Are the knuclkes supposed to still be tender? Are the shoulders still supposed to burn and muscle aches persist ? I know everyone is different though... Thanks for you time with me, I get nothing from Dr's!
Tam, my knuckles are still tender, and I'm in pretty good shape. I thik for most of us, even when our RA is under control, there is pain. It's just pain you can deal with. is it a dull ache, or a burning pain or a throbbing pain? I can't tell! Its different all the time. Should I go on pred, even though there is no swelling?When the swelling 1st goes down, there is more of the snap ,pop, cracle, really loud RICE Crispies. I think this is because the previous inflammation 'roughed' up all kinds of stuff that should be smooth. Without all that fluid the rough spots make more contact.
I find gentle exercise gets rid of a lot of this. Although it seems backwards exercise decreases the pain in an OA joint - and that is what the after math of a flair resembles.
Warm the joint first, gentle exercise, then ice especially if you are feeling any more discomfort. Go slow and steady - things gradually improve. Glad the swelling is down!
I've noticed that I can have painless swelling in one joint and no swelling but extreme pain in another. I have had pain that varies from dull and nagging to sharp and jolting. Someyimes its the relentless dull pain that drives mw bananas.
When a new joint is first affected it is extremely painful than it seems to even out to a certain extent as if the disease has somehow ravaged it.
I heard that the bone grows over to stop damage? Does that make sense to anyone?
Thanks for all the replies xo