Advice please - trying to support a friend

Ladybrown

Hi all
I have a friend who has been off work for a period of months due to disc problems in her neck. It's very painful for her and she has been understandably floored by it. Last week she was told that she has some arthur in her and she's really frightened.

I'm going to visit her this weekend and am looking for advice for a bit of moral support. As you may know my arthur is in the knees so my experience is different to hers. My friend had no idea that she had arthur until a scan last week which showed some spurs had formed. Am I right in thinking that this means arthur's been around for a while and hasn't been bothering her too much? She's having treatment for the bulging discs and so far I have been trying to remind her of what she's been told - that once the discs settle the pain will reduce. I can offer lots of support about pain etc but was hoping that some of you might be able to share some neck experience. I have suggested that she come to the forum but I don't know if she has yet.
Thanks all
x

stickywicket

I'm not much use here, I'm afraid. I do have arthritis in my neck. In fact it doesn't move much at all these days but it certainly wasn't the most painful of processes for me compared with other joints.

Bony spurs (osteophytes) are usually, but not necessarily, associated with OA.
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/osteophyte/Pages/Introduction.aspx

What can you do? Just be there for her, I guess, as you're already doing.