How many of us don't feel discernible joint pain but rather sore soft tissues like tendons and ligaments?

[smilelines]

When my symptoms first started my hands were so sore I couldn't look after myself. It hurt to bend my joints. This subsided and since then I have had the soft tissue pain. I have osteoarthritis in some joints so I know what it is like to have sore joints. Are there others that don't feel the pain in the actual joint but just in the tendons and ligaments? Sometimes I think that I have some sort of disease that just attacks soft issue but my doctor says that is my fibromyalgia.

[Neonkittie17]

I’ve always called the very specific pains in my soft tissue and tendons “electric shocks” as they feel very fiery hot, sharp and stabbing. They’ve tended mostly to be when RA hadn’t been controlled in the past. Also similar tendon pain when joints stick to tendon sheaths where I’ve got some OA damage. That only happens with I’ve sat for some time and seized up. Are you fairly newly diagnosed as such? Could be your med needs a bit more time to work? Hope your pains are soon improving.

[smilelines in reply to Neonkittie17]

Coming on four years now. Going on a biologic soon as well as my leflunimide. So do your joints hurt to bend when you are uncontrolled?

[Neonkittie17 in reply to smilelines]

My RA has been under very good control for over 8 years so I couldn’t give a helpful answer there. As you’re going on a biologic there seems much hope for an improvement in your RA. I used to ask my rheumy physio re these kind of things re movement and pain he could tell quite a lot by watching me move and feeling and moving my joints and could tell a lot a lot of where a problem stems from.

[JessicaEccles6 in reply to Neonkittie17]

that absolutely describes the pain I get. especially in my hands.

[Neonkittie17 in reply to JessicaEccles6]

Ouch it’s not nice when you get that, and I hope yours isn’t often.

[Kriticat in reply to Neonkittie17]

That's exactly how my wrists and thumbs feel! Initially diagnosed as tenosynovitis, referred to a rheumatologist but she's given me meds for OA, which I'm sure I don't have... this is not achy joints! Xrays show no damage either. My doctor agrees and has asked for an appointment with a rheumatologist with a better reputation, but can't see him until Feb! In the meantime I am struggling to cope with basic things like sleeves, bras and even more personal things!

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Kriticat]

I’m sorry you’ve got a wait. Mine pains were definitely the uncontrolled RA. The med didn’t hold it enough. It was some time ago I had this as my RA has been well behaved for many years but I remember those pains well. You could try a bathroom basin with moderately hot water and some Epsom salts to try alleviate the pain, as long as you’re not allergic to the magnesium sulphate which is what’s in Epsom salts etc. For many people if alleviates RA and OA pains as it draws out inflammation,

[Kriticat in reply to Neonkittie17]

Ooh, thanks, I'll try that...

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Kriticat]

It always helped my hands and I still do it now for my ankles if I’ve had a busy day/on my feet more than usual. I let them soak in a bowl of ES and hot water.

[Kriticat in reply to Neonkittie17]

I seem to get most relief from cold, but I'll try hot as ES might not dissolve in cold. Thanks for the tip!

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Kriticat]

The hot water is vital to the drawing out of toxins and inflammation. I used to prefer ice packs (Therapearls ice beads packs are good they are a bit less brrr as not completely solid) on my knees and heat for my feet! Whatever works! 😀

[smilelines in reply to Kriticat]

when my hands were sore I did very gentle exercises and honestly cried a lot.

[trunchalobesity]

I have pain in joints and specifically ligaments and tendons x

[J1707-]

ME!!! I often have no pain in joints but swelling/stiffness . Always have tendinitis and Enthesitis

[smilelines in reply to J1707-]

weird that my rhuemotologist never mentions enthesitis only fibromyalgia with regards to soft tissue pain. I will have to ask her about this.

[J1707- in reply to smilelines]

I too was told it was fibromyalgia. It was my physio who told me I was suffering from it

[Mmrr]

Absolutely yes, my joints have always been a lesser problem than my soft tissues. I have enthesitis, tenosynovitis and tendonitis.This might make you smile or shake your head in disbelief....several years ago I called the rheumatology helpline as I was in so much pain. I told the specialist rheumatology nurse that it was my soft tissues rather than my joints that were causing the most problems. He told me, that it was a rheumatology helpline for people for people with joint problems, not soft tissues.

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Mmrr]

How bonkers he said that. 😖 I don’t know what else to say that isn’t a rude word!! 😝

[smilelines in reply to Neonkittie17]

I find that people, even professionals, have a conception of arthritis and they want you to fit into it. A technician kept referring to my sore hands. I said several times they are not sore. The right one gets stiff when exerciseng. She gives me exercises to gently to relieve pain. Again I say I don't have sore hands but I will do them. Again, later she refers to my sore hands. I do a plank on my finger tips. I say, I don't have sore hands.

[Neonkittie17 in reply to smilelines]

No we can’t fit into their boxes! Frustrating at times.

[cyberbarn]

I describe the feeling in my hands in a way that most people in the UK probably won't get. It is that feeling as a kid when you have been out in the snow for hours, and you have been wearing two pairs of your grandmother's hand knitting mittens, and they are frozen stiff from snow. You get in and take them off and your hands are red and frozen. As they slowly warm up they feel swollen, hot, and start to get painful.

That is how my hands feel, rather than pain inside the joints.

[smilelines in reply to cyberbarn]

my hand gets stiff with exercise. I mean not exercising my hands but exercising my body. Are yours affected my this?

[cyberbarn in reply to smilelines]

I am not sure, because when I am 'exercising' my hands often get a rough ride. For instance when I am feeling the pony and collecting more hay then mucking her out. This, especially when it is cold, can set my hands off.

[sunnyweek]

My left leg definitely is more soft tissue than the joint, think it might be over use as I've a lot of damaged joints so don't walk well. Very achy and sore and tender at times. Also my hands are damaged and they ache but its more the tendons/ligaments.

[wishbone]

I get pain in both but mainly joints. Like sunnyweek, I have a lot of damaged joints, especially hands, feet and shoulders. I need to be careful not to overuse, but that's easier said than done.

[Hidden]

Yep, I get this. I put it down to my Fibromyalgia. I take Amitriptyline 20mg at 7pm every day and it works a treat.. gets rid of pain and helps you sleep 😴

*I also have RA and OA, and hyper-mobility syndrome…

[Hidden]

Psoriatic arthritis quite often affects the entheses: sites where tendons and/or ligaments join bone. This is called enthesitis. What you’re experiencing may be this, although it could also be fibromyalgia related. I recently presented at A&E with central chest pain (doctors orders). Having subsequently had a steroid jab because I’m flaring, it also eased the persistent chest pain. Turns out it’s quite likely I’ve been experiencing enthesitis around my breastbone and ribs.

[smilelines in reply to Hidden]

I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia along with ‘psoriatic like’ arthritis. I am thinking that I must have the entheses. When I see the rheumatologist she says the joint pain is the arthritis and the other is fibromyalgia. But I never get sore joints that I can tell. Not since the initial onset, I mean. I wonder if entheses is pain radiating from a joint or if the immune system is attacking the ligaments and muscles? It is good that your chest pain wasn’t a heart problem although sorry this happened to you.

[Hidden in reply to smilelines]

I definitely have Enthetitis (spelling?)at the site of muscle injury that occurred Oct 2020, physio says I have to live with it.

[Jackie1947]

Certainly following both hip replacements.

[Hidden]

YES YES YES,

Note my diagnosis is Stills Disease which for me manifests as bilateral joint pain and swelling and stiffness, afternoon fever and constant sore throats with other associated AI conditions like LS.

[smilelines in reply to Hidden]

I just read a book called Immune and it said that these diseases come about because of a series of glitches and just bad luck. I didn't really understand a lot of it but it made me feel better knowing that I didn't do this to myself from not eating enough vegetables etc. I am sorry that Stills Disease is not good at all.

[Hidden in reply to smilelines]

I was diagnosed aged 17 after a sudden attack without warning. I’m 60 now and it’s been present ever since although I’ve been drug free since my mid 20s apart from pain relief and physical support of joints. By far the worst thing about it is the merciless, unrelenting aspect of it but there’s many far worse off than me and I’m grateful for the life it’s allowed me.