Thumb Hurts A Lot. X-ray Was Fine. Suggested Nerves Were Firing. Feeling Sore. Suggestions?

Posted on Mon, 21 Oct 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Mon, 21 Oct 2013 Answered on

Sun, 17 Nov 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : Hello, my name is John. I've been to a neurologist and an orthopedic hand surgeon. My left thumb hurts a lot at he base where it attaches to the rest of the hand. The hand surgeon took x-rays and said nothing is wrong. The neouologist took a pin test (ouch) and said the nerves are firing. When motor bike riding yesterday and had to take a pain pill last night. This morning it is still very sore --- any suggestions?

Answered by Dr. K. Naga Ravi Prasad (27 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Need some more information on your symptoms.

Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for writing to XXXXXXX

Actually, I need some more detailed information on your symptoms to know the possible underlying cause.

- Duration of your symptoms
- onset of pain (sudden or gradual in onset)
- Any history of injury/trauma to the painful site previously
- Any involvement of other joints elsewhere in the body
- Any swelling over the painful area
- Type of pain (dull achy, throbbing , stabbing, burning etc)
- Is the pain present continuously even at rest or is felt only during movements or activities
- Is the pain localised to an area over the base of thumb or is it radiating up into the forearm or down into the finger
- Any associated medical conditions like Diabetes, Lupus, Rhuematoid arthritis
- Any recent intake of antibiotics like Ciprofloxacin, Norfloxacin, Ofloxacin etc

Please provide answers for all the above questions so as to make me arrive at a possible diagnosis of your problem.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar