Hello

Wolfie2468S

I am new to this. I was diagnosed with Osteoarthritis recently. At the moment I am trying to manage the pain especially when I go out for a daily walk. Today was harder than the other days I've walked this week. I'm sure I will get there eventually.

When I was diagnosed I couldn't think of a single question to ask but now I have loads. I can go back to the physiotherapist and I will do this. But I am slowly getting used to the fact that I have this.

It is in my knees, hips and the base of my spine. And I know this is going to sound totally stupid but I think of it creeping insidiously up my spine. I'm sure it won't. I think the shock was being told it was at the base of my spine as well.

Well I am not sure what I can write and what I can't so I shall leave it at this for now.

Thank you for taking the time to read it.

jonr

Hi Wolfie and welcome to the Community.

If there are questions to ask then ask away, chances are one of us will be able to help either with an answer or point you in the right direction.

In the meantime do take time to read through the resources on the website, there's a lot you can do to help yourself because health professionals can only take you so far.

Take carw,

Jon

Wolfie2468S

Hello Jon and thank you. I have been reading some of the things on this site and I will continue to do so.

The thing that sent me to to doctor in the first place is the awful pain I get in my thigh. I tried deep heat and a hot water bottle for a long while but when that didn't work I decided to see the doctor. She checked me over and sent me to the physio and it went from there.

I know this may sound daft but I wondered why I was getting terrible pain in my thigh. It literally stops me in my tracks.

I agree that health professionals can only do so much and I would prefer to do what I can myself.

Once again, thank you. :)

jonr

You're welcome - whereabouts is this thigh pain, is it muscular or in the bone would you say? Some sufferers say they get knock-on pain in other areas due to a change in their gait or due to connecting tendons, muscles and tissues being under more strain due to joint weakness. I certainly experience that with my knees and found it can be managed with painkillers, a TENS machine and a deep tissue massaging gun. I also apply a range of gels and creams. Voltorol 12 hour gel and 5KIND Hemp Gel work for me too.

There's a lot of info about managing your condition, including pain relief on the website. Some work better than others and it's very much an experimentation game I'm afraid as everyone's arthritis is unique to them.

Please ler us know how you get on,

Jon

Wolfie2468S

Hello Jon

The thigh pain is on the front of my thigh between knee and hip. I thought it was muscular in the beginning, maybe it still is. I have Voltarol cream which I do find helpful at the moment and I take paracetamol which helps too. I managed a 3 1/2 mile walk today and am pleased about that. I take the paracetamol and put the cream on about an hour before I go out. I do find that helpful at the moment.

I can phone the physio if I need more help. I will be looking here for more info as well.

Thank you and take care

jonr

Good for you Wolfie! Let's hope you feel able to continue.

Are you doing any stretching as part of your physio? I find that helpful. Good idea on the meds to let them kick in an hour before you do anything, I do the same but take co-codemol but it doesn't agree with everyone.

Keep it up, look forward to hearing how you get on!

Jon

Wolfie2468S

I am going to get back into the physio exercises I was given, there were one or two stretching ones in there. To be honest I've never been any good at keeping them up, not just these but any that I've been given over the years.

Although I was prescribed Co-codemol, 200 of them, I haven't yet taken them. I thought I'd stay with the paracetamol and Voltarol whilst they work.

Although I did 3 miles today I found it hard going but I will be keeping that up regardless of how hard it is.

Thank you.

Wolfie

jonr

Keeping motivated enough to do the physio isn't always easy, particularly on a flare-up day. It has helped me to build them into a daily routine which has now become habitual and I try to do them 1st thing to get them out of the way all the time thinking of nice things I'm going to do during the rest of the day.

Wolfie2468S

But do you find that the physio exercises help? I will be getting back into them, it doesn't really take me long to do them, but I wasn't sure if they were helping me. As said, I will persevere with them from tomorrow onwards. And yes, I really will do them.

Thank you.