If you have more than one 'type' of arthritis....

Starburst

I know the word 'type' isn't quite the right word but hopefully you get what I mean!

I have RA and some OA in my knees but the latter was dx'ed on symptoms rather than x-rays. I do agree that OA is the most likely culprit because it only started after a few years of poor walking/limping due to uncontrolled RA. My physio feels that my long-term poor gait has worn away otherwise unaffected joints. Fun, eh? My knees feel heavy and achey at the end of the day, whereas my RA is definitely worse at the beginning of the day.

Does anyone else find their pain is different? How do you find it different? How do you cope with some joints demanding rest and some joints requiring getting up and stretching regularly?

stickywicket

I'm not going to be much help, Sophie, although I have both. I didn't realise I had OA until they offered me new knees and I said I thought you only got them for OA. Yup, I'd hit the jackpot ages before. Because I didn't kmow I never learnt to distinguish between the two though I realised later, with other joints that OA was more straightforward.

DD is good at distinguishing but she's away for the weekend.

Boomer13

Hi Starburst;

I have PsA and OA. For me, the OA is more constant, grinding, gnawing type pain. It doesn't really waver much in quality, just intensity. I have it in my hips, ankles and a few others. The inflammatory pain of PsA is achy, but in a hot, throbbing way and seems to be much more variable. Sometimes like hot pins and needles in the joint, sometimes a profound aching with immobility. I don't know why it's so variable but speculate that it's to do with how much inflammation is present and which tissues are inflamed. I also get bone pain which is a deep ache that radiates. The pain with PsA for me is always accompanied by a massive fatigue early in the day, whereas OA seems to wear me out by the end of the day. So, I guess OA seems to me to be steady & predictable, while PsA pain is more multi-dimensional and unpredictable. My OA joints yell loudly when I've been on them too long or have done too much. It's a balancing act trying to get the most out of a day and sometimes I need to just stay off my feet completely and rest everything.

My activity is in spurts when I can, followed by lying-down rest. For me and I seem to be odd, exercise makes me worse, likely because I habitually overdo everything . In the mornings getting myself up and going is slow but beneficial for easing stiffness and taking my mind off the pain. I have a set of essential chores I do, then I rest and decide what else I'm able to do for the day, if anything. Then I break up what I'd like to do into do-able chunks. Sometimes it works out and then other times I end up back in bed for the day. I guess it's become a bit of a game for me.

Know matter how I'm feeling I try do some very, very gentle stretches throughout the day, and vary them day to day.

Hope that helps.
Anna

DebbieT

Hi,

I too have PsA & OA. I was diagnosed with both at 37 & both had caused damage already so I've no idea wen I it actually started!!

I've been hopeless at distinguishing the two types of pain until the past few months as I've had to stop my PsA medication, mtx.

For me the as my PsA doesn't seem to attack the joints as much as it does the tendons & ligaments surrounding them, it feels like I have shards of glass running thru my veins!! It's truly awful. I get very severe psoriasis too so do wonder if it relates to that as well. I get very stiff & fatigued. I can feel like I have cramp at times or, especially in my lower back & hips, it's like they seize up! The pain can be almost unbearable (I do also have Fibromyalgia badly which probably doesn't help) it's hot, throbbing/pulses of glass shards ... I don't know how else to describe it. I have PsA in one elbow, my wrists, some fingers, both thumbs, my neck, one shoulder, lower spine, both hips & ankles.

OA is much more boring, thankfully!! It's in my knees, hips & ankles but we have a query for the other shoulder at the moment too. That pain is more basic for me. It's a hot throbbing pain. I can rarely do too much with it as the PsA & FM restricts my life to a massive extent.

Sorry I can't be more useful.xxx

bubbadog

I've got Osteoporosis in my lower limbs and OA in my hands. The Osteoporosis is a more hot area pain with throbbing and swelling where as the OA is more stiffness and swelling. Though the pain in both is very nasty!

stickywicket

Osteopororis isn't a form of arthritis though. 'Despite the fact that osteoporosis and osteoarthritis (a form of arthritis) are completely different conditions, they are frequently confused......The prefix “osteo” (which means “bone”) is the only thing that osteoporosis and osteoarthritis have in common. '
(From the osteoporosis canada site)

Starburst

Thanks for your replies all. I don't think I would have otherwise noticed the difference if it weren't for my RA pain being controlled a lot more by the meds but my knee pain is raging on.

bubba - it's interesting you say your osteoporosis causes pain. I have osteopenia in my feet and I wondered if this could be the cause of some of my feet pain.

dreamdaisy

Hello Sophie, I too have hit the ghastly jackpot - fun, innit? :? For me the two hurts are very different. I have PsA in around 39 joints and OA shares in only 5 (but of course they are a very useful 5, namely both ankles, both knees and my right hip). The OA pain is far hotter, sharper, and breathtaking at times (in all the wrong ways :roll: ) I have had a lot of it today thanks to a rather foolish pub session yesterday lunchtime - I was perched on a low stool for a few hours (fun at the time but totally self-inflicted so there's no need for sympathy ). Today my feet and toes keep going into spasms but whether that is the PsA or OA I don't know (and actually don't care, they do, it eases, end of). I know that the PsA meds don't touch the OA pain and of course they won't because it's a different beast. DD

bubbadog

stickywicket wrote:

Osteopororis isn't a form of arthritis though. 'Despite the fact that osteoporosis and osteoarthritis (a form of arthritis) are completely different conditions, they are frequently confused......The prefix “osteo” (which means “bone”) is the only thing that osteoporosis and osteoarthritis have in common. '
(From the osteoporosis canada site)

I know Osteoporosis is a totally different condition to OA and that Osteoporosis isn't a form of Arthritis. But this is the best site to be on for advice and company!

stickywicket

I quite agree, bubbadog. This is a good place to be.

However, as starburst's thread was about having more than one type of arthritis, I just thought it might confuse any newbies looking in as they might think osteoporosis was a form of arthritis.

bubbadog

stickywicket wrote:

I quite agree, bubbadog. This is a good place to be.

However, as starburst's thread was about having more than one type of arthritis, I just thought it might confuse any newbies looking in as they might think osteoporosis was a form of arthritis.

That's understandable, I will remember not to make that mistake again!