Does anybody have clicking/popping joints? I have RA diagnosed August 2013 and have noticed along with the pain, dreadful fatigue my joints

[Beverlady]

Can click and pop (cant think of another way to describe it) it comes with sharp pain which makes me wince it happens to my ankles too. Could this be to do with RA or what could be the cause, any ideas Bev x

[Rosie_rabbit]

Hi Bev, I've always had joints that crack very easily. When I first started getting RA symptoms my wrists clicked in a way that they never had done before and it's very painful when this happens. When my other joints crack sometimes it is very painful and someone's I don't really feel it. I'm not being helpful am I, sorry.

I've a friend who is an OT and she said joints cracking meant there was inflammation there. I don't know if this is the case, or if there is any link in cracking, popping or clicking to RA but I'd be interested to know. Rx

[Beverlady]

Hi Rosie, thanks for the reply at least I know I'm not on my own! Years ago I asked GP what this noise was he said it was pockets of 'gas' or something similar escaping, but I too have noticed my cracking and popping has changed and it's sometimes painful.

Bev x

[spindrift11]

Hi, I was diagnosed with RA in February 2013 - it started with a torn cartilage in my knee, with my knee twice its normal size and did not improve after a knee repair, 6 months later my wrist became swollen and painful over night, then my elbow, shoulder and neck, with lots of popping and clicking on movement. I had been on Naproxen for over a year for my knee before I was diagnosed with RA, the doctor told me it is not a good drug to be on long term, so I just stopped taking it thinking the Methotrexate had started working, but the clicking and cracking became unbearable, so I started taking it again. I then reduced my dosage slowly and now the clicking is not so bad, but can be quite noisy! My nurse told me it is the tendons making the noise as RA can attack them stopping them running smoothly, making them rough.

[Hidden]

Mine are terribly noisy these days too - have been ever since RA started although I'm much fitter than I was now but I assumed it was just a sign of getting older/ being post menopausal etc. That's interesting what you say about the tendons Spindrift11 - I didn't know that but it makes a lot of sense because my tendons have been the parts worst affected by RA for me so far.

[Hidden]

Hebovello

Yes to all above I carry conkers in my pockets to manipulate my hands and a dogs ballto eercise my feet and toes

Seems to help.

BOB

[Rosie_rabbit in reply to Hidden]

I think that's quite enough about conkers in your pocket bob, there are ladies present ... I'm sorry, I couldn't stop laughing when I read that it sounded so funny, I don't mean to offend Rx

[Beverlady]

Thanks all for your replies, that does make sense spendrift. Probably it's all connected was worried I was going to break my hip or ankle when they crack so painfully.

[Hidden]

Hello Bev

Generally the clicking is caused by the joints breaking down due to the arthritis, the smooth parts of the joint become rough and swelling increases the stiffness, some of this breaking down will eventually form bone growths and they then can grow bone upon themselves. making the pain and clicking, gentle eercise can assist in keeping the joint mobile and loose

If you break an ankle sometimes these benign bone growths surround the old broken joint, some call them calcified horns, so you then will get clicking and pain around that joint, manipulation and exercise eases these growths hence the conkers and dog ball

BOB

[Beverlady]

Hi Bob,

Thanks for the explanation it does make sense, I find the painful clicking is always worse first thing in the morning and after periods of inactivity.

Bev

[earthwitch]

I'm the original rice krispies woman with the number of joints that crack and pop. With me its ankylosing spondylitis, and it does seem to be really common with folk with AS. I actually have it more when my joints are less inflamed. Can be quite embarrassing to stretch out my leg and have my knee emit a really loud crack.

[francherry]

Hi Bev, yes, my joints click a lot but I put it down to having a separate condition (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome) rather than RA, as I have had the clicky joints all my life (the left hip joint cracks a lot when I'm walking for example) and other joints such as the thumbs dislocate, this has all been going on since childhood but was only diagnosed with RA four years ago. The clicking does seem to have got worse since having RA though.

[MarshaM]

Yes I too have clicking popping and sharp pain in knees and shoulders. I was also diagnosed w RA last august . Knees don't bend very well and swollen all the time. Woke up this morn w tingling in my right hand like a nerve was being pinched. Something I read said that RA can cause irritation inside the nerve casings which will impede the nerves causing nerve damage eventually. Nothing but one crap thing after another w RA.

[dbestdeb]

Yes, I have that too, along with the pain and horrible fatigue. I do not always get the pain when they pop though.

[norfolkjo]

I click and pop in hips snd and knees but I will be thinking about bobs conkers in his pocket all day and giggling now