Hand pain is this possibly steal syndrome?

[vcarmody]

My husband has been complaining of hand pain for the last month or two.  His hand aches, and he has been asking me to massage it all the time lately.  He also some times complains on a sharp pain in his wrist. I am insisting that he make an appointment with his vascular accesses doctor, of course now he is saying well my hand don't hurt that bad.  Should I push this issue with him?  His fistula is his lifeline and I don't think we should be playing with it.   

[boswife]

I know it's hard to have one more thing 'wrong' but it seems that if there is a question that it's his fistula, well, unfortunatly id think ya ought to push it??  Right now i just dont know much of anything bout anything, but i do know that i dont want anything to mess with that precious fistula. How was it today??

[rnbob]

I think it sounds like steal syndrome, with some carpal tunnell, brought on by the swelling which I assume he has.
If this is so please keep his hand elevated as much as possible, a pillow under it when he sleeps, keeping the arm raised while awake, even if it means using a sling around the house. Use heat to increase blood flow, to help mobilize the fluid, but if the heat makes it worse (which it may if blood flow is too constricted) stop the heat until the swelling subsides.
Good Luck, and let me know how it works.
Remember I haven't seen the patient, so these are the suggestions of an amateur that you met on the street, not a professional reccomendation, which is SEE A DR> RIGHT AWAY!!