Does this sound like osteoarthritis?
Posted , 9 users are following.
Hi
I have recently been diagnosed with hip arthritis by my GP.
I'm not completely convinced that's what it is as the symptoms seem to have become really bad in a very short space of time.
I have had an issue in my R hip for years (I am almost 51) where it has been fine all the time apart from after walking long distances up hills, steps etc. It would then start to hurt and become stiff.
In the last few months, it has gotten a lot worse and now I am in almost constant discomfort. If I walk for more than a few minutes, it becomes increasingly uncomfortable and any longer than about 15 minutes, I am almost limping and have quite a bit of pain/stiffness. It also hurts to lie on my R side in bed.
My GP examined me but didn't feel X rays were needed and he has referred me to physio.
Does this sound like arthritis??
If it does, how has it turned me from a fit, fast walking person into what feels like an almost disabled one in a matter of months?
Any help/advice really appreciated.
0 likes, 27 replies
tracey07174 talla
Posted
I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in both hips 2 years ago. The pain has got worse & a recent x-ray showed very little change in the arthritis but my doctor thinks it could be trochanteric bursitis caused by the arthritis. I'm due to have a steroid injection tomorrow in my right hip as that's the worse one. Will let you know how it goes as maybe this might be what you have.
Tracey
susan67756 tracey07174
Posted
Prodigious tracey07174
Posted
I’ve had steroid injections in my knee that took the pain away for a couple of weeks HOWEVER I had steroid injections in my neck that has lasted months!
Each individual is unique and responds differently from these treatments !
Good Thoughts go your way!
Expect the best!
Because I care
Prodigious
talla tracey07174
Posted
kate63976 talla
Posted
Hi
?For about 20 years on and off I have had right hip pain. One GP said it was sacroiliac joint dysfunction and another said arthritis. Needless to say it hurt turning over in bed, getting out of bed and climbing stairs and getting up from chairs. I had physio and acupuncture regularly but it just continued to hurt. Then a couple of years ago I was at the beach for a month and going to the local gym doing about 40 mins on a recumberent bike and noticed after about 4 weeks that there was no pain at all. Didn't want to mention it to anyone just in case I was kidding myself and the whole pain would come back. It's now 2.5 years and I have been totally pain free. I spend 2 to 3 sessions a week just sitting on the bike generally pedalling pretty hard for about 30 mins and I've figured that somehow this exercise has tightened the muscles in my pelvis which has in turn taken pressure off my hip.
Prodigious kate63976
Posted
That remarkable!!
My spine specialist continues to say adamantly “WORK OUT”
The blood flow goes to the joints fighting inflammation!
Good to hear such great results!!
Anhaga kate63976
Posted
Brilliant! What a pity the early physio didn't target the right muscles, would have saved yo a lot of pain over the years. My husband has back problems and has always found a stationary bike helps him.
susan67756 kate63976
Posted
My case was stubborn - perhaps because I actually spent years TRAINING my body into this twisted position with one sided karate practice. It took me years to unravel it and I had to be very specific in what I did to treat it - so target specific muscles. However, when I put together all my research and treatment plan for others to try many reported results in 2-3 weeks which I absolutely did not expect.
For most people, sitting on a bike and peddling hard is a lot easier than trying to get your head around the specifics of the muscle imbalance so your approach is perhaps worth a try for everyone! ALWAYS that same muscle imbalance seems to be associated with hip OA. Twisting and bending at the sacrum.
talla kate63976
Posted
Thanks kate63976 - I have hip pain, but it's completely different to my SI joint pain. My SI joint is hypermobile, so it is really helped by a belt I bought. I have a normal exercise bike, but that seems to aggravate my SI joint pain, so I am waiting for advise from the physio before using it again. I'm glad it has helped you - I assume using a recumbent bike would use different muscles to a conventional bike?
william67844 talla
Posted
susan67756 william67844
Posted
Actually, the advice from NICE nowadays is NOT to get x-rays. Research shows there is no correlation between x-ray findings and symptoms. Most people that have 'radiographic osteoarthirits' (i.e. signs of degeneration on film) are 100% symptom free. Nowadays, the only reason for recommending xrays is to rule out other conditions.
There is no diagnositic test for osteoarthritis. It is a diagnosis of exclusion. In other words, you can only tell someone they have OA if you have first ruled out all other possible causes of the joint pain and symptoms (e.g. muscle imbalance).
talla william67844
Posted
Thanks william67844 - I have seen 2 different Gp's now and neither of them want to do X rays. I am going to wait and see what the physio thinks - I will hassle the GP for one if she thinks I need one