Good evening everyone hope you are having a good day
I have had osteoarthritis since the age of 40 itbstarted in my hands first.
Now I have it also in my elbows, both knees and feet recently diagnosed with heberden's nodes on my toes very painful
Doctor says there is nothing they can do just to take naproxen
Any advice please about natural pain relief or shoes for more comfort. I wear compression socks but any advice what can help my pain and discomfort would be greatly appreciated
I walk as often as I and find epsom salts bath helps my joints and a foot spa helps my feet
Thank you so much for any help
Enjoy your weekend
J
Written by
harryhonda25
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Eventually you could get knee replacements although at your age you certainly don't want to be in a hurry to do so as they don't last forever and have to be redone. Also, they don't always work for everyone. I have read about other possibilities to help with the knees but unfortunately I don't remember what they were.
Thank you so much sue for your advice greatly appreciated. The doctor offered me steroid injections but will have these later on in life if I have to. Have you had knee surgery Sue. Take care my lovely
I have also had OA since I was 40 and I’m afraid the doctors are right. Nothing can be done about the nodules. No gels or creams have helped me, but soaking your hands and feet in warm water and epsom salt should help a bit. I wear arthritis gloves all the time, inside and outside.
Good Afternoon Constance hope you are well and not in pain today. Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to me greatly appreciated. I have a foot spa and used it last night with some Epsom salts in and it did help and brought my swelling down. Thanks so much for your help. Take care my lovely
And I was given exercises by physio - they don’t reduce the nodules but do help to keep the joints flexible (ish) and the musculature strong. The muscles support joints so they need to be kept strong in order to perform that function.
Good Afternoon hope you are well and not in pain today. Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to me greatly appreciated. I did not know you could see a physio for arthritis. I will definitely check this out because it makes sense to keep joints as flexible as possible. Do you wear any special shoes for the nodules I have seen shoes online supposed to support and make you more comfortable. Thanks again my lovely
In my part of England we don't see the doc tor to be referred to physio - we go straight to the physio's website and fill in a form from there. 26 weeks' wait, but worth it. If they do things this way in your part of the UK then the information on how to do it will presumably be on your GP practice website.I wear special insoles in my shoes. Originally I got them from podiatrist but I now get them from a large pharmacy I think they cost about £20. Boots or Superdrug. Helps support your feet.
Also, the last pair of trainers I bought I decided not to buy the cheapest I could, which is what I usually do, but I went to a specialist sports trainers shop. the shop is basically for serious runners which I am NOT at the age of 76. But I wear trainers most of the time when I'm out so decided I need a good pair,. I spent almost an hour in the shop and they were very helpful and understood my arthritic needs. I came away with two pairs which should last me years and £220 worse off financially but they are SO comfortable!.
I am in South Yorkshire and we can self refer to the physio but like you there is a wait before you see anyone. I will certainly try the insoles thank you for the advice. I wear sketchers trainers and sandals but will check out the running shops. Thank you so much my lovely really appreciate it
Did you see a rheumatologist or just your GP? Have you had your vitamin D checked what was that result? Did your GP or Rheumatologist check you for any other arthritic conditions before ruling your issues as Osteoarthritis? I have psoriatic arthritis and when doctors who are not familiar with PSA look at my X-rays they always say I have OA … it’s annoying because a delay in treatment for me is permanent damage.
Good Afternoon hope you are well. Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to me greatly appreciated. No it was my GP who diagnosed osteoarthritis. They did not check my vitamin D level but did a blood test to check for rheumatoid arthiritus but said that was ok. Had an x-ray on my hands and knees but not my feet. What is the difference please between PSA and osteoarthritis not really heard of PSA. Thanks again my lovely take care
Psoriatic arthritis causes horrendous inflammation and if left untreated starts to eat away at joints also effects tendons …. Its autoimmune driven you would also have psoriasis… I wouldn’t hang my diagnosis hat on blood test they are not always accurate. Psoriatic Arthritis has no blood test to diagnose with just history of psoriasis or family history of psoriasis and X-rays but this is why it gets diagnosed as OA because in advanced stages it looks like OA but you can also have 2 types of Arthritis at same time.
I have had psoriasis a few times but generally have atopic eczema. It must feel so sore with the inflammation. Is there nothing at all that helps poor you
I have. taken a lot of drugs and rubbed gel etc.But nothing seems to work. so you live your life the best you can. Thankyou for replying to my post l wish you well.x teapot.
I too was diagnosed at 37with osteoarthritis,l have it in my knees,hands,wrist,feet,l had an operation on my spine,back in march, but I don’t think it’s any better.Now my neck is giving me some pain it seems to be there everyday, it feels sore.
Hi Harry I have OA in knees and feet and probably in other places as well. I do wear insoles as prescribed by Podiatrist. Please don't write off knee replacement if it is offered, maybe even suggest it. I had mine twenty two years ago and they are still going strong - changed my life from permanent agony to leading a relatively completely normal life.
I feel for you and maybe I can relate a little of my story to offer some help. I had my first knee scope to remove cartilage from both knees in 1998 at the age of 31. By 2000 I had an open high tibial osteotomy to hopefully stave off a knee replacement at age 33. It failed when I had a lead apron on while assisting an orthopedic surgeon with the medical devices I sold at the time so in 2001 I had 4 revisions to the open HTO to do a closed HTO to “fix” the issue. In 2004 I was told either replace the knee or if left untreated it would result in the need for a knee fusion. In 2004 I had my first knee replacement at age 37. In the next 10 years I had both hips replaced, 2008 & 2009, both ankles fused in 2012 and 2013, and the other knee replaced in 2014. I had 18 surgeries in 17 years. After the last knee replacement in 2014 I with the aid of my doctor became addicted to oxycodone and OxyContin. By the summer of 2017 he was prescribing 80 80mg OxyContin tablets and 120 10mg Percocet tablets a months. I knew I has an issue so I left that GP and enrolled in a Suboxone clinic that helped me kick the pills in 3 months.
Now the orthopedic surgeon want to replace both shoulders, the neurologist want to rod and fuse S4-L1 and C1-C5. I am nearing the end of the effective length of one knee replacement and both hips. Those should be replaced again at 20 years for the knee and 15 for the hips. Now I am 55 with CKD 4 and peripheral neuropathy and use a wheelchair about 90% of the time. Realistically I have 10 to 15 more years on this earth that could be 8-10 more surgeries to fix the other issues and replace the first replacement. I have chosen to use the chair instead of the surgeries and have vowed to not have additional surgeries unless the issue is life threatening.
My issue is only OA and I have been tested for RA which were all negative. Since the disease was causing all the issues in my 40s, I went to the state medical hospital to see if I could find out the reason for the severe OA and if there were any non-surgical treatments for it. I ran into a semi-retired orthopedic surgeon who has started a study of the prevalence of OA in athletes who tear a knee ligament while participating in sports. He had expanded that study into attempting to find an explanation of why there are some of us, about 5%, that OA manifests at a young age with the most severe issues causing tremendous pain, the need for joint replacement/fusion and showing up in most every joint. He did a genetic study on me and found I has the genetic mutation that leads to the OA. There is little the doctors can do except treat symptoms.
Physical therapy works and should be something that is easily prescribed by your doctor due to the OA. I manage the rest with ice, heat and gabapentin. I would, from my own experience, recommend against joint replacement in your 40s. If you expect to live a normal life span that sets you up for replacement now and the news to replace the old replacements in your 60s. If those joints last as long as the current ones in use and you live into your 80s they will need replacing again or you can be like me and have the replacement no longer work and you can either face another operation or use a chair. Put the replacements off as long as possible.
Here is a link to a good site to start with finding answers. It is a US based agency but the information is relevant to all. I wish you the best of luck!
I don't believe your doctor's viewpoint of nothing to do except take Naproxen.
I have osteo in one section of ribs (site of an old injury) and broken bits of bone in one thumb (xrays of this thumb led to the osteo diagnosis) and have enlarged finger joints.
For natural pain relief, I take 750mg glucosamine HCL (hydrochloride, not sulfate) +250mg shark chondroiton twice a day with food.
If I don't (I once accidentally took glucosamine sulfate for a month) my hands are hot, very painful and difficult to move. Who knows how far my osteo would have deteriorated if not for taking the glucosamine/chondroiton?
Other pain strategies are getting into a heated swimming pool to swim and exercise and the pain is reduced for 24hrs.
So far, I have avoided painkillers due to the one panadeine forte I took in the mid 90's only taking the edge off a neck spasm pain for 30 minutes, then the pain came back worse. There is also a concern with effect on my kidney disease.
And I cannot tolerate anti-inflammatories. In the past (due to accident-injury to back) took Voltaren (nsaid) to keep working and it ruined my gut, affected my heart (?and kidney function).
Hope you find something that works for you, harryhonda25; there can be different solutions for each individual person.
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