RA in Hips/Lower spine? | Arthritis Information

I have not been "officially" diagnosed but I have been having, what I can only call, a "flare up". All week at night I have been feeling fluish with low grade fever, and just feeling icky like you do when you are just starting to get sick. Then in the morning I feel fine (besides the morning stiffness of course). But now I feel like I am walking on rocks in the pads of my feet (between the arch and the toes) and my ankles are swollen and tender. Also I have burning pain in my hips when I stand up and take the first few steps after sitting. I thought RA "liked" smaller joints, not big ones like the hips. Has anyone had hip pain with their RA?

Oh yeah- hips, knees, spine....The first rule of this disease is that there don't really seem to be ANY hard and fast rules.

Laura T

Sorry to hear about your pain jessica. RA can definitely affect the hips and larger joints.

Have you been having morning stiffness for long?

Dear Jessica, I feel your pain. We need to be able to move for so many good reasons and with pain you just don't. I hope you can get something official so you can get a road map for success (success is pain free, relatively stifnessfree and getting better)Lots a luck, feeling better, now

I have had a lot of problems with my hips.....and back over the years. It certainly can happen.i get that low grade flu shivery chill thing at nights too - what's with that? Does anyone know? Hessa, I have been having increasingly worse morning stiffness for the past 6-8 months. Now it seems that some of it never goes away like in the top joints of my middle and ring fingers.

Flint, I get the shivery chills too! Its so weird and it makes the evening with my hubby sucky since I feel sick and can't "hang out". I feel like by 8 pm I am ready for bed.

Jessica, I am sorry to hear about the stuff going on with you. Sounds so much like me I had to double-check your name to make sure I hadn't posted this!

I have been having similar problems such as yours for the last 18 months and my blood tests all come back as normal. My problems are considered to be caused by OA, not RA. I am hopeful that this continues to be the diagnosis! I remain watchful of new symptoms, especially since I have other auto-immune diseases which put me at an increased risk of developing RA. RA is a far more serious disease and from what I have learned from the wise folks here, should be treated aggressively in the early stages.

It is a frustrating thing for me that there are treatments to slow the progression of RA, but there are not similar treatments for OA. Now that the process has started, I just wait to see which joints the little gremlins in my body have moved on to.

You should see a physician and get yourself tested. And keep seeing physicians until someone can give you a clear diagnosis and help you.

Good luck to you!

Thank you hillhoney Hi there,

I absolutely have problems with my hips and lower spine. In fact, my
hips were one of the first joints affected for me. And lately my back
has been acting up. For me, I think my back is a combo. of a small
herniated disk and RA.

I am finding that there is no such thing as "textbook" RA. So yes,
you can for sure have problems in these areas.

Take care.I am pretty sure it can effect any and all of the joints. I have it in my hips and back too (sometimes it causes a flare of sciatica), my neck, my elbows, my feet and my big toe joints. I am not a good one to offer advice though as I have only been treated so far by a podiatrist and a chiropractor. I hope you find relief soon!

Nancy [QUOTE=laurat]

Oh yeah- hips, knees, spine....The first rule of this
disease is that there don't really seem to be ANY hard and fast rules.

Laura T

[/QUOTE]

Laurat, you hit the nail on the head, lol

Yup RA can effect the hips. I am scheduled for a total right hip replacement on April 2nd for just that reason. Between the RA and the Avascular Necrosis from long time prednisone usage (only taken for 2 yrs now) my hip is toast.

I hope you get some relief soon.