Finger tips ageing fast before my time?

Hiya folks

Is this a new symptom on my list?

I started to loose sensation in my finger tips years ago. Then I noticed in February of this year that my finger tips are prune like. They now look much older than my 43 years! They have lost there elasticness and seemed to have lost the firmness under the skin. You can leave imprints in them for a couple of mins. It’s just like they have been soaking in water for an hour.

I am hydrated and drink 2 litres of water every day. No sign of being a diabetic either. The GPs just say put hand cream on but that does not work.

Is this because my nerves are dying in the finger tips? Never seen this as a symptom MS.

Anyone else get this?

Marty

Oh dear. Looks like I’m on my ‘Billy’ with this one…

Marty

Hi Marty, Just seen your post. My hands are terribly dry and like you my fingertips look older than they should! My hands split open, like little paper cuts and are very sore. I’ve tried all sorts of hand creams which help a little but when they flare up, nothing helps. I had never considered it was related until I saw your post. My hands started playing up around the time they think the MS started. Is it just your fingertips? Sam x

hiya

dunno if this will help…

i have no sensation in right hand at all and reduced in left. both are good colour and i frequently move/stretch them. both knees and big area around them are purple and are often frozen/cold-thermal leggings under jeans every day. have tried nifidipine to boost circulation but makes me look like a tomato and feel on fire. my gp said it was a prob with circulation and ms related. try to keep areas warm is best suggestion i can offer. not a great help to u i guess but u r not alone

ellie x

Hiya Sam & Ellie.

Thank you both for replying.

Sam, yes it is just they fingers tips. They are not dry or split. It’s just like they have been under water for an hour. Prunes.

Hmm. Dunno on this one. Could be circulation like Ellie mentioned.

Ahhhh. The mysteries of MS eh?

Marty

Hi

My hands look and feel the way you described your fingertips and I think they have for years (ie pre dx). I’ve always put it down to dry skin and possibily circulation - I also have raynaulds which has some possible link with MS…

I do know the nerves in your finger tips are not part of the central nervous system, and, as such, won’t be attacked by MS. The loss of sensation (if due to MS) will be from damage much higher up. So if they are damaged (as well), it must be from some other cause. Diabetes, as you’ve mentioned, is a common cause of peripheral nerve damage, but if there’s no sign of that, I’m at a bit of a loss.

Some (serious) conditions can cause “clubbing” of the finger tips, where they become swollen and bulbous. But this doesn’t sound like what you’re describing…

Tina

hiya

parasympthetic-or something likje that. something to do with nerves on surface communicating (or not) with tjhose below on different system. sorry-i really cant recall the specific ifo but the explaination made sense at the time

interesting discussion!

ellie x

morning, I have problems with my hands and nails, although my hands are a good colour, they are always cold, dry, no matter how much hand cream I put on, I’ve even applied almond oil and worn cotton gloves in bed, all to no avail, my nails are always brittle, I also get cramps in both hands, my legs are also always cold and like one other reply, I have an area around both knees that goes, purple and red, my circulation it is good, my neuro said it was because my thermastate is going, so there’s not a lot that can be done, take care, Jean x x

Hi, I have problems with the sensation in my hands and they don’t always work and I’ve noticed wrinkles on my finger tips. I have wondered about it so if ever you find how to stop it, please post. I’m 41 and feel like I’m falling apart!

hi, i’m another prune fingered MSer, finger tips 49 going on 90. while i do always suffer from dry skin/allergies, i have noticed my finger tips being somehow different over the last few years. i wonder if there could be a connection to MS, hmm.

thanks for the post!

wendy x

Two black cats. I took in two black cats that I found around halloween. They were just a few months old then. What a handful now. They’re my alarm clock. Not a chance of sleeping in with them about.

My first symptom - lack of sense of touch in all fingers. Prodded and poked but no diagnosis until 15 years later. My hands get very dry so handcream applied about 4 times per day. Poor circulation so handcream helps.

Jen x

going a bit off subject but have you noticed how those high powered hand dryers in some public toilets make your hands look ancient?

all wobbly and rippled! not a good look at all

carole x

Thanks to all above for your comments.

Tina & Ellie. Don’t know too much about ‘peripheral nerve damage.’ I assume with MS of CNS and all the misfiring signals this will mess up regarding touch and sensations.

Nice point from Carole regarding the hand dryer, that makes your fingers go all wobbly and wrinkled. Didn’t know it done that but it is exactly how my finger tips look! Prune certainly effect touch sensation.

Still I might ask my MS nurse next month if she has known anyone to have prune fingers at a …ahum…youngish age.

Marty - Prune Boy!