Lyme and joint cracking

Hi all, I go back to my LLMD next week and am HOPING for a dx...she wanted to run testing for co infections first as I only tested pos on band 34 and IND on 41 and 31 on the IGM.

I have been to so many drs and had SOOO many tests. Nobody can explain what is going on as my tests are all clear.

I am so sick of drs saying "joint cracking is normal" if I hear that again I am going to lose it. My joint cracking is not normal! I crack over 100 times a day, I am 33 yrs old and this cracking all started about 2 wks after my random pains. Now it is to the point where my knees and hips are popping out of the socket-two nueros could hear and feel it but had no explanation other than one saying "well you are thin so that could be why" the other had no clue. As for the general cracks everytime I move a body part they just say its normal. I know my body, and I know that this never happened before these pains and that this is NOT normal for my body. Even my fiance has commented.

I hope to God this ends up being lyme because I cant go on with this back and forth btw drs to have no answers. I have been leaving recent visits in tears because I dont have any answers and then I let my mind wander to think the worst

The all over twitching is making this situation worse....everday for three months.

With lyme, what causes the joint cracking? I do not have inflammation anywhere....and had a bone scan which did not show this.

King: I have replied to your posts before. It is TOXINS causing your cracking in my opinion. Have you recently been exposed to any new chemicals, mold or anything like that? Are you in a new place, have a different vehicle, ANYTHING? I am in a hotel in Dallas for medical treatment for mold poisoning, and if they spray pesticides or use a new cleaning product I have the cracking symptoms immediately. Think and try to remember where you were when the pain and cracking started. Yes, its a Lyme symptom also but sometimes other exposures will get it started ,in my case anyway....D

Hi - I have it and it spreads. It started with my neck one day. A week or two later it spread to my throat. Next I was awakened by my jaw -- it popped open when I snored. I immediately saw a doctor. Guess what? Crepitis or whatever it's called (sounds gross) is NOT a symptom of anything.

Now it has spread to my shoulders, my knees, my ankles.

Lyme is a gift that keeps on giving/living/thriving.

You know what I'd do if you don't mind seeing yet ANOTHER doctor...Try and D.O. Some people with Lyme get there cure from them I've noticed.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_of_Osteopathic_Medicine

They may have more insights into these "normal" sounds.

I have ALWAYS had this, even before Lyme Disease. One day (years ago when I had a real job and a life) I was walking around a corner at work and the secretary on the other side of the corner asked "What is that popping and cracking noise?"... and I replied "It's me, I've always popped and cracked."

Anway, my first Lyme symptom was a swollen left knee and then the pain set in (everywhere) and now my knees crackle and grind constantly.

It's Lyme disease and it sucks.

king1234 said...

I never had it till I started to get pains. Its so bad. You mentioned grinding and I have to reply to that comment because now I am grinding. Tonight at the gym each time I lifted a weight with my right arm my shoulder started to grind and hurt, like its bone on bone. Wonder if I should get an MRI of ONE of the areas (hips, ankles, knees, shoulders) that are coming out of place. Its scary as before it was just cracking and now it is not only that but popping and grinding. I am scared I am going to discolate something

Has yours gotten this bad? Why would I not test a FULL positive on the Igenex IGM ( I only tested pos for 34 and IND on 31 adn 41) since my health is so poor? I really dont know what else it could be if I am basing it off all my clear test results...

I can't believe you have it in you to go to the gym!  I think that's great!  You might have to change some of your routine for a while since you may have LD.

Also, there is a condition out there that can cause joint dislocation - Ehlers Danlos.  I have the hypermobile type.... which is the least severe.  At times throughout my life I have dislocated and then relocated both shoulders.... and this ususallly happened in bed when I was rolling over or laying (lying??) on one arm.

The tests for Lme Disease are very poor.  Only about 50% of cases are caught with the current testing.  In my very humble, non-medical opinion, if your testing positive on any part of ant LD test, then you have to stay on top of it and treat it.

All the best....

Hi king, was what you had confirmed as Lyme disease? If not, was there a diagnosis? I've got now what you had then 2008 (joints popping and muscle twitching among other things) and am so tired of seeing doctors who think this is minor if who say "Yeah you've got something wrong but I don't know what it is." I came across your post while trying to Google my symptoms. I know it's been 3 years since the last post in this thread but I thought it wouldn't hurt to try contacting you.

for me there was a direct correlation between
my hormone levels and the cracking.

knees
wrists
ankles
knees
hip socket.

and the neck really kreeped me out.

When I go off estrogen progesterone tosterone it all comes back.

I think it is the estrogen.

And I had this in my ankle and knee since I was in my teens.
loud cracking. Everytime I straightened out my leg my knee would crack.

Toxins I think also have something to do with it.
I think mold. It sounds weard but I see that maybe the mold
sets off the hormones???

I'll also add that I am in contact with livestock and have had a brucella test come back equivocal on IGM. My son (3 and a half) has also started to have joint popping. I've got insomnia, muscle twitches, resting tremor, headaches, joint pain, muscle atrophy, extreme weakness, menstrual changes. Progesterone helped with headaches and menstrual changes but I'm off of it now. How do they test for mold toxicity or other toxins?

Hi there,

Just a question,is the cracking linked to current inflammation in the affected limbs?

I, too have periods of loud cracking noises, mostly in my feet and knees and it is most definitely dependent on the levels of swelling.

Tickled

That's how my symptoms started, one day knee pain, the next shoulder and so on.

Gradually my knees became chronic,as did my feet and hands.
Since being treated my inflammation has improved considerably,but strangely the more the inflammation decreases, the more my limbs start to snap ,crackle and pop!

Many of our current members suffer from similar symptoms and I'm sure that they will be along to give you more tips and tricks.

By the way what medications are you currently on? Do you take Magnesium?

Hi again.

I'm a Brit, living in Germany,I was bitten in July 2011 and started treatment in June of this year,after testing negative the first time.I have since tested positive for Lyme and Bartonella.

Why do you think that you can't have been infected inthe UK? We have Brits on the forum who contracted the disease in Britain,there is a Lyme Centre called Breakspear which you might like to contact,Morti81 is also from the UK and is being treated there.

I would try Magnesium,it really helps,also Tumeric and Boswellia are brilliant for pain.

Hope to have helped

Tickled

Swollen joints aren't obligatory,we have all got our own set of symptoms here,nobody is alike.

Lyme can mimic nearly every autoimmune disease going,that's why it's so difficult to treat.

I noticed the effects of taking Magnesium at once,it's also great for helping people with sleeping issues.

Tickled

Hi L4uren!
Welcome to our forum, I'm so glad that you found us! I'm so sorry for what you have already been through, we should be able to help you make a bit of sense of some of it at least. Have you had any tests done - blood tests or other types?

If you haven't yet, please do read through the "New to Lyme? Start here!" as it's packed full of important information, symptom lists (as Lyme rarely travels by itself), informative links, and more.

Tickled has already given you some really great information, and as she said, Lyme can be a very different for each person. Not only are the symptoms unique to each person, but so is the treatment that will work. That's a lot of the reason there is so much controversy and issues with finding a doctor that recognizes this for what it truly is.

Tickled was also very correct in saying that there is Lyme in the UK- you all even have some of your own strains of the bacteria that we over here in the US don't have!! There are over 100 strain of the bacteria here in the US, and over 300 world wide. As for the other tick-borne infections that are commonly seen with Lyme, there are many strains of those as well.

Lyme disease even has it's own form of arthritis, as well as just presenting with joint pains. The good news is that all of this is treatable, and depending on how much damage is done before effective treatment begins, it's possible to heal from at least most of it! That's the one good thing about having Lyme instead of any number of other things! LOL!

You will also need to start detoxing, as most of us have issues with detoxing effectively once we get these infections. We have a really great post in the "New to Lyme?" thread -bottom half of the 2nd one down - that covers detoxing when you have these infections.

As the bacteria die -from natural causes or from abx type treatments - they produce more toxins. These toxins are what drives our symptoms (www.encognitive.com/node/5768). You will want to be sure that you use all the detoxing suggestions for the best results, but I've noticed I get the most relief from joint pain/discomfort from the detox baths.

I've also taken several anti-inflammatories without any relief. Although turmeric & ginger caps (1500 mgs each, 3 times a day) has given me enough relief to keep it manageable with the use of over the counter pain meds.