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Osteoarthritis
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Posted 4/3/2008 6:20 PM (GMT 0)
Can Osteoarthritis be very painful but not manifest itself like the other kinds of arthritis do?

Thanks a bunch!

Posted 4/3/2008 8:53 PM (GMT 0)
Osteoarthritis can be very painful. as for manifesting like the other kinds of arthritis-they all manifest differently and osteo will not act say like rhuematoid or psoratic arthritis.
Usually with osteo there will be little or no inflamation, no noticible heat in the joint and no systemic symptoms. For some people osteo arthritis seems to improve as you "warm up" a joint.
Hope this is helpful.
Posted 4/6/2008 5:42 PM (GMT 0)
yes osteoarthritis can be very painful. you can have flare-ups which are dreadful and you need to rest and medicate those. the rest of the time, you should do gentle exercise, try not to be overweight and keep a positive attitude...all these difficult at times.
Posted 4/6/2008 11:07 PM (GMT 0)
I have this condition got diagonsed last week with it.
Posted 4/6/2008 11:10 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for your replies everyone! I am wondering if I might have a touch of this kind of arthritis...all my tests have come back negative for other kinds, so far.
Posted 4/7/2008 12:40 AM (GMT 0)
Indigo,
Sometimes people dismiss osteoarthritis as its not that bad or just part of aging or whatever.
I have both kind OA and RA and nothing has ever hurt as badly as the OA in my foot.
Make sure you follow up on this and get your doctors help in finding ways (medical and non medical) to keep this undercontrol and help you stay comfortable.
Sj
Posted 4/7/2008 12:50 AM (GMT 0)
I will do that for sure.  Thanks SJ.

Can they test for OA? 

I do know that when I am really hurting, a hot shower or using my heating pad really helps.  That would kind of go along with OA, wouldn't it? 

Posted 4/7/2008 12:53 AM (GMT 0)
OA will usually show up on xrays as it progresses. Yes the external heat from a shower or heating pad will often make OA feel better.
Sometimes external joint support will also help-I have a brace for my ankle that I wear when the pain is bad and it helps a lot.
Sj
Posted 4/7/2008 1:04 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks SJ!

I saw the rheumatologist for the first time last week (don't know if I mentioned it earlier or not) and he ran blood work and he got an xray to check me for Ankloysing Spondalytis (forgive me if I spelled it wrong). If those all come back as normal, do you think he will suggest checking for OA if he is a good doctor?
Posted 4/7/2008 2:24 AM (GMT 0)

Hi Indigo,

I'm sorry you're in such pain, but I would also suggest an MRI just to make sure nothing else is going on.  MRI's can detect things that a regular xray cannot.  Please see my previous post about Avascular Necrosis/Osteonecrosis.  I think alot of people get diagnosed with OA when AVN or ON can be the cause of the pain and don't know it until arthritis like symptoms kick in.  Hope you get to the bottom of things and that you find relief soon.

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