Has anyone experinced pain in their hips and cervical spine due to RA?
I have been experincing pain and stiffness in my hips. Also my cervial spine is extremely painful and I am in misery. The pain is intense enough it makes it difficult to drive. I thought RA mostly affects the hands/wrists and feet/ankles. Does anyone have nay input that could help me understand these new pains--I have had the pain for several years in my hands, feet, ankles, wrists and shoulders; off and on over the past few years when the weather changes I experince this stiffness and pain in my hips and neck and recently (past 2 1/2 weeks has increased in intensity), could this also be due to RA? And what can I do to help reduce some of the pain? Should I ask my Rhuematoligist for a cortisone injection? (I was diagnosied this summer with RA and been on Methotrexate for 4 months now.) Thank You!
I was diagnosed just yesterday but I can tell you that my doctor did say that hips and your neck can be affected also by RA. I have hip pain off and on and have neck pain daily for years. I get alot of stiffness in my hips also. I can only give the advice that my doctor gave me. Heat helps me so he said to put heat on the areas when they hurt. As far as injuections he said that they often times does not help people with RA. If you are on a medication and still in pain you should let your doctor know because he/she can prescribe a stronger medicine. Hope this helps.
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JustCrafty
Thursday, September 17, 2009 at 12:20 PM
Cervical spine involvement in RA is very common, as is the hip pain. The cervical spine has special considerations though. Remember, your spinal cord could possibly become injured if your c-spine is very bad. Imaging is quite necessary. There are many things to know about RA, many things that can go wrong. Read, educate yourself and ask questions. Don't panic........I am six years with it now and I am constantly learning new things. Not all patients are the same......not everyone reacts to medications in the same way. You have to experience meds to see if they work for you. I cannot tolerate MTX but many do. Enbrel takes care of my joint pain for the most part but leaves me with chronic bronchitis. Remember......knowledge is powerful. You have this disease for life.........do the best you can.
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Thank you, I did see my rhuemy yesterday and she increased my methotrexate and gave me a stronger anti-inflammatory, which I will start today. I do agree heat helps, I use those heated wraps from ThermaCare alot, (wish they had them in case packs lol), and they do help.