Post viral joint pain

[Celery]

Does anyone else suffer from post viral joint pain? For about the past 10 years, I have suffered from this, and sometimes it is very debilitating. It started when I was in my early 20's after a nasty bout of flu. My wrists became very painful and weak, and it lasted several months. Ever since then, every time I get a cold or the flu, I suffer from joint pain of varying degrees. It used to only be in my wrists, but for the last year or so it's been in my pelvis ( incidently, on the side that I suffered with SPD during pregnancy ). Knees and ankles have escaped so far, but who knows if it will spread to them at some point?

Does anyone know anything about post viral joint pain? I've heard it is linked to ME - any advice on what I can do?

Celery, I had a similar thing for many years - started when we were travelling but wasn't so much joints as just general pain. I went to many doctors all around the world but reckon it was Fybromyalgia. Google it and see if it rings true for you.

Not much advice on coping apart from ibruprofen but mine has stopped (fingers crossed) since being pregnant twice. I too had SPD in my second pregnancy BTW followed by a bad back for months - saw a chiropracter who said my pelvis was still not together...he did some magic and I was cured first session. I was amazed!

Good grief I sound like a right crock eh?

Good luck with coping with your pain and hope you get some help - chiro might be worth a go. Cost me £50 but no regrets here. I can recommend this one but he's in the NW....

Thanks LL, yes it does sound like fybromyalgia - I'd pinpointed that it was post-viral and linked to ME, but it's good to put a name to it. Regarding the SPD, it ocassionally flares up mildly, usually around my period - obviously linked to hormones, but most of the time my pelvis is absolutely fine, but you're right, I should go and see an osteopath or chiropracter. The pain I'm suffering at the moment though, is definately the post-viral type pain I usually get after a cold. It's so frustrating, I've been to the Doctor twice in the last 10 years about it, and have been fobbed off both times, although I realise now there is probably little they can do.

Anyone else?

On this site www.ukfibromyalgia.com there is some info about thyroid treatment linked to symptoms. Another thing I found helpful was a leaflet (I think by the Arthritis Society or similar) that explained about it and I could show to my family etc.

Could you try and find a doctor who has an interest in this type of condition for some support?

Not the same, but I have anklyosing spondylitis which is a rheumatic disease which primarily affects my pelvis, hips and lower back although during flare ups it also affects my wrists and knees (and may in time affect other joints too). It is an auto-immune condition so conversely tends to improve when my immune system actually has something like a cold to fight rather than attacking my joints, so not the same as yours but I wanted to post to suggest some things to help with the pain:

• Diclofenac. You can get this in a pill form but I strongly recommend for the area affected you take a suppository (don't be squeamish!). It's truly fantastic for the pain in the pelvis. You can also get it in a gel which can be applied directly - I find this useful at night.

• Try to keep moving, gently. The worse thing with joints is to leave them immmobile.

• Heat - an electric pad rather than a hot water bottle can be useful for the pelvis because it's hard to get a water bottle comfortable.

• Avoid lifting anything away from the body (hold things close to you) and when you do lift hold in your lower abdomninals (imagine a line from hip to hip) - this will help to stabilise the pelvis which if you've had SPD is obviously a weak point. And do pelvic floor exercises - again, this will help to stablise the pelvis.

Hope these are some ideas to help. I really sympathise with pelvic pain - I live with it daily and it's incredibly draining but I have found some ways to cope.