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Sore, popping joints?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 12/2/2008 5:18 PM (GMT 0)
For years I've been able to get all kinds of popping sounds out of my joints. Shrugging my shoulders can be enough to unlease a full snap, crackle, pop symphony. I also get achy stiff feelings as well, especially in my low back, though the soreness tends to come and go. When I get migraines around my period, things seem to get worse -- it often feels like if i just moved the right way, I could release something and all the pain would go away. (And every once in a while, it actually works that way.)

I get the impression that this is related to UC, although I also have fairly pronounced scoliosis, with a big curve in my lower back. Do any of the rest of you have symptoms like this, and if so, what do you do for it with ibuprofen and the rest of the NSAIDs off limits?

I feel like just going back to bed.

emory
Posted 12/2/2008 5:45 PM (GMT 0)
I dont know if it has to do with uc but I can relate, I can just shrug my shoulders sometimes and they pop really lound and my knees are the worst all I have to do is walk and they pop on somedays, and when I set and move my feet around my ankles sound like rice crispies when you pour on the milk. I just always assumed it was arthritis related. I just use tylenol. before uc I used Ibuprofen it worked better for the pain.
Posted 12/2/2008 7:42 PM (GMT 0)
I've had some of the same issues and was actually diagnosed with mild scoliosis when the ER took X-rays when I was first diagnosed with UC. A few visits to the chiropractor really helped lower back pain which, for me, was caused by UC-related inflammation in the lower spine.

I've found joint pain and popping can be relieved by high doses of omega-3 to reduce inflammation, a glucosamine supplement formulated specifically for arthritis and joint pain, and avoiding problem foods. In particular, dairy really causes me to have lots of joint popping, along with other allergic-type reactions.
Posted 12/2/2008 9:53 PM (GMT 0)
Interesting about the dairy; I've been drinking more milk than usual (it's cocoa weather). I will try reducing that. And you've just given me another reason to try omega-3s and glucosamine, both of which seem to help a lot of people.

I do yoga about 3 times a week, and often get some great adjustments out of my lower back in various twists. Maybe a visit to the chiropractor is in order, though.

Tylenol, unfortunately, makes me sick to my stomach.

Thanks, Rona and princesa --
Posted 12/2/2008 10:25 PM (GMT 0)
I get them in proportion to how pumped with prednisone I am. I get them now at 17.5 mg but once I get below 10 they are almost gone, and below 7.5 (if I can get there without surgery) they are definitely gone.
Posted 12/3/2008 2:04 AM (GMT 0)
I can really relate. If I stretch my arms over my head, and press down on one palm with the other, I can 'pop' something in my shoulders. When I wake up on the weekend my whole skeleton is screwed and I often have a terrible headache which I feel is related. I've noticed (as with the popping) the pain seems to go away for me with movement. From everything I've read this sounds like Ankylosing Spondylitis, but I was tested for the HLA gene at a Rheum and they said I didn't have it, but that it didn't really matter, I could have 'something' similar.

These darned back issues started right around the time my UC did. I used to be in tremendous shape going to the gym 4 days a week for an hour or two.

I think a good chiro may help, particularly when things are really out of whack. I'm not sure how comfortable I feel going to them all the time - but maybe that would be good? I wish we could get a straight answer out of somebody. Believe me, I've been trying to get some clarity on my own upper back issues (between shoulder blades) and terrible AM neck stiffness and haven't gotten anywhere.

My own totally non scientific hypothesis is some kind of leaky gut action, immune complexes or nasties getting into the blood stream or lymph system and spreading to places like the connective tissue in my back. (why just the upper back? if you can tell me i am greatly interested). I also think these circulating nasties cause a whole host of 'autoimmune' problems - even mental health issues (imagine bad guys crossing the blood brain barrier) but that's a whole 'nother story.
Posted 12/3/2008 2:09 AM (GMT 0)
I pop all the time. When I strech I can hear my shoulder and back popping. My jaw always pops also. It comes ago, I just figured its apart of my colitls some how.
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