I have EM in my feet and it has been continuously active for about 10 months. Now I am getting symptoms (I think) in my hands. They burn and tingle if I have to use them a lot like when driving for a distance or reaching and doing prolonged activities (like for 1 hour). They feel worse by end of day and I can use a light ice pack in a towel that helps relieve pain. Any insight into how EM first expressed in your hands? Thanks for the help. Seattle girl
Hello Seattlegirl,
I began with feet and face and because that was so devastating I hardly noticed when my hands started to be affected, perhaps a month later. They get very hot and ‘buzzy’ and the veins look about to pop but they have never hurt as badly as my feet or face. My EM generally starts in the afternoon and reacts to heat obviously and working hard. Mostly when I drive my hands are cold and my feet burning but if I put in gloves they will burn.
Nel
I should have added that my ‘picture’ shows me in front of a thermal imager at the Science Museum. I was barefoot because of the heat but wearing gloves and the imager shows my hands as seriously cold while my feet were hot as can be with cool toes. Weird.
Hello Seattle girl,
Mine started in my hands. It was extremely mild for a god 10 years with mild pain and swelling blood vessels but at first only lasted a few minutes then went away. I didn't know this was a form of EM at the time. Fast forward 10 years and it first got worse in my face followed by severe pain in my hands , knees , feet , arms ,scalp and tongue.
I'm sorry your EM has gotten worse. I know for many there is never a progression .
Take care,
Alina
Thank you everyone for your replies. What you say sounds like what I am experiencing much of the time and when I use a cold/cool pack on my hands in evening or late afternoon I feel better. I also feel worse at the end of the day after having a busy day when using my hands a lot. After experiencing my feet going through a progression over 2- 3 years from occasional EM to constant EM (although less and more burning during constant) I am thinking my hands may be doing some sort of progression also. It has been very intermittent in the past with extensive use, primarily reaching up and forward doing a task for 15 minutes or more. My MD at pain clinic says EM may be the opposite of Raynaud's or even that EM changes into Raynaud's, so the cold hands may be that? Both are neurovascular conditions. Again, I appreciate the sharing and support.
Sincerely, Seattle girl
Mine started in my feet, and about two years later, I noticed the veins in my hands bulging like crazy sometimes. After a while, that turned into heat and redness - actual "flares" in my hands. They've never been as bad as my feet, and flare most often when cleaning, applying pressure, or carrying heavy grocery bags. Since then, EM has begun in my face and knees, too. I think many of us also have Raynaud's - when I'm not EM flaring, my digits tend to be quite chilly.