Question
Hi - I'd really appreciate your opinion:

I am 27, of general good health, good level of fitness and BMI. temperature,
pulse and blood pressure normal. professional musician (drummer).

practising drums 3-5 hours a day + using a computer for several hours
mid october to late november.

started to develop slight hand pains in left hand late November - ceased
drum practise as i had never practiced for such extended periods before so
assumed this was causing problems

was still using computer with a bad posture - desk too high for seat. didn't
think about this at the time unfortunately. hand pain seemed to dissipate but
terned into a painful left elbow which seemed to have symptoms very much
like tennis elbow which i assumed it was. right armed seemed ok but with
occasional twitches of similar pain in elbow radiating into forarm. ceased any
prolonged computer use as it seemed to aggravate pain around dec 10th.

was icing the elbow which seemed to help but then icing seemed to aggravate
a nerve runing down the arm and have had on/off symptoms very much like a
compressed ulnar nerve - this has not really been severe or problematic
though. ocaionsinal tingling and numbness in little finger on left hand.

about two weeks ago i noticed what appears to be a ganglion cyst on the top
of my left wrist. about a week ago a second appeared very close to first. these
vary in size and firmness but t are not particularly large and seldom painful.

over the past week things seem to be getting a little worse but with the odd
good day. i have had trouble sleeping for years and the pain has made it
harder to sleep. if i don't sleep that makes the pain feel worse. i get pain in
both elbows - it usually feels like is around the elbow area rather than from
the joint. usally the left arm is much worse but it switches arms and is often
both. i get pains in various finger joint but they seem to move around and i
wouldn't say one joint is particulary problematic. typing really seems to
agrivate the elbow pain. i have no swelling or redness in the joints and if
anything pain is worse at night generally than in the morning. i don't feel
particularly fatigued or otherwise unwell. My other joints seem fine - just
lower arms and hands. I have always had very clicky, problematic knees but
they are currenly fine. eating, cleaning my teeth or washing my hair cause
pain around the elbows which radioates into forarms. I have a general feeling
of weakness in my hands and lower arms which is like the other symptoms
different day to day. Grasping an object generally causes pain around the
elbow and down the forearm rather than the hand itself. Starting to feel very
depressed and anxious.

I thought this was all a simple overuse issue but having ceased anything that
could agrivate and resting for a month or so if anything its getting worse not
better my big fear is R.A. Just moved to the states recently, have no insurance.
but could go home to UK for treatment. Saw a DR a week ago who dianosed
lumps as ganglian cysts but was otherwise unhelpful. Have been taking
ibuprofen for pain and Dr suggested NSAI may help whatever condtion is.
Any ideas on diagnosis would be hugely appreicated.

Kindest Regards and Thanks

tom

Answer
Tom,

The good news is that it does not sound like RA.

It could be many different things and offering a diagnosis on line is a no no.

It sounds like a problem in your neck between vertebrae C6 - C7. This would explain all the symptoms you are having. This is just one idea. There are different muscle, arthritis or neurological conditions that can cause these types of symptoms.

Rusty