where does arthritis pain occur and for how long..more questions on arthritis inside?

3 Comments

1. Rhonda S says:

   July 28, 2010 at 12:40 am

   I have known for many months I had arthritis in my right foot and knee. It also started in my hands and they are starting to curl in a bit and are very stiff and sore.
   Yes, arthritis mainly attacks the joints anywhere in your body and like me, you need to see a Rheumatologist and they will first do blood work and go from there.
   I’ve been to my first appointment and am waiting on the results. The doctor told me they have “remission” drugs for Rheumatoid Arthritis which is what I believe I have. It is the most crippling and deforming type you can get.
   Don’t wait it out and go see one of these specialists as soon as you can. I have lived with chronic pain from an auto accident since 1999 so the pain is not the biggest problem. I am in more fear over what arthritis can do to your body.
   I’m 41 and can’t allow myself to become more disabled than I already am and my best advice is for you to seek help for yourself.
   Best Wishes
2. gillianprowe says:

   July 28, 2010 at 12:44 am

   Their are over 100 different forms of Arthritis, however they tend to fall into but two categories: seropositive, where you test positive via a blood test and seronegative, where the blood test is negative. Therefore they state Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus as Autoimmune, where your own immune system attacks its own body and Osteoarthritis, what they term wear and tear, due to injury, aging, but they are now looking for a specific gene to see if it is inherited.
   Usually it starts off insidious, harmful enough. I just woke up one morning with a red hot painful finger and went OH? I was 21. Then that went away and the thumb started, again red hot to the touch, painful to touch and forget about bending it! That went away. Year later I went to bed feeling well, woke up unable to get my head up off the pillow, the pain was excruciating. I saw my Doctor with each symptoms and he diagnosed: self-inflicted! I must have knocked the finger/thumb off something and the neck was a strain. The following year the lower back started to ache, but decided not to see the Doctor, just put it down to wearing new pair of high heels. It was not until the following year, I had been at a all day Conference that I got home took my shoes off and my middle toes was the size of my big toe, red hot and swollen, so I went to ER! They x-rayed and sent me home. The following morning all the toes were red hot and painful, so off to the Doctor who did a blood test? He got the results back in 3 hours, it was not what he thought it was, so more blood. He then gave me some drugs told me to go home and return in four days for the results. I was 29 when I heard those words ‘You have tested positive for the Rheumatoid Factor’. Sounded like some new disease, so I asked for it in simple terms ‘You have Arthritis’. I can remember thinking: Arthritis is a disease of old age, I am not even 29 until next month, so not even middle age, poor Doctor has the wrong Patients file, or is over worked. Then the Doctor said to me ‘Have you ever had symptoms like this before? I thought and said ‘No, my toes are normal’. He then looked back in my file and said ‘Well what about the finger, thumb and neck problems?’ I replied ‘YOU told me they were self -inflicted knocks and strains!’ It was another five years before I saw a Rheumatologist as the letter from the Doctor to the Consultant was never sent. So now at 50, no treatment because they missed the window at 29, be warned!
   What is it like? Well exhaustion, tirdness are severe. Bit like having a really bad dose of the Flu, but without the sneezing, coughing, runny nose, just that feeling you are carrying the world around on a chain attached to your legs. Sleep is not easy, you tend to go to bed when your body tells you to go to bed and not at any set hour. Likewise if you are woken up, rather than allowed to wake up naturally, you feel like a Bear with a sore head. Morning stiffness lasts at least one hour, so you really do not feel like doing anything when you get up, have to wait for it to wear off. Appetite is not good, as you are not burning the calories off so you have no reason too eat outside of taking drugs.
   Joint pain along with muscle pain and they can see if you have a Autoimmune form via blood test or Osteoarthritis just by examining the joint and doing a x-ray. Best of Luck
3. Flipsy J says:

   July 28, 2010 at 1:39 am

   I just found this site on Google. It has plenty of information about arthritis,I am sure you will find your answer here…