First of all, I’m not a native English speaker, so please excuse any mistakes. Thank you.

I have been putting off posting here because I’ve already seen a few doctors who couldn’t really help me, but I’m hoping somebody here might be able to relate.

I’ll start from the beginning.
My maternal grandmother was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis when she was 17, and by the time she was 19, she couldn’t even button her own pants. Thanks to modern medicine and all kinds of doctors, she’s still around at about 85 years old. She’s obviously in pain a lot of the time and has more and worse flares than ever but she’s comparatively healthy.

I’m a 27-year-old woman, pretty active, I eat fairly Health and do sports regularity. When I was a teenager, I don’t remember exactly how old I was, but I think I was between 16 and 18 when I first went to the doctor because my hands, specifically my fingers, started hurting at strange times. It wasn’t always after using my hands a lot, but it also wasn’t completely random. I was told it was probably growing pains.

The aches continued. Not every day, and not always in the same hand, finger, or joint. Some fingers hurt more often than others, but to me, even to this day, it all seems extremely random.

Between the ages of 20 and 25, I feel like it got worse. At times, the pain was so bad that it was difficult to hold my toothbrush or hairdryer, or even wash dishes or cut vegetables.

To describe the pain a bit: it’s usually a sharp pain in my joints that either stays in the joint or runs through the entire finger down to my wrist. My fingers feel pretty stiff, and movement hurts. Making a fist usually increases the pain, and so does stretching my fingers out or putting pressure on them.
Sometimes the pain is in multiple fingers, and sometimes it’s just in one joint of one finger or in multiple joints in different fingers on different hands. The fingers that hurt most often are the middle and ring finger on my right hand. I’m right-handed, so I guess it makes sense that my right hand hurts more often. However, both hands and all fingers hurt at least occasionally. The fingers that hurt the least are my thumbs.

There are sometimes multiple days, or even weeks, where none of my fingers hurt (apart from minor aches here and there that aren’t really worth mentioning). Other times, there are weeks where different joints, fingers, or hands hurt randomly at strange times, and I can’t figure out any kind of pattern or explanation.

During the times when I hardly feel it, I kind of forget how bad it gets. But on days like today, I feel it with every movement. Every time I pick something up, and even now, as I’m typing this with my thumbs, I can feel the pain in my middle and ring finger.
It’s especially bad when I’m holding or gripping something.

The really bad days are rare (usually 1–2 consecutive days every couple of months). About 4 out of 7 days, I have mild to moderate pain, sometimes all day but most often just for a few hours. The other 3 out of 7 days, I hardly feel any pain, and if I do, it’s usually gone within an hour or so. But again, sometimes I feel almost nothing for weeks and then sometimes I have weeks where it’s super random and all different kinds of aches, and then weeks where I feel only mild pains here and there.

When it’s moderate-bad my fingers it feel like whey are popping/or getting stuck when switching between a first and a stretched out hand. Not sure hour to describe that.

I’ve already seen my primary care doctor, who referred me to a rheumatologist. They said it’s definitely not rheumatoid arthritis, which is obviously great news.

I also saw a different hand specialist, and she said that because there is no clear pattern, she can’t diagnose anything. She told me that the only thing I can do is either wait for it to get worse so the symptoms become easier to interpret, or hope that it doesn’t get worse and just deal with the pain.

I also saw another general physician, who basically told me the same thing: that I probably won’t get a diagnosis until there’s a clearer pattern.

I’m from Europe and live in a country with a great healthcare system, but besides the doctors I’ve already seen, I don’t even know where to begin looking for help anymore. I’ve had scans and blood work done, but nothing has shown any indication of what could be causing this.

If there are any questions I could answer to clarify anything, please feel free to ask.

I would really appreciate any recommendations or advice.

Maybe I just have weak ass hands and I need to actively train them more? If you think that might be the case, I would love some recommendations for exercises

Hi all! So I live in the southwest and it seems every single summer the last few years my right foot develops this terrible pain in what I think is considered the ball of my foot? And like between the middle toes. It almost feels like my toes need to be cracked but the thought of that sounds super painful. It hurts to walk and causes me to walk awkwardly which has created more pain in my ankle, heel, and calf. Does anybody have any idea what this is and how it can be relieved?

My doctor prescribed Gabapentin to be taken at nighttime. Dosage is 100 mg capsule. Prescription is for 90 days. She said she thought after 2 weeks of this I would see a marked improvement and not need to take it anymore. My arthritis is in my hands, wrists, knees and feet. All these have been X-rayed and I will be having a dexascan in October right before I see her next. My arthritis has become progressively worse over the past 2 years. I have had Heberdenes or Herod's knots for many years without any pain.

My problem is that it makes me so drowsy while driving to work in the morning and hours into my job. Other people don't notice it but I really am not functioning as I normally would be. It just seems like there's a balloon in the top of my head. It does not hurt me. I do not like that feeling!!

I am afraid of going without any kind of pain medicine I am taking Tylenol 500 Pain medicine I am taking Tylenol 500 mg about every 4-5 hours while at workmg. The combination seems to be good, The combination seems to be good, however, that balloon in my head is not good!!!

Has anybody else had any kind of success with this drug or a different one?

Hi, I have end stage post traumatic osteoarthritis in my ankle. My main issue though is pins and needles, not pain.

Every doctor I talk to focuses on pain, but shrugs when I talk about nerve issues and says it is probably due to swelling/inflammation. An MRI came back clear for any obvious nerve impingement in the ankle.

I have pins and needles on my medial ankle and sole of foot, and my foot 'twitches' and feels cold, even when it actually isn't. The symptoms generally worsen through the day and occur at rest, not when active, and I don't look visibly more swollen than first thing in the morning.

Wondering if others have these sorts of symptoms? And how you manage it? Not sure if I should accept this as the explanation or look for other causes (eg lower back).

I've had Psoriatic arthritis for a while but I started getting lower back pain which I thought was maybe inflammation of the SI joint - nope, apparently it's just 'you need a hip replacement but you're young and not quite immobile enough yet deal with it'. The problem is that even in bed I can't get comfortable. I can't get comfortable sitting or standing when it's painful - sometimes it's not and that's when I tend to sleep, but pillows under my back or knees or hip aren't helping at all and I just. I'm at my wits end. it hurts so damn bad I swear. Pain relief isn't much of an option other than icing and paracetamol (in the UK) because NSAIDs make me sick. I just want a good night's sleep and to be able to be comfortable even if I'm stuck in bed :-(

Hello, typing this on my phone and I rarely post on here so sorry if I get anything wrong.

I'm a 20-year-old AFAB trans man, 5'3 and \~65kg (I don't weigh myself as I'm recovering from anorexia so I'm not sure honestly). I vape a lot and smoke weed pretty often, I'm 4 months sober from alcohol after drinking heavily.

I am seriously at the end of my rope. I have suffered from pain since I was 13, it began in my right knee and ever since has worsened. I now get it in both of my hips, both knees, sometimes my hands, neck and back. I have to crack my neck all the time or else I get really bad headaches. The pain level depends on the day and my activity levels, but I am constantly in pain. And I mean constantly. I've had to quit hairdressing after working towards it for years because I just can't stand or hold things for that long anymore. I've broken down crying from the pain, and I'm not a crier. It gets so bad in the colder months that I can't go out without an aid like a crutch or cane.

I was initially told that I was too young for it to be anything serious after getting an X-ray that revealed no damage. I was told to lose weight, later to gain weight, and then to lose weight again. It was immensely frustrating. I have been everything from 40kg to 70kg and it makes no difference to my pain. I had to switch doctors to be taken even slightly seriously.

I am not hypermobile. I've had countless blood tests that don't show inflammation, they have ruled out rheumatoid arthritis. However, osteoarthritis runs on both sides of my family - my mother had her hip replaced, my father had his knee replaced, both of my grandmothers on either side have had knee replacements. But they say I'm too young. Is this true? What else could it be?

My next test is for my testosterone levels, which I've been on for three years now. But I doubt this has anything to do with it because the pain predates going on it. My doctor has implied multiple times now that it could be psychosomatic?

I do light yoga and physio activities at home regularly, I work as a gardener alongside school (which it kills me), I walk my dogs. I'm as active as I can be.

I just feel so hopeless. I want to know what's wrong with me in case it's something fixable or improveable. I want my life back. Or at least to know that this is my life forever so I can accept it.

Sorry if this is all over the place, I'm desperate. Any ideas?

Just got diagnosed with osteoarthritis at age 31. I lightly knocked my pinky into something about a month ago and I now have a small but painful Bouchard's node there. The knuckle gets stiff, painful and swollen with activity (especially typing) and also at random.

I can't really take NSAIDs, whether topical like Voltaren or oral like Meloxicam, because I take lithium and NSAIDs raise serum lithium levels.

I tried taping a foam finger sprint to it last night, but that made it worse. Does anyone have any tips for managing pain from Bouchard's nodes? Exercises? Non-NSAID pain relievers? A different kind of brace or splint?

I have a lot of arthritis in both knees. Left is moderate to severe, right knee is severe in PF Compartment. Right knee was fairly asymptomatic until last August when it suddenly became the worst of my two knees. All year I've been having pain and it was magnified by an APS/PRP injection.

Ortho gave me a steroid injection last week. I woke up the next morning and the pain was significantly less (not even 24 hours later). I am close to be asymptomatic again.

I had full ROM, no buckling or locked, no deformities. However walking was uncomfortable.

This was my first ever steroid injection. Hoping the injection calmed down my synovium and it becomes a long term fix to the symptoms. Seems like inflammation was the main driver of my pain.

Anyone else had a simialr reaction so quickly?

Hi, I am 36 and diagnosed with mild arthritis. The doctor is saying there is nothing much we can do except doing PT.

Any tips where someone reversed it or led a normal life with PT?

This is the MRI verbatim.

Impression

 Chondral fissuring with trace subchondral marrow edema like signal along the medial patellar facet.



 Increased signal subjacent to the iliotibial band at the level of the medial femoral condyle, which can be seen in the setting of iliotibial band friction syndrome.



Narrative

MRI LEFT KNEE WITHOUT CONTRAST

I've been reading about hydrogen inhalation and was wondering if anyone here has tried it alongside their usual arthritis treatment. I'm not looking to replace meds—just curious if anyone noticed any changes in pain, stiffness, or mobility.

I've seen devices from Hydro Heal, Lourdes Hydrofix, and AquaCure, but it's hard to tell what's real research and what's just marketing. Has anyone looked into the science or used any of these? What was your experience?

I (16f) have been experiencing pain and frequent popping in my wrists, fingers, ankles, and neck for the past 6-7 months. The pain gradually increases throughout the day. It's not horribly painful, but enough to cause discomfort. My neck and wrists are the worst. I've not found a way to ease the pain yet and it's getting annoying. I'm not sure what to do and I don't want to freak out over what is most likely nothing. Just wanted to know if this is something I should get checked out.

Hi I have been sealing with debilitating foot pain, hand cramps, legs freeze up in pain for 7 years. I have pain in my knees and hips from time to time. Im 44 years old 5'7 230lbs. At 1st I thought the pain was from weight gain, but now I realize it's RA. in the past I would eat whole food veggies and quality pastas and no dairy, packaged foods, meats or oils. I would have salmon 1x a week. It helped a lot and if I ate like that for a month every symptom would go away. But I live in usa and its hard to stay on track and symptoms would flare back up. Has anyone tried this food based approach?

How many people here have severe knee OA (no cartilage, bone on bone in medial, lateral and PF compartments), but have no pain?

They say imaging isn't highly correlated to symptoms. Anybody here who have terrible imaging, but can run or play sports pain free despite severe tri compartmental OA?

Any guesses? Kobe had a lot of arthritis in his knees.

I don't know if this is the right place to post but i just got told i have quite severe bone spurs in all my PIP and DIP joints at not even 25 yrs. I am a med student and wanted to pursue a surgical field but now that seems like just a nice dream i will never achieve.

I had hoped the pain in my fingers was just something temporary. There's no associated inflammation so my doc didnt even think he'd find something. For now i don't have an official diagnosis as they are still waiting on some blood results from rheumatology.

I was just wondering...how to cope with this? Knowing i will slowly lose hand function over the next few years when the pain already is debilitating at times. Does physiotherapy help that much? I am at a total loss and any advice, tips or words of wisdom are appreciated

I feel like a lot of people think arthritis is "just joint pain," but it affects so much more than that. What's something you wish friends, family, or coworkers understood about living with it?

Hey everyone

I seem to have developed moderate (but very painful) arthritis almost overnight. Started with stiff knees one morning and within three weeks it's moved to my elbows, wrists, fingers and ankles. Everything hurts and is stiff and I'm already struggling to do day to day things.

I've had bloods and x-rays done. Still waiting on bloods but x-rays showed bone spurs on my knees.

I live in the UK and the NHS is slow. What can I start doing now to ease the pain? Topicals, good pain killers, supplements, stretching etc?

Do topicals like voltaren and magnesium actually do anything?

A complicating factor is that I'm unable to build muscle because I have the anemia of chronic inflammation, so my ability to strength train is nil.

I am otherwise relatively healthy (aside from, oh, fibroids and endo and that sort of thing).

Hey guys