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Curious If It Is Common!

adiftime

How long is your pinky finger?  

236 members have voted

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adiftime Rookie
adiftime
Posted

I know this may sound weird but 2 years ago a health food doctor told me that I had gluten intolerance. I didn't really care for him or his personality, so I chose to not listen to him. Wish I had now.

He gave me this diagnosed based on the length of my pinky finger. He said that if your pinky finger falls below the last joint, under your nail, on your ring finger, that that means you have gluten intolerance.

When I went to the GI doctor I told him of this diagnoisis and he said he didn't really think I had it but that it was definetly an easier and cheaper diagnosis than his. He did the scope and the biospy, and I did have it, but I never had another appointment with him to hear his reaction. He just sent me back to my primary care doctor(who really doesn't know much) and to my wonderful dietician.

Now, I am curious as to how many people, that have been diagnosed with this disease, actually have a short pinky finger.

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  • Replies 59
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Emily Elizabeth Enthusiast
Emily Elizabeth
Posted

Wow! That's crazy! I hope everyone participates. It would be interesting to see how many of us have the short pinky finger. :P

I know this may sound weird but 2 years ago a health food doctor told me that I had gluten intolerance. I didn't really care for him or his personality, so I chose to not listen to him. Wish I had now.

He gave me this diagnosed based on the length of my pinky finger. He said that if your pinky finger falls below the last joint, under your nail, on your ring finger, that that means you have gluten intolerance.

When I went to the GI doctor I told him of this diagnoisis and he said he didn't really think I had it but that it was definetly an easier and cheaper diagnosis than his. He did the scope and the biospy, and I did have it, but I never had another appointment with him to hear his reaction. He just sent me back to my primary care doctor(who really doesn't know much) and to my wonderful dietician.

Now, I am curious as to how many people, that have been diagnosed with this disease, actually have a short pinky finger.

mommyagain Explorer
mommyagain
Posted

That's just weird! But kinda cool if it works!

I just Googled "short pinky finger" and found this interesting tidbit on a site about palmistry: "A very short pinky finger (the kind that only reaches half way through the middle phalanx of the ring finger) is indicative of someone frustrated, unable to express their talents and skills." Hehehe... so we're gluten intolerant AND frustrated! fits me perfectly!

Fiddle-Faddle Community Regular
Fiddle-Faddle
Posted

Wow. :blink: I've known that I have a short pinky (violinists tend to notice these kinds of things), but never had a clue it might be related to, well, anything!!!

Yellow Rose Explorer
Yellow Rose
Posted

I was told several years ago that it is a genetic thing related to Athritus. There has been a study on it. I have RA and have a short little finger. My youngest daughter has JRA and also has a short little finger.

Yellow Rose

Fiddle-Faddle Community Regular
Fiddle-Faddle
Posted
I was told several years ago that it is a genetic thing related to Athritus. There has been a study on it. I have RA and have a short little finger. My youngest daughter has JRA and also has a short little finger.

Yellow Rose

Well, that makes sense, as celiac disease seems to be a major cause of RA.

Byte Me Apprentice
Byte Me
Posted

That's really weird! But I'm curious as to which pinky finger we should be looking at?? I voted based on my right hand, because I am right-handed. It is shorter than the last joint by a good quarter of an inch....but on my left hand, my pinky finger is even with the last joint!

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mftnchn Explorer
mftnchn
Posted

Hmm, both of my little fingers come right to the last joint.

adiftime Rookie
adiftime
Posted
  • Author
That's really weird! But I'm curious as to which pinky finger we should be looking at?? I voted based on my right hand, because I am right-handed. It is shorter than the last joint by a good quarter of an inch....but on my left hand, my pinky finger is even with the last joint!

He didn't tell me to look at a particular one. But both of mine are below, so that may have been why.

I should have included in the poll, whether one had been diagnosed with ceiliac sprue or gluten intolerance.

I wonder if length indicates the severity of our reaction to gluten?

It's crazy, but the poll is showing that the majority of us have short pinkies.

adiftime Rookie
adiftime
Posted
  • Author

I know this has only been on here for a couple of days, but I had hoped to have at least 100 people for a good comparison.

Also, I am curious for the 5 people that have a longer pinky, what their diagnoisis' are.

Don't really think this is a scientific study, but if it all has to do with genes, maybe it is an indication of a possiblity of having the disease.

I think when one is measuring you should look at the length of your finger from the palm side of your hand.

Thanks to all of you that have participated.

Janeti Apprentice
Janeti
Posted

I would participate also, I'm not quite sure what I'm looking at. Do you mean that the top of your pinky has to come below the joint of your ring finger? That doesn't sound right...Is that what you mean? That would be only a little stub coming out of your hand? :o Let me know, Janet

adiftime Rookie
adiftime
Posted
  • Author
I would participate also, I'm not quite sure what I'm looking at. Do you mean that the top of your pinky has to come below the joint of your ring finger? That doesn't sound right...Is that what you mean? That would be only a little stub coming out of your hand? :o Let me know, Janet

You should be looking at the joint/line just before your finger nail on your ring finger.

kbtoyssni Contributor
kbtoyssni
Posted

Janeti - it doesn't look like a stub, though, because the base of the pinky starts below the base on the ring finger.

I think I need to change my vote. One pinky is just about even with the joint and I voted based on that one. Then I looked at the other hand and that pinky is below the joint.

ptkds Community Regular
ptkds
Posted

I went around and looked at all my kids and dh. All 4 of my kids and I have pinkies that are below the last joint on the ring finger. My dh's was longer. So my oldest dd went to school yesterday and looked at all of her friends and her teachers hands. Most of them had the "gluten intolerant" pinky! When she told them what it was supposed to mean, they told her they didn't have a problem w/ gluten.

Maybe we should also look at our family members who DONT have celiac and post those results! This is really interesting and fun!

ptkds

Luisa2552 Apprentice
Luisa2552
Posted
That's really weird! But I'm curious as to which pinky finger we should be looking at?? I voted based on my right hand, because I am right-handed. It is shorter than the last joint by a good quarter of an inch....but on my left hand, my pinky finger is even with the last joint!

Wow, I didn't even think of that. I voted based on my left hand because my right was on the mouse(I'm right handed). My left pinky is even witht he last joint and my right is considerably shorter- just over half way between the joints! How weird I've never noticed that before :P

adiftime Rookie
adiftime
Posted
  • Author
I went around and looked at all my kids and dh. All 4 of my kids and I have pinkies that are below the last joint on the ring finger. My dh's was longer. So my oldest dd went to school yesterday and looked at all of her friends and her teachers hands. Most of them had the "gluten intolerant" pinky! When she told them what it was supposed to mean, they told her they didn't have a problem w/ gluten.

Maybe we should also look at our family members who DONT have celiac and post those results! This is really interesting and fun!

ptkds

It is interesting isn't it?

Of course the teachers are going to say they don't have it. The old case of, "Not me, there isn't any thing wrong with me."

But maybe, she planted a seed and some day if they develop a problem they might think where to look . We can only hope and pray that we have educated one more person to this disease.

And with this kind of diagnosis a little fun doing it!!! I find myself looking at peoples fingers now all of the time. Course if it isn't laying flat you can't tell. I have been checking family, friends and anyone else that I can. I've tried to make it my new goal(since being diagnosed) to tell at least one new person a day. :lol:

bbuster Explorer
bbuster
Posted

Right hand - even

Left hand - below

and I don't have Celiac

tom Contributor
tom
Posted

Of course, even if it's true, the sampling is biased.

If that 1:133 ratio is correct, each of us celiacs would have to check and report on 133 non-celiacs' pinky lengths to correct the sample.

For all we know 30% of THEM have the short pinky.

Oops, just realized it was for gluten-intolerant, not celiac!! So that tosses out the 133 number, but not the notion that a much higher and diverse sample would be req'd. :)

jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted

I just voted--both of mine are shorter by about 1/4 of an inch or so.

adiftime Rookie
adiftime
Posted
  • Author

Not sure the health food doctor that told me this actually knew the difference between gluten intolerant and celiac sprue.

I didn't really think this would be a scientific study but was curious how many actually have a short pinky. After I posted it I wished I had included choices that would have indicated the severity of the disease, but I didn't. Oh well! It's still interesting to see the numbers.

Billie

Judyin Philly Enthusiast
Judyin Philly
Posted

this is so interesting and FUN :lol:

I voted and my pinky goes up to the last joint on the ring finger.

i'd love to see some pictures...

2Boys4Me Enthusiast
2Boys4Me
Posted

I voted for Ty. Looking at the palm of his hand, they both are pretty much even with the joint on the ring finger. He has celiac. I don't have celiac and mine are both pretty much even or slightly above the joint.

Janeti Apprentice
Janeti
Posted

Ohhh, ok I voted. Both my pinkies fall belo :lol: w the joint...Janet

Betty in Texas Newbie
Betty in Texas
Posted

Well I got my up to the light and they both are under the first joint measuring them they 2 inches and I have celiac

darlindeb25 Collaborator
darlindeb25
Posted

As someone said--from the palm side, they are different--strange, but true. From the top, both my pinky fingers fall below the first joint on my ring finger--even if i bend the finger, my pinky is below the bend--yet, if I turn my hand over and look from the palm side--it appears differently. On the backside of your hands, there is only one true definite line for the joints and the tip of my pinky appears to fall above it--weird huh?

Then, if we all look at our hands, we will find that they resemble family members. Is it celiac, gluten intolerance, or hereditary? There is a whole thing about foreheads too. Something about your forehead and if it's this or that, then you are gluten intolerant!

Is fun to think about though.

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