X-Ray results

marie48
marie48 Member Posts: 189
edited 13. Dec 2011, 13:01 in Living with Arthritis archive
X-Ray results of my knees show I have got wear and tear and narrowing of the joints. Apart from clicking and crunching and a bit uncomfortable when I go up I do not have a lot of pain. The crunching worries me more as I think there is something seriously going on. Dr wanted to prescribed gel but I told her I am coping as the knees do not really bother me now but will use tabs if having a flare up. I asked about the future she told me knees replacement. I am 63 yrs now and wonder whether I need to be very bad and unable to walk to consider a knee replacement. How long does one stay in hospital and how does one cope with the stairs? My dentist also told me she can refer me regarding crunching jaw which I have declined unless it gets worse as she said to me there is nothing much they can do about arthritis in the jaw. Thanks

Comments

  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    The crunching and clicking is par for the course with OA (the wear and tear arthritis) and it's caused by the ligaments not sliding as easily as they should (leastways I think that's the reason but I am not a doc!) My knees click like rifle shots which is due to bubbles of nitrogen in the joint being popped (as someone told me a long time ago now) so sadly this means that my days of creeping up on someone to shout 'Boo!' has long gone. :smile:

    Knee replacements (and the timing thereof) will be determined by an orhopaedic surgeon and they will be able to give you guidelines about stairs etc. I have bone-on-bone in both knees now and need a double replacement but I am too fat (true) and too young (at 52? False.) Once I've lost the weight I am to go back to see the ortho - or be 55, whichever comes first.

    When I had a huge synovectomy op I slept in the dining room for about two months post-op as our stairs are very steep and narrow - thank heavens for a ground floor bathroom! Once I had enough muscle strength for the stairs the mantra was 'Good leg to heaven' for going up and 'Bad leg to hell' for going down, and it still is. As for the jaw, well I think that's right, the only thing that may help is pain relief and an ti-inflammatories. I wish you well. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben

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