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Pains at night

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Rheumatoid Arthritis
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Posted 2/6/2013 3:40 PM (GMT 0)
Anyone have leg aches and arm aches at night?  I'm not talking about sudden cramps but a constant strong ache.  I have to switch sides or even get out of bed to ease the pain.  (I think my arthritis is expanding to my arm as it always hurts in the night but sometimes the ache continues in the day).

Also, anyone have a good sleeping position?  It's catch-22 as I can't sleep on my back as it will cause a flare up with shooting pain (but will ease the leg pain), but I ache so much when on my sides.

Posted 2/6/2013 4:19 PM (GMT 0)
Have you tried laying on your side with a pillow between your knees? That not only eases my back but also cushions my knees. So sorry you are having trouble at night. That can be so frustrating to not get the rest our bodies need at night.
Posted 2/6/2013 7:30 PM (GMT 0)
I sleep with the pillows between my knees too- feels great
Posted 2/6/2013 7:42 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you both. I'll give it a try and see if it helps. I did try it awhile back and found it uncomfortable, but it may have been the wrong size.
Posted 2/7/2013 4:13 AM (GMT 0)
I can't sleep on my back due to back and neck problems, can't sleep on stomach for same reason and I have a cpap. I sleep on my side, WAke up with that hip hurting and turn over to the other hip and sleep on it til I wake up with it hurting. When I get to the point where both are hurting to bad then I get up and get in my recliner til morning. Just part of the wonderful world of arthritis.
Posted 2/7/2013 1:06 PM (GMT 0)
bluejeans, am sorry you're suffering too.  Not fun is it?  And it's like catc-22 as I'm so tired from having such sleepless nights due to the pain but then I don't' want to go to bed because of the pain.  Hope you're managing ok.
Posted 2/7/2013 6:12 PM (GMT 0)
I often go to my recliner chair and heating pad too!

Lu- I use a body pillow to put between my knees. I'm short so I kinda have it past my feet and up to my waist and then I use a regular standard bed pillow to hug the rest of the way up. Then I have another standard bed pillow behind me to support my lower back. It makes me feel snug as a bug in a rug! :)
Posted 2/8/2013 1:26 AM (GMT 0)
wearyRAsufferer, that sounds sooo comfy!

 

Posted 2/8/2013 1:40 PM (GMT 0)
i think everyone when diagnosed with RA should be handed a heat pad and preferably a SPA  smilewinkgrin

i spend my nights trying to get in a good position and just when i do ye legs Ach or Shoulder Ach's

 

Posted 2/8/2013 3:22 PM (GMT 0)
That's exactly what aches at night...legs and shoulder/bicep area

Sorry you suffer from this too.

Posted 2/9/2013 6:10 AM (GMT 0)
I have one of those body pillows. I can't lay on my back due to OA. I also have fibro so my knees and feet can't touch each other when I lay on my side (rib pains and neck pains too).
So I use my pillow to sort of half lay on. I sleep half-way between on my side and half-way on my back. I prop my back on the body pillow like those pillows they sell for propping babies on to prevent SIDS. It seems to work for me.

Yes, BadDay, I bought a SPA recently and I love it! It's well worth the money. Like a big flexible heating pad. I slept with it wrapped around me when fibro decided to hurt my ribs recently. Heaven!
Posted 2/16/2013 12:25 AM (GMT 0)
It sounds weird, but sometimes when my shoulders, arms and elbows ache I lay on my back, on the floor with my arms underneath me. The weight of my body relieves the pain. My husband is also very, very good at strong handing/squeezing in the right spots to alleviate it some.

My doctor prescribed Voltran Gel to rub on my upper arms for when I go to bed at night. It can only be applied twice in one day, but I only need it when I go to bed and it begins to act up. If I am upright and going about my daily stuff the pain isn't there.

Good luck. I hope you find some relief.
Posted 2/16/2013 12:26 AM (GMT 0)
Oh, and my husband just pointed out that it is the bicep area that has that weird ache at night. Hope that helps too. G/L!
Posted 2/16/2013 1:08 AM (GMT 0)
SkippyMom, am sorry you suffer from the arm pain too.  For me, I find that it's better if I can keep it straight, but that isn't natural when sleeping on your side (and I can't lie on my back cause of my joints).  Can't win.  Glad that you've found that the Vontran Gel helps.  I've heard of that and used it in the past, but as I take antiinflammatories daily, I don't think I could use that too.  Good that it gives you relief.  I'm wondering if I have some kind of tendinitis going on?  Strangely, it will hurt sometimes during the day, but the strong ache is EVERY night and at night time.  Maybe it has to do with the bent position???
Posted 2/16/2013 8:23 AM (GMT 0)
I do have back problems and unable to sleep properly. So, sometimes I do place the pillow underneath the back and this helps me to get relief for some time.
Posted 2/17/2013 9:20 PM (GMT 0)
i found a squishy body pillow roll that has the little beads in it...like the neck pillows, but long. it's a wonderful pillow. it cradles my whole leg. i bought 3 of them in case something happens to the first one. and it did...my husband accidently cut it, lol. lucky for him i was able to sew it back together.

Post Edited (flutterby51) : 2/17/2013 2:23:26 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 2/19/2013 1:12 AM (GMT 0)
Sounds like the pains are a common thing of arthirits.  Sucks doesn't it?

Where do you buy these body pillows?  Any tips for the arm pain?  Mine is getting quite bad but as I have to sleep on my side, I don't know how to avoid this.

Posted 2/19/2013 8:08 AM (GMT 0)
i found them in a mail order catalogue.....ABC distributing. micro bead body pillow...great pillow
Posted 2/21/2013 1:34 AM (GMT 0)
flutterby, looked up that pillow and it looks sooo comfy.  Will have to look for somethign like that in my area.
Posted 2/23/2013 7:15 AM (GMT 0)
I haven't been on the site for a while but just saw your post about arm pain at night And I too have pain for several months in my right shoulder and down my arm...wakes me up at night and just no way to get comfortable. I saw my RA MD and she did not think it was connected to my RA which has been pretty well under control with MTX and sulfasalazine (RA has mainly in my right wrist) but my arm was really painful. She gave me an injection in the shoulder and recommended physical therapy which I did for about 6 weeks...the PT helped a lot, I finished the PT about 3 weeks ago but I have had some pain the last few nights but still not as bad as it had been before the PT. I still have a hard time believing that this shoulder pain is not connected to the RA?? maybe some therapy would be helpful for your situation?
A few people mentioned positions when sleeping and I have found that sleeping on my side with a small pillow between my knees is helpful, and when I sleep on my left side, my right arm is lying on my body, stretched out straight.
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