To think joint pain is just normal in your mid 40s?

[bluebears1]

I'm wondering to what extent it's just part of ageing to be stiff with achey joints in your mid 40s. I'm debating whether or not to discuss it with my GP.

I've had some joint issues for a while. For years I have had some amount of aches and stiffness in my lower back and knees. About two years ago this spread to my neck and I now have issues with my elbow, my big toe. I previously had all the tests for RA and don't follow the pattern for an inflammatory condition so it seems to fit the picture of Osteoarthritis, which my mother I'm stiff in the morning and if I sit for periods in the car or on the sofa. The pain is manageable but it gets worse if I do activities like hoovering, exercise, gardening.

But! Part of me thinks maybe this is just part of getting older and that most people in their mid forties will have stiffness and joint pain? AIBU to think this is the case or is it something that points to an actual problem?

It can be in the family, has anyone in yours got the same issue?

I echo vit D. I hope the increased estrogen dose sorts it out for you.

I'm 65, just normal weight, only exercise I ever did was walking and thankfully have zero joint aches and pains. Neither does/did anyone in my family ( deceased parents, living siblings) I know I'm very fortunate.

I can’t remember the last day I had no pain, but I have ME, fibro and other nerve compression issues that are the reason, rather than my age, and have meant pain since I was in my early 20s.

I hope for all those without such conditions that it’s not normally to have pain daily when you get to 40 or 50

I didn’t get that really till maybe mid 50’s and even now it’s not constant.

Sorry you are having problems with your joints at such a relatively young age. I am pushing 72 and am only just starting to experience very slight discomfort in one hip. I am over the ideal weight for my size and my only exercise is walking.

I had joint pain, especially my knees when I was in my 40’s. Standing up from sitting, walking more than half a mile, my family could hear my knees creaking as I went up or down stairs. It was so bad I avoided certain junctions that were on a hill, as holding the clutch was excruciating. It did improve slightly, but I started HRT recently (I’m over 60) and it’s completely disappeared. My knees just don’t hurt, at all, the creaking has gone too. I walk over three miles a day, every day, with my dog, on uneven ground. Look up menopause symptoms, I believe painful joints is one. Don’t just put it down to getting older.

I was the same. I'm better since using castor oil on my knees.

Op- I would ask for private referral to a rheumatologist who specialises in psoriatic arthritis. I have this - no psoriasis though and bloods, X-rays and scans all fine. Started mid 40s. Not many gps and not all rheumatologists good with it. I was lucky I was referred to excellent one on nhs despite all tests being fine.

do you do sport that puts stress on your joints?

do you drink enough fluid?

How did they diagnose this if the tests are all fine?

I ask because I am being investigated by rheumatologist but so far they seem very reluctant to do much because I am ANA negative on blood tests (which apparently rules out most rheumatological disease) and don’t have any proof of permanent joint damage in scans (prednisolone seems to alleviate my flairs in joint pain without lasting damage so far).

I suspect that, amongst other things, I may have psoriatic arthritis as the problems with my nail bed, nail pitting and skin look very similar to pictures of this and the joint pain and swelling in my finger joints seems to correlate with the nail and skin issues.

There’s a really good psa Facebook group. My rheumatologist looks at and more importantly felt my swelling.

Mid 50’s, no joint pain despite being overweight and unfit.

I'm in my seventies and can't say I have many aches and pains, when I do it's usually because I've strained muscles or injured myself in some way.

Coming up to the menopause I had nothing like that.

However I did have a lot of pains in my limbs, fingers sometimes and knees when I was young, even as a child. I've no idea what that was about. However I was always lurching between crises and stress/anxiety does make you ache.

Op, it would be a good idea if you took some supplements; Osteocare Original is very good, Omega 3, B12, magnesium and make sure you have a healthy diet. Take care of your circulation too, everything is linked. Discuss with your doctor and ask for some blood tests which will show if you are deficient in anything.

Some people do report that they have pain and stiffness in joints and limbs during the perimenopause so if that is the cause of yours, it should pass. However do shore up your general health, take moderate exercise and above all, try to relax.

I'm 52, no sign of menopause yet and suffer terribly with my feet, hips and lower back most days. Only thing that eases it is lots of walking that thankfully is compulsory with 2 spaniels in the house. I saw a podiatrist last year as my feet were really getting me down and had xrays that showed arthritic changes. Said it was very normal and age related, so I've never gone to the GP about my hips. I find sitting down for long periods of time dreadfully uncomfortable these days though, especially on my office chair. Will try taking vitamin D as I had a free bottle of them from Boots with my last order.

I even got a second opinion privately as I doubted it with the neg results and private one agreed with my nhs one

I had joint pain and stiffness in early 40s until I cut out gluten completely.

I'm 68, not particularly fit, as in lots of exercise, but have no health issues other than a (treated) underactive thyroid.
I don't have any regular aches and pains at all. I can do a 5 mile walk - if it's relatively flat, takes longer if it's not.
I don't have joint pains. Lower back pain can be induced but it doesn't last.
Vit D requirements are much higher than NHS recommendations (4000iu per day minimum) plus magnesium have helped. I had more muscle pain before I started these supplements. Vitamin D/magnesium sorted out clicking knees and ankles too.

I am 45 and post menopause. I am fat from the menopause process (although not obese) and I am not on HRT. I don't have any joint pain, ever. I don't think it is necessarily age related and I'd try to hunt down the cause - it's a fairly broad symptom so it may not be easy to hunt down.

It can be normal for some due to hormones changing!
But not for myself I started having joint pains 2020 and was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis! Gp thought it was osteoarthritis but it wasn’t I pushed for referral and rheumatologist did mention peri menopause as it’s quiet common unlucky for me it wasn’t that !
I would get yourself checked out blood tests don’t always diagnose it mine was diagnosed throu MRI x

Jesus I’m 33 and constantly aching 😄 have been for 5 years since I had my second child. Right now my big toe has a sharp pain, aches in my upper back, right sacroiliac and both hands. Envious of all you non-achers!!

Normal for me, every part of me aches. I'm 47.

Oh.

I was going to suggest menopause.

I'm about to have a blood test to check my hormones (due to joint pain) to see if that's the cause.

I have had a hysterectomy but have my ovaries so blood test is the only way to know!

I'm 36 and have chronic knee pain, some days it hardly bothers me, and only hurts when I've been sitting still too long. Other days I can't walk without limping. I also get moderate pains in my back and mild pains in my shoulders, elbows, wrist, ankles etc which is usually worst when I first wake up, so I put it down to sleeping awkwardly.

Other joints are nothing like how much my knees trouble me. I did see a physio last year but they didn't seem bothered. Said it was just runners knee and I had very slight pronation and slight hypermobility that meant exercises they would normally recommend won't help. I am very active, a few days a week I do over 20,000 steps, but there is no correlation to how active I am and the level of pain I might have day to day.

I'm so sorry you're in pain, OP.

Go to your GP. As others have said, this isn't typical for your age group. You deserve to feel good and not be hobbling around in pain.

You mention your are going to try weights. Can I suggest you give pilates a try? I found it gave huge relief to joint pain... find either a small class so you have proper supervision from the teacher or a few 1.2.1.sessions.
Hope things improve for you soon.