OA and flares?

mellman01

I've probably asked this question before but I am getting on in years, well so my wife says!, right my question, Can OA flare??, does anyone on here with it suffer from said "flares" or is it only RA sufferes that do.

grampyal

Hi,
Thats an interesting thought. I'm still not sure whether OA is a disease or is it just wear to the joint due to over use. It is certainly possibe for the joint effected by OA to be made worse by injury or abuse but a "flare" would be a spontaneous worsening of the condition. No doubt there are better qualified people here who know the answer so like you I will waite for them to reply.
Best wishes, Al

dorcas

Hi mellman

I'm a PA peep but am petty sure I've read 'somewhere' that you can get flares with OA....caused by synovitis? or if there's added trauma to an affected OA joint?

Others will be along who'll have more info and first hand knowledge of this mel.
.....or you could post the question to the helpline peeps?

hope you are doing ok.... I know you've had murderous problems with your joints.

take care..

Iris xx

dreamdaisy

I don't think it can 'flare' as such: it's cause is different to that behind RA and PA etc - with those conditions the body attacks itself thanks to an over-active immune system. If something triggers the immune system then you flare, hence all the drugs we take that are designed to 'dial down' the immune system. OA is more 'wear and tear', but like all arthritis, the continual pain wears one down, and can make you feel worse from time to time. DD

angie1973

I wouldn't say I have flares with my OA, but I do have periods when it is worse, dependant on what I have done that day or week, whether it's been colder or damper and different pressures set off more pain for me too.

However I also have fibro and that in itself does have flares where I am not as great with pain and it's turned up as it were. So in my case, I could be having a flare with fibro which in turn makes my OA feels worse!

Be interesting if there are associated issues which can cause a flare like reaction though. As DD says, OA is more wear and tear (or wear and repair as some like to call it), where as RA and PA are an actual disease attacking the immune system.

Sorry that was a completely useless answer, it's Monday, I've not woken up yet!!

barbara12

Hi Mell
I have OA, and got an appointment with a rheumy, wasn't a good appointment, but I asked him this very question, he said yes, what happens is that your joints get inflamed.
So I asked why is it spreading so fast,feet hands....he said more often then not, you dont have damage to the bones they are just inflamed.
Make of it what you will, like I said it wasn't a good appointment.
Barbara xx

angel1

Too much emphasis can be put on "jargon" Melly. Yes, the word flare is more commonly used with other forms of arthritis, but there is no question that OA can suddenly become much worse, for no apparent reason, then quieten down again. Is this a flare? God knows, but it`s bl**dy painful!........Ange.

skezier

Hi Mell,

Long ago my old ortho told me oa burns. It goes active and starts eating the cartilage. It makes swelling and doesn't have a fair bit of inflammation and then it lies dormant for a while if its still in 1st or 2nd but 3rd stage it is relentless and doesn't stop.

Some of mine is almost end stage, almost burnt out, its less painful then Hope yours isn't in burn mode or if it is that it only stays there for a bit. ((( ))) Cris xx

angie1973

skezier wrote:

Hi Mell,

Long ago my old ortho told me oa burns. It goes active and starts eating the cartilage. It makes swelling and doesn't have a fair bit of inflammation and then it lies dormant for a while if its still in 1st or 2nd but 3rd stage it is relentless and doesn't stop.

Some of mine is almost end stage, almost burnt out, its less painful then Hope yours isn't in burn mode or if it is that it only stays there for a bit. ((( ))) Cris xx

That's really interesting. I didn't know that. I am guessing by that some of mine are in the 1st or 2nd stages then, and maybe my neck is in burn out.

I never stop learning about this, it's good so many share their information.

dreamdaisy

I don't have OA but I'm learning stuff too. We are an interesting bunch of people! DD

PS How are the drains doing, mell?

speedalong

Hi Mel,

interesting to read.

I would say as Cris does, that OA fluctuates in the early stages and you can have good and bad spells - sometimes you can identify the trigger (extra activity because feeling good, seasonal and weather changes etc) but sometimes it plays up for no known reason. Whether these spells are technically "a flare" or not I don't know but the OA flares up ... increased pain, stiffness and inflammation etc the only thing that really helps on top of the usual, is rest ... and that is not always easy to do.

In the late stages the OA is permanently flaring - no let up from severe pain (as opposed to background pain,) inflammation, stiff, can't sleep etc - that is when we agree to give in and have an op!! My last hip was crumbling away - not just the cartilage had gone, but the bone was too ... so that it the only bit I can't reconcile with Cris's old ortho ... Maybe Cris you know?

SPeedy

denpen

Hi
Yeah you do get flare ups with OA, my GP gave me some anti inflamitorys to use only when I had a flare up.
Denise

airwave

From my own experience, yes, OA does change significantly from day to day and minute by minute and without any apparent provocation or reason. It does seem to go on a cycle, one week my top half is affected the next my lower half (no jokes, pleassseeeeeee.) and back to the top half, my doctor calls it palindromic arthritis.

I'm sure the answer will be found in years to come and treatments will be on a NHS organised basis, but for now...........

8)Its a grin, honest!

bambi59

well if oa does not have flares i have ra cause i have flares that go straight through my body from hands to feet over sevral weeks, i have polyarthritis, no one ever says its oa or ra?? if i have a pain in my elbow i have a pain in my knee. pain in wrists then pain in ancle i was told bi lateral polyarthritis what on earth is this i have had it 20 years. i only know how it FEELS!!! i have never been able to find answers even from doctors and specialists. ESA 12 last time i went to clinician, when i saw results its been 11 to 14 every year for 6 years from what i can see on docs screen??
clinician said 7 is boarderline for ra so what is 12?? i am confused and always have been.
i rang help line their advice they said, talk to doctor. i did last week, and still no answer?? fobed off again!! sent for xray on hand.
so sorry but this probobly cofused you even more but i would like to know too?? good question one iv been wondering about for ages :?
hope some one has a defintive answer

dreamdaisy

There are many forms of arthritis and not all of them have definitive titles. 'Arthritis' means inflammation of a joint or joints, 'poly' means many, 'bi-lateral' means both sides, so parallel joints are affected. I think there are over 100 forms of this pesky disease and no two people with the same manifestation wil follow the same pattern of progression. Anyway, no matter what its name or what it does, it all foul. DD

julie47

Hi

I am RA person and I too am learning and understanding more as i read these threads.

pf x

valval

hi have oa and caused a flare this week by kneeling down feet knees still not great but hips have settled down mainly was on pain meds 24/7 for three days as could not sit with pain in hips feet still bit swollen but will go down again just must remember not 18 any more lol

sharmaine

Hi Mellman

I have OA and I've had flare ups. I have days when despite taking my beds my whole body aches. The only thing I can do on those days is to ensure I take my medication and I've also been allowed to take paracetamol alongside my other meds during this time.
I find that a flare happens when I've overdone things it seems to build up. I think I'm learning to listen to my body's signals and not push myself too much.

Sharmaine

mellman01 wrote:

I've probably asked this question before but I am getting on in years, well so my wife says!, right my question, Can OA flare??, does anyone on here with it suffer from said "flares" or is it only RA sufferes that do.

airwave

You, along with many are confused by a 'no diagnosis' diagnosis, this crops up, time and time again.

The only conclusion I can come to is that the medical profession don't know what to do or say so .............


8) Its a grin, honest!

woodbon

Hi, This is how it was explained to me. I have OA, which is wrongly referred to as 'wear and tear', well it can be caused by damage, but recent tests show that it is a disease that some people get in the joints (sorry I can't spell the medical word). Sometimes it is just their with a bit of pain and discomfort but nothing too bad. Some people get it in a lot more joints (me) and from time to time have periods when something sets it off and it becomes red, swollen and very painful. A flu like feeling and mild fever can sometimes bother you too) I get that. I have so far tested negative for RA, but they are watching it to be on the safe side.

The only treatment is pain relief, such as meds, replacement joints if its really bad, and physio all the normal things like heat and cold.

Whether this is what a flair is for RA, I dont know but that is the work my ~GP used this week to explain it. I suppose they have to call it something!!! I also get a degree of inflammation in the joint too but not RA. Love Sue

bambi59

dreamdaisy wrote:

There are many forms of arthritis and not all of them have definitive titles. 'Arthritis' means inflammation of a joint or joints, 'poly' means many, 'bi-lateral' means both sides, so parallel joints are affected. I think there are over 100 forms of this pesky disease and no two people with the same manifestation wil follow the same pattern of progression. Anyway, no matter what its name or what it does, it all foul. DD

thanks it all adds up, as my mom always says thers more questions than answers and shes right.
some times i want an answer when there isnt one.

woodbon

bambi59 wrote:

dreamdaisy wrote:

There are many forms of arthritis and not all of them have definitive titles. 'Arthritis' means inflammation of a joint or joints, 'poly' means many, 'bi-lateral' means both sides, so parallel joints are affected. I think there are over 100 forms of this pesky disease and no two people with the same manifestation wil follow the same pattern of progression. Anyway, no matter what its name or what it does, it all foul. DD

thanks it all adds up, as my mom always says thers more questions than answers and shes right.
some times i want an answer when there isnt one.

Your Mum sounds a wise woman, I'm always asking things that can;t be answered! Sue :roll:

dachshund

I have aching down my spine a cross my hips and down to my feet and i'm starting to have it in my wrists and fingers as well.
its like bad toothache i dont know if thats a flare when they are all aching because that is from when i get up till i sit down and put my legs up.
i thank everyne of you for writting on this forum be cause we would be lost with out it.
joan xx

elielass

mellman01 wrote:

I've probably asked this question before but I am getting on in years, well so my wife says!, right my question, Can OA flare??, does anyone on here with it suffer from said "flares" or is it only RA sufferes that do.

Hi there

O.A. is a degenerative disease. I have this is writing from an Orthopaedic Surgeon. He said that it was a degenerative disease
which would get no better and in fact would be with me for the rest of my days. He told me this, 10 years ago and boy was he spot on.

I have constant pain so dont know whether or not you get flare ups.
I suppose though, you can have some days worse than others, so then that would be a flare up???

Ann xx