Osteoarthritis

Vhamilton2064

Pain flared up in knees, spreading to my ankles. Also have a couple slipped disc suffering with pain in hip. I haven't had an injection from 2019 due to the pandemic, really struggling with the pain.

Ellen

Good Morning and welcome to you @Vhamilton2064

I see from your post that you have Osteoarthritis in your knees and hip? and now it is beginning to affect your ankles too. You have also not had your usual steroid injections into your joints, (not sure which, but presuming your knees apologies if this is wrong), since 2019 due to the pandemic.

Unfortunately you are not alone in missing much needed treatment while COVID has hit the country. This could certainly be chased up now healthcare services are beginning to return to normal. Maybe a call to your GP or consultant's secretary (if you have one) to get yourself back on the list for an injection. I would imagine they will need to know about your newer pains.

I am going to attach a link to foot and ankle pain while you wait for one of our members to come along and share their experience with you:

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/foot-and-ankle-pain/

There is quite a nice section on self-care and specific exercises which might help in the short term.

This link is about Osteoarthritis of the knee I expect you will know most of it anyway, but it is certainly worth a look:

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/osteoarthritis-of-the-knee/

Please do have a look around the site and join in wherever you feel comfortable.

Best wishes

Ellen.

helpline_team

Hi Vhamilton2064

Thank you for posting on the forum, I am so sorry to hear that you are really struggling with pain. I have read Ellen’s response and the links she has given and hope they are helpful. As Ellen has said do contact your medical professional for further advice and update them on the pain you are experiencing.

There is a very well-proven complementary cream available for OA. It’s called capsaicin cream and is available on prescription from your GP. It is particularly effective for the knees and hands and can be used in other joints too, so it might be worth trying.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/complementary-and-alternative-treatments/types-of-complementary-treatments/capsaicin/

If at any point you would like to have a chat to us on our helpline, please give us a call: 0800 5200 520 (weekdays 9am – 6pm) here we can take our time to talk informally and in confidence, sometimes a listening ear can be helpful.

For more responses you might like to repost on the ‘living with arthritis’ forum

https://community.versusarthritis.org/categories/living-with-arthritis-forum

Best wishes

Lynda

Helpline advisor