advice, generalised, not all inclusive

Airwave!

I was reading the OA booklet, it says things may improve over time, I have had OA over the last thirty years. I never did assume that things would improve for myself just a onward march of deterioration.

Some theory says that scar tissue can build up and protect the bare bone surface, or that the restricted movement caused by bone growth has a natural end, I doubt that Ac's advice is wrong, does anybody know other reasons why it doesn't follow a constant path?


8) Its a grin, honest!

I have a few mins to myself, little'un is having forty winks!

dreamdaisy

I think that OA, like all the other As, is a law unto itself. It will do what it will do, when it wants and how it wants. Perhaps for a lucky few they have one or two affected joints and it stays at one or two affected joints, for some others it may spread slowly or rapidly, who can say? We are all unique, all individual, I cannot see how there can be any hard and fast rules about what will happen, simply because no-one knows. Enjoy the peace and quiet whilst you have it! DD

Did the massage help matters? I hope so.

skezier

Hi Airwave,
Tis kinda true... some of mine has reached 4th stage and that's so much better than 3rd

Its also grown so much extra bone its sort of fused its self up but again that's less painful than when it was free to move and grind more.

Its taken 33 years for that bit to get there and there is little joint left but it has improved with the extra bone growth so its kinda done a decent job really..... just lost a huge amount of suppleness (well all actually) and it can still kick in like a shire if the mood takes it but nothing like it used to do to me.

It still burns, it still hurts its now even more likely to hit a nerve but its still better than the grinding agony that was stage 3......

The rest is in 3 still and well think it might never make it to 4....

It also gets easier cus we get used to it i think..... maybe that's what they mean?

Airwave the real, difference between 3 and 4 for me has been 3 would never shut up, not even for an instant but 4... well sometimes it does if you can get it comfortable and its lost a few teeth in the venom it bites with.

Roll on the rest to get to 4...... Cris xx

frogmorton

HI Airwave

I think for some reason that l thought...(is that confusing enough) a bit like Cris that OA follows a bit of a path and ther are times when it is at it's worst and l do now some for whom things have FUSED (ankle in my BIL) but the other one has to have surgery. Why one and not the otehr l dont knwo but he says the fused one doesn't hurt any more so that sounds GOOD

Will be watching this one too

Love

toni xx

Airwave!

Yes, everyone has their own view of arthers deeds! You just assume that the illness will go in straight lines, the illness will progress as per the text book.

Yes, the physio did her magic on me, one more visit to go, while I bend and stretch and apply heat. I would still like a more gentle massage on my back, to ease it at times and just for the pleasant feeling, oh well!

8) Its a grin, honest!

chris7

Hi airwave

yep I kinda assumed that it just gets steadily worse over time with a few blissful remissions along the way as per Cris's helpful explaination of the stages. :???:

I know we can never really know how things will go long term but even after 8 years I am still confused at times. :roll: Hey am I getting this right from the above that once I have OA in one joint it will more than likely affect others? :shock: You guys are scaring me now?
Chris

Airwave!

Well, that is our experience and mine over the last thirty years but only in the last fifteen years or so that arther has made his presence felt to the degree that it affects my life to a larger extent.

You may find that your experience is completely different, I bet most people on here could tell a different tale. With so many types of arther the variations could be immense.

woodbine

Hi,

I'm 42 and have OA in lots of joints, including my knees. My left knee was particularly sore for a year or so, then I developed a hard lump below the kneecap, and the pain improved. Apparently the lump is a a sort of protection that's grown around the tendon, and is protecting it from the rough edges in the joints. Not sure how or why this happens, but the GP says this can happen in some joints, but doesn't always do so. He also mentioned that OA can pass through its most active stage after a number of years, and that though joints will remain stiff, the pain will then decrease.

Here's hoping!

Naomi