Does anyone else get joint/muscle pain more in one side of the body or one particular joint or limb?

[timmysmom]

I get pain more frequently in my right hip & leg than other joints& limbs. Also have swollen glands only on right side. Generally have more problems on right side than left. I'm curious if anyone else finds this. I havnt got a lupus diagnosis yet but l have a lot of the signs & symptoms & some associated autoimmune illnesses. I'd be gratefull for any feedback.x

[Slowmo]

Hi there, my join pain and stiffness varies (as do my symptoms generally) but it is currently one sided, left hip, knee and ankle are giving me gip! Sometimes it is equal, that is both shoulders, or both hips for instance, but generally can and does change from week to week.

I think SLE has a mind of it's own and for whatever reason takes a hit on wherever is weak at the current time. All the best to you and I hope you get some answers soon.

Take care

[timmysmom in reply to Slowmo]

Thank-you for your reply slowmo, very usefull. Take care.

[Tigerlily4]

Yes! It's been hitherto generally held by the medical profession that lupus inflammation, pain and stiffness is mirrored simultaneously in the body ...ie. both shoulders, both hips, both wrists etc. ... but this is not often the case IME, nor in those of the many others I've talked to. In fact, that belief is now rather outdated although it still appears in medical textbooks. Hope you get a diagnosis soon Timmysmom. x

[tallytutu]

I suffer mostly on my right side. It's unusual for me to have it equally on both sides of my body unless it's my sinus playing up. But then we are all so different with this lupus malarkey! X

[roobarb]

Just a thought, but maybe you also have some over lap with RA that is effecting these particular joints. X

[Hidden]

Hi timmysmom, yes most of my problems are on my right side. The ops I have had have also been on right side ( shoulder, foot.) I broke my ribs on right side and my vasculitus attacks also affect my right eye more than the left. I wouldn't say that I don't have problems on both sides, but i thought it was because I must do everything on that side therefore inflaming the right side more. Hope you get sorted soon. It's horrible being in limbo

[SarahHeney]

Yes my right side as well. Gosh this site would be a researchers dream.....

[Mysti25]

Hi, I find the same in that any pain,weakness, stiffness, eye problems etc is in general more rightsided though can be either side at times. I'm also in the midst of getting diagnosis confirmed with lupus being the most favoured label at the moment it can seem such a long journey to get a firm diagnosis with these auto immune diseases at times and we all tend to be affected in our own way which is all the more challenging for those trying to find the right diagnosis and treatments for us. Really hope you get sorted soon Take care x

[Carolha]

I haven't been diagnosed yet. My pain started in my ankles and they both hurt badly. My wrist pain is more on the right as is my shoulder pain, although I have it on the left as well. I've put it down to being right handed and using that side of my body more. What I don't understand is I also get swollen glands in my neck but that us only on the right. So you're not on your own. Take care x

[ShannonB]

Mine is also mostly right sided! But I am left handed. I have always commented that my right side seems weaker and most issues including eyes and glands are worse on that side. How strange!

[jeevan05]

Mines is mainly on the left hand side in my arm..glands sell up on the right..it can varyy day to day..

[Hidden]

I have the same thing. My right side is much more affected with regards to swollen glands, pain, joint problems etc… I think it's pretty common, as I have had many people with SLE tell me this. However, in my experience, this is another thing that an MD will not acknowledge as relevant. Obviously there is something to it.

[helsnz34]

I have more pains left side upper bod, right side lower but can go for both. The most agonizing pains are in my left eye, left side of head and bottom of neck feels like eye socket is being punched and out through my neck like a big pressure in my eye. Does anyone else have this prob? Eyes are ok after having regular optician checks. I also have sle and I have two kinds of vasculitis, urticarial and cryoglobulinemia.

[Hidden in reply to helsnz34]

Some of my worst pain is in my eyes. I cannot bear to keep them open and have to go to bed. I have vasculitus also with sle. I use liquifilm eye drops, but stupidly, only when they hurt. I'm supposed to use everyday! I also raise my steroids. 2 months ago I had my glasses tinted and can't believe the difference. I was probably more photo sensitive than I realised.

[Terrier_Lady]

I notice my pain is usually worse on my left side, and I get the skin rashes worse on my left side to. Same thing with head and neck pains always worse on that side. I'm right handed so if wonder if it's because my left side is the weaker side? I too am waiting for a firm diagnosis, rheumatologist and doctor says that it only looks like it could be lupus but they are so slow to actually give you the label. They've just been treating me and say we have to keep monitoring it. Such a hard illness to have, and others don't understand because they can't see your pain, so I think they have a hard time understanding why we have no energy to participate.

[DonnyJM]

I saw this post before and thought - no it's not one particular side for me but the more I think about it I realise that I seem to get things worse on the left hand side.

I get pains and numbness down my left leg and into my foot. I get the same in my right arm and shoulder.

When my Pleurisy started, all the pain was on the left side of my chest, shoulder and back and it continues to be worse on that side.

I'm right handed so it is my weaker side affected most.

My Mum who has SLE seems to get more affected in her right side and she is left handed.

Perhaps there could be something in this?

[Lymesufferer34]

I thought I had Lupus, but it was Lyme disease: I got a "bullseye rash" in May. Thought it was a spider bite that eventually went away. Most people with Lyme never even see this. I live in a state the CDC says is completely clear of Lyme. I am in an urban area and never traveled, camped or was around deer. I got sick with fever. Thought it was flu and it cleared after a couple days. A few weeks later, I had joint pain in right thumb. Thought it was carpal tunnel. Then my right hip started hurting and popping. This seemed out of the blue. Thought it was arthritis, I'm in my mid 40s and am otherwise very healthy. Then everything hurt on my right side. My symptoms changed week to week. Then my neck was so stiff and painful I couldn't turn it. Headaches that no pain reliever would touch. Lab tests didn't even reveal high white blood cell count. Finally I saw a pic of bullseye rash on internet. Went to 4 Drs until I found one who ordered a test for Lyme. Western Blot test. Plus one to reveal other related infections ticks carry. In treatment now. I was told by different Drs I had RA, lupus, hemochromatosis, or toxic mold poisoning. In my case, the culprit turned out to be Lyme.

[littlemouse]

i dont have any paticular physical condition but i've found this to be true! im only twenty five but for about the last 10years ive had joint pains, mostly my wrist, ankle and knee on my right hand side. started today with my wrist and now my knee is hurting too.

[USAhousewife]

It's my right side that gets inflamed But now that I'm older and have pretty much been through every Rx on the market. . . my left side is getting really weak.

[Donnahunt1]

I have pains in my right ankle, knee, hip and now my right shoulder too. I thought it was just me but after reading some of these posts it seems to be quite common.