Arthiritis. Advice needed.

pettgra

My wife has been diagnosed with an arthritic knee and when the knee swells it is very painful.
We are doing our research to find the best ways of making the condition more bearable. With that in mind, are there any lifers on here who have been down this road and anything that works well for them?
Greatly appreciated for any advice given.

Red_Pete_in_Dubai

Do you know whether she suffers from rheumatoid arthritis (an auto-immune disorder) or osteoarthritis (a degenerative joint disease). It is important, because the most effective treatment will depend on the form of the arthritis. If it's rheumatoid arthritis, a steroid like Prednisone would be a great place to start.

pettgra

Cheers Pete. It is Osteoarthiritis.

ShootersHillGuru

It's most commonly osteoarthritis in which case physio and pain relief are all that that can be done unless of course it is bad enough for knee replacement. I was sceptical about physio working for me but it did help. The pain relief I use is either ibuprofen or if it's particularly bad then I use Naproxen. The latter available on prescription from your GP.

T_C_E

Gloucosime and chronditin tablets help with joints and joint pain, I use them and maybe I'm not the best example, but my dogs them as well and their in fine shape. Holland and Barrett if you want to get right royally ripped off or available online.

Henry Irving

I have osteoarthiritis in both knees as a result of a trauma to the right knee (dislocating the knee cap playing football).

It is degenerative but you can have the knees operating on to clean them up or have the knee joint replaced.

less intrusive treatments included cod liver oil tablets (meant to lubricate the joint but not sure if it works) and non-weight bearing exercise such as swimming to lose weight and strengthen the tendons.

There is some advice on diet which as I remember is eat fish (oils again) fruit and fresh veg as it contains or helps produce a certain substance in the body (can't remember the name, begins with P) that helps. And avoid junk food and sugary stuff.

However my case my be different from your wife.

Mine is, IMO, fairly mild, but it can really hurt especially after a lot of climbing.

Good luck to her

LenGlover

ShootersHillGuru said:

It's most commonly osteoarthritis in which case physio and pain relief are all that that can be done unless of course it is bad enough for knee replacement. I was sceptical about physio working for me but it did help. The pain relief I use is either ibuprofen or if it's particularly bad then I use Naproxen. The latter available on prescription from your GP.

I agree with SHG (There's a first :-) ).

Naproxen is excellent and, dependent on the severity of the attack, relieves the pain completely or takes the edge off sufficiently to make it tolerable and allow you to function.

LargeAddick

my wife has osteoarthiritis in both knees. walks like an eighty year old. physio hasn't helped much. going back to doctor's next week for referral to specialist to see if she can have a replacement or whatever. probably caused by year's of playing netball when younger.

Shrew

We all have bones wearing out but its the inflammation that is the key, the inflammation can be very easily kicked off by diet, by stress and bad habits in the way we use our body, posture etc or change of use.. As Henry said its important to avoid junk foods sugary stuff and probably red meats. Id recommend some time with an alexander teacher, although it might feel expensive, the savings in the long term both in terms of money and discomfort could be huge. I wouldn't take steroids lightly as an easy cure they can have a big effect on the rest of your body and weaken muscles. Massage therapists are advised not to give massages to people who take steroids due to the fact that tendons and muscle tissue becomes more brittle.

_MrDick

Diclophenic on prescription is a powerful anti-inflamatory but @latimer will be the best person to give advice, I would have thought?

LenGlover

LargeAddick said:

my wife has osteoarthiritis in both knees. walks like an eighty year old. physio hasn't helped much. going back to doctor's next week for referral to specialist to see if she can have a replacement or whatever. probably caused by year's of playing netball when younger.

Well she is 79!

Seriously I hope she they can do something for her.

LargeAddick

LenGlover said:

LargeAddick said:

my wife has osteoarthiritis in both knees. walks like an eighty year old. physio hasn't helped much. going back to doctor's next week for referral to specialist to see if she can have a replacement or whatever. probably caused by year's of playing netball when younger.

Well she is 79!

blockquote>

77 last Wednesday ;-))

cafcfan

Some research seems to suggest that osteoarthritis suffers feel better living in places with generally high barometric pressure while rheumatoid arthritis suffers do better where it's warm. (Presumably, those conditions tend to go hand in glove?)
My sister has the rheumatoid version and she really should move from Northern Ireland! Apart from anything else I might be more inclined to visit if she moved to Southern Spain.
I met a guy once waiting at the baggage carousel in Orlando who spent October to April in Florida for this reason.
He said he'd had to use his wheelchair at Gatwick but was already feeling so much less pain that he was happy as Larry walking around the baggage reclaim!

jamiebcool

Could try Glucosamine and Chondroitin supplements? Alot of body builders/weight lifters suffer from inflamed and damaged joints. What G+C does is keeps your joints lubricated and promotes new cartillage growth and repair. I'm not saying it's a mirracle cure, but alot of people swear by it.

I used this one in the past to help recover from a rotator cuff injuryhttp://www.myprotein.com/sports-nutrition/msm-glucosamine-chondroitin/10530141.html

smiffyboy

I have It bad in my knee due to haveing most of my cartilage removed from playing football and have suffered from the age of 27, I found the best relief for me was to have my knee cleaned out and washed through 3 times in the 7 years since. I also take diclofenic when it is bad as this reduces the swelling and pain, but not recommended to take long term as they rot the inside of the stomach. I also lost nearly 2 stone in weight which also had a dramatic improvement in the pain and movement of my knee.

AddicksAddict

ShootersHillGuru said:

It's most commonly osteoarthritis in which case physio and pain relief are all that that can be done unless of course it is bad enough for knee replacement. I was sceptical about physio working for me but it did help. The pain relief I use is either ibuprofen or if it's particularly bad then I use Naproxen. The latter available on prescription from your GP.

If you get ibuprofen, make sure you buy a generic, e.g. supermarket or chemist, own brand - much, much cheaper than brand names like Nurofen and Advil.

Don't go looking for 'quack' cures. I don't want to kick off an 'it is all a conspiracy, the medical industry is just out to make money' argument here, but stick to the advice of your doctor or other recognised health professionals.

Sparrows Lane Lion

Some advice on here that when I've done previous research doesn't appear to tie up?

The glucosamine supplements are apparently a myth.

& diet is important if you're overweight, ie, you should lose weight to reduce the load on joints. But have never found anything linking food directly to improving/easing the affects of osteoarthritis?

I was told by my specialist to concentrate on building the muscles around my knee to give more support and to stop all impact sports.

eaststandmike

AddicksAddict said:

ShootersHillGuru said:

It's most commonly osteoarthritis in which case physio and pain relief are all that that can be done unless of course it is bad enough for knee replacement. I was sceptical about physio working for me but it did help. The pain relief I use is either ibuprofen or if it's particularly bad then I use Naproxen. The latter available on prescription from your GP.

Don't go looking for 'quack' cures.

The bills can be big as well :-)

AddicksAddict

eaststandmike said:

AddicksAddict said:

ShootersHillGuru said:

It's most commonly osteoarthritis in which case physio and pain relief are all that that can be done unless of course it is bad enough for knee replacement. I was sceptical about physio working for me but it did help. The pain relief I use is either ibuprofen or if it's particularly bad then I use Naproxen. The latter available on prescription from your GP.

Don't go looking for 'quack' cures.

The bills can be big as well :-)

On swans, yes. On ducks, not so big.

ShootersHillGuru

Diclophenic causes more unwanted side effects than the now more commonly prescribed Naproxen. Both are anti inflammatory drugs. I don't think there is any evidence that supplements like Glucosamine or Chondroitin are effective in either prevention or in treating joint pain but you pays your money and takes your choice.

ME14addick

I had a knee replacement a year ago and although it was tough for the first few weeks, I'm glad I had it done and am much more mobile now and pain free.

Before the operation I had to walk up stairs one step at a time and bring both feet onto the same step. If I tried to walk up normally the pain was excruciating. I was told to go up with the 'baddie' and down with the 'goodie'. This did help me to manage the pain.

Robbo on the wing

Big Daddie and Giant Haystacks?

SantaClaus

I use glucosamine and cod liver oil for my knee. I found that cod liver oil took about six weeks to make any difference but it cleared up the pain completely thereafter. From time to time I forget to take it for the odd day or so and its noticeable that the pain comes back pretty quickly.

jamiebcool

http://nccam.nih.gov/research/results/gait/qa.htm#results

Independent research in to the effects of glucosamine on patients who suffer from arthritis.

In my experience, I found that g+c alleviated alot of the pain (of my previously mentioned rotator cuff injury) and alowed me to continue exercising, therefore building the supporting muscles. Although it still gives me a bit of grief from time to time, I find the balance somewhere between too much and not enough exercise - if that makes sense.

Basically there is no mirracle cure for this sort of thing, however its no good just resting joints and living off pain relief tabs all the time. A bit of excercise and physiotherapy can work wonders.

harveys_gardener

Alexander technique, lose weight and move somewhere hot.

ShootersHillGuru

jamiebcool said:

http://nccam.nih.gov/research/results/gait/qa.htm#results

Independent research in to the effects of glucosamine on patients who suffer from arthritis.

In my experience, I found that g+c alleviated alot of the pain (of my previously mentioned rotator cuff injury) and alowed me to continue exercising, therefore building the supporting muscles. Although it still gives me a bit of grief from time to time, I find the balance somewhere between too much and not enough exercise - if that makes sense.

Basically there is no mirracle cure for this sort of thing, however its no good just resting joints and living off pain relief tabs all the time. A bit of excercise and physiotherapy can work wonders.

Think the problem with that link lies with the suggestion that it is independent.

Harvard Medical School is probably a more reliable source of information but there are other truly independent studies that conclude the same.

http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/do-glucosamine-and-chondroitin-really-help-arthriti-pain

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11330747

pettgra

Cheers Guys. I have read all the posts and taken it all on board.
Thanks to you all for taking the time to reply. Game on as they say.

Badger

I was seeing a specialist at my Local Hospital For Arthritis and can say a lot of the advice on here is worth following, in particular the diet advice can help, no red meat and plenty of fruit and veg.

My Arthritis was very painful and disabling at times, I tried so many things that it does become a bit frustrating. I was using a walking stick for a while because it was the only way I could get around. The pain was terrible at times.

My Local doctor gave me weekly Acupuncture which was free and really helped me, but each person is different so just keep trying until you find a solution.

Hot Baths are also worth trying to ease the pain.

Hope you find a solution to the problem.