How much pain is normal?

[Flippingflamingo]

At almost 40, how much pain in day to day activities is to be expected as a “getting older” thing?

I was recently chatting/moaning to a friend about the pain in getting up and about these days and was surprised to find she didn’t experience any!

I find getting up from seating painful, sciatica and pain in my legs mean walking anywhere is painful, my back and neck constantly ache and my fingers and wrists are useless for the first hour in a morning. None of it is stopping me ploughing on through and doing things anyway, but it’s starting to get me down a bit.

I just wondered whether most people experience mild/moderate pain daily at this age, or whether it’s something that I actually need to seek medical advice on!

I have some of this, but only when I don’t stay on top of an old back injury. Similar age.

Look at trigger points for dealing with muscular pain and Pilates style exercises to build strength and mobility. Get a doctor to check out what is going on and, if you can afford it, an osteopath. Good luck!

Just turned 40 and occasionally have a slightly achy back but nothing else

68 with new hip, pain free apart from odd knee twinges.

I’m 62 and don’t have pain like you OP

I posted earlier. I have RA which was diagnosed aged 58. However I first went to the GP aged 52 because of painful fingers. At that time my Rheumatoid factor was normal and inflammatory markers were normal. Eventually that chaged and I was referred to rheumatology.
RA isn't diagnosed purely on the basis of RF but by clinical examination as well.
If the problem persists after you correct the folate deficiency I would ask for a referral to a rheumatologist

It does sound arthritisy from my experience, I'm sorry to say.

Are you finding that you're dropping things more often or having other issues with being clumsy?

My DH is 39 and has rheumatoid arthritis

Re the sciatica, if you can afford to see a good physio privately, I think that could be money very well spent. Ideally, try to get a recommendation from a friend or colleague. As others have said, I don't think the level of day to day pain you are experiencing is at all normal at age 40. With sciatica it's also worth thinking about whether the chairs you regularly sit in encourage good posture or the opposite.

Snap!!
I've suffered with Fibro chronic pain for almost 30 years but assumed it was normal to feel pain in different areas of my body.
It was only during a flare or burnout that caused debilitating fatigue for a period any longer than 3-5 weeks that I would seek medical advice, yet bloods all normal & GP fobbed me off for 20+ years! Saying, "well you are a busy working mum"!! (So again I assumed everyday pain/discomfort was normal, & I was a complete failure as I really struggled at times)

Only got diagnosed approx 7 years ago through works occupational health consultant & on the back end of that my GP still does not acknowledge the diagnosis!! 🤯😔

I've since been medicated with duloxetine (for the fibro pain & low mood disorder which is secondary to the fibro pain & limitations) & Quetiapine (for insomnia) as I could never get into deep restorative sleep pattern, which exasperated the fibro symptoms!

A psychiatrist prescribed these meds & they actually saved my life!!

I am now 50 & 3 years post menopause (fast tracked due to immense stress at the time as my partner experienced a stroke & thankfully survived, it was touch & go for the 1st 72 hours, followed by months of intense rehabilitation, 3 years on he has residual disabilities & thankfully he has regained most independence)

I have learnt how to pace myself, yet most days I still ALWAYS experience low to moderate body pain.

I've learnt to ignore the constant daily pain until a flare knocks me off my feet! (Those days where your entire body hurts & feels like you have been hit by a bus, dragged through a bush backwards, while jet lagged & hungover) 😔 & if someone offered you a million pound to get up and take a shower, you wouldn't have the energy to push through it!!

Wow.... I feel like I have off loaded! Rather than offer support or advice!! 🫣

I'm so sorry!! But overall.... the constant pain you described in various body sections, that tend to shift to different areas with no rhythm or reason sounds similar to fibro pain.

I would keep a journal & log symptoms etc & keep pushing for a diagnosis. Unfortunately there is no set test to confirm it but ruling out other possibilities is helpful & a diagnosis can help validate your daily struggles, so that you can learn more to help reduce the symptoms of a flare up!

Best wishes 🫶🏼

You need vegetables! That will be the cause of low folate. Just a handful of baby spinach and some brocolli every day.

I had loe folic acid after I got into protein bars, felt awful.

I'm 44 and have no pain when I wake up at all.

Anti inflammatory diet with plenty of healthy fat.

If u have inflammation something is going on I have psoriatic arthritis and blood tests only show inflammation u may need to be referred to rhumatology for more thorough tests I was diagnosed throu mri x

I don’t think unfortunately they can rule out arthritis given you have a family history and you have previously had raised inflammation markers. It is possible to have RA with negative Rheumatoid Factor as well.

Hopefully the folate will help with a bit of time bit of it doesn’t I think I would be pushing for a rheumatology referral though this can be easier said than done and I had to go privately to get diagnosed which took 2 different ones as the first ignored something on the MRI he initially sent me for. Luckily I got transferred to the NHS and now have a good local rheumatology team.

Please don’t let them just stop investigating because your inflammatory markers have gone back to normal! As poster above said,
pain in fingers (especially first thing in the morning) can be an early symptom of rheumatoid arthritis . Ask to be referred to rheumatology.

to answer your original question… I am 41 and have frequent mild to moderate muscular aches and pains, but I am hyper mobile and have had these since my early 20s. For me the best way to manage is a combination of rest,
pacing and Pilates. but I don’t feel like I’m on top of it! Of managing it I mean.

good luck getting answers.

Yes, I've always come up normal but I've got a different type of arthritis that you can't test for. Even though my mum has RA.