painful swollen knee and other joint pain - advice please

He has said he would do a referral if my blood test showed inflammations. He has told me that my test was negative.

I have osteo arthritis in several areas - ankle, upper spine and thumb joints but no inflammatory markers show up in blood tests, so that alone doesnt really give you any guidance.  I would agree with Anhaga totally - surgery is not the first port of call and a referral to a good physiotherapist will help determine if posture, gait, etc., are causing issues.  Swollen knee issues can  be due to a whole range of things - possibly bursitis for example.  Ask for an MRI, this will show up any joint reduction etc.

Thanks for the advice.

Im waiting for a call from my GPS to see what he is going to do next.

Just wondering, a couple of years ago I was told I have a curvature of my cervical spine into my shoulder and also.moderate degenerative disease in my c4, 5,6 and so on.

My GP hasn't said that this could be linked.... Could this be the same problem?

Areas I suffer with are wrists, ankles, hips and lower back, as well as my knee

If you already have reduction in cervical spine, as I have, almost the same, then further joint issues are highly probable.  A referral to an orthopaedic consultant could be of great use, if you can get your GP to do so - bear in mind however they may be quite a long wait for an appointment slot.  Regarding seeing a physiotherapist - I found them of really huge help.  I didnt receive any actual therapy at the appointment but I was able  to discuss the issues I had with someone who firstly had enough time to listen (which GPs definitely dont have) and secondly who had a wealth of experience at dealing with a wide range of muscular skeletal problems.  Dont underestimate qualified PT's- they arent just masseurs!

'Knock-on' effect of spinal OA can affect the whole body as you become misaligned.  I have no OA in my hips but my upper thighs and lower back are sometimes agony due to tension in the body from the pain elsewhere.

Thanks so much for your advice, no one told me I had arthritis in my spine, not even the consultant I saw.

If my Gp actually phones as promised I will ask for a referral and use my private health care, hopefully i will get some answers.

In the mean time I am in agony with my knee, and the gel I am using is having little effect. I am wearing a knee support which helps but the noises coming from my knee are bad!

The diagnosis you have of moderate degenerative disease in the neck (eg C4, 5 etc) is considered the onset of osteo arthritis.  Which just means that there is a reduction in the cartilage of these cervical joints.  OA is the resulting inflammation from the degeneration of the joints, even if only moderate/mild.  The problem is that with any such issues, the body can tend to compensate and posture is affected, which often has a knock on effect in other areas.  I for example have bone on bone OA in one ankle due to a major accident.  My walking gait is affected which has in turn put undue stress on the knee joints - both in the affected leg and also in the other knee due to it having to compensate with extra wear and tear.  OA doesnt always mean disability, surgery, etc.  The moderate OA I have in my spine is quite manageable with anti inflammatories and specific exercises but at times if I'm in pain, the body tenses up and I end up with pain elsewhere as a result.  hope that helps.

Hi, I just wanted to share my GPS advice with u following my appointment.

He did not examine me even though I told him the swelling on my knee was even worse than last week. He told me that my problem is the menopause and offered me HRT which I've been told not to take by my gaenecologist.

I asked how he knew what was inside my knee, and asked why it makes such horrible crunching sounds. He told me that if it was anything else it would have turned up on blood tests.

He has done a referral letter for me addressed to a rheumatologist, but he clearly states that I am menopausal and that this is my problem.

So angry and upset about all this

Unfortunately for some doctors - the menopause seems to be the 'go to' reason for everything from ingrowing toenail to Lassa fever - ask for a second opinion, it's your right as a patient and HRT is NOT the best bet if you have bone problems - eg osteoporosis etc., there are much better meds available.  I'm so sick to death of my GP telling me that everything I suffer is "my age" - what a lot of tosh - I'm only 60 and I have friends in their 80's without OA who have similar lifestyles,weight, diet, etc., to mine - it's not just age, its genetics and more. 

Thanks so much for replying.

I will hope that I am at least taken seriously at my appointment, but thanks to the wording on his referral I doubt they will even investigate it.

I wish the Gp could understand how he has ruined my life over the last few years constantly telling me there's nothing much wrong with me.

I'm not even 50 yet and I already feel like it's pointless going to the GP.

Thanks for your response x

I have scoliosis and kyphosis and was told as a young girl that I could expect arthritis as an older adult. I have it in my knees, one is worse than the other, and now it seems to be affecting my ankle.  As a reslt of my inability to do much in the way of physical exercise I have put on weight which things worse.  Some days my pain is worse than others.

I really sympathise Carole.  As a result of both my OA and developing fibromyalgia in the last few years, I'm totally unable to do any exercise, whereas before even with the OA, I used to swim a lot and was very active.  I too have gained a lot of weight and even though my diet is good, not being able to do any physical activity I have put on a great deal of unwanted weight, which as you say just makes matters worse.  Vicious circle.  I cant even go swimming presently as I have ruptured bicep tendons and moving my arms is just too painful.  I dont think doctors really understand or have any sympathy whatsoever for pain problems - they seem to think we just have to 'put up with it' and throw pain meds at us, which either dont help or cause terrible side effects.

Hi loxie

Following on from our recent discussion, I thought I would give you the latest.

I've been to see a rheumatologist today at Rowley Hall hospital in Stafford. He was really helpful and compassionate. He has drained a hell of a lot of fluid from my knee which he states is in keeping with osteoarthritis, and has given me a steroid injection which he says should help with the swelling. He is sending the fluid off to be tested. He also did routine examination and ruled out fibromyalgia. He states that my ankles and wrists are more of a mechanical problem. What a lovely man!