Hello

janielouise

Hi all, I've just joined this group today hoping to share experiences and learn some better coping strategies for constant, severe pain.
I'm 51 and have Osteoarthritis and because of severity had to stop working last year. My worst problem is with my neck and it has recently become much worse. The pain is so intense it is ruining my life and taking up most of my attention. I have severe peripheral neuropathy in both arms and my fingers are often numb. I'm hoping to find people with similar problems and share thoughts and ideas about pain management.

[Deleted User]

Hello Janielouise and welcome to the forums from the moderation team.


I am very sorry to hear about your diagnosis of osteoarthritis. It sounds as though the neck is a definite problem for you so attach a link to information on the subject which may help you:


https://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/do-i-have-arthritis/publications/448-osteoarthritis-of-the-neck


This link takes you to Arthritis Research UK’s information on neck pain (including cervical spondylosis) and gives lots of information, including treatments which might help:


https://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/arthritis-information/conditions/neck-pain/specific-neck-conditions.aspx


We have a great community here, who have lots of experience of arthritis, I know they will make you very welcome and help in any way they can so do ask away!

I look forward to seeing you posting in future.

Best wishes

Ellen.

dreamdaisy

Hello, it's nice to meet you and I am sorry you have had to find us. I am now 59, I began my first arthritis (psoriatic, PsA, an auto-immune kind) aged 37 and then osteo was diagnosed in 2011. I am fortunate in that so far it has not touched my neck or back but unfortunate in that it affects both ankles, both knees, both hips and some other bits too. I now have around forty affected joints, some have PsA, some have osteo and others have both. Life became easier to manage once being pain-free in parts became a thing of the past.

I manage the pain as best I can and rarely allow it to manage me. I keep medical pain relief to a minimum so that I have room to increase when things worsen, I use 30/500 co-codamol and occasionally apply Voltarol. Some aspects of the OA I cannot control such as the impact of cold and damp weather but other aspects I can by not over-doing things and resting often. My main method of pain relief is distraction, I enjoy puzzles both written and of the jigsaw kind, TV, reading, being on here. After a rather active summer last year I began working with a personal trainer because I wanted to maintain and develop the improvement I had unwittingly made to my physical stamina. I have made changes to things in the house, what I do and how I do it - sometimes it can take me all day to change the bed but it finally gets done.

Right, I have had a very long day today and I am shattered. It may only be nearly 7pm but I am going to bed with a cuppa because that is what I need to do. I'll be back tomorrow. DD

frogmorton

The neck is horrible isn't it? Dreadful the worst pain imaginable because our heads are so heavy for the neck to carry

I was diagnosed with cervical spondylosis and have had this problem on and off for many years myself. Luckily for me it usually settles down a bit after time.

When it plays up I take my painkillers and anti-inflammatories to help and rest as much as possible. I am also lucky in that any pins and needles I get in my hands/arms has only been temporary as has the loss of sensation I have had on my skin over my chest.

I also have had to sleep with only a rolled up hand towel in my neck and no pillow at all Since the worst ever bout of agony I invested in a memory foam pillow which is indented all along the middle so my neck is in the right position. I think they are called contoured pillows and you can google that and will see what I mean. It just keeps my spine aligned and not at an angle.

The other thing I do it use a warmed up wheatbag (the type you microwave?) on my neck and just survive like this until it settle back down.

there are some ladies on here in the past who have had neck surgery, but I am pretty sure that is only as a last resort.

Sending you some ((()))

Toni xx