Hello I have posted before on this subject. I am a 66 year old with oa in neck and both knees and recently have had it diagnosed in the spine. This is my question which I can't seem to find an answer to do knee problems cause referred pain. All I have read is that knee problems cause pain in the knees perhaps slightly down or up from the knee but thats all. I do have painful knees (over 20 years slowly got worse). I was supposed to have an arthroscopy on the right knee after months of pain which mostly kept me housebound. This pain went from back and side of knee right down shin, outside of lower leg and into foot and ankle and was excruiating. It also went up the thigh a bit, and was brought on my walking etc, hence staying at home at lot. After several months of pain
it suddenly got a lot better when I went for the surgery It was decided not
to operate as it would probably cause a flair up and the surgeon was not
sure if it would help anyway. I then had physio but it caused such pain I had to stop. It had not been too bad over the last few months. Now the left leg is starting the same way I've always got pain in the knees but
once again the pain is down the leg into foot and ankle again. I have read about referred pain to knees fron hips but nothing about lower leg and foot. Could this be from my spine? My neck is also painful especially on the right. I do have bad varicose veins but did see a vascular doctor who said the pain was not from them. I can only take
paracetamol as ibuprofen and codeine type pills affect my IBS. Any one have a similar problem or any ideas. I suffer from anxiety and have been trying hard to overcome it (will be seeing someone next month). I am frightened of be housebound again. Any one help please. Sorry to moan on.
I thought I would reply even though it will probably not help much....sorry.
I dont know about referred pain from the knee.
I have hip problems and I know that I have referred pain form hips to spine {althgh one doc says its hips to spine another one says pain from spine to my hips}
I'm 68. I've had 2 THRs.
My neck is painful as well and I'm told I have OA there as well
As for meds......can you try gels? You might be able to use Ibroprufen gel If not there are ones without anti nflammatories in them,. Ask your GP
Hi, Thank you for your reply. I have used gels in the past, what I am worried about is having to apply them to such a wide area especially on the legs with the veins. I do use a microwavelable bag for my neck which does help. Am going to make another appointment with GP to asked to be referred back to hospital. It gets me down being in pain.
My youngest grandson and daughter are only 2 and although I love
seeing them both I can't play with them as I would like, which makes me sad. Thanks again
Hi I have oa in my hips , spine , neck , I had a thr last month , the question about the pain down your calf to the ankle and foot is from your spine , my oa specialist told me that . I don't no about refered pain from the knees you should ask your gp that . I also stay in most of the time as my lower back is agony when I do anything and I have to get one of my kids to help me get out of bed in the mornings because I stiffen up in the night and the pain is unbelievable , my doctor is sending me to the chronic pain centre in Walton , I go in 2 weeks , maybe ask your doc about that . Don't be sorry for moaning that is what this site is for .
Hi Librarylady13 - I have osteoarthritis in both knees and both shoulders and have recently been diagnosed with osteoporisis in my spine as well as 4 compression fractures.
I have cortisone injections in my knees and shoulders and these work very well.
I am still struggling to get relief for my back and spine. My doctor gave me Ibuprofin which did not agree with me as I am allergic to anti-inflammatories and codeine.
Hope you get some relief soon. Thoroughly recommend cortisone injections.
I suffer from osteoarthritis in my knees and shoulders and every few months have cortisone injections which I find work very well.
I have recently been diagnosed with osteoporosis in my back and 4 compression fractures in my spine. I am in intolerable pain and have made another appointment with my GP for next week. I was given Iboprofun which disagreed with me, I am allergic to anti-inflammatories and codeine. Have received several suggestions for medications so hopefully something will bring relief.
Hi, Sorry to hear you are having a bad time. Hope the pain clinic can help you. Just to say thank you for replying and I thought that the leg pains may be spine and your specialist says so. Will ask gp to be referred back to hospital. Take care
Thank you for replying. I am sorry you are in so much pain, hope you find some relief from the suggestions for medications. With regard to
cortisone injections when I was first referred to the consultant my Gp mentioned either arthroscopy or injection. At the hospital I asked about cortisone injection and was told no we don't do those anymore.
Cost perhaps, I don't know. I was offered the arthroscopy which as
you I did not have in the end. Take care and good luck
I have just been diagnosed with Ostoporosis as well....on top of OA Scoliosis, etc etc
I have to see the GP tomorrow about the Osteoporosis....All I know is the results are finally back and yes I do have it so have to see her to discuss it tomorrow.
Not really looking forward to this
As for a pain clinic.....I've just come back from a Chronic Pain Management Group...I was sent to this by the pain clinic.....its excellent. Once a month.
You get so many tips and the others there are great and we help each other. The sort of thing that you cant be bothered going to and then when you get there you feel so much better.
Thats one good thing the Pain clinic did for me...they tried injections but they didnt work, new meds but they clashed with others I was taking.
I suppose all areas are different so this is just my experience.
I had one THR and was due a 2nd one {4 years ago} when the hip bloke decided it was referred pain from my back.....Back specialist....who said it was referred pain from my hip After a bit of back and forward between the 2 of them the back specialist sent me to a pain clinic.
OK......Like seeing any other consultant really.
He talked me through all the aches pains and diagnoses i had had.
He then suggested a TENS machine which I hadnt tried. He sorted out the loan of one for me ...just to try.... to see if I liked it and then I could buy that one or buy my own. I bought my own.....Its OK but not brilliant..... for me anyway.
He then went through my medication and prescribed a different med. I checked it out later and discovered it clashed with my epilepsy meds. I've had that since I was 18 months old and am now 68....have had nothing since my last pregnancy {33 years ago} so no way do I want to disturb things so I didnt take it. A non starter.
He then suggested the group I mentioned in a previous post....its great.
Fantastic lot of people and Phil that runs it is good.....will talk about any angle of pain that we want to. Its a good social morning and you can get some good tips.
He {pain clinic} then suggested I have that 2nd hip replacement {the consultant cancelled it yrs previously} because it MIGHT help my back. So the 2nd THR was on {that was Jan} I think I have mentioned that weeks into recovery I was doing an NHS exercise and Craacckkk!!!!! that leg just collapsed......they took me into hospital, I had fractured my greater trochanter bone????????? They said they could do nothing, it would heal itself ... and a half months later I'm still on 2 crutches most of the time. That had nothing to do with the pain clinic.....sorry.....I havent seen anyon from there since I had the THR. As far as I know I now have Osteoporosis......have to see the GP tomorrow.
I lie in NZ and can get cortisone injections for free at the hospital. If I have them at my GP they cost, so naturally I go to the hospital. Good luck with your osteoarthritis and resultant pain. Have made an appointment at my medical centre for next Wed so hope I can get some suitable medication. I am also going to ask if I can be referred to an orthapaedic surgeon for my compression fractures.
Thanks Eileen thanks for that . I had to phone the docs again yesterday as the pain was unbearable and they highered my morphine th 50mg in the morning and50mg at night and oramorph every 1 to 2 hours . Am having so much trouble the last couple of weeks like getting up in the morning and getting upstairs it's just perfetic . I had my right hip done in May but I've been in so much pain since , not with my hip but my lower back and neck . Sorry for moaning xx
Dont worry about moaning......better to moan to someone who understands than to relatives who might be supportive but if they havent got it there is no way they can understand.
Glad your GP has sorted things out.....lets hope that helps you
Hi Eileen - I do not think there are any Pain Groups in Dunedin, NZ. I do visit a pain consultant once a year for a previous post-op complications. As I was having no problems relating to this last year, he decided to only see me every two years - ironical. Probably having to see if I can get an appointment to see him as he is an expert on working out if any medications conflict with any of your existing meds. I am going to have to make a list to take with me to the GP on Wed, don't want to forget anything as it costs $37 per visit (even though I am a senior). Good luck with your problems. Regards Diana.
I do know about the money I lived in Australia for 2 years and I suppose there isnt a lot of difference.......We are very lucky to have the NHS in the UK
Hi Eileen - Actually Australia's health system is a lot better than NZ's. They pay into a health systemh similar to UK. I am English by birth from Leeds which we left 41 years ago. Our health system is not bad if you just want treatment, if you need an op, it is terrible. My husband has waited well over 2 years for a knee replacement, he has recently had pre-op tests so hopefully he is not too far from getting his op. The British health system is brilliant, that is one thing we really miss. We would have been getting free doctor visits but even with a discount for us as seniors, we have to pay $37 and $5 for every prescription item. In 1974 NZ set up a system called Accident Compensation Commission which is fine if you have something straightforward like a car crash etc but we have to pay a lot of money into it and most things like illness are not catered for. I had complications after an op many years ago and had to fight 'tooth and nail' to get any compensations and went to three tribunals before I won. Most people give up at the first hurdle - but I'm a battler.
At that time I didnt have arthritis or scoliosis. Just epilepsy which was well controlled but I needed meds. Each visit tothe GP cost as far as I can remember.....that was just for a repeat prescription