Spinal arthritis

[JDQuinn75]

I’m just wondering on this rainy damp cool evening what anyone with spinal arthritis in there spine, on how they cope with it on a daily basis. Mine is always hurting in my lower and middle part of my spine. Can’t seem to get a doctor to help me with this problem. Yes I do have fears that it’ll eventually affect my mobility and force me to use a wheelchair on a daily basis. I also wonder with it being in the mid part of my spine , where my spinal cord is if it will affect my spinal cord or not. Who else has had to go through this too?

[Shezzert]

Hi. I have Scoliosis and a 14inch rod in my back, last summer after lower back and right hip pain that wouldn't budge (I've had it for years on and off) , I had an x ray. I have severe OA and DD in the only few vertebrae left that aren't fused. After a month of crying and feeling in despair I got on with it and returned to walking, started some regular Pilates exercises and generally I manage the pain. A day of sitting makes it worse. Keep moving, keep believing you can x

[Hidden]

I don't have spinal arthritis, but I have Osteoporosis with 4 spinal fractures, which causes me awful pain. So I can sympathise with you entirely. Take care.

[JDQuinn75 in reply to Hidden]

Poemsgalore, Some days I can barely move. I’ve even had mornings that I can barely bend to get myself dressed for the day. That’s where I’m at right now with this.

[Hidden in reply to JDQuinn75]

😢 how awful. I struggle, but mostly I manage to dress myself.

[Swimmingthrutreacle]

Hello, sorry to hear that you cannot get a doctor to help with your spinal arthritis. I have it too, diagnosed about a year ago, along with scoliosis. I feel alone with it as well. I am 70 and my doctor kept saying, “well at your age.....” So I changed GP, who was sympathetic, listened and got me an appointment with a rheumatologist. That has unfortunately been cancelled due to the virus. Yoga always helped, but I gave up because I couldn’t do the most basic positions, especially bending forwards. So now I am doing yoga by myself at home and aiming to strengthen my abdominal muscles, especially to support the spine. If I can’t sleep, I do stretches in bed, within my limits. That and breathing into the painful area really helps. I have become aware of, and have had to improve, my posture in order to avoid the pain. I avoid sitting down and walk as much as I can. I sit on a giant gym ball rather than a chair to work the stability of my abdomen. An Osteopath I visited really helped too. I felt really relaxed afterwards, and less scared. I hope some of this helps. All the best .

[JDQuinn75 in reply to Swimmingthrutreacle]

Thanks for your tips swimmingthrutreacle. It’s not been easy for me since this started. My neurologist has seemed to be the only doctor that’s jumped on this when I mentioned it to him. He had me get an X-ray do to the fact this has been affecting my sciatica nerve as well. Do to the fact that this originally started in the lumbar part of my spine when it started in my spine. I get warm sensations down my right thigh at times. My neurologist has recommended physical therapy when I originally brought it to his attention. Do know what fif that would help or not though.

[Neybie]

I have arthritis in my lower back and hips. Riding accident many years ago. I take codeine and paracetamol. Heat helps a little. I use a couple of hot water bottles. I also take ibuprofen but not often as I only have one kidney.

Now and then when it’s really, really bad I have liquid morphine and slow release capsules. It gives me relief but I have to use it rarely. GP does not like me using.

I’ve never been offered pain killers specifically for arthritis, even though I’ve heard they exist.

I wish you luck. Ask your GP to refer you to Pain Management Clinic. They do ‘over the phone’ appointments. It’s worth trying if you have not.

Kind regards, Su.

[JDQuinn75 in reply to Neybie]

Neybie, otc drugs haven’t helped me for my spinal pain. When this get bad it drops me to my knees. Heat hasn’t done much for me either. I’m only comfortable sitting up or laying on my side. Laying on my back it hurts like hell. I’m very uncomfortable being on my feet completely anymore.

[arthritis_action Partner]

Hi JDQuinn75 , sorry to hear you're struggling due to your spine at the moment.

Our website contains a number of light exercises, developed to encourage people with arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions to become more active. These include a number of exercises specifically chosen to help improve spine mobility.

arthritisaction.org.uk/livi...

The activities are intended to be gentle and should be practised at a comfortable pace. However, if you have any concerns about whether they are suitable for you, please consult a healthcare professional before taking part.

Let us know how you get on!

[moods]

Yea, I have severe arthritis in my lower spine and it does bring the cheeriness you once knew to non existence. Your correct in saying it may bring you eventually into a wheelchair. My spinal problem cannot be operated on and knowing that some op's are unsuccessful renders me uninterested. The only door open to me was medication with opioids over a lot of years. Many people say, oh no! that's not a good idea, addiction etc. but mostly these informative people have no pain themselves or have taken the wrong turn with medication. See a doctor you like and discuss analgesic medicine with him for your spinal pain and all being well you'll live a more carefree life from tormenting back pain. Good Luck.

[JDQuinn75 in reply to moods]

Mood I’ll consider going into a wheelchair first before I take a chance of having a surgeon cut on my spine. I do find though if I turn the wrong way at times it’ll aggravate the area that hurts the most. Since this post I’ve been told that it’s all down my spine now. Witch worries me more on what will happen. I’m going to be 46 later this year and some days I feel like I’m almost 70.