Joint pain

[AMS_1]

I have a history of disc denegaration issues but a recent issues with my joint. A scan has showed facet joint degeneration but an improvement in the disc. My friend has fibro and I am starting to wonder if there is a connection. Lately I have also been suffering with knee pain, hip pain on sleeping and upper back pain under shoulder which I have never had before. This may be all tied in with the flare up I have had since Oct which hasn't gone away but not sure. I am also menopausal and don't get much sleep and the usual brain fog tiredness.

[Yassytina FMA UK Volunteer]

Having similar symptoms too you have you had an X-ray on your knee/hip lately ? I have arthritis and loss of cartilage in my knee and now pain in hip , denegaration in lower back disc s , oh too be middle aged and wear and tear ☹️and menopause on top you have my empathy as went threwcmine and finished at 44. I would speak too your doctor for a piece of mind , take care xx

[AMS_1 in reply to Yassytina]

Hi thank you for responding. No been so focused on dealing with the back/joint issue the knee and hip pain is relatively new. Next step to discuss with doctor. My physio puts it all down to the spinal/facet joint issue and the menopause but I am not so sure. I hope you are doing OK take care and thank you x

[Mags6 in reply to AMS_1]

I've been poorly since Oct. Bit better now. Think stopping amitryptiline didn't help and there were stresses.I have disc degeneration and due to fibromyalgia feel the pain more. Duloxetine is helping the pain but the side effects!!. Fibromyalgia also causes chemical sensitivity

I've been doing physio and hydrotherapy and I think it's helping. Also pacing some exercise then rest.

Good luck

[Mags6 in reply to Mags6]

Forgot to say (brain fog) I now have one squirt of oestrogel helps pist menopause symptoms

[AMS_1 in reply to Mags6]

Thanks Mags6 hope you are doing OK. Can I ask how you got diagnosed with fibro?

[Mags6 in reply to AMS_1]

I saw a rheumatologist in 2009 after being referred by GP following a year of pain

[Bmw640]

Hi AMS,

As a fellow disc & facet joint degeneration sufferer as well as fibro warrior with a lot of experience with orthopaedic, rheumatology & neurology consultants, spinal, knee, hip & shoulder blades pain I’m hoping I can help you. I can definitely give you a whole host of info that might be useful. Apologies if I cover some stuff you already know.

Starting with the spine back pain is often (definitely not always) a first symptom of fibromyalgia. Discs can be healed by the body but we’re stuck with facet joint degeneration. Strong core muscles can take a lot of pressure off facet joints & reduce pain. Water therapy (not all nhs areas if you’re in the uk) Pilates, yoga & thai chi work well for strengthening the core. Dependant on which disc is/was your problem it can cause sciatic pain in one or both legs and the sciatic nerve can absolutely affect both knee & hip since it runs round both. Discs & sticking facets can both affect the iliac crest & that can cause hip & knee pain too (more so the hip but it can affect the knee at the same time). Like some of your other respondents have said it could well be other knee & hip problems too. Sciatic pain can remain when discs heal. Mine did and L4/5 was the worst of my lumbar discs which was eventually replaced. The other thing about pesky facets (and discs) is with pain they can change the way we move & walk which can also displace pain areas &/or create new pain areas. Certainly from a muscular perspective they can. Often it happens without us recognising it especially if one or more facets are sticking. Limited sleep definitely has the capacity to increase pain. If you’re moving in sleep to escape heat spots it could put pressure on spinal areas & other joints and back areas you wouldn’t normally stay on too. Do you know for definite it was just the one disc that was a problem? Both thoracic & some neck discs can cause referred pain in the shoulder blade area.

Anyway this is as much info as I can give you without knowing which disc & facets are affecting you. If it were me I’d absolutely go see my Gp & request to see a neurologist or rheumatologist. Meanwhile I’d be using heat packs (a lot). A short term strong anti-inflammatory like naproxen could well help with your pain. A decent orthopaedic consultant could also advise you re: potential pain knock on effects of facet joint degeneration and rule out any hip or knee individual conditions plus tell you if there’s a possibility a disc is causing your shoulder blade pain. They should also be capable of picking up on fibromyalgia pointers but if that’s the case they’ll want to send you to a neuro or rheumatologist for further examination with possible investigations. You can tell I’ve been down all these roads can’t you 😁! I’m a fiend for asking consultants tons of questions as well!

Anyway I hope you get some answers soon, your pain reduces and you’re not unlucky enough to have fibromyalgia to contend with as well. Apologies if I’ve given you too much to think about but I hope somewhere in this lot you find something that helps you in choosing the next direction you take.

Fingers crossed 🤞🏼 everything works out the best it can for you.

Take care

Bm

[AMS_1 in reply to Bmw640]

Thanks BM really appreciate your insight and support. Sorry to hear what you have been through. I have had a scan of my lower lumber and the disc was bulging at l5/s1 although scan shows improvement since 2017 (last scan). Just loss of height and signal. The joint degeneration is in l4/5 but not inflamed? I previously have had l5/s1 joints injected twice as they thought that.was the issue but looks like it is higher up. The upper back issue has only been in the last few weeks so hoping it's muscular and will ease. The knee/hip my physio puts down to the facet as discussed.I have had naproxen a short course for a few months and I am working with a physio on my core. Yoga etc. I don't feel confident to join a class and need to do it at my own pace. I may consider something in the pool though. I have a heat pad permanently on me!! Only thing that helps.

I think for me it's been a scary time these last few months as I feel I am getting more and more new symptoms. Again as you say you do change the way you walk etc.

I think what I need from the consultant is what I can do Long term to manage this. I am already thinking of reducing my working hours as its becoming too much.

What I find annoying is that no one seems to recognise the pain and just say the disc is touching the nerve not pressing it. I do get sciatica pain not as much as I did a few years ago flares up if I do too much. (Right side). Now the recent scan shows an improvement in the disc bulge and it seems the facet joint is the cause of my issues.