Dupuytren's Contracture

Dupuytren's contracture is a benign yet progressive disorder that may result in debilitating deformities of the hand. It has afflicted millions of Americans. At onset, Dupuytren's contracture generally starts with thickening of the palm. Later on, the skin of the palm would appear lumpy or dimpled. A solid mass of tissue would subsequently form which is tender to touch but not always painful.

In the later stage of Dupuytren's contracture, the lumps of tissue under the skin of the palm of the hand may stretch way up to the fingers. When these lumps become tighter, the fingers are eventually pulled in the direction of the palm. The index finger and thumb are not usually affected. The involved fingers are bent so hard that they cannot be fully straightened, thus most of activities of daily living may be difficult to perform, such as eating, cleaning, cooking, or washing the dishes. When the condition is not treated early, it may be too difficult to fully open the hand or holding even large objects may be tricky. While Dupuytren's contracture may affect both hands, one hand is generally more severely affected than the other.

Dupuytren's contracture affects mainly a layer of the skin which is located under the skin of the palm called fascia. This tissue eventually forms a thick cord that pulls the finger toward the palm. The contracture is caused by thickening or fibrosis surrounding the tendon sheaths of the hand. The reason behind the thickening is still not known and even the etiology remains unknown.

Massage is an important part of physical therapy that may help relieve the symptoms of Dupuytren's contracture. One effective method is called the Dupuytren massage, which should be performed during the early stage of the disorder for best results. This is certainly beneficial for the hand and finger deformities when it is done in the right way. If the massage therapy is started only at the later stage of the contracture, it can still be successful provided that more time and effort are committed.

An efficient therapy for Dupuytren's contracture involves massage and stretching. These two processes must be done because they are vital for the relief of contracted muscles. Overall, the regimen for treatment of Dupuytren's contracture involves taking of essential vitamins, minerals, enzyme supplements, massage therapy, and stretching.

Not only is Dupuytren massage good in managing the thickened tissues of the hand but also is effective for relaxing muscle tension, improving blood flow and lymphatic drainage.

You may opt not to have treatment if your symptoms do not actually hinder your daily activities, you are not in pain or do not feel any discomfort while having Dupuytren's contracture. You may just observe if the condition progresses.

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