Joint Pain Management – Arthritis
My mother has arthritis. Had it for years. Osteoporosis as well. It’s not too bad she says – but she has been in pain for forty odd years to I think she might be wrong. But then again she is comparing herself with her mother who spend over 50 years battling with RA. My grandmother pretty much could not use her hand in the last decade of her life so perhaps Mum has a point.
A lot of us associate arthritis with getting older so we thought it would be useful to give you a brief guide to the signs and symptoms of arthritis. So forewarned is forearmed.
In fact arthritis covers over 100 different medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia and gout. Here we focus on osteoarthritis which is the most common and is often referred to as just arthritis. Its social impact cannot be underestimated. In the USA maybe 20,000,000 have some kind of disability relatedto arthritis.
The core feature of arthritis is that it involves inflammation of the joints which as any person with arthritis will tell can be incredibly painful.
- So obviously joint pain is a key indicator
- Also swelling around the joints.
- Joint stiffness
- Fatigue is very common with arthritis of all kinds
If you feel you have any or all of these symptoms it is vital that you see a physician as soon as possible.
We ran a recent blog on arthritis treatments which may prove of interest. You can access it by clicking here https://patienttalk.org/?p=434.
Another part of this blog is to look at how arthritis affects people’s lifestyles. This is where you come in. It would be great if you could share your stories about changes in lifestyle with other readers. You may find it useful to consider the following questions:-
1) At what age did you first notice signs of arthritis?
2) How long did it take you to get diagnosed?
3) How did it affect your life/work balance?
4) What treatments have you used?
5) What single household or other gadget has helped you overcome the challenges presented by arthritis?
6) Is there any advice you would like to share with other readers?
Please think of these as a guide. We are interested in anything you may have to say. Please use the comments section below to add your contribution.
Many thanks in advance.
1) At what age did you first notice signs of arthritis?
28
2) How long did it take you to get diagnosed?
Simple Blood test when Dr noticed one of my fingers was bent crooked.
3) How did it affect your life/work balance?
I had to Quit my job Knees went out, no meds at that time so i was bedridden couldnt even use my hands..
4) What treatments have you used?
Methotrexate was started, tho at the time i had no pain within a month of using the drug i got WORSE to the stage of wheelchair,
i feel that med made my RA active.. so now im on Enbrel No pain at all, some days i get sore from overuse of joints but not crippling like i was.
5) What single household or other gadget has helped you overcome the challenges presented by arthritis?
I liked the Walker..my top of feet are damaged now.. when they get swollen i cant even step all my weight on them,even on the shot.. still some pain in winter.
Portable Potty Chair for them times i couldnt even make it to the bathroom,like bed ridden times.
6) Is there any advice you would like to share with other readers?
Get it treated asap or ull end up like me on Disability and damaged feet and joints to where its now impossible to go without my enbrel,
it supresses my immune system so my RA doesnt attack my body, but at risk for bad colds that lead to chest bronchitis etc.
At 48 I first noticed diminishing strength but was not diagnosed for 2 more years. I am now 54 with full blown oa for 4 years now. The daily pain is as regular as the US mail. I remember when a hot shower used to soothe the pain but not since about 2009. Others don’t understand arthritis pain and never truly recognize the suffering except wondering why you are not there. I do not use drugs and try to stay with all natural solutions in managing the pain. The best thing for me is to keep moving and the avoidance of anything high impact as difficult as that is. I sometimes take an Alleve which provides a 20% pain reduction at best, but I do not want to continue down that road. My friend once gave me a patch, like a large band aid, that I put on my shoulders hips and knees. It increased my mobility and reduced the pain to almost nothing that day, wow. I have been unable to reach him as he is traveling. If I ever catch up with him I’ll share it with you. Thanks
Patients
with osteoarthritis should reduce shock to the affected joint. Hammering away
at deteriorating cartilage may speed up the degeneration. People in
occupations with repetitive and stressful movement should find ways to reduce
trauma. Adjusting the work area or substituting tasks that produce less
stress on joints helps reduce shock.Joints need motion to stay healthy. Long
periods of inactivity cause the arthritic joint to stiffen and the adjoining
tissue to atrophy (waste away). A moderate exercise program that includes
low-impact aerobics and power and strength training has benefits for patients
with osteoarthritis, even if exercise does not slow down the disease
progression.
Hello I am almost 53 years old have had Osteo-everything as long as I can remember. My pain was manageable until my Vioxx was taken away. Since then I have tried almost every drug out there with minimal if any relief until it just does nothing. Up until 04/16/2013 I was getting by with the exception of a severely sprained left ankle that just would not completely heal. Well anyway on the 16th. I was tossed out of the sleeper in the truck I was sleeping in with my husband when he hit another truck due to sliding on the icy roads. It was just enough to toss me onto the floor board and scare the crap out of me. So now we are broke down and involved in an accident and freezing cause the radiator was damaged and we cannot run the truck. Well finally the wrecker gets there we get towed to the shop they nicely let us borrow a van to put everything out of the truck into and take to the motel to wait for work to decide how to get us home. So by the time we finally get to the motel 8 hours have passed and my adrenaline is finally wearing off and the pain is now settling in and after 2 hours in the bed I now cannot walk at all. Though I did not feel injured more than just bruise on my right knee I CANNOT walk and I am scared to death as to why what in the world is going on. Thank God my husband was not injured more than just shaken up and a little stiff so now he can carry to and from the restroom and after 2 days of this I am able to push myself around the room in the office chair but still need his help standing and sitting for 2 more days. Finally on the 5 day at the motel the company decides we are going to rent a car and get home. Well now here it is October 27th. And my pain has not let up. My fingers now hurt so bad and swell so much they are locking and my legs although once up and moving around ease up they refuse to let me get up and down steps without looking like a robot. It hurts so much just to go up and down steps. The pain and stiffness in my ankles and knees is unbearable and I look like a robot or the tinman without his oil can.
I am really scared now and just want answers as to why all this just seems to have hit me since the wreck. I was off work 4 months so had plenty of time to recuperate and heal. But I did not heal I only kept getting worse and now that I have to work it is very very hard to.
This pain and stiffness is killing me and I see no way out.
I was diagnosed at 38 with RA. My PCP was the first to diagnose it because I complained I was losing strength in my hands. I started treatment about a year later with a rheumatologist. As the RA progressed I developed OA. I’ve done almost every treatment for RA started on gold injections, then switch to MTX, anti-inflammatory meds and then infusion. Now I’m on biological injections. Water exercise is the best thing for my joints.
hi i have osetoarthritis asymmetricoligo arthritis fibromyalgia,and cfs. I am on celebrex 20 mgs and ultram for pain and a musclerelaxer cyclobenzapine. I am in unbeliveable pain at times. I suffer sometimes for days. Is there any other med to help me with pain?
Just found this site and so excited to be connected to those who live with/in pain,. I hate to complain to my husband, although he is compassionate and I feel so all alone with this OA. Have a good day and I hope to be/keep in touch.
I was told at 45 l should be in a wheel chair but i was determined i wasnt i am now 73 teach dance sequence 3 times a week yes im in a LOT OF PAIN i try not to take to many drus in fact i take 2 tramodol at night some nights im in agony. my dr dosnt nkow how im standing with athritis in mu back hips knees and shoulder plus oastio perosis. if i sit for too long imin more pain KEEP MOVING KEEP DANCING
I used to have so much pain in my hands. Not to mention Fibro pain. But I have started taking Thrive a multi-vitamin supplement and I have been pain free. GO see the testimonies that state the same thing. www.HeatherEngler.Le-vel.com. I can send out samples. I just need an address to send them to you. Contact me at hrbrrnch@gmail.com
I was 12 when I had my first arthroscopic surgery and was diagnosed with early stages OA. I am 32 now with stage 3 OA in both knees. I use a wheelchair to get around, I also have elbow crutches. I take tramadol and cocodamol for the pain. I can’t take NSAIDs due to a severe reaction to my asthma. I can’t even get across to you the implications on my work/life balance. I am still working but only just. Life is pain and tramadol hazes/fogs. I’ve been told I need bilateral full knee replacements but here in the uk the lifespan of the replacement joints is 10-15 years so they are reluctant to replace my knees however they are happy for me to live in pain and not be able to get around and have a life with my young family. I’ve been writing a blog about my arthritis and experiences. http://arthritis-sucks-oldbeforemytime.blogspot.co.uk/ I find that people still think arthritis is an old persons disease and they just don’t understand how life limiting it really is.
cjpmanning so sad to hear of your plight. I am in constant pain, and not learning to live with it quite yet.. I do a bit of work and then rest, but the pain continues. It is so limiting, as you said. Be wwell!