Crunching?: Hi! Is it normal for your joints to crunch... - NRAS

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Crunching?

Sjhoney profile image
23 Replies

Hi! Is it normal for your joints to crunch and grind when you have RD? My right knee is really noisy when I move it around, painful too 🙄

Does this happen to anyone?

Sx

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Sjhoney profile image
Sjhoney
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23 Replies
JFlay profile image
JFlay

Hi, yes! I was only diagnosed this January but when I first went to the doctors about symptoms crunching & grinding was one of my concerns. At that time she said "join the club"! had to see another doctor to get anywhere with it ☹️ my knees and big toes grate & click and my neck makes grinding noises 😒 not sure if some of it could be OA too? My username on here refers to a character Mr Flay in the Mervyn Peake books... his bones crack, click and grate as he walks 😂

Sjhoney profile image
Sjhoney in reply to JFlay

Hi, this is a new thing for me and is only in my right knee which makes me wonder whether it’s osteo?

It’s just one thing after another 🙄

JFlay profile image
JFlay in reply to Sjhoney

😬😕

Hi SjHoney

I had OA to start and knees were particularly bad but most of my joints seem to grind away so I assume all to do with joints and RA. I take tumeric/vit d and cod liver oil as aback up too.

Sjhoney profile image
Sjhoney

Oh god, join the club 😩

I’m going to make a drs appt as I’m in a lot pain despite having steroid injections in both knees 2 wks ago 🙄

Sjhoney profile image
Sjhoney

Thanks! I do too 😳

helixhelix profile image
helixhelix

Yup, my knees and shoulders crunch and click from OA. Had my knee cleaned out once, and it’s sort of ok as long as i maintain strengthening exercises.

BonnieT profile image
BonnieT in reply to helixhelix

Helixhelix , what is the substance they clean out.

helixhelix profile image
helixhelix in reply to BonnieT

In my case it was loose bits of bone and cartilage, plus they trimmed off damaged cartilage and polished it.

Ruth12345 profile image
Ruth12345

Yup, multiple crunching, grinding and groinching in multiple joints long time before RD diagnosis. Asked rheumy if it was oa... no not necessarily and xray says only in 2 joints.

Mmrr profile image
Mmrr

Yes, I click and grind and tweek as I move. Audible sometimes and other times quiet.

CagneysMum profile image
CagneysMum

Yes. My knees and shoulders crunch the worst but are no longer painful thank goodness after having steroid injections both. My husband says it’s impossible for me to creep up on him undetected .... he can hear me coming from a few feet away. 😂

charisma profile image
charisma

Yes, clicking and cracking, grinding and crunching. They disappear when RD is controlled, for me anyway. So probably not OA.

charisma profile image
charisma

Please get that checked. It might be a Rheumatoid nodule.

Sjhoney profile image
Sjhoney in reply to charisma

What’s that? 😳

charisma profile image
charisma in reply to Sjhoney

I never have developed a Baker’s cyst or any nodules so not sure how the differ. Nodules can form behind the knee. Sorry if this alarmed you.

This might help:

healthline.com/health/baker...

Nodules are not usually larger than walnut size: nras.org.uk/rheumatoid-nodules

Pawz4me profile image
Pawz4me

One of my ankles pops and crunches all the time. I'm pretty sure that's OA. I've sprained that ankle SO many times over the years. I think that joint is likely somewhat affected by RA, too, but the stiffness and crunching was there years before I was diagnosed. So I think the main issue causing the noises there is OA. My neck was crunching every time I moved it for a good while before starting Enbrel. That was while I was on methotrexate and leflunomide. Plus it only ever bothered me (pain/stiffness) right before I was diagnosed with RA. Now after four Enbrel injections the neck crunching has stopped. So at this point I'm assuming RA. That's a long personal way of saying that yes, any type of arthritis can cause crepitus (which is the medical term for joint popping, cracking and similar noises).

Cheylann profile image
Cheylann

Not sure about RA but osteoarthritis definitely causes creaking and clicking sounds.

dbestdeb profile image
dbestdeb

My knees crunch when I move them and my rheumatologist told me it is osteoarthritis when you hear the crunch.

Dan13rheumatoid profile image
Dan13rheumatoid

You will probably find like me health professionals will tell you about there creaks and clicks. My gp didn’t want to refer me and pointed out his clicking ankle, my reply was most of my joints click and crack also painful. I am now on pain relief and methotrexate as I am rheumatoid positive but been treated for psoriatic arthritis.

RAGurl1 profile image
RAGurl1

Yes... I was actually bone on bone and that caused some of that, but they did a knee replacement three weeks ago, and the doc (whom I love - he is so excellent) told me later that it was much worse than that. Apparently I was grinding dust on dust (no wonder it hurt - ha ha), so that was the rest of the noise machine.

I'm still in a lot of pain, but working on the recovery and looking forward to walking "normally". I wish you the best in getting it fixed... I wanted to do Hyaluronic injections, but the insurance didn't cover it, and it would be a series that would cost around $5k for each leg. Yikes! I hope there are other options for you

My knees started to click when I was only eight years old. Over the years I have got more and more joints clicking, crunching and grinding and it is now in my shoulders, fingers, toes, back, knees and elbows. My shoulder is so bad that it sounds just like a rusty old door opening and shutting at each move. I am now waiting for a shoulder replacement and when I recover from that I am supposed to have a knee replacement. I have been told in recent years that it is all osteoarthritis when they crunch and grind like that but I was never told it when I had it so young.

Katheryn13 profile image
Katheryn13

My neck makes noise, my knees when I'm climbing stairs, and I'm sure other parts too. Lol you're not alone.

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