Dupuytrens Contracture and Russian Roulette

Standard medical care for Dupuytrens contracture is to do nothing about the problem until there is considerable permanent flexion of one or more fingers, considerable loss of hand function and/or great pain. It might take a few months or a few years for the hand to reach this level of deterioration. The medical thinking is this: “Some cases of Dupuytrens never get that bad, so let’s leave it alone and see how bad it gets. If the problem does get bad, we can always do surgery.” If the hand contracture results in an "acceptable" or mild level of pain, an "acceptable" or mild degree of hand and finger distortion, or an "acceptable" or mild level of loss of hand movement and dexterity, the outcome in that person is said to be "satisfactory" and the wait-and-see strategy is said to have been successful for that individual.

Do you know who judges what is "acceptable" pain, stiffness, and loss of use for YOUR hand? Well, it is not you. That determination is made for you, ahead of time, by someone else. Your doctor is only hoping that you will eventually develop a certain "acceptable" level of a hand problem. If your hand gets only as bad as he or she hoped, then your doctor's opinion will be that everything worked out pretty well for you − even if you don't think so. Can you believe that? Did you know this is how the wait-and-see early treatment strategy for Dupuytrens contracture is justified?

You should find out early in your care if it is your doctor's opinion that a permanent 10-30 degree bend of your finger(s) is a "satisfactory" outcome, and is not worth the trouble of perhaps taking some enzymes and other supplements. You should find out if it is your doctor's opinion that not being able to brush your teeth, tie your shoe laces, comb your hair, or wipe yourself after a bowel movement, for the rest of your life is a "satisfactory" outcome. You should find out if it is your doctor’s opinion that it is not worth the trouble of perhaps using DMSO with copper and vitamin E, to try to avoid having a limited handshake for the rest of your life, or dropping your car keys every time you try to start the car. You should find out early if it is your doctor's opinion that a dull ache and throb (maybe even a sharp pain) in your hand(s) every time you open the refrigerator is a "satisfactory" outcome, and is not worth the effort of perhaps following a nutritional program of MSM, vitamins E and C, Japanese herbs and maybe some carnitine. Carefully read those medical websites that discuss Dupuytrens contracture treatment options. You will find how common is the opinion that so long as your hand(s) is not terribly distorted and extremely painful, then at least you medical doctor will be happy.

If you have Dupuytrens contracture you should know that the medical profession has a very low standard by which to judge what is an "acceptable" level of pain and distortion for YOUR hand and fingers. Using these standards by which to judge the health and well-being of YOUR hand, the medical profession has determined that this wait-and-see treatment approach makes sense to them. But, does it make sense to YOU? A person with Dupuytrens contracture should know that the doctor is willing to take a chance like this with YOUR hand and fingers, when there are many reasonable conservative treatment options -- even if they are currently unproven. DCI thinks this wait-and-see approach is a poor gamble and a bad strategy.

Dupuytrens contracture is not something to gamble about

The watch-wait-and-do-nothing strategy for Dupuytrens contracture must sound good only to the surgeon.

Most would agree that it is better to do everything possible to protect the hand and assist recovery, as soon as you can, using as many of the safe and scientifically grounded options that are known to have some limited success in helping the contracture heal. If after following an aggressive alternative medical program, such as is presented on this website, there is less than complete repair and healing -- as can happen -- then surgery can still be used. Yes, you are taking a chance that the currently unproven alternative therapies DCI advocates might not work for you, but the down-side is minimal for the most part.

We leave it to the reader to decide which is the greater risk: ignoring the problem, or exploring the safe treatment area of commonly used Alternative Medicine therapy.

For more information and ideas about putting together an Alternative Medicine treatment plan, click Create Dupuytrens Treatment Plan

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