Arthritis- meds??

ythannah

OP, is gout a possibility? My dad never had the typical toe pain/swelling but did have what he thought were "flare-ups" of arthritis in his hands and one ankle. Even his physician didn't suspect gout. The episodes got longer and more painful over the years until he finally gave in to the pain and allowed himself to become quite immobile. He ended up in a rehab hospital and, while bedridden, one of his knees mysteriously swelled. When they drew off fluid they found the telltale uric acid and were able to finally diagnose gout. He hasn't had any issues at all since being properly treated.

nooshi713

P.A. here.......you can try Ibuprofen instead of Aleve or a prescription NSAID although I caution against using any of them long term and daily as they can have side effects if taken long term or in high doses. If you do opt to take them I recommend taking them with food and with a daily acid blocker like Pepcid. Unfortunately, arthritis is chronic and progressive so there is no easy cure other than a joint replacement if one particular joint gets really bad. Try to eat a diet high in antioxidants.

lauragreenbaum

Update: I went to a foot and ankle specialist I found who was highly recommended. There is no arthritis or gout- he believes I "rolled" my ankle or have had repetitive motion that is causing the pain. After discussing my daily activities he thinks it's from my doing Pilates daily, as there is a lot of foot work. Since then, I wear a brace when doing Pilates to minimize the motion, and take Tylenol. I've also started taking a supplement called Curcumin that my brother recommended for reducing inflammation. The combination of all of these has helped, but I still feel some pain and stiffness in the morning. I hope I won't have to stop doing Pilates one day because I love it.