I have DC and also knuckle pads or (Garrods pads) too…… Are there any topical treatments that can be useful in reducing the size of these knuckle pads?
Greetings,
Knuckle pads or Garrod’s pads (or Garrod’s disease) are another of the excess fibrous tissue problems that affect people who have ancestry from northern Europe. In the case of knuckle pads the problem appears as a clearly defined thickening and darkening of the tissue of the knuckles of one or both hands. When a person develops this problem it usually affects the knuckles of all fingers, not just one or two.
They are located at the base of fingers or the first joint up from there at the proximal interphalangeal or PIP joints of the hands. They appear as a smooth, firm, slightly tender and slightly darker skin-colored elevation ranging anywhere from .25 to 1.5 inches in diameter.
Knuckle pads or Garrod pads are commonly associated with Dupuytren contracture. They are seen in about half of the cases of Dupuytren’s contracture; when they occur usually indicate a more severe form of Dupuytrens disease.
Over the years I have communicated with people who have noticed their knuckle pads reduce in size and tenderness after following a standard treatment protocol as outlined in the DCI website. The typical response when the knuckle pads begin to reduce their size, thickness and soreness is for this change to happen rather early, sometimes even before the Dupuytren cords or nodules begin to soften or reduce in size.
All DCI related treatment of Dupuytren’s contracture includes topical treatment consisting of Dusa-Sal DMSO, Super CP Serum and Unique-E vitamin E oil. If you have some special concern about the appearance of your hands and wish to concentrate treatment to the knuckles, I cannot think of a reason that you could not apply additional DMSO, copper serum and vitamin E to these ares.
If you need further information about the Alternative Medicine treatment of Dupuytren’s contracture and knuckle pads, please let me know. TRH