture back in 2016, but that injury has completely healed, and the current issue seems to have originated from the recent basketball incident. Until now, I've been prescribed Diclofenac Sodium 1% gel and Naproxen, and I recently completed a 7-day regimen of oral Prednisone (5mg). Unfortunately, none of these treatments have alleviated my symptoms. An X-ray revealed that my thumb appears normal with no evidence of arthritis, yet the stiffness and catching continue to trouble me. I’m seeking advice from anyone who might understand what could be causing this issue.
Answers (1)
7/31/2025, 6:20:38 AM
OpenHealth AI
It sounds like you're experiencing persistent stiffness and clicking in your thumb joint after an injury from basketball, which can be concerning. The symptoms you describe—stiffness, catching, and clicking—indicate that there might be some underlying irritation or soft tissue involvement despite the X-ray showing no fractures or arthritis.
Explanation:
After an injury, even a slight one, the joints and surrounding tissues can respond with inflammation or irritation, leading to changes in mobility. The popping or catching can be due to tendons or ligaments moving over bony prominences or inflammation in the joint capsule.
Next Steps:
-
Gentle Range of Motion Exercises: Start incorporating gentle mobility exercises for your thumb. You can try bending and straightening your thumb slowly, focusing on moving through your pain-free range. This helps maintain joint flexibility and reduces stiffness.
-
Heat Therapy: Applying heat to your thumb before performing exercises can help reduce stiffness. A warm towel or a heating pad for 10-15 minutes can be effective.
-
Cold Therapy Post-Activity: After activities or if you experience increased symptoms later in the day, consider using cold therapy for about 15-20 minutes to reduce any inflammation that may arise from overuse.
-
Modify Activities: Temporarily avoid activities that exacerbate your symptoms—like gripping or pinching—until you notice improved movement and reduced stiffness.
-
Monitor Symptoms: Keep track of your symptoms—note when they occur, any improvements, and activities that seem to trigger them. This information can be helpful for targeted management.
-
Consider a Splint: If you find that movement continues to be bothersome, using a thumb splint can provide support and limit movement, allowing time for healing while you engage in exercises.
-
Follow-Up on Treatment: Since your current treatments haven’t provided relief, consider discussing your ongoing symptoms with a healthcare provider to explore additional options, such as physical therapy, which may offer tailored exercises and treatments.
Conclusion:
While it’s reassuring that your X-ray showed no significant damage, it’s essential to address these ongoing symptoms with appropriate activity modification and gentle rehabilitation. Keep monitoring how your thumb responds to the changes you're implementing, and do seek further evaluation if the symptoms don’t improve over the coming weeks. Your comfort and mobility are important, and proactive management can help you return to full function.
Related Questions
Persistent Pain in Right Shoulder and Arm After Lifting
Hello, everyone! I’m a 23-year-old male and have been engaged in weightlifting for several years now. Recently, I’ve been struggling with ongoing discomfort in my right shoulder and arm, which I haven’t been able to accurately identify. The pain manifests during particular movements, especially with lateral raises or when my arm is raised to shoulder level while rotating my wrist. Certain pressing and pulling activities can also provoke this discomfort. Rather than feeling sharp, it’s a deep, nagging sensation that sometimes seems localized in the front area of the shoulder or at the biceps tendon, and at other times it feels more like it’s situated between the shoulder and upper arm. Fortunately, there’s no numbness or tingling involved. This issue began while I was working out. I decided to take a break for around two months, but when I returned, the pain persisted. After consulting a physician, I was diagnosed with bicipital tendinitis. Since then, I’ve reduced my upper-body workouts, completely steering clear of shoulder exercises and heavy lifting, and have begun a gentle rehabilitation regimen focusing on external rotations, pendulum movements, and scapular exercises. Despite adhering to this routine for about a week, I haven’t experienced any noticeable improvement. Is it typical for this type of tendon injury to require an extended period for recovery? At what point should I consider diagnostic imaging, such as an ultrasound or MRI? Additionally, are there frequent rehabilitation errors that might impede the healing process? I appreciate your insights in advance!
Understanding EEG Results for My 22-Month-Old Son: Insights Needed
Could someone help clarify this for me? My son, who is just 22 months old, hasn’t started walking yet, becomes tired easily, and has been experiencing behavioral outbursts. He had a febrile seizure in February 2025, followed by another unexplained seizure in April 2025, which led us to consult a neurologist. Since he was 3 months old, he has been receiving therapy from a physical therapist for torticollis. At birth, he spent five days in the NICU due to issues with meconium aspiration. A recent MRI showed normal results, and he also had a follow-up EEG after one conducted in July 2025. The results from this recent EEG were abnormal for a pediatric patient in awake, drowsy, and sleeping states. Notably, there were brief episodes of left frontotemporal delta slowing, which occurred mainly when he was awake and drowsy. There were no signs of epileptiform activity detected. In contrast, the EEG performed back on July 3, 2025, was deemed normal for both awake and drowsy states, again with no evidence of epileptiform irregularities, although it did not capture any sleep data. This examination was prompted by the child's existing history of febrile seizures. Importantly, he is not currently on any anti-seizure medications. The EEG procedure used standard electrode placements per the 10-20 system, conducted a single-lead EKG, and included continuous video monitoring. During the analysis, the background activity was symmetric, indicating some anterior-posterior (AP) organization, with a dominant rhythm of 50-80 microvolts at 7 Hz. His drowsy state was marked by a reduced amount of eye blink activity, less breathing motion interference, and a generalized slowing in theta/delta frequencies. Stage II sleep exhibited spindles and vertex waves patterns. Additionally, there were intermittent bursts of 250-300 microvolts in the left frontotemporal region with semi-rhythmic activity of 2-4 Hz, mostly observed during wakefulness and drowsiness. No definitive epileptiform discharge was noted. Photic stimulation during the test did not elicit a strong response, and hyperventilation was not conducted during this session.
INTENSE Spine Discomfort, Breathing Difficulties, Muscle Twitches, and Sweating
To elaborate on the situation mentioned in the title, I’ve been experiencing unusual muscle twitches and spasms for the past few days, along with some discomfort in my back. However, today, I felt an unexpected sharp pain shoot through my spine, which has left my legs feeling numb and made it impossible for me to sit up straight. Additionally, I’ve been dealing with cold sweats for the last hour and struggling to breathe properly. Perhaps I’m just overanalyzing things and it’s a common occurrence, but the intensity of the pain is overwhelming—it's truly unbearable. I’m shaking quite a bit, and unfortunately, my parents aren’t responding to my attempts to reach them for help. I have a history of a chronic heart condition and arthritis, yet I’ve never experienced pain this severe, especially in my spine. For context, I am nearly 15 years old and female. My current medications include pain relievers, anxiety medication, beta blockers, and some vitamins, though those specifics may not be particularly relevant. I don’t smoke; however, I have tried vaping a few times, which might not matter much, but I thought it was worth mentioning as it was requested.
28-Year-Old Male Experiencing Scalp Sensations Post-Amitriptyline Treatment
I am a 28-year-old man in generally good health, without any cardiac concerns. Approximately a month ago, I encountered intense pain localized to one side of my head, which was unresponsive to paracetamol. However, a single dose of a migraine treatment provided substantial relief. Following that, I began a regimen of amitriptyline, starting at a nightly dose of 10 to 25 mg. While my head pain has diminished significantly—by about 90 to 95%—I now experience occasional uncomfortable sensations on my scalp. These feelings include pins and needles, a cooling sensation, and some crawling feelings near my hairline and ears. There are fleeting moments where I feel brief throbs lasting a second, but I do not have any persistent headaches. To clarify, I do not experience any of the following: - Nausea - Weakness in my limbs - Numbness - Changes in my vision - Coordination difficulties - Seizures The symptoms I have are transient, shifting around and often intensifying when I become conscious of them or as the day progresses. I would like to know: Is it common to experience these sensations during the recovery stage following episodes of neuralgia or migraine-like discomfort? Additionally, could the amitriptyline potentially be causing these temporary paresthetic sensations? I am seeking some reassurance or advice on what is typically observed during this healing process. Thank you.
Concerns About My Toes
Age: 30, Female Currently, I am on the lookout for a reputable podiatrist in my vicinity. However, I've encountered a perplexing issue with my foot. Just last night, I noticed a growth on the side of my toe, something entirely new to me. I maintain a nutritious diet and have a demanding job that requires me to be on my feet quite often. My footwear includes brands such as Brooks Ghost Runners, Hoka Bondi 9’s, and Nike Motiva’s, and I don’t opt for restrictive socks. I also apply Vick’s Vaporub to my feet, a practice handed down from my family, and stick with simple, non-fragrant lotions like Vanicream and CeraVe SA Cream for my skin. In addition, I am curious about the my big toenail's change in color. What might be the underlying reasons for this? Also, I have these persistent dark spots on my toes that I've struggled with since my days on the runway. Despite my efforts, nothing has succeeded in lightening or diminishing their appearance. I'm just looking to determine if there might have been a factor from the past that could have contributed to these issues. I’m not sure what else to include, but I’m open to answering any questions you might have. Thank you for your attention! Best wishes from a worried soul!