Brief Answer:
underuse of muscles as aprotective phenomena cause for thinning of muscles?

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Doctor this must be real hard on you to develop OA within 2 years-which is a fairly rapid development more so that all fingers of both hands have got affected.
It is understandable that pain or stiffness must be limiting your hand movements and finger working with consequent weakening of both flexors and extensors of forearm and thenar and hypothenars of palm as evident, when one is unable to work with stiff joints,the overall activity of muscles in the region fall far below normal and thence thining due to lack of exercise.

I believe you have had tests to rule out rheumatoid also and OA is confirmed

I may suggest,as you may be aware fully, that there are only few options to build muscles and that is through both active and passive exercise of fingers, wrist lower radio-ulnar and elbow joints, supination/pronation exercises,of forearm,flexion/extension exercises of wrist.

All that is possible and easier if stiffness is controlled by hot fomentation, massage, application of muscle relaxant gels/anti-inflammatory gels to all finger joints, taking naproxen tab for short course for reducing inflammation-once pain and stiffness ease, it will help in better exercises and use of hand wrist. You may engage a physical therapist for initiation of all exercises. You may also take neurobion forte every day.

Proximal muscles of forearm may be less affected as nearer joints to affected ones are protectively underused as a reflex first and so wasting of thenars and hypothenars in palm

Since you are a doctor you may consult a regular rheumatologist in your area and try to get other forms of arthritis ruled out if not already done, by testing arthritis profile as a whole

Hope I could be of some help
with best wishes,
Regards

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Brief Answer:
Muscle atrophy not a part of OA directly

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for your feedback.
Osteo-arthritis is a primary degenerative disease of the joint leading to wear and tear of cartilage at bone ends in a joint, secondary osseous changes occur with degenerative changes (osteoclasts cause reabsorption of bone causing cystic changes,dissolution,sclerosis) THE SURROUNDING MUSCLES OF JOINT ARE made to bear over-strain as the joint does not absorb that much stress. A reflex guarding takes place but there are no degenerative change directly in muscles or tendon,ligaments, unlike RA where soft tissues are also a part of degenerative process
So any secondary effect in soft tissues in OA is dependent on use or disuse and this may somewhat cause atrophy, but disease process itself doesn't attack soft tissues.
In RA, we often see isolated tendinitis and joint affectation later on or vice-versa and often in both places simultaneously.

As you disclose auto-immune thyroditis ,it may be auto-immune phenomena has varied vague effects in body tissues as we may see with Crohns, Fibromyalgia and other diseases affectation of other body organs accompany in this process.
Yes, you may see an immunology expert also besides an Rheumatologist in your area.
This forum too has several Rheumatologists and that will be an additional help for you.
Best wishes,
Regards.

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Brief Answer:
welcome, add arthrovil plus for OA

Detailed Answer:
You are welcome
I may add arthrovil plus(glugosamine -diacerin combination) may be taken twice daily for OA if your treating doctor agrees alongwith physical therapy

Best Wishes,

Regards,

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