Problems with Knees OA + Puzzle

lifeisadream
lifeisadream Member Posts: 27
edited 25. Sep 2010, 05:57 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hi All

I posted in January (I think) about OA in my spine and concern that my other joints seemed to be rapidly joining the club.

My both my Knees sometimes hurt after walking, mostly around the edges of the top joint, but my left Knee hurts under the Kneecap and emits crunching sounds when climbing or descending stairs. The Kneecap also seems to "loosen" and make a unpleasant clicking when walking.

Xray diagnosis say I have mild OA in both Knees. As I just wrote, my left kneecap can be very painful on stairs. I am just wondering if there is a second problem, (Cartilage), that the Xrays may not have picked up.

I am not sure how to approach my GP regarding any further investigation regarding a possible cartilage problem.

TIA

After a bit of googling what I experience seems to fit in with Chondromalacia Patellae pain syndrome ??? (It is cartilage thing).

Can anyone with a similar problem share advise ? , I won't go to my GP complaining of Chondromalacia Patellae pain syndrome or I'll get thrown out.

Comments

  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,336
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Gotcha on the one!

    They do hate us looking on the net dont they??

    Now i AM NO EXPERT AT ALL :shock:

    But there are knee peopel on here who might be able to help.

    I would gues that maybe an MRI is what they might need as it shows soft tissue too.

    Dare i say it but can you afford to pay for one? They cost about £400 max I think.

    Love

    Toni xx
  • speedalong
    speedalong Member Posts: 3,315
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Have you been back to the GP since the mild OA diagnosis? Has he given you any meds? If you don't go back they assume all is well and don't do anymore until they get fed up seeing you in their consultanting room!!

    If meds etc aren't working, you could ask for physio and if that doesn't help a referral to an ortho?

    Speedy
    I have had OA since mid twenties. It affects my hips and knees. I had a THR on the left aged 30 and now have a resurface-replacement on the right - done May 2010.
  • lifeisadream
    lifeisadream Member Posts: 27
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    speedalong wrote:
    Have you been back to the GP since the mild OA diagnosis? Has he given you any meds? If you don't go back they assume all is well and don't do anymore until they get fed up seeing you in their consultanting room!!

    If meds etc aren't working, you could ask for physio and if that doesn't help a referral to an ortho?

    Speedy

    I usually take Ibuprofen for other OA joint flare ups, so how not been back, however now that the major pain cause seems to be located behind my kneecap (possibly cartilage), I will be making another appointment.
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    That would seem sensible. My knees (when I can get them to bend far enough) go off like rifle shots, have done for years. What with that and the crutches I can no longer creep up on people! It sounds as tho you do need further investigation. I wish you well. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • lifeisadream
    lifeisadream Member Posts: 27
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    As I grow older I seem to be "Collecting" painful (possibly OA) joints.
    It's difficult to know when the correct action is :

    a. Assume I have got another joint to add to the collection and get on with it, I have medication for OA already.

    or

    b. Go to the Doc and get it investigated.

    I suppose it all boils down to how much it hurts v thoughts of surgeons.

    BTW I applied for a Disabled Parking Badge three months ago, based on back and neck pain. Not had any rejection letters, seems to have disappeared ?
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    One does add to the collection as one ages - I began with 1, now it's 31. Only 47 left to go! I have PA and am on numerous meds. Viz the Blue Badge, you need to chase that up, it really should have been thro by now I would have thought. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • wendylou
    wendylou Member Posts: 88
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi All

    I posted in January (I think) about OA in my spine and concern that my other joints seemed to be rapidly joining the club.

    My both my Knees sometimes hurt after walking, mostly around the edges of the top joint, but my left Knee hurts under the Kneecap and emits crunching sounds when climbing or descending stairs. The Kneecap also seems to "loosen" and make a unpleasant clicking when walking.

    Xray diagnosis say I have mild OA in both Knees. As I just wrote, my left kneecap can be very painful on stairs. I am just wondering if there is a second problem, (Cartilage), that the Xrays may not have picked up.

    I am not sure how to approach my GP regarding any further investigation regarding a possible cartilage problem.

    TIA

    After a bit of googling what I experience seems to fit in with Chondromalacia Patellae pain syndrome ??? (It is cartilage thing).

    Can anyone with a similar problem share advise ? , I won't go to my GP complaining of Chondromalacia Patellae pain syndrome or I'll get thrown out.
    Hi when i read your post it is very similar to what my husband has the GP told him he has Chrondromalacia Patella after the hospital done an op to have a look around and also he has OA of the knees but the CP in one knee all that they said was to take the painkillers he was told that there is nothing they can do for the CP hope this helps, take care. Wendylou.
  • hileena111
    hileena111 Member Posts: 7,099
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    About the blue badge.....chase it up......you should have received it by now......its probably sitting on some bigwigs desk waiting for a signature or somethin g :lol:

    Love
    Hileena
  • lifeisadream
    lifeisadream Member Posts: 27
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Just to add the only response from my GP is get more exercise, try to strengthen the muscles around my knee and possibly some Physiotherapy.
  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi, I know it sounds hard, but proper exerciise can help. I've had OA in my spine and hip and the physio gave me some exercises that after a while really helped with the pain. Now I have neck problems and find the lower back exercise hard to do and so my lumber spine is playing up again. My GP is sending me back to see if they can take a look at both and sort something out.

    Thats one of the problems with OA, it stops you exercising the muscles and using them correctly, that leads to pain and worsening of the arthritis, but the physio can try and help you break that.

    Knees are a place that people get OA in a lot, someone will be along who has been through it all and will offer better advice than me, I'm sure. Lots of love Sue
  • sharmaine
    sharmaine Member Posts: 1,638
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Lois

    I have OA in the knees well one knee since I had my first TKR in February.

    They did my x-rays in January but by August I was in agony with one knee. I couldn't walk my femur would rub against my lower leg bone and cause a lot of pain. I asked my GP on a few occasions to do more x rays because my condition had deteriorated and I was finding it really difficult to walk. Eventually she agreed and even she was surprised how bad things had gotten in such a short space of time. On both knees the joints had gone. Things can change quite rapidly with OA.

    Just go back and explain to your GP how you've been feeling.

    Regards
    Sharmaine


    Hi All

    I posted in January (I think) about OA in my spine and concern that my other joints seemed to be rapidly joining the club.

    My both my Knees sometimes hurt after walking, mostly around the edges of the top joint, but my left Knee hurts under the Kneecap and emits crunching sounds when climbing or descending stairs. The Kneecap also seems to "loosen" and make a unpleasant clicking when walking.

    Xray diagnosis say I have mild OA in both Knees. As I just wrote, my left kneecap can be very painful on stairs. I am just wondering if there is a second problem, (Cartilage), that the Xrays may not have picked up.

    I am not sure how to approach my GP regarding any further investigation regarding a possible cartilage problem.

    TIA

    After a bit of googling what I experience seems to fit in with Chondromalacia Patellae pain syndrome ??? (It is cartilage thing).

    Can anyone with a similar problem share advise ? , I won't go to my GP complaining of Chondromalacia Patellae pain syndrome or I'll get thrown out.
  • lifeisadream
    lifeisadream Member Posts: 27
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    sharmaine wrote:
    Hi Lois

    I have OA in the knees well one knee since I had my first TKR in February.

    They did my x-rays in January but by August I was in agony with one knee. I couldn't walk my femur would rub against my lower leg bone and cause a lot of pain. I asked my GP on a few occasions to do more x rays because my condition had deteriorated and I was finding it really difficult to walk. Eventually she agreed and even she was surprised how bad things had gotten in such a short space of time. On both knees the joints had gone. Things can change quite rapidly with OA.

    Just go back and explain to your GP how you've been feeling.

    Regards
    Sharmaine

    I will probably try the Physiotherapy route first, although I don't quite trust Physios a while back one tried "mild" traction on my neck and put me in agony for a week. On the other hand I wonder if a Physio might have more practical experience of these conditions than a GP.

    The more stairs I climb the worse the Knee problem becomes, don't climb stairs, Knee hurts less, so alternatively, I wonder if Physio will make the problem worse.

    Like yourself, the knee problem has certainly deteriorated very fast , over a few months, before that I had the usual clicks and soreness, but not the short stabs of pain followed by a sore type of pain behind my now wobbly kneecap.

    In Wendylous' message she says that if the problem is CP, there is nothing they can do about it.

    Thanks

    Paul