Sudden deterioration in Osteoarthritis
Hi I’m new member. I was diagnosed with ‘mild’ arthritis a few years ago. My right hand has a arthritic index finger, also in other joints. Hip, ankle problems are mild, but most recently knees are very painful. After a short trip away, with lots of slow walking, my knee swelled up enormously, with pain behind the joint and made walking even a short distance impossible. My GP diagnosed a Baker’s Cyst (over the phone 😳). I’m feeling quite depressed about it all at the moment.
Only help so far from doctor was Naproxen. Haven’t seen a Consultant yet at all, and only had an x-ray diagnosis. Apparently that doesn’t show up tissue damage and I need an MRI for this?
Sorry to moan, but feeling low as pain and stiffness in knees has suddenly made me unable to walk.
Comments
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Hi @AliceN Welcome to the online Community.
I understand from your post that you have Osteoarthritis a few joints, but recently after only some slow walking one knee has swollen up and is extremely painful and making you unable to walk. Your GP has diagnosed a Baker's Cyst over the telephone and prescribed Naproxen.
This is the NHS information on Baker's Cysts which does indicate what treatment you ought to be able to expect from your GP:
Versus Arthritis mention Baker's Cysts in this Article you need to scroll down to 'Complications':
Our members often say they need to be quite assertive with their Drs. At the moment with a lot of surgeries still favouring telephone consultations you may need to be quite insistent and request a face to face appointment.
Sorry to give you so much information, but this article tells you what different tests show:
I'll leave you now to meet our members and hear their own experience please do have a look around and join in the other categories Living with Arthritis is a very popular category for instance.
Best wishes
Ellen.
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It can be quite scary when our health takes a sudden nose dive.
Anyone can get a Baker's Cyst but I think those of us with arthritis are more prone. Rest is essential though your other joints will probably need exercising. It's tricky and I'd suggest you either ask to see a physio or book one privately.
I'm an old hand and it doesn't surprise me in the least that your extra activity has triggered a flare. That's how O.A. works. We have to learn to pace ourselves, even on holiday, and work out gentler ways of doing what is really important to us.
MRI? I don't think they're usually given for OA. I've had it for years and my sole MRI was for a twisted bowel. Sometimes they're used to determine a Baker's Cyst. My husband had one as all his lower leg was swollen and painful and they feared it could be a blood clot. It wasn't.
Time and patience are the key. Unfortunately😣
If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
Steven Wright0
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