One complaint Badia frequently hears from his patients is that when they wash their face, they poke themselves in the eye. You can’t open your hand to perform everyday tasks.At this early stage, Dupuytren’s usually does not need to be treated, because it may or may not get worse. He notes that patients often come in because they’re worried that the bump may be a cancerous tumor, but in Dupuytren’s contracture, the growth is benign. “This almost always occurs on the ulnar (pinky side) of the hand,” Dr. This is a sign that the palmar fascia, or connective tissue in your palm, is becoming diseased, he explains. A bump or a nodule in the palm is usually the first symptom people notice, according to hand surgeon Alejandro Badia, MD, an orthopedic hand surgeon at the Badia Hand to Shoulder Center in Doral, Florida, near Miami. Here are six signs you may notice if you have Dupuytren’s contracture. Dupuytren’s risk factors may include smoking, alcoholism, diabetes, or a nutritional deficiency. What’s more, Dupuytren’s is far more common in older people, with cases usually diagnosed after age 50, and in men, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. “Eventually, patients have a difficult time straightening their fingers,” says Daniel Osei, MD, a hand and upper extremity orthopedic surgeon at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.ĭoctors aren’t sure exactly what causes Dupuytren’s, but there seems to be a genetic component since it tends to run in families, according to the AAOS. The condition typically develops slowly over a period of years, according to the AAOS, and while some people with Dupuytren’s contracture may only have the bumps underneath the skin, most experience worsening symptoms that can result in impaired function and mobility of the fingers without treatment. The affected fingers cannot straighten completely, which can impact your ability to perform routine tasks, such as grasping objects, putting on gloves, or putting your hands in your pockets. Over time, the fibrous layer of tissue (called fascia) in the area underneath the skin in the palm and fingers develops into thick, ropelike cords that can then contract, pulling one or more fingers inward, toward the palm, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). In fact, in some European countries, up to 36 percent of the population have the condition, according to an article published in July 2019 in European Journal of Human Genetics.ĭupuytren’s is a disorder in which connective tissue in the hand shortens and thickens. It’s estimated to affect 5 percent of people in the United States and is three to 10 times more common in those of European descent, notes the U.S. Most people have never heard of Dupuytren’s contracture, which is an abnormal thickening of the tissue in the hand, but it’s not a rare condition.
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