Pain when wake up

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  • Carryon
    Carryon Member Posts: 3

    Please could you tell me why I wake up with bad pain in my lower leg & knee if I sleep on my side. Thank you

  • helpline_team
    helpline_team Posts: 3,713

    Hello @Carryon

    Thank you for posting on the Online Community. I am sorry to hear that you are waking up in pain during the night in your leg and knee when lying on your side. I am unsure what type of arthritis you have. Pain and poor sleep can leave you feeling tired which builds up over time and affects daily activities. This can drag you down and feel very debilitating. There are things you can do to help.

    How pain is experienced is very individual. We are not medically trained and so can't offer you a diagnosis or suggest the exact cause. It may help to go back to your GP to talk things through, review your pain medication and explore treatment options for your condition. If you are under a rheumatology clinic, it is usually possible to speak to a specialist rheumatology nurse between clinic appointments.

    Sometimes a pillow between the knees at night can improve joint positioning and alignment, and help you to get a better night's sleep with less pain. This can help people with arthritis in the hip, knee and spine. The right pain medication before going to bed may also help. For knee pain, NSAID gels such as Ibuprofen or Voltarol may help to reduce the number of pain tablets you are taking. A heat or cold pack may help too. Stopping caffeine later in the day and a relaxing activity before bed may help, such as a good book, listening to music, favourite TV programme, meditation….

    The right kind of exercise a little and often, a daily walk and fresh air, and eating a healthy balanced diet and keeping a healthy weight may help to make a difference to how you feel and help you to be in less pain and sleep better.

    If you would like to have more replies to your post, you are welcome to repost on our Living with Arthritis forum which is a supportive space where you can ask questions and share experiences with others. You are also welcome to call our Free Helpline on 0800 5200 520 weekdays 9am - 6pm if you would like to talk things through informally and in confidence.

    I hope you will find the information given below of some help.

    https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/managing-symptoms/
    https://www.versusarthritis.org/news/2022/february/top-tips-for-good-sleep/

    Please keep posting and let us know how you are getting on.

    Best wishes,

    Fiona, Helpline Advisor

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