What can I take to relieve neck, shoulder and right hip pain? I'm on Ursodiol

[grammabun]

[Val02]

Depends on the underlying reason. I get physio for my neck and shoulders and it really helps - trouble is I cant afford it all the time but I have now taken up yoga and that is brilliant for aching muscles, joints etc, and I now require far less trips to the physio.

[grammabun in reply to Val02]

Thanks for your reply - I have osteoporosis and that might be the cause of this discomfort. I have tried chiro and physio too - I'm unemployed right now and really can't afford either! I will shop for a yoga dvd and give yoga a shot!

[Val02]

I have osteoporosis too and stretching/yoga takes the pressure off the joints - can offer alot of relief

[Cristina_Romania]

Obviously there are internal causes, but strictly locally you could try some ointments with camphor, eucalyptus, cinnamon, hot pepper, Harpagophytum.. not all of these in one cream of course but these are herbs classically put in joints & muscle pain ointments.

[mumofthree]

Paracetamol is the main one documented as safe for use for someone who has PBC. However others are prescribed by GP's.

I am in constant pain..... muscle, bone and joint pain. I have also been diagnosed with osteoporosis and osteoarthritis...the rheumatologist transfered my treatment back to the GP to manage. To be honest I am yet to find an adequate so called 'safe' pain relief. Personally I find that Paracetamol alone doesn't even touch the surface. I am at present prescribed Co-codamol for as the GP describes as moderate pain and Naproxen inbetween when the pain is much worse.

Unfortunately not all GP's are aware of PBC and how best to treat someone with it. When I first visited my GP practice after PBC diagnosis (Jan 2011) I was still in shock and very frightened. On that ocassion the GP I saw had come across PBC before. The next visit I was seen by a locum who was unsure. So for continuity sake I have since tried to see the same GP and this is how it went on for the next 18 months. Over that time I had various drug combinations prescribed for the pain:-

- Paracetamol with Ibuprofen inbetween - did help for a while until my body got too used to them

- Co-codamol with Ibuprofen inbetween - " " " " " " "

- Co-codamol with Tramadol - too strong made my head feel very strange

- Regular Paracetamol (8 a day) with tramadol top up when pain excrutiating - this worked for about 6 months then my head began to feel very strange with the tramadol so I stopped taking that and just used the paracetamol on their own which was not sufficient for adequate pain relief.

- Naproxen - I saw a different GP (my GP was on holidays) who was shocked that I had been on 8 paracetamol a day and took me off them immediately as he believed that regular use was damaging to the liver. He put me on Naproxen which is an anti-inflamatory - 1 twice a day - I tried this for a month as suggested but I did not find them very beneficial at all.

- Co-codamol with Naproxen - I returned to the practice and saw my usual GP - I told her that the naproxen was not helping and explained what I had been told by the other GP as to the reason why he had taken me off the paracetamol and why I had stopped taking the tramadol - I don't think she was very happy at all - she gave me a print-out of an information leaflet about the effect of long term use of anti-inflamatory drugs ie Naproxen, which could affect my kidneys - it seemed as if it was a way of getting back at the other GP. I felt as if I was being told off for even asking for help with pain relief. She said 'we can't be expected to get rid of the pain totally or otherwise you would be like a zombie'. I was really taken aback and annoyed and told her I didn't expect them to get rid of the pain totally all I wanted was for a little help to bring it to a manageable level. She ended up prescribing Co-codamol with the Naproxen but told me only to take them when I am desperate.

That was about 4 months ago but now I feel too scared to take anything ...The rheumatologist discharged me and passed any pain relief treatment to the GP's.... the Gastroenterologist told me to take paracetamol and I only get to see him once a year (next appointment May/June 2013)....I don't know what to do for the best......can I trust the GP's..... I am in constant pain.....most days I cope other days I am at the end of my tether. I worry every time I take anything, I try and keep medication down to just 2-4 co-codamol and no naproxen but that is not always possible so have had to take a few of the naproxen. I don't want to end up with kidney problems as well as liver problems.

Sorry I have deviated so BACK to your question .

I find that using heat can help with pain relief. Hot water bottles or what I prefer to use heated Wheatbags as you can wrap or drape them around your joints/over shoulders etc. Gel rubs like ibuleve/voltarol can also help with the joints but you have to be careful with them because they contain ibuprofen and diclofenac. There are some natural products out there too...a work colleague of mine who has fibromyalgia swears by Comfrey Oil. I found a product this week in

a health store I go to....which has glucosamine, silica and chondtroitin in it and it claims to be a pain relieving gel, I have not used it yet so can't say how good or bad it is but its worth a try so watch this space. The name Arnica also comes to mind but I may be wrong.

I am so sorry this turned out to be a more of an 'all about me' rant than of providing constructive advise but hope that the heat and gel tip may be of some use to you.

Good luck in finding some relief

[SC49]

I'm sitting here with my back against a radiator and it is definitely soothing the pain in my shoulder and back. When the heating is off, the only thing that helps is to stop doing what I am doing and rest.

[Magnolia]

I have Fibro, osteoarthritis, and osteoporosis. My pain clinic Dr. treats me prescribes 50 mg of tramadol ( ultram ) 3 or 4 times a day. Also she has given me a time released ultram 100 mg a day. I have taken the regular ultram for almost 12 years now, and I don't think they've damaged my liver. I can't take two at a time for they will make me dizzy or keep me awake at night. Heat helps my joints greatly, I burn out heating pads all the time.

Because of back problems, I lay alot with my PC and at those times the heating pad is always across my knees. I also keep something like an ace bandage or long johns on, because if I just keep my knees warm they don't ache as much. An osteoporosis specialist told me that osteoporosis does not hurt. But if you fracture a bone, of course it does. I have had two compression fractures up between my shoulder blades. I was prescribed neurontin for pain also, but I seldom take it. If I start itching badly I do, for it helps that.

Magnolia