Can you have osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis

[windchimes8]

Was diagnosed with osteo in my right knee in the summer following a torn cartilege which is still not better but not bad enough for a replacement. Looking on arthritis uk web site also identified with some of the rheumatoid symptoms.

Will ask gp later as anti inflamms not working top of knee still swollen despite ice, rest, exercises, pain also moves round to groin, hip, bottom, other knee. What fun.

Can anyone help please?

Yes you can. My poor dad has both. Sorry, I'd bet that's not the answer you wanted!

Hi thanks. I'm having a blood test to check for inflammatory conditions and need to take naproxen 250mg x 3/day with the same amount of paracetamol. If no improvement after 3 weeks it is back to the specialist for a look inside the knee with a telescope thingy I think the doctor said.

I have osteo in my knees but (had right one injected today) physio said something about it being 'inflammatory' due to the infusion (and pain)I have. So not RA as such but some inflammatory activity, I think. (I am about to google .....) Maybe injected steroids will be offered to you. Obv for me it's too soon to see if it makes a huge difference but I hope so. BTW I have several other autoimmune conditions and am on oral steroids for these, so clearly I have some inflammatory action going on anyway.

Also 'inflammatory osteoarthritis' is an actual thing. I'd forgotten this (worked years ago, and briefly, in rheumatology - as a nurse - but know very little orthopaedics really!!). Something the physio said to me - before today - was that heat might help more than ice. Since then I've used hot water bottles and I think it IS better at reducing the pain. I know they say ice for an acute injury but maybe that's less useful for a chronic one. But, as I say, I know very little really .....

Yes, inflammatory arthritis is real. I had it diagnosed a few years ago when I saw a rheumatologist because the swelling in the joints was symmetrical, which can indicate rheumatoid arthritis.

Sorry - should have made it clear it was my finger joints.

Have you had a blood test to rule out rheumatoid arthritis? You can have both types of arthritis.

You might like to look at Arthritis Care's website and they also have a fantastic helpline you can ring for advice.

www.arthritiscare.org.uk

Though you can also get 'sero-negative' arthritis which means you have no RH (rheumatoid factor in your blood) but all the other markers for inflammation and the joint pain of course. My mum had sero-neg arthritis - though I am told this is not what I have. It affected her hands and knees - where I have pain too.Clearly I need another convo about my own situation with a HCP as it all feels quite complicated to me.

I hope, OP, you get a good Rheumatologist (if you haven't got one already). it sounds like the pain you describe in thigh etc. is 'referred pain'. I get that too - I think part of it is compensating when I walk as, in my case, one knee hurts more than the other. It's all quite ghastly, isn't it?

I have rheumatoid arthrits and secondary osteoarthritis (ie the osteoarthrits damage caused mainly by the RA inflammation over a number of years). And yes also to referred pain from misaligned walking from damaged joints. I guess for you first thing is to see how the anti-inflamms go for the next couple of weeks and take it from there.

I have psoriatic arthritis (which is another kind of sero-negative autoimmune arthritis) and also probable osteoarthritis from my hypermobility. Rheumy says it doesnt make a difference as once autoimmune is diagnosed, the treatment is basically the same

Blood test results have come back negative so I only have osete. Bad day yesterday, the pain was not too bad, just constant. Have booked a physio session. Dr says to increase the naproxen to 4/day 250mg+ 2 x 250g mg paracetamol x 4/day. I will be well spaced out. This to continue for 2 weeks, then return to docs for review of what happens next. Arthoscopy was mentioned. Is this done under GA? Not very good with GA take a long time to recover, feel sick etc. Must be my age. Thanks for all your help.

Husband told me about Flexiseq and have bought some today from the chemist after a bad week last week including a physio session. Pleased to say first application has made an improvement so fingers crossed. Have also began taking Altone (like Osteoflex but with fish oils). Tried the Osteoflex for 3 months before realising it did not contain fish oils neither did the 7 Seas Energy Release for Women. Not good at eating oily fish, tends to repeat on me, so maybe I am on the right path now. The Flexiseq is a gel applied to the knee (like Voltaroil/Ibuprofen) costs around £18 for 50ml tube but if it works and I can stop the medication and pain I don't care! Fingers crossed.

Just to update. 2 weeks of naproxen at 250mg x 4/day swelling still not gone down but improved. Continuing to get great results with the Flexiseq, pain only at back of knee, like the tendons pulling. Have not had to take paracetamol for over a week. Check-up at docs today said try 500mg naproxen twice a day till after Christmas, plus the Flexiseq, icing, rest and exercise. Doc reckons it is getting better but slowly.