EXPLAIN THE PAIN PLEASE!!!😏

Maybe I'm just not good with medical terms..but can't be alone in wondering what some terms mean..e.g. My consultant letter "her basic problem is OA..unusually affected her MCPS.as hook osteophyte.classically associated with haemochromatosis but ferritin very normal.some synovitis might have inflammatory arthritis..also think early CTS..Diagnosis Interphalangeal.++...."" Any understanding of this has left me baffled & again thinking WHAT?? Help greatly welcomed.xx

[Simba1992]

This is what I make out of it. Your basic problem is OA, your small bones in wrist affected, which is unusual. You have signs in your hand of a condition where you absorb too much iron but normal ferritin levels does not support this. You have some synovitis which may indicate inflammatory arthritis. Thinks you have early carpal tunnel syndrome. Hope of some help😊

[hawker955]

OA is osteoarthritis, not primarily an inflammatory disease but wear and tear erosion of the joint surfaces.Haemachromatosis is a disorder caused by excessive levels of iron in the body. Also, the UK medics seem to ignore that excessive iron intake is linked to heart attacks, as proven by American and Japanese studies. MCPs must be metacarpophalangeals, your writs and fingers inother words,

Synovitis is inflammation of the membranes lining. jjoints. OA can lead to some secondary inflammation but is not caused by inflammation in the first place, unlike RA

[Hidden in reply to hawker955]

Thank you for help..why can't it be explained like that in letter.😏

[nomoreheels in reply to Hidden]

Because it's medical terminology which both your Rheumy & GP understand, reports are seldom in laymans terms!

[nomoreheels]

Reports can be baffling if you're not familiar with terms & abbreviations. To hopefully make it easer reading I'll interpret each by line. It seems your trouble is

Osteoarthritis, unusually affected are your

MCPs (metacarpophalangeal joints -metacarpal bones of the hand & the phalanges of fingers, the bones from your wrist to your middle knuckles),

as hook osteophyte (bone spur -the bony projections which form along the edges of bones), classically associated with

haemochromatosis (a condition where there's a build up of iron but your ferritin levels are very normal), seems to think this is unusual.

Some synovitis (inflammation of the synovial membrane, the connective tissue that lines the inner surface of capsules of synovial joints & tendon sheath)

might have inflammatory arthritis.

Also think early CTS (Carpal Tunnel Syndrome).

Diagnosis interphalangeal ++ (between two phalanges, plural of phalanx meaning any joint in the hand in your case but it can also relate to the toes), ++ ( present significantly)

If you're ever unsure with reports again your GP will be able to translate for you.

[Hidden in reply to nomoreheels]

Thank you.x

[hawker955]

It looks like it is a letter from one medical professional to another, both of whom speak the language. They don't necessarily expect you to get a copy or need to know more than what they tell you at a consultation. I suspect.