Question: My hands hurt

[RK Wallis]

I'm assuming your friend didn't go to a qualified therapist?

Her work at the time paid for a therapist to come in (it was a big company and I'm sure they wouldn't have organised anyone dodgy). And her lawyers proved in Court that the therapist was legally negligent because she won the court case (millions). I've been through that court process, up to the point of seeing barristers, even if someone is openly negligent (as the drs at the hospital I went to were), it's not enough to prove the legal definition for negligence. You have to also satisfy the 'but for' test, i.e. the stroke wouldn't have happened 'but for' someone else's negligence. For me, we could prove one part of negligence. We didn't satisfy the 'but for' test because the stroke was already happening in hospital (they just gave me adrenalin which made it worse), but there wasn't enough evidence to support my claim (we bowed out before taking it to court). But not my friend. The court had enough evidence to say her stroke wouldn't have occurred 'but for' the massage. So someone did something they weren't meant to

 

[Barbara]

Her work at the time paid for a therapist to come in (it was a big company and I'm sure they wouldn't have organised anyone dodgy). And her lawyers proved in Court that the therapist was legally negligent because she won the court case (millions). ..... But not my friend. The court had enough evidence to say her stroke wouldn't have occurred 'but for' the massage. So someone did something they weren't meant to

Wow. Would be interesting to know what that therapist did....I wonder if there were signs of a problem she ignored. There must be more to this than a straight forward massage.

 

[Mel L]

Like many writers, I have a pretty sedentary lifestyle. Well, on a slightly different note, and not connected to hands (although I too have arthritis in my hands, as I think I said earlier), until January I couldn't walk more than about 50 meters without severe back pain and numbness in the legs. In addition, during my trip to the UK at Christmas, my continual heart palpitations that had been bothering me for about 6 months, rose to a crescendo and I had difficulty breathing. My kids were worried, I was worried... I had to have wheelchair assistance at each airport. In mid-January, the GP in France gave me a prescription for Sport Santé; a new programme subsidised by the state. I was checked out by a cardiologist, who agreed I needed help and that my heart was only functioning at about 50% capacity. In February, I started fitness sessions once a week with a delightful (and ridiculously tall) Congolese trainer... I can now walk 3km with no pain, I could probably manage more after a short break, I've lost a stone in weight, my palpitations have diminished (most days I don't have them now), I feel generally better, and according to people that see me, I look better too. In September there will be more sessions and I will go to as many as I'm allowed. I haven't really done any sport since I was about 18, and now, surprisingly, I actually look forward to it. Believe me, that is something I never thought I'd ever say.

That's fantastic! I am a great believer in the benefits of exercise, and have been a life-long proponent of regular, if relatively mild sport. Not because I have great willpower or anything (my writing routine is proof) but because it makes me feel so much better on every level. Kudos to you for getting back into it after so many years. Hope you will continue to look forward to it and reap the health benefits!

 

[Mel L]

I have the 'arthritis' gene (HLA-B27) and arthritis runs in my family (sister has RA, son has AS). So far, I'd mostly stayed clear of joint pain, although I have had occasional flare ups, especially back pain, from time to time.
However, since I had my Covid-19 booster jab (Pfizer) in January, I have experienced a lot more pain, especially in my hands, but also knees and shoulder. Could be completely coincidental but I can't help but wonder if it could be an inflammatory response to the mRNA vaccines. Anyone else?

 

[Eva Ulian]

I have the 'arthritis' gene (HLA-B27) and arthritis runs in my family (sister has RA, son has AS). So far, I'd mostly stayed clear of joint pain, although I have had occasional flare ups, especially back pain, from time to time.
However, since I had my Covid-19 booster jab (Pfizer) in January, I have experienced a lot more pain, especially in my hands, but also knees and shoulder. Could be completely coincidental but I can't help but wonder if it could be an inflammatory response to the mRNA vaccines. Anyone else?

No. None of my Covid jabs made any difference at all- just a pain in the arm for a few days where the jab was done and felt a bit more tired than usual the day after- so I had a long afternoon nap- but as expressed above- I'm a sucker for naps.

 

[BarbaraUS]

This was intended to be in response to @Barbara re the good work done by massage therapists.

Yeah, I have serious respect for masseuses and physical therapists in terms of how much knowledge they have and the relief they can bring.

There are always going to be some bad apples who work on people not healthy enough for a massage that can give the entire profession a bad rap to some. I find that's true in any profession. I worked as a lawyer. Everyone has a bad lawyer story.. And some can do real harm.

So glad you were able to stay in business @Barbara .. and I hope it picks up soon.

 

[Hannah F]

Out of interest, why don't you like it? It might just be a question of finding the right therapist who works at your speed. If ever we meet, I'll convert you.


No idea. I think it might be the whole lie on the massage board thing. Or keep still for any length of time. Perhaps it makes me feel vulnerable (even though, logically, I'm not).

 

[Rachel Caldecott]

I have the 'arthritis' gene (HLA-B27) and arthritis runs in my family (sister has RA, son has AS). So far, I'd mostly stayed clear of joint pain, although I have had occasional flare ups, especially back pain, from time to time.
However, since I had my Covid-19 booster jab (Pfizer) in January, I have experienced a lot more pain, especially in my hands, but also knees and shoulder. Could be completely coincidental but I can't help but wonder if it could be an inflammatory response to the mRNA vaccines. Anyone else?

My joints felt a little worse than normal after the first Astra Zeneca, but the second was fine and the Pfizer booster only gave me a sore arm for a few days.

 

[CageSage]

I have the 'arthritis' gene (HLA-B27) and arthritis runs in my family (sister has RA, son has AS). So far, I'd mostly stayed clear of joint pain, although I have had occasional flare ups, especially back pain, from time to time.
However, since I had my Covid-19 booster jab (Pfizer) in January, I have experienced a lot more pain, especially in my hands, but also knees and shoulder. Could be completely coincidental but I can't help but wonder if it could be an inflammatory response to the mRNA vaccines. Anyone else?

A lot of people with underlying auto-immune problems have issues [from rashes that look like shingles to joint swelling, etc.]. Pfizer jab set me back badly, and I'll be avoiding that one in the future [several months of severe pain, rashes, swelling].
It may all be an individual response, depending on too many variables to make any clear statements or decisions.

 

[Mel L]

A lot of people with underlying auto-immune problems have issues [from rashes that look like shingles to joint swelling, etc.]. Pfizer jab set me back badly, and I'll be avoiding that one in the future [several months of severe pain, rashes, swelling].
It may all be an individual response, depending on too many variables to make any clear statements or decisions.

I had heard of some of these, sorry to learn you were affected. Likely highly individual but given the numbers, I do hope that real-world data is being collected at some level. Could be hugely informative for future vaccines.

 

[Barbara]

How are your hands @StaceyDale? Did you manage to give them a rest?