Trying to find out why i have sudden, severe joint pain in the metacarpophalangeal joints of both hands. i have joint pain in my hands, worse in the thumbs. my doctors have no idea what's causing it. tests for ra, lupus, gout, fifth disease, etc, all have

There : There are many arthralgias and arthropathies that defy categorization of diagnosis. It sounds as though your rheumatologist is being thorough. Sometimes palin old early osteoarthritis is the source, with minimal xray findings and no serological tests that are positive. Hopefully you have had xrays . Often these are neglected. Other things that may simulate joint pain a t the mcp joints are trigger fingers without locking or triggering, but you say there is triggering. So it sounds like you just have regular plain old trigger fingers a common but often underdiagnosed problem. As noted it can present with or without triggering an infectious or fungal etiology should also be ruled out as well if it does not respond to typcical treatment.

? osteoarthritis: Oa at the base of the thumbs is pretty common and at 60 and female this would be even more common sometimes it quite subtle on the xrays ask for a referral or get another opinion.