Lumps on my knuckles/fingers?

I'm not entirely sure which sub this belongs in, as I haven't even received a diagnosis yet. If there are any medical professionals here, I would appreciate your insight. I have developed lumps on my forearms, specifically near my pinkies on both hands. Occasionally, the pain becomes unbearable—it feels as though someone is striking my joints with a hammer. I’ve also noticed a similar, albeit milder, ache in the bone of my pinky toe. An X-ray of my hands showed nothing wrong with the bones themselves, though there are some bright spots visible. The report claims everything is within normal limits. What could this be? The pain is quite intense, and I can't help but worry that this might be something progressive leading toward disability. 😢

Benjamin Taylor2 said:I'm not entirely sure which sub this belongs in, as I haven't even received a diagnosis yet. If there are any medical professionals here, I would appreciate your insight. I have developed lumps on my forearms, specifically near my pinkies on both hands. Occasionally, the pain becomes unbearable—it feels as though someone is striking my joints with a hammer. I’ve also noticed a similar, albeit milder, ache in the bone of my pinky toe. An X-ray of my hands showed nothing wrong with the bones themselves, though there are some bright spots visible. The report claims everything is within normal limits. What could this be? The pain is quite intense, and I can't help but worry that this might be something progressive leading toward disability. 😢

Hey. Can you let us know how old you are? Also, please post your lab results along with the reference ranges. Does anyone in your family deal with rheumatic issues like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, vasculitis, or maybe diabetes, hypothyroidism, or something else? This could potentially be gout, where those lumps are actually tophi—basically deposits of uric acid crystals. Do the lumps themselves hurt, or is it just the joints? Does the pain go away if you take something like Advil or aspirin? Sometimes RA can manifest with nodules on the hands. Any other symptoms at all, even if they don't seem related to your joints?
What kind of "bright spots" are we talking about? Is that something you saw or something the radiologist noted? If there's specific wording in the X-ray report about it, just type out the exact findings from the report.

wiredcanyon2 said:Hey. Can you let us know how old you are? Also, please post your lab results along with the reference ranges. Does anyone in your family deal with rheumatic issues like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, vasculitis, or maybe diabetes, hypothyroidism, or something else? This could potentially be gout, where those lumps are actually tophi—basically deposits of uric acid crystals. Do the lumps themselves hurt, or is it just the joints? Does the pain go away if you take something like Advil or aspirin? Sometimes RA can manifest with nodules on the hands. Any other symptoms at all, even if they don't seem related to your joints?
What kind of "bright spots" are we talking about? Is that something you saw or something the radiologist noted? If there's specific wording in the X-ray report about it, just type out the exact findings from the report.

I don't have any formal reports, aside from an X-ray stating everything was within normal limits. When I asked the radiologist why the lumps weren't visible on the scan, he looked at the image and said there were some lighter spots visible. Regarding family history, I'm not entirely sure, but on my mother's side, my uncle has "rheum" (his words) stemming from his time in the military, and he also developed thyroid issues due to wartime stress. He is tall and thin, whereas my late grandmother—my mother's mother—was short and quite heavy; she supposedly dealt with gout and diabetes. On my father's side, my late grandfather had diabetes and a difficult temperament, much like my father. As for my own struggles, during PMS, I've had bouts of hitting my head against doors. Since I suffer from allergies, I tried Knajp's cold water therapy for a week about a year ago to boost my immune system. I have a significant craving for chocolate and milk. I urinate frequently, and my urine has an acidic scent; I don't drink much, but I crave sweets and pancakes, though that’s likely just stress-related. I deal with hemorrhoids and occasional abdominal pain. Sometimes I feel pain near my left kidney, and under my right rib cage, I have lumps visible on ultrasound that cause intense pain when I, say, kick a soccer ball or when I wake up in bed. I am 26. Three months ago, blood work showed elevated bad cholesterol levels. These lumps, or rather the joints, are very painful. As I mentioned, the bone leading toward my pinky toe hurts sometimes. I don't take aspirin or the other medication you suggested; I have sensitive mucous membranes, and aspirin causes sharp stomach pain. I might try willow bark tea instead, as it contains salicylic acid. About a year ago, I received three doses of the Hepatitis B vaccine for work; I noticed things changed shortly after the last shot. Could that be a side effect? Reading through my own symptoms, I feel like a walking textbook for psychosomatic illnesses.

Benjamin Taylor2 said:I don't have any formal reports, aside from an X-ray stating everything was within normal limits. When I asked the radiologist why the lumps weren't visible on the scan, he looked at the image and said there were some lighter spots visible. Regarding family history, I'm not entirely sure, but on my mother's side, my uncle has "rheum" (his words) stemming from his time in the military, and he also developed thyroid issues due to wartime stress. He is tall and thin, whereas my late grandmother—my mother's mother—was short and quite heavy; she supposedly dealt with gout and diabetes. On my father's side, my late grandfather had diabetes and a difficult temperament, much like my father. As for my own struggles, during PMS, I've had bouts of hitting my head against doors. Since I suffer from allergies, I tried Knajp's cold water therapy for a week about a year ago to boost my immune system. I have a significant craving for chocolate and milk. I urinate frequently, and my urine has an acidic scent; I don't drink much, but I crave sweets and pancakes, though that’s likely just stress-related. I deal with hemorrhoids and occasional abdominal pain. Sometimes I feel pain near my left kidney, and under my right rib cage, I have lumps visible on ultrasound that cause intense pain when I, say, kick a soccer ball or when I wake up in bed. I am 26. Three months ago, blood work showed elevated bad cholesterol levels. These lumps, or rather the joints, are very painful. As I mentioned, the bone leading toward my pinky toe hurts sometimes. I don't take aspirin or the other medication you suggested; I have sensitive mucous membranes, and aspirin causes sharp stomach pain. I might try willow bark tea instead, as it contains salicylic acid. About a year ago, I received three doses of the Hepatitis B vaccine for work; I noticed things changed shortly after the last shot. Could that be a side effect? Reading through my own symptoms, I feel like a walking textbook for psychosomatic illnesses.

Bottom line: if your joints are aching "for no reason" and you've got those lumps you described, you need to go see an internist or a rheumatologist. Before you head in, you should get some basic lab work done: RBC, WBC, a full differential, uric acid, urea, creatinine, CRP, ESR, blood glucose, a lipid panel, AST, ALT, GGT, Sodium, Potassium, and maybe even thyroid hormones (T3, T4) and TSH. Once you actually have those results in hand, then you can talk to a doctor about a referral to a specialist. Trying to figure this out without those labs is basically just guessing. You can list your symptoms and describe how those nodes look all you want, but once you sit down with a doctor, the reality might be a completely different story. I'm just saying, without a medical exam, we're just speculating on a forum about what this could be—we're just listing differential diagnoses for the problems you're describing. A rheumatologist, if they think it's necessary, can order more targeted testing. And make sure you bring every single one of your previous medical records when you go.

wiredcanyon2 said:Bottom line: if your joints are aching "for no reason" and you've got those lumps you described, you need to go see an internist or a rheumatologist. Before you head in, you should get some basic lab work done: RBC, WBC, a full differential, uric acid, urea, creatinine, CRP, ESR, blood glucose, a lipid panel, AST, ALT, GGT, Sodium, Potassium, and maybe even thyroid hormones (T3, T4) and TSH. Once you actually have those results in hand, then you can talk to a doctor about a referral to a specialist. Trying to figure this out without those labs is basically just guessing. You can list your symptoms and describe how those nodes look all you want, but once you sit down with a doctor, the reality might be a completely different story. I'm just saying, without a medical exam, we're just speculating on a forum about what this could be—we're just listing differential diagnoses for the problems you're describing. A rheumatologist, if they think it's necessary, can order more targeted testing. And make sure you bring every single one of your previous medical records when you go.

My GP won't order those tests. For instance, if I wanted to check my thyroid hormones, she insists I see an endocrinologist first—then I have to wait for their referral, which means a six-month wait because everyone from across the US funnels into major metropolitan hospitals like Johns Hopkins just to protect their own territory, even when local specialists are available. Who should I see? An internist-rheumatologist at Mayo Clinic? I prefer male doctors; I don't particularly get along with women. Can anyone recommend a name? Also, where is that green and white surgical building located—is it near psychiatry or across from it?

Benjamin Taylor2 said:My GP won't order those tests. For instance, if I wanted to check my thyroid hormones, she insists I see an endocrinologist first—then I have to wait for their referral, which means a six-month wait because everyone from across the US funnels into major metropolitan hospitals like Johns Hopkins just to protect their own territory, even when local specialists are available. Who should I see? An internist-rheumatologist at Mayo Clinic? I prefer male doctors; I don't particularly get along with women. Can anyone recommend a name? Also, where is that green and white surgical building located—is it near psychiatry or across from it?

Honestly, I'm not sure why she wouldn't, considering you've got joint pain. Maybe she'll run the basics, or maybe she just isn't taking your situation seriously enough—who knows. You’re going to have to hash that out directly with her. If she thought it was worth sending you for X-rays, there’s usually a reason to run labs too. Anyway, internal medicine and rheumatology are over at Mayo Clinic; I think those clinics are in the newer green building. There are more specialists over there, so if you could manage to get an appointment with Dr. Bosnić, that would probably be a solid move. If you want, you can post photos of those lumps so some of the other folks here can take a look and give you a second opinion.

wiredcanyon2 said:Honestly, I'm not sure why she wouldn't, considering you've got joint pain. Maybe she'll run the basics, or maybe she just isn't taking your situation seriously enough—who knows. You’re going to have to hash that out directly with her. If she thought it was worth sending you for X-rays, there’s usually a reason to run labs too. Anyway, internal medicine and rheumatology are over at Mayo Clinic; I think those clinics are in the newer green building. There are more specialists over there, so if you could manage to get an appointment with Dr. Bosnić, that would probably be a solid move. If you want, you can post photos of those lumps so some of the other folks here can take a look and give you a second opinion.

I can send a photo, though nothing looks particularly dramatic. I mentioned that I feel more comfortable seeing male doctors rather than female ones. Interestingly, after eating hard, artisanal cheese consistently for a few days, my flare-ups were unbearable. I drink quite a bit of milk, so I intuitively cut out all dairy. Thank God, the intensity has dropped significantly, even if some pain remains. An ER doctor once suggested it might be related to my blood calcium levels, but he was too busy with other emergencies to follow up.
It also brings to mind a dentist telling me years ago that my enamel was thinning. Is there a link between calcium deficiency and these types of conditions? I always assumed dairy was essential, though that's debatable now with everything being imported from abroad. I still use Georgian cultures to make kefir, which is supposed to be healthy.

There are certain illnesses out there linked to shifts in blood calcium levels. Personally, though, I don't see how that connects to joint pain. You've definitely got specialists at Mayo Clinic dealing with things like rheumatoid arthritis and plenty of male physicians on staff—I can't think of any specific names off the top of my head. If your doctor hands you a referral, just go ahead and book an appointment to find out for sure.