# Why Do My Hands Hurt? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 17, 2002, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-my-hands-hurt/104074 "2002-04-17T03:42:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nevermind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/53a042/32.png) [@Nevermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nevermind)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2002, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-my-hands-hurt/104074/1 "2002-04-17T03:42:16Z")
I am 31 and there is just no way I could have arthritis, but my fingers hurt! Every so ofteh without apparent reason, boring pain in my fingers and joints in my hands, sometimes toes. Last night it woke me up. Is there something I am eating/not eating that could be doing it? I try to remember to take Multivitamin. I’ve had basic labs done for other stuff–pretty normal. Seems worse aroung ‘that time of month’. I feel silly mentioning it to my doctor. I’ve tried twice and the blew me off. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2002, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-my-hands-hurt/104074/2 "2002-04-17T03:49:53Z")
Could be [gout](http://www.orthop.washington.edu/arthritis/types/gout/02)? What kind of foods do you eat? Insert normal IANAPhysician warnings here. ---
**Author:** ![Nevermind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/53a042/32.png) [@Nevermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nevermind)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2002, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-my-hands-hurt/104074/3 "2002-04-17T04:04:19Z")
Good suggetion, but my fingers Look normal. They don’t have any bumps on them usually seen in gout. Maybe in early stages they wouldn’t? I’ll check that one out . What’s werid, is that the actual bone in the finger hurts, not just the joint. ---
**Author:** ![happyheathen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5e925/32.png) [@happyheathen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happyheathen)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2002, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-my-hands-hurt/104074/4 "2002-04-17T04:16:42Z")
This is NOT gout: a) you are a fertile female. such folks are not entitled to gout. b) gout strikes the foot SEE A MD WHO DOES NOT DISMISS YOUR PAIN - there are many forms of arthritis (many crippling) which will show up at your age. my right arm - shoulder-to-fingers constantly ache (I’ve been a programmer for 23 years - as good a way as any to get such chronic pain) CHANGE DR’s AS NEEDED! ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2002, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-my-hands-hurt/104074/5 "2002-04-17T06:50:38Z")
Okay, I’m not a doctor, but there’s all manner of things that could be causing your difficulties. You do need to talk to a competent medical professional and get that checked out. Off the top of my head, it could be anything from, yes, arthritis in some form, including Reynaud’s disease, which affects many more women than men. Could also be fibromyalgia or some sort of repetitive stress injury. Do a lot of anything at one time? (Typing, keypunch, meat carving, anything where you do the same thing over and over and over and over again?) Start with your general practitioner and see if you can’t get something definite nailed down. Don’t let him dismiss your symptoms out of hand; some doctors believe women just complain. As for you, happy heathen, what’s going on with you? RSI hits programmers too. Whatcha doing a lot of in one position? Hope this helps. your humble TubaDiva The unofficial RSI Queen. ---
**Author:** ![LolaBaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@LolaBaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaBaby)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2002, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-my-hands-hurt/104074/6 "2002-04-17T08:20:10Z")
You can be young and have arthritis. The idea that only old geezers get it is a myth. I was diagnosed with it from the time I was 25. I forget what they did ( a blood test maybe) but they can diagnose it, so go to a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2002, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-my-hands-hurt/104074/7 "2002-04-17T09:36:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by happyheathen \* > b) gout strikes the foot And the hand or the knee or the elbow or some other jointed part of your body.