early throws of this!

tabers75
tabers75 Member Posts: 5
edited 28. Nov 2023, 14:07 in Living with arthritis

Hi everyone,

Just joined today, so a newbie, so forgive me if the questions/answers are already on the site somewhere.

Although not officially diagnosed by a GP (difficult to see one) a clinician at the surgery said it almost certainly osteoarthritis of the left knee. I accept that compared to others on this site, mine is presently in one area and comparably mild.

Can I ask you knowledgeably community, whether I need an Xray to determine what type and a specialist to give me his diagnosis/prognosis.?

Many Thanks

KT

Comments

  • Shell_H
    Shell_H Member Posts: 548

    Hi @tabers75 - welcome to the online community!

    I see you have (probable) osteoarthritis in your left knee and you were wondering if you needed an x-ray or a specialist to get this diagnosed, and who to get a prognosis from.

    I too have osteoarthritis in my knees, so you're not alone in this at all! While an X-ray can indeed help in the diagnosis of Osteoarthritis, it is not a necessary ingredient. In theory, your GP should be able to diagnose Osteoarthritis from a discussion with you about the symptoms and a manual inspection of the affected joint. Reality doesn't always go to theory, however, so sometimes you will get X-rays or other scans do to see if there is visible degradation of the cartilage around the bone (osteoarthritis is not itself visible on these scans, just some of it's effects. Not seeing it on a scan does not mean you don't have it). Depending on your GP's experience and comfort with arthritis may determine if they refer you to a specialist or not. Some GPs do specialise slightly, so you may be able to ask your surgery is they have a GP there who has an interest in arthritis.

    Have a look at our information below, it does go over diagnosis and how osteoarthritis can affect you, as well as what you can do to look after yourself.

    Do let us know how you get on! We'd love to have an update on how you're doing, and we're always here to help at any stage of your journey. Our community members are friendly and none of us mind questions, or stories, or even a rant if you feel the need 😊

    Lovely to meet you!

    Shell

  • tabers75
    tabers75 Member Posts: 5

    Hi Shell,

    Thank you for your response and guidance.

    Nice to be among fellow suffers, who can pass on first hand experience and what they found beneficial to them.

    Lovely to meet you too!

    Tabers75

  • nicholaj
    nicholaj Member Posts: 64

    My knee problems showed up clearly on an X-ray…no cartilage in my joint now, just bone on bone. Found it helpful to be able to see the X-ray when I went to the musculoskeletal clinic and was glad to be referred there as I was given exercises to help strengthen the area around the knee.

  • tabers75
    tabers75 Member Posts: 5

    Hi Nicholaj

    Thanks for the info, very helpful.

    Regards

    Tabers75