Pain

[Muttleykins]

How can I tell if pain is fibromyalgia or Rhumatoid Arthritis ?

[Julesubu]

Need to get blood tests by GP and see rheumatoid specialist. If joints swollen is usually RA don't tend to get swelling on joints with Fibro. Best to get see by a Doctor though as meds would be different.

[desquinn Partner Volunteer FMAUK Trustee in reply to Julesubu]

blood tests will not tell what condition is causing pain but the swelling well typically allow you to tell whether it is RA or not.

But I think it is typically experience from the individuals perspective that allows you to tell.

[Muttleykins in reply to desquinn]

I do have slight swellings. But I thought with RA pain it was on both sides of body but often this pain is only in one shoulder or elbow or groin etc . It's agony and can't move then in a couple of days it gets better! x

[Muttleykins in reply to Julesubu]

Thanks jules yes I have had tests and have both conditions.

It seems to me that when I'm having a flare up, any muscle I use will then be awful pain the next day but I wondered if there was a difference in the actual pain. X

[Hidden in reply to Muttleykins]

I think if you’ve been diagnosed with both conditions you won’t really know which is causing which individual pain. Could be one, could be both. I think all you can do is work with your doctors on the best medication that works for you and then add in all the small things that can help. I use Epsom salts in a hot bath, Salonpas patches, a Tens machine ( about £20 from Lloyds Pharmacy, best thing I ever bought) different gels and creams. I’m using Physiocreme at the moment but it’s not the best one I’ve used. I find heat works better than ice packs so I have hot water bottles and in the colder months an electric blanket on my bed and one on my sofa.

I’d also say make sure via blood tests that all your vitamin levels are good. In the highest quadrant of the normal range is optimal. I found a lot of my pain and fatigue lessened when I started a regime of individual vitamins. I probably have 25% of the pain I had a year ago, and far more energy. I can walk 3 miles now when I was struggling to walk a few hundred metres. Also read up about B1 deficiency and enzyme deficiencies, I found that gave me a lot of answers.

[YASMINTINA FMA UK Volunteer in reply to Muttleykins]

Yes certain area s when my fibro is playing up seem to ache even more, I agree it’s hard to tell if pain is coming from other conditions ie arthritis, or the both together , xx