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Arthritis question

arthritis question

been up since 1am today with the worst pain radiating from my knee to my foot (left leg) i know that crohns and long term use of pred can cause arthritis. i should also mention i have fallen a couple times cause my left knee gave out on me. my question is, if i am developing arthritis is there anything i can do to decrease the pain. i would rather go thru my worst crohns flare up than go thru the pain in my knee again. currently taking perks for the pain. i tried a hot bath and heating pad, but that seemed to make it worse. any help at all would be great.
 
Any swelling? I have developed gout which I always though was a disease for over weight, rich guys! That is how it happened for me; pain from the knee to ankle with a swollen ankle. I would stay away from heat until you get to the doc. If it is inflammation, heat may only increase the pain.
Good luck,
Michele
 

AZMOM

Moderator
I second what Michelle says. I would only use heat if you are stiff in the mornings. If it is from an acute injury (the falls) then you likely need ice and elevation to reduce the swelling. Love your heart. Can you get into your doc for a look-see?
 
I have a bad hip/joint pain that travels from one side to the other. Starting Humera soon in hope that it will help with both belly and hip pain.
 
the pain didnt start from a fall, it just came on all of a sudden. i noticed that heat actually makes it worse. majority of my pain is on the top and behind my kneecap. pain also shoots down and up. when it hits i cant put any preassure on my leg at all. just trying to move my foot is torture. i did call my gi doc and she said i need to contact my primary care doc. but since i dont have one yet, im going to go to the er. i am kind of concerned that it might be septic arthritis. i know with this illness bacteria can go to other parts of the body. a year ago i had P.I.D because of the bacteria in my colon decided to travel. oh the joys of having crohns!!!
 
Hi I have it in my spine and the pain was terrible and all to do with the Crohns, I had to have steriod injections into it and it has helped a great deal, I am starting Infliximab (Remicade) in a couple of weeks for the Crohns and have been tolod it will really help my athritis too!
 
Hi, Carey.
I was thinking about this last night. Could your meniscus be torn or damaged? I hate to be the voice of doom but I did that several years ago. I went to the ER too. Very painful, cannot put any wt on it. Was an easy fix for me though, once I got in to see the ortho.
Good luck & I hope you got a bit of sleep.
Michele
 
im going to my remicade appointment tomarrow, im gonna ask the doc about the arthritis. my husband thinks the arthritis has been lying dormant and my 1st remicade treatment opened it up. what is meniscus?
 

AZMOM

Moderator
carey - Your meniscus is the cartilage in your knee. And Michele is right, it would be an easy fix.

As far as the Remicade prompting your arthritis, I'm not sure about that one. I would hate to guess since I don't have first-hand experience with Remicade. But if your Crohn's is flaring, I don't think it would be a stretch to think it has more to do with your IBD or falling than the Remicade.

Let us know!
 
There are also 4 major ligaments in your knee that can really hurt if one is strained or damaged, usually your ACL is the most often damaged. Here's some info from mayoclinic.com and a link

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/knee-pain/DS00555


Knee pain can be caused by injuries, mechanical problems, types of arthritis and other problems.

Injuries
A knee injury can affect any of the ligaments, tendons or fluid-filled sacs (bursae) that surround your knee joint as well as the bones, cartilage and ligaments that form the joint itself. Some of the more common knee injuries include:

ACL injury
An ACL injury is the tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) — one of four ligaments that connect your shinbone to your thighbone. An ACL injury is particularly common in people who play basketball or go downhill skiing, because it's linked to sudden changes in direction.

Torn meniscus
The meniscus is formed of tough, rubbery cartilage and acts as a shock absorber between your shinbone and thighbone. It can be torn if you suddenly twist your knee while bearing weight on it.
Knee bursitis. Some knee injuries cause inflammation in the bursae, the small sacs of fluid that cushion the outside of your knee joint so that tendons and ligaments glide smoothly over the joint.

Patellar tendinitis
Tendinitis is irritation and inflammation of one or more tendons — the thick, fibrous cords that attach muscles to bones. Runners, skiers and cyclists are prone to develop inflammation in the patellar tendon, which connects the quadriceps muscle on the front of the thigh to the shinbone.

Mechanical problems

Loose body
Sometimes injury or degeneration of bone or cartilage can cause a piece of bone or cartilage to break off and float in the joint space. This may not create any problems unless the loose body interferes with knee joint movement — the effect is something like a pencil caught in a door hinge.
Knee 'locking.' This can occur from a cartilage tear. When a portion of cartilage from the tear flips inside the knee joint, you may not be able to fully straighten your knee.

Dislocated kneecap
This occurs when the triangular bone (patella) that covers the front of your knee slips out of place, usually to the outside of your knee. You'll be able to see the dislocation, and your kneecap is likely to move excessively from side to side.

Hip or foot pain
If you have hip or foot pain, you may change the way you walk to spare these painful joints. But this altered gait can interfere with the alignment of your kneecap and place more stress on your knee joint. In some cases, problems in the hip or foot can refer pain to the knee.

Types of arthritis

Osteoarthritis
Sometimes called degenerative arthritis, osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. It's a wear-and-tear condition that occurs when the cartilage in your knee deteriorates with use and age.

Rheumatoid arthritis
The most debilitating form of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition that can affect almost any joint in your body, including your knees. Although rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease, it tends to vary in severity and may even come and go.

Gout
This type of arthritis occurs when uric acid crystals build up in the joint. While gout most commonly affects the big toe, it can also occur in the knee.

Pseudogout
Often mistaken for gout, pseudogout is caused by calcium pyrophosphate crystals that develop in the joint fluid. Knees are the most common joint affected by pseudogout.

Septic arthritis
Sometimes your knee joint can become infected, leading to swelling, pain and redness. There's usually no trauma before the onset of pain. Septic arthritis often occurs with a fever.

Other problems

Iliotibial band syndrome
This occurs when the ligament that extends from the outside of your pelvic bone to the outside of your tibia (iliotibial band) becomes so tight that it rubs against the outer portion of your femur. Distance runners are especially susceptible to iliotibial band syndrome.

Chondromalacia patellae (patellofemoral pain syndrome)
This is a general term that refers to pain arising between your patella and the underlying thighbone (femur). It's common in young adults, especially those who have a slight misalignment of the kneecap; in athletes; and in older adults, who usually develop the condition as a result of arthritis of the kneecap.
 
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