Arthritis or something else?

Hello @Believer81 I’m sorry to hear about your diagnosis and discomfort.

If it helps, my story was pretty similar, 61 reasonably healthy, fit and active' but with random pains down one leg. My physio suspected was arthritis but we tried a load of other treatments as well, including sciatica and bursitis, some helped more than others. Then after a minor tumble onto my backside the pain ramped up rapidly over a few weeks to total agony level, X-ray found v severe osteoarthritis and I was put straight onto the list for a new hip.

i asked my consultant whether it’s common for arthritis to very suddenly surface after lurking like this for many years, and he said it can happen. If I’m honest I remained slightly dubious, but another ortho consultant agreed. After a year’s wait I had my new hip fitted last weekend, and the woman in the next bed to mine had exactly the same story. Minor gripes for a while, then suddenly, wham! “You need a new hip”. I didn’t even know I had arthritis till that shock phone call from my doc!

I’ve heard others on this forum say that like me (and you) referred pain right down the leg is common, for me it was stabbing pains behind the kneecap, and raw pain all the way down the outside of my leg, and a burning sensation down my shin, very often when I was sitting quite still or lying in bed. That’s as well as a variety of pains in all parts of the hip joint. My pains changed over the year as the hip then deteriorated at a rate of knots, for me the surgery couldn’t come soon enough as it had got to the stage that I could hardly work (I’m self employed), and had given up nearly all my leisure activities. Even without lockdown there was no point going on holiday as all I could manage is a trip round a supermarket.

I had a steroid injection but sadly it didn’t work for me as I was already bone on bone. If that’s the case with you, you need to tell your surgeon so they can escalate the treatment to replacement. However, if it is working then you can have it done repeatedly, even if it only lasts a few months.

There a very good link for pain management on this site, which you may find helpful in addition to the ones Peter has suggested. This forum is also really supportive and friendly, they certainly kept me afloat over the last 12 months. If you need a moan, have any questions, or just want a hater, this is the place to come. We all know how rubbish arthritis feels.

Ah, so pleased to hear the arthritis isn't the main cause of your problem, long may it stay that way. I hope the treatment for your back works, or that it settles down and behaves itself. I would recommend going to a really good physio to get exercises that will help your back, and also your hip. Those with good muscle tone around an affected joint will be far less affected by the damage caused by arthritis. As a very extreme example, a friend who is an alpine guide and ski instructor, despite having a new knee, was bone on bone in her hip but was still out walking her dog and had no noticeable limp. She had replacement surgery last summer and is back in the mountains again. My hip on the other hand has been an utter drama queen, probably not helped by my fitness being generally out of condition anyway, but it does show that improved muscle tone can help, and your physio can recommend some exercises for that and may defer the need for future hip surgery.