Knee pain

starflower

Hi

I have I arthritis in my right knee. It's been good for simply ages. Recently become very painful especially first thing in the morning. I can't wait bear on it for what seems like ages but is probably many seconds. After sitting or lying down same thing can't weight bear on it for awhile and so painful.

Can you suggest any reason why this is happening

Thanks

jonr

Hi @starflower,

I expect one of our wonderful Admins will give you a proper welcome to The Community but in the meantime I just wanted to ask you what meds and supplements are you taking for your condition?

The reason is that I experienced the exact same issues as you and was able to trace the cause back to one of the supplements I was ingesting which didn't seem to agree with me.

Thanks,

Jon

frogmorton

That's interesting @jonr

Something was actually causing it apart from the arthritis? Wow.

Our bodies are all different is suppose.

Toni x

jonr

That's right @frogmorton,

I found I got sudden sharp stabbing pain which would come out of the blue for seemingly no reason, it was quite dangerous as sometimes it would happen when I was driving or crossing a road and I literally couldn't move for the pain until it passed. Sometimes the tendons would lock too. Odd thing is it only affected my left knee!

Once I stopped taking the Glucosamine it stopped and hasn'thappened since.

Go figure!

helpline_team

Hi @starflower

We are sorry to hear that your arthritis has been painful recently especially in the morning.

If your condition is Osteoarthritis in the knee there are various symptoms that can affect a person but always remember you will have good and bad days, hopefully more good days. In a healthy joint there is a tough but smooth and slippery tissue called cartilage which covers the surface of the bones and unfortunately when the joint develops osteoarthritis part of the cartilage starts to wear thin and a person can experience pain swelling and stiffness also a cracking and grating sensation and the knee feels less supportive but with exercise it can help to build up the muscle and help with the stiffness.

Often when we are resting and in one position during sleep our joints can stiffen up which can be experienced by many people.

What may be helpful when you wake up is to sit on the edge of the bed and move your knee gently for 10 to 20 seconds before you start walking this will hopefully help you to get that joint moving.

Possibly the next step if this hasn’t already been suggested would be if you could get a referral to see a Physiotherapist this is an important part of treatment for any form of arthritis, they are trained in advising the best exercises for you.

It may be worth speaking to your doctor about Capsaicin cream which is a drug free complementary treatment, which is recommended for osteoarthritis and has been given a score of 5/5 for effectiveness for this condition, it is only available on prescription from your GP. When applied in the form of a cream it is thought to provide pain relief by temporarily changing the way our body process pain which works mainly by reducing Substance P, a pain transmitter in your nerves. If you were to get the cream, it would need to be applied 4 times a day and allowed to build up into the system for at least 2 weeks.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/knee-pain/

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/exercising-with-arthritis/exercises-for-healthy-joints/exercises-for-the-knees/

Best wishes

Chris

Helpline Advisor

Fran54

Hi @starflower

I too have been suffering with this now for a few months and have tried various different things like gently doing stretching exercises before getting up. When sitting I sometimes find it easier to stretch my affected leg out straight which sometimes helps otherwise when I get up I have to stand for a few seconds and wait for my knee to catch up and let me walk slowly. I did ask a physiotherapist at a course I am on and said that exercises should help build up the muscles but this does take time. I have been taking supplements like Glucosamine and Cod Liver Oil for quite a few years and stopping the Glucosamine didn't seem to make any difference but then everyone is different. I am seeing a person from MSK at the end of the month and will ask his opinion on this. These things are sent to try us but we have to carry on regardless and don't let it beat us!

Take care🙂

rebecca1001

Today Im unfortunately in pain with my knees, there swollen more today due to arthritis. However I have managed to wash my car and my new medication will take time to work so I guess I will have to be patient. I'm trying to keep busy and active even if everything takes me a little longer to do and I just need to do everything at my pace..

starflower

My knee pain has been stable for ages.Suddenly so acute now walking on double i mean 2 crutches. Its terrible.Its worse tying to get a drs appointment. fir pain management.Now I feel fed up .

helpline_team

Hi @starflower

Thank you for your post on the forum. I am sorry to hear that your knee pain has suddenly become so acute after being stable for ages and that you are feeling fed up. I hope you have been able to get a doctor's appointment to discuss pain relief.

If you are seeing a physiotherapist you can speak to them about exercises that may help, if you have not done so already. Exercise can strengthen the muscles around your knee, which can help reduce the symptoms and pain of arthritis. Finding the right balance between rest and exercise can help in that people find that too much activity may increase their pain while too little makes their joints stiffen up.

Using a heat pack or something similar on a painful knee might help to relieve the pain and stiffness, an ice pack can also help but be careful not to put ice or heat directly on your skin – wrap them with a tea towel or cover. If your condition is osteoarthritis I have put a link below to osteoarthritis of the knee which may have some suggestions to help you manage the condition. It is not uncommon to feel fed up when you are in pain. You can talk to your doctor about support around how you are feeling and I have put a link below to our information on emotional wellbeing which I hope may be a help to you.

Please feel free to call us here on the helpline on 0800 5200 520 (Monday - Friday 9am - 6pm) if you would like to talk things through with us.

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

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

Best Wishes

Dawn

Helpline Advisor

janicejdrew

Hi! I totally understand what you're going through—my mom had similar issues with arthritis in her knee. She would wake up with a lot of stiffness and pain, especially after sitting or lying down for a while. Her doctor said it could be due to inflammation or fluid buildup that worsens with inactivity. One thing that really helped her was getting a knee scan (like an MRI or X-ray) to see what was going on inside. It might be worth considering, so you can get a clearer idea of what’s causing the pain.

susy123

Hi what's helped me but it's best to check with your GP first is tramadol. I know it's not suitable for everybody. I'm literally pain free if I keep taking the medication with ibruphen. I always take it even when I might not need to. This keeps the pain at bay. For now it's working but that might change who knows. The only thing is the constipation which I take a lot of lactose. I feel positive at the moment.

helpline_team

Hi @susy123 @starflower and thank you for everyone's recent posts

I realise that at first the thread was talking about knee pain (so the types of arthritis which might be relevant could be very broad) and more recently it's focused on Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee.

The mention of medication which people may have been offered or tried is something which is becoming less straightforward, because the guidance around medication for OA has changed a great deal in the last couple of decades.

I'm referencing here:

Overview | Osteoarthritis in over 16s: diagnosis and management | Guidance | NICE

The guidance does not encourage the prescription of anti-inflammatory tablets for other than in the short-term. (The exact wording is for 'the shortest possible time' and instead encourages the use of rub-on - 'topical' - creams instead.)

And generally we are aware that there has been a tightening up around the prescription of Opioid pain medication as there is a wide awareness over the ineffectiveness of Opioid drugs when prescribed long-term, but also there are concerns about the risks to do with Opioid medication.

Versus Arthritis is researching this subject at the moment (to do with post-surgical prescribing of Opioids)

What is the risk of persistent opioid use or opioid-related harms in news users following musculoskeletal surgery?

You can read more about medication for pain (and concerns and risks) here:

Painkillers and NSAIDs | Side-effects, uses, time to work

Some people with OA may be being prescribed tablet anti-inflammatory drugs and or Opioid drugs. What we want to encourage anyone who wants to discuss their medication, to speak to a healthcare practitioner. Risks to do with drugs can be reduced if people are being monitored. And it's important to tell the healthcare practitioner if you are taking any over the counter pain medication / anti-inflammatory drugs in addition to anything you are prescribed.

And by keeping moving and healthy eating we can all help to support our musculoskeletal health.

All the best

Guy - Helpline Advisor