Can anyone tell me how you know if you have arthritis? i have been having pain and stiffness in my middle finger around the middle knuckle for weeks now and i can feel a lump on it on the side of the joint. it is sore to the touch if i put any pressure on it. some days i dont feel it as much , but other days i wake up in the morning and its very stiff and painful and it bothers me all day. should i go to the Dr.? i'm 43 , isnt that a little young for arthritis?

No way is it too young for arthritis. My grandmother had only ONE symptom of menopause (other than the periods stopping of course). That one symptom was ..........you guessed it. Arthritis in both wrists and her fingers. She was 40 when it happened. She simply took bufferin for the swelling and the discomfort and continue to knit and crochet........she always said the only way to keep the joints from seizing was to keep them moving.

Jadie

Sudio

One of the symptoms that happened to me was extremely sore and stiff middle fingers. It eventually become all my fingers. It was bad in the morning when I woke up and as the day went on, would disappear. I had this for 10 months and then it just went away. I haven't had it since. I work with my hands all day so it was a challenge some days. My middle fingers were the worse. I know it sounds strange but it happened to me too. One morning I woke up in September and it wasn't there. I would check with your doctor anyway it if is really painful. Mine said it wasn't arthritis but didn't know what it was!

Kim

I was first diagnosed with osteoarthritis (the "wear and tear" one) in my very early 30's. Of course, everyone said I was too young, but my symptoms and labwork showed that I have it.

I also have nobs around my joints, but on my fingers, they're at the last joint before the fingernail. My joints are very stiff when I first wake up and it takes a bit of work to get them moving again. Sometimes, if I've been sitting for a long time, like the movies, my knees won't unlock for awhile.

I now take prescription meds but I've had very good luck with OTC glucosamine/chondroitin. Remember that it only works for osteoarthritis, so if you have any rheumatoid, it won't work at all. I was interested to see that The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is currently running a study of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate and Dr. Theodosakis is heading this up.

I first learned about this while I was waiting for a friend who was at the dentist. Dr. Jason Theodosakis, the doctor who first discovered this combination was on the cover of Newsweek or Time. I was so excited when I read about this, I went out and bought his book (there was only one then The Arthritis Cure: The Medical Miracle That Can Halt, Reverse, and May Even Cure Osteoarthritis. In that book, he said that the amount to use varied by weight.

Dearest has had Dr. Theodosakis as a Power Surge guest. That transcript is available in the Power Surge Transcript Library.

In that chat, he outlined the complete plan, saying that it wasn't enough just to take the pills.

The plan is: 1. Have a thorough consultation with a physician.
2. Take glucosamine and chondroitin sulfates to repair damaged joints.
3. Improve your biomechanics to counteract stress to your joints.
4. Exercise regularly. (But the right kinds!)
5. Eat a healthful, joint-preserving diet.
6. Maintain your ideal body weight.
7. Fight depression.
8. Use traditional medicine as necessary.
9. Maintain a positive attitude.

For more information on all of this, and to read the brands that he approved of, check out Dr. Jason Theodosakis' Transcript.

Sudio,
I had these same symptoms come on in my thumbs first and then my fingers with peri. My first thought was that it was arthritis. I went to my doc to get checked out and was told that it did not appear to be arthritis, although he could not explain what it was. It stuck around for about a year, and then disappeared.... so I am pretty sure that it was a peri symptom. I would suggest that you talk with your doc about what you are experiencing as he/she can confirm a diagnosis of arthritis. And no one is too young for arthritis.

sudio,
I too have arthritic fingers (and knees). Mine started in my 40's with stiffness and bumps on the knuckles right under the fingernail. They have not gotten worse in the 7 years since diagnosis, but the doc told me that the bumps could turn into knobs as I age. One of my knuckles looks a little deformed and it feels sorta bruisy. If you can find hand paraffin it helps to warm the joint. You just stick your hand in the warm wax and it's so soothing. You could check with your doc but he'll probably just tell you what everyone else here is saying....it's just OA.

I read in a magazine... for painful joints take pollen-pistil extracts eg Femal.

It's supposed to help other meno symptoms too!

Girls,

It's my middle and fourth fingers. Some days not bad at all...other days sore and shaky. I have been checked for arthritis and was found not to have it. I guess just one more wonderful symptom of peri....

I've just had an arthritic panel done & it shows my rheumatiod factor to be high (55, normal range is from 0 to 20) Does any one know exactly what that means? Does this mean I have rheumatiod arthritis? My dr made no mention of it, im just curious. I othewise feel ok.[CODE]

April,
When I was checked for arthritis last year, the rhuematologist said that she could diagnose RH in one of two ways - either the RH factor is high or you have swelling and pain in the joints that can be seen/felt. So if I were you, I would follow up on that to see what exactly it means. Not sure how high the RF factor needs to be.

Pixie, my primary did bring that to attention & did indeed give me the final verdict: RH for sure. I have the pain mainly in my knees & it is close to EXCRUCIATING when climbing downstairs. I take lortab on almost a daily basis & it helps but i would like to try something natural, unfortunately i'm taking coumadin so for now any kind of herbs are out. I know it could be worse but in one year i consider myself having been through enough. Keep our fingers crossed that this year, finally, i'm on the upscale.

I started having joint pain in my fingers a couple of years ago (I'm 44)
and I have some trouble opening jars (which I never had before)
and then I noticed there were little 'node' things that I could feel when I touched my knuckles
(if that makes sense)
So I started taking glucosamine on my dr's advice.
It's helped a lot.

take care & I hope you all feel better

Hello everyone, i am new to this site and have wondered about my joints, swelling and pain i have been to the Dr's severel times. I get it in my fingers,wrists, knees, ankles and elbows i have had this on and off for about 15years but seems more regular now and instead of having it affect 1 part of my body at a time like it used to, it now comes in clusters being severel places at once and lasting much longer. I have been checked out a few time and the last time my blood test was negitive but Dr said she will send me to the specialist because i have been back with the problem many times. I have appointment in Nov o6. I am wondering what the heck it is and although i have put up with it for a number of years, now i want to get to the bottom of it? I am 47 and started to menopause 2 years ago. The condition frustrates me highly.

sogovia

Hi. I have just found this site and I can't tell you how much better I feel for reading the threads! I thought I was the only one going through the pain of stiff joints, my hands being particularly painful! At the moment I am at my computer at 6am, owing to the fact that I am having great difficulty sleeping, have done for about 2 years now! I am 54 years old and seem to have been going through the menopause for a long time! I will try some of the suggestions that I have read, many thanks for sharing your probelms with me.

My mom used to take anti-inflammatory medicines daily to relieve the pain of arthritis and inflamed joints . She has moderate joint pain but it is preventing her from doing a daily activities . My aunt suggested taking code liver oil and changing her diets . She has been taking a tble spoon of code liver oil daily for about 3 years now . She reduce her intake of meats and replaces it with fish and increase her serving of fresh fruits and vegetables. She avoid vegetables like tomatoes , eggplants ,potatoes.She loves juices from carrots ,cherries, billberries and celery .
She notice her health has improved and she has reduced her reliance on medication . The diets has helped relieved her arhritis problems.She been been exercising as well like her morning slow walks and she enjoys it .

Hope this helps .

I had the same symptoms!

Only in my case after the pain in the joints stopped I got a host of other things that we read about here (e.g., depression -- only this isn't going away, or at least not at any appreciable speed).

Another early symptom was very stuffed nose.

Hi I am going through some of the same symptoms. I have a lot of pain in my fingers, wrists, elbows. Also a node has developed above the middle joint of one of my fingers. It has all started somewhat recently and is now affecting many things that I do.

My doctor recommended fish oil and naproxen. I have been on this therapy for about a month.The naproxen does help with the pain. I am waiting for the test results from the lab on the arthritis.

It is great to be able to see that others are going through the same things that I am.