Arthritis... what do you do about the pain?

[Sakura]

So back in October I found out that I have arthritis in my neck due to an automobile accident when I was a teen. The residual damage due to whiplash is a neck that is as straight as a poll and a bunch of lovely little burs… So the Doc recommended cortisone shots… Did it, neck felt fantastic until today… rode my horse for the first time since the injections (I’m a busy lady) and did some heavy lifting (muck buckets over the snow).

I’m pretty sure the cortisone injections are a pretty finite rout of treatment… What do you guys do to manage arthritic flareups… Anyone recommend acupuncture?

[whicker]

check out autonomous stem cell prolotherapy, platelet rich plasma. it regenerates damaged tissue. It has been a huge help with my spinal/si issues. It dropped my pain from major drugs to occasional actemyophin. I am pain free most of the time. A PT with extra advanced training in orthopedics and neurology can make a huge difference, too. The Pt can show you techniques to keep you within a safe range of motion and adaptations to do what you want.

Dr Mayo Friedlis has a great site for detailed information.
www.treatingpain.com

[Sakura]

Thank you! That’s the center I went to where they gave me the cortisone… maybe they’ll try the autonomous stem cell prolotherapy if I push for it?

[whicker]

sending pm. I will share the super PT with you, too!

[sadlmakr]

[QUOTE=whicker;4572359]
sending pm. I will share the super PT with you, too![/QUOTE]

I take pain killers. I rotate them so I am not getting addicted and so my body doesn’t build up a tolerance to any one of them. Then too I just take off time from the meds and suffer.
Mine is so widespread over my entire body I have to just endure.
But I am thankful for my good days.
I rode last February and loved every minute of it but hurt for a week after. But I liked the ride so much it was worth it.
I am thankful for the little things I have to enjoy.
Regards, sadlmakr

[thatmoody]

I take small, regular doses of Diclofenac XR, and monitor the side effects carefully, as I know it can damage both my stomach lining and my liver. I also take Prilosec to manage the stomach acid, and have my liver checked every 6 months, and so far, so good.

I have severe osteoarthritis, though, and can’t really manage without the anti-inflammatory effects of the Diclofenac. It lets me keep functioning, and I love the stuff. When I have breakthrough pain (which is frequent) I occasionally take Tylenol, but I try to limit that because of liver damage. I take enough crap that I don’t need to damage my liver any more than it is.

It still hurts, but I learn to live with the residual pain - as long as I stay active I can deal with it. The elliptical machine is wonderful - it allows me to exercise virtually pain-free in a way that even swimming doesn’t mimic.

[TrueGrit]

[QUOTE=Sakura;4571506]
So back in October I found out that I have arthritis in my neck due to an automobile accident when I was a teen. The residual damage due to whiplash is a neck that is as straight as a poll and a bunch of lovely little burs… So the Doc recommended cortisone shots… Did it, neck felt fantastic until today… rode my horse for the first time since the injections (I’m a busy lady) and did some heavy lifting (muck buckets over the snow).

I’m pretty sure the cortisone injections are a pretty finite rout of treatment… What do you guys do to manage arthritic flareups… Anyone recommend acupuncture?[/QUOTE]

You CAN get cortisone shots indefinitely - but not too frequently ( max 4-6 per year ) according to my Rheumy.

And sure, try acupuncture, TENs, Aspercreme, heat, Chiropractor, ultrasound, whatever - anything and everything that’s non-invasive or poisonous is worth trying. Unless you’re too far gone, usually these ‘alternative therapies’ really do help.

I use whatever therapy I can get - plus now, after many years, I’m on arthritis meds, and pain meds. But the ‘alternative meds’ helped me a lot for years, and there’s really no down side to them. Try any or all - Good luck!

[thatmoody]

Oh, and I second TrueGrit’s post - the alternative meds helped me for a long time, and I still use them! They don’t cut it for the pain now (I have 60% dislocation in my thumbs because the arthritis has finally taken over - ouch!) but they help manage the stress that comes along with the pain. Yoga is particularly good for me - strengthens the muscles to support the joints, plus keeps me moving. Aspercreme and/or Biofreeze is still good, too - I get DH to put it on EVERY night on my ankles; it’s our ritual, and it really helps.

[Donkaloosa]

Diclofenac — it’s the only anti-inflammatory that works for me. I have arthritis from head to toe, two partial knee replacements, 8 surgeries for arthritis so far… I also have a sports medicine doctor that does acupuncture which helps a lot.

I have vicodin around all the time for when it’s needed. My doctors trust me with it. I sleep on a water bed which is nice and warm, and that helps, too. If you have a regular bed, you might want to consider an electric blanket — you could turn the blanket on before you get into bed so it would be nice and warm with no cold spots.

I had to change riding styles from hunt seat to western, and used big, honking Cloud stirrups which gave me a lot more support. I probably could have kept riding hunt seat, but I knew damn good and well that I’d do more than I should, and I’d still want to jump, ride long, long, fast distances (aka endurance), etc. Western, for me at least, is more sedate, even though I continued doing long trail rides. I’ve since given up riding when I realized that a fall would probably shatter my leg — which didn’t seem to be fun at all!

Donk

[kookicat]

Does anyone take a joint supplement? Have you found one that works?

[thatmoody]

I take Glucosamine and Chondroitin, but don’t think that it helps that much, but fish oil? That really does help. It reduces inflammation a LOT! I also take CoQ10, which I think helps too. I take that for my migraines, and for some reason it seems to help my arthritis as well.

[lizathenag]

I have been taking glucosamine and chrondroitin for about 10 years. i take it 2x a day. I would rather not find out how well it works by not taking it. I am not a control subject. However I did notice a huge difference when I started my 11 year old lab on the same dose at my vet’s suggestion (in the dog, not me). I also take triple dose fish oil at my md’s suggestin. and coQ

getting old sucks but beats the alternative.