Daughter has arthritis and hypersensitive pain receptors

Alice's mum
Alice's mum Member Posts: 21
edited 22. Feb 2011, 16:09 in My child has arthritis
My 15 year old daughter has recently been diagnosed with enthesitis related arthritis and also has developed hypersensitive pain receptors. I understand this is when the central nervous system goes haywire and continues to send pain signals to the brain, even if the arthritis is under control. Unfortunately painkillers do not work fully on neuropathic pain and so far we have been unable to find anything that relieves her pain entirely. Just wondered whether anyone has experience of the two conditions together and any advice would be appreciated.

Comments

  • Quacksmum
    Quacksmum Member Posts: 9
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi,

    My daughter has enthesitis related arthritis. we have lived with it for 7 years now.

    If I can do anything to help please let me know.

    Katie will be 15 in June and has huge pain related problems. The best thing we found was relaxation techniques. She was relying too much on pain meds, gentle swimming worked as well and distraction as much as possible. failing that hot water bottles,

    The hypersensitivity is part not seperate to the arthritis ... the form that both girls has is inflammation of the tendon ends. there is no cure for this form and treatment is important....

    Pain should be managed to almost a strict time table.

    Karen Gallacher
    mum to Katie Enthesitis Related Arthritis and Psoriatic Arthritis.
  • Alice's mum
    Alice's mum Member Posts: 21
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Karen

    Thankyou for your reply and apologies for the delay. I haven't been on the site for a while.
    I would agree with you that we find relaxation and distraction to be the key to easing the pain as pain medication has little effect but lots of side effects that cause extra problems.
    We have now seen the pain consultant and Alice has been diagnosed with Chronic Pain Amplification Syndrome in addition to the Enthesitis Related Arthritis. They have told us that it is two completely separate conditions although the CPAS has probably been triggered by the arthritis as it has damaged the central nervous system. This condition is when the pain receptors never switch off resulting in constant pain, regardless of any inflammation being present. Pain meds do not ease neuropathic pain.
    We do have lots of support from Physiotherapist, Occupational therapists and psychotherapist and see the consultant regularly but they have advised that it will take years to improve her health.
    Not a good time for a teenager taking her GCSE's.

    Thank you for taking the time to reply.

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