Arthritis Symptoms?

chrisdickson

Hello Everyone,

I am an active 35 year old male. About 5 weeks ago I picked up an injury to my SI joint from doing very little - standing in a strange position on a boat. It has been inflamed and sore. The cause of this injury seemed very slight compared to the pain I have undergone, and the length of time it has taken to heal. It seems to be very up and down, some days I think I am getting better some days it is worse. No pattern to it at all. During this time I also seemed to have hurt my knee, again from doing something very minor. A couple of days ago I started to notice some clicking in my other joints, my left knee in particular - this is intermittent. I am worried that this might mean that this is something more than a sports injury and possibly arthritus. My GP is not very sympathetic, and thinks it is just one of those things. I am concerned these are signs of the onset of some form of arthritis. I would greatly appreciate the opinions of anyone on this forum who has knowledge of this condition.

Many Thanks,

Chris.

debsmartin

Hello Chris

I have RA and I suppose I was very lucky, my doctor was sympathetic and I got quite a speedy diagnosis. I think you really need to go back to your doctors and see if they will run some blood tests for you because if its Rheumatoid Arthritis it can show in your results. I'm sure others with differnt forms of Arthritis will also be along to offer advise also.

debs

frogmorton

HI Cris
Welcome from me!
Tricky if your GP is unsympathetic.
I would
1. Make notes signs symptoms duration pain level ( say from 1-10)and type of pain(burning hot/shooting etc)
2. Think of other symptoms too like have you a fever, are you exessively tired?
How does this pain affect you - can you drive, can you sleep???
3. Any family history of arthritis?
4. What helps e.g rest? heat? ice packs?
Then go back to the Drs as Debs suggests, they should do bloodsor xrays etc.
Good luck
Toni x

breane

Hi Chris,A few years ago I had severe pain in my thumbs which then started going gradually into the fingers.My GP said it was probably RSI as I had been doing a lot of repetative embroidery.The pain continued for some time so I went back to see him again and that time he did run blood tests which showed it was osteoarthritis. If the blood tests had been done when I first complained of the pain,I could have started treatment sooner.If I were you I would definately go back and see your GP and ask if you can have blood tests done just to rule out arthritis.Let us know how you get on. Take care. Breane.x

woodbon

Hi, I agree with what all the others have said, I would only add that it is very, bery easy to hurt your back quite badly doing very little. :? I'd go to the GP asap, he will be able to do the tests, and maybe give you some anti inflammatories and/or physio. Don't leave it, as the sooner you do something, whatever it is the easier it is to treat. I have OA in my spine now, but years ago, I hurt my back and had physio immediatly, as it was a work injury and they had private physio's, and it did the trick. Good luck. Sue

ps I've only just read that your GP isn't sympathetic, I'm sorry :oops: . My back problems started off with a pain in the groin, very slight, when I'd been walking a lot. as I was a carer I just put it down to groin strain from overdoing something. Over months it got worse and started to wake me up in the night. I was talking to my manager and she suggested I ought to ask for an appointment with the council physio. I did that and went quite a few times and did some exercises he gave me. He also sent me to my GP with a letter asking for an X-ray. That showed the arthritis, so my GP ordered a blood test to see what type of arthritis I had. Sorry to take up such a lot of space with a long story, but that is how I began. :? My mother also had OA, badly. Sue

chrisdickson

Many thanks for all your responses, I really appreciate you taking the time. Although I am in alot of pain - well constant pain is a new thing for me so it seems like alot - I appreciate that compared to many people on this forum I have very little to worry about.

I am seeing a private physio at the moment, although since I last went it has got worse - I am going again this weekend and will ask the physios opinion. Basically if it doesnt get better by next week I am going to go back to my doctor and ask him for further tests. If he refuses again I will pay for them privately and if it turns out I have arthritus or some other complication I will make a formal complaint about it. Basically his attitude seems to be if you are not literally at deaths door he doesnt want to know or allocate NHS resources to you. I have paid alot of tax and have never been into hospital and probably been to the doctors about 3 times in my life, so feel abit taken back by it.

kathbee

Hi Chris

Sorry to hear about the pain.
You have been given some good
starting advise already on here.

I was troubled with pain in my feet and hands
from around aged 34. But blood tests showed up
nothing abnormal. The GP I had was unsympathetic
too, even told me it was all in my head and was due
to the fact that I didnt work. I had 2 small kids at that
time so wasnt well pleased about his diagnosis.

The pain continued for years and 20 yrs later at aged 54 I got full blown Rheumatoid Arthritis, which of course I am still
suffering with 11 yrs on and all my joints are affected.
I have Osteoarthritis in some joints as well.

So my advice is keep on to the medics and try to get
to the bottom of the pain. Ask to see another GP at the
practise if thats available to you.

About physio - personally I would not recommend seeing
a physio until you know what your complaint and cause
of pain is.
I had an horrendous time a few weeks ago with a physio
at the hospital who was obviously not aware of how a
person with R A can be affected with mobility and movement
in general. It was quite shocking treatment and the session actually made me worse than
I had been leading up to the appointment.

Hope you soon get a proper diagnosis and treatment.

Let us know how you go on.

Kath