Newly diagnosed neck arthritis and spine

ConnieM0678

Hi lovelies

Feel like my life is truly over 🥲sounds dramatic but constant pain is beyond draining and no easy answers. I feel I have no motivation to exercise but I know it’s key. How do you all cope ? I just keep crying 😭 even though I’ve had on/off problems for years, now I know after mri and X-rays I feel ten times worse. I’m in a negative spin 🥲

noddingtonpete

Hello @ConnieM0678 and welcome to the community. We are a supportive and friendly group and I hope that you will find that as well.

I understand that you have newly diagnosed arthritis in your neck and spine and are feeling overwhelmed by it all. Please remember you are not alone now as others on this community will have similar problems and will no doubt share their support and experiences as well. In the meantime please have a loo through the following links from our website which might help.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/managing-symptoms/emotional-wellbeing/

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

and

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/your-experiences/your-questions-answered/your-questions-on-pain-relief/

Please keep posting and let us know how you are getting on and we also have a Helpline https://www.versusarthritis.org/get-help/ if you have any specific questions. Our trained staff are not medical but are experienced in arthritis.

With very best wishes

Peter (moderator)

stickywicket

It's no wonder that constant physical pain can drain our emotional resources. We each have to cultivate out own ways of dealing with it. Do read the links given as they are very good. My ways are:

Exercises

Concentrating not on the pain but on pleasurable things. These are different for all of us. For me, cricket, baseball, reading, puzzles, poetry, music, football, rugby

Ensuring laughter every day. I have two large scrapbooks of newspaper/magazine snippets that invariably make me laugh.

If we concentrate on the bad stuff we will feel worse. Occasionally, it can't be helped. As @dreamdaisy used to say, a dip in the pool of self pity is fine but it's a cold, damp place to live in. Forcing ourselves away from negative thoughts can take some effort but it's well worth it.

DebbieL

Hi Connie,

My first post on here was called bad day. My pain was so bad I had taken my max painkillers and gone to bed for the day. Just saying how I felt on this site helped and the kind words from other members.

When I was diagnosed with Osteoarthritis of my lower spine I was devastated. At the time I was working in a office 5 days a week. I was in pain all day and every night. When I got home from work I took my stronger painkillers and went to bed. The diagnosis made me feel trapped with no way forward. At 53 all I could see was reduced mobility and pain stretching out as my life.

I took control. I complained to my doctors and got a referral to a back specialist. I reduced my working days to 3. Took up exercise that didn’t put me in bed for a day. I do ballet, stretch and tap dancing, walking and some cycling and swimming. The physio was really good and the exercises really helped.

Most days I can manage without painkillers but I need them at night to sleep. I wake up in pain every day but after 30 mins or so I am often almost pain free.

Finding the right pain relief is a bit of trial and error to find what works best for you. Try and find exercise that you enjoy. I went trampolining with my grandkids and was surprised to find it was ok for me. Aerobics put me in bed for a day. I have a 4 inch memory foam topper for my mattress which really reduces my pain at night. I accept I’m going to have some bad days but now I have more good days.

I hope you find something that works for you.

Take care

Debbie