what is wrong with me? - knee, elbow, thumb pain | Arthritis Information

 

I have always been really athletic but I've had knee and ankle pain since I was 11 (I'm now 20).  I've seen loads of doctors who initially said I had chondramalacia patellae and sent me for physio until I went to one last year who sent me for an MRI scan and found cartilage damage under my kneecap.  I had a bilateral knee arthroscopy last march and then did chondoplasty, debridgement and microfracture.  The orthopedic surgeon just says he doesnt know why its like that, probably overuse and theres nothing mroe he can do but they're both still really painful even though it's been nearly a year.  They can get really hot, you can even feel it through jeans!

 

What's really worrying me is over the last 2 years I've also been getting elbow pain where they both lock and catch and ache quite a bit even though I don't do anything which could cause an injury.  My thumbs also ache and I find my right especially very stiff and finding things like texting difficult.

 

I've mentioned this to doctors but they just say I have achey joints and nothing more because if I did it would effect my hips which are fine but I'm worried it might be some sort of arthritis.  Shall I go back and ask for tests or to see someone else or just accept this is the way my joints are? I just don't want to find out in years time that I have something which I could have been getting treatment for for ages.  I'm finding the NHS pretty rubbish at the moment!

 

Please let me know what you think I should do.

 

thanks!! Kate xxx

 

ps sorry this is so long!