Old Age And Aches And Pains

[arouetta]

I'm throwing myself a pity party.

I am way too young to have all these aches and pains. Way too young. I'm at the tail end of Gen X, we're not old like those Baby Boomers.

But in the last year and a half my right arm has had to deal with brachial neuritis, then tennis elbow (tendonitis), then tennis elbow coming back and golfer's elbow (tendonitis) at the same time, then a torn ligament, and now there's suspicion that I have cartilage damage from the ligament tear. Basically instant onset arthritis. And all the rule out tests also showed I have an asymptomatic C5-C6 cervical disc bulge to the right and asymptomatic mild arthritis in my right elbow.

I'm too freaking young to have age related crap going on. As of today I'm a whopping 44 years old...but I'm not even sure if I can have a birthday meal or if that's going to end up a disaster because of aches and pains. Maybe Olive Garden, I could manage a short pasta like ziti paired with ground sausage. Nothing that involves cutting.

I'm tempted to check out what liquor I have in the house. What goes with birthday cake?

 

[mokapi]

Scotch. Scotch goes with everything.

 

[verna davies]

Yes scotch and lots of it.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

.
Happy Birthday, arouetta !

Free tip (and worth every penny) from an old guy: keep moving. The more sedentary we become, the older we feel. Put a new subfloor in a walk-in closet; swim fifty laps; carry a seventeen foot canoe three quarters of a mile, and then down 230 stairs; walk two miles to the lake and back; string trim around everything that's not moving. Then have lunch!
.

 

[foxxycat]

1Catovertheline is CORRECT.

I am only 42. Arthritis in many joints. Lately the bone spur in right foot has been a bear to deal with. I HAVE to keep working out. The days I lay around-it hurts worse than if I didn't do anything.

Ice and Advil are your friend if you can take it. Aleve used to work for me-not anymore.

Try water workouts=less stress on joints. Some people find heat on joints helps better. For me it depends on where the pain is. Also small short sessions. No hour long marathons. 15 min tops. then stop.

and Scotch is good. Personally I prefer Tequila.

 

[arouetta]

I've heard that. Problem is that keeping moving is what put me in a sling. If I had been properly diagnosed right off the bat I'd have been put in a sling immediately with orders to do nothing and listened, the pain would be a distant memory. Same with the neuritis, if I had been properly diagnosed immediately and treated with an anti-seizure immediately the tennis elbow and golfer's elbow would never have existed, as they are overuse injuries from the temporary nerve damage causing severely weakened muscles.

Keeping moving was great advice for my lower back, I used to wake up horribly sore and super-stiff every morning but have it all worked out by the time I arrived for work. But these aches and pains...rest is all that seems to be dulling down the pain.

 

[foxxycat]

water workout is great when my knee was enflamed. helped me keep range of motion without added stress on joints.

you still ride a bike right? do you have shocks on front of bike? That helps a lot when these kinds of pains.

Tendonitis is a tough one-often it's overuse injuries and you are correct you need to rest it-but keep range of motion is very important. Look into PT sessions with someone who is knowledgeable. I found one who is very reasonable-got to set it up-they can show you exercises to keep range of motion and reduce pain.

 

[arouetta]

Absolutely no way to ride a bike with a sling on. I tried. Luckily I tried by taking the sling off and simply holding my arm in place because I would have had a nasty fall if I couldn't have gotten my right hand on the handlebars and brake.

 

[betsygee]

Happy Birthday! Scotch and cake sounds good.

 

[artiemom]

Bike riding is a definite No-No when you have elbow AND Shoulder issues.
Immobilization for a bit is the key... and ICE..

Can you take Aleve? That helped me for a while, but I have to be careful with my stomach. I also use Arthritis Strength Tylenol and the largest ice pack I could find. This is for my shoulder.. yes, my dominate arm also, the right one.

I know how it is to have to take care of yourself.. it is terrible. I was resorting to cold cut sandwiches, and peanut M&M's... yes, my feel good food. and Yogurt...although the cover was a pain to remove.. as was opening cans of cat food.

You do need to have some physical therapy when the inflammation reduces a bit.. It can help so much.. I loved the TENS unit the Therapist used after the session. She used it after I had surgery.

Still, at this date, ICE is my friend... and using a bra strap on that shoulder...

At my worst, I was attacking wine..red wine..
I have now switched to scotch and water.

I had a small cartilage tear, bursitis (bursa sac removed), tendonitis (one branch of the tendon was cut off the bone), arthritis, bone spur, and should have had the collar bone cut by 1 cm. Surgeon did not think it was necessary at the time, but it should have been done. I still have pain..

I also had a minor frozen shoulder which my Physical Therapist was finally able to maneuver out..

and from having my arm in a sling for so long, I developed nerve pain in the elbow which demonstrates itself as periodic numbness in the last couple of fingers, and a pulling in the elbow (like an elastic) if I keep my arm bent too long.

You need to see a good orthopedic surgeon. I ended up seeing 4 of them.. yes 4.. because it was a work injury. I had a not so good one originally; finally realized that and asked my PCP for a referral to an excellent orthopedic hospital.

You also need a referral from an orthopedist for physical therapy.

One thing I would suggest is to periodically, about 3-4 times a day, take your arm out of the sling, bend over, with the arm hanging in front like an elephant's trunk, sway your hips in a circle, your arm should follow your body.. do not swing from the shoulder..
This helps keep from having a frozen shoulder...

You should not force any effort with this shoulder.. if you do, you are only asking for more issues.. I know. If it hurts, do not do it... do not try to be a tuff guy.. this is serious stuff.

I wish you all the best of luck.. I mean it...

and Happy Birthday.. Things will improve.. they will.. I know. I ended up amazing all the orthopedic doctors and my physical therapist with the extended range of motion I achieved.. That are amazed at that.. I worked hard for that.

It will get better.. (((HUGS)))

 

[neely]

Happy Birthday! Keep moving is great advice. I tell myself that each and every day but if you don't have full range of motion I can understand it might be difficult for you. DH had tendonitis from working out lifting weights so he iced his elbow frequently and kept it wrapped with an ace bandage. It did improve and helped a great deal. Good luck and please don't let it ruin your special day.

 

[denice]

I am 61, one of the old baby boomers, and believe me I get it about the aches and pains. I remember my father saying 'it's hell getting old' and there is the old saying 'getting old isn't for sissies'. I had a shoulder impingement that lasted several months and that was really disabling. I didn't realize how disabling until I didn't have full use of a shoulder. I had some exercises given to me by a physical therapist which I did daily and Aleve. I was beginning to think I wasn't going to get over it but I finally did.

 

[Winchester]

I am way too young to have all these aches and pains. Way too young. I'm at the tail end of Gen X, we're not old like those Baby Boomers.

I'm tempted to check out what liquor I have in the house. What goes with birthday cake?

Hey woman, watch what you say about those Baby Boomers. I happen to be one and I'm not old! Not by a long shot. No matter what my body tells you.

A very I have found that tequila goes extremely well with birthday cake. (Trust a not-old Baby Boomer)

 

[sivyaleah]

Arthritis here. 58 years old. Not considered a boomer - I'm kind of in the middle of two groups.

Biggest problem is my knees. It developed from several surgeries to fix a torn meniscus (had it happen 3x, twice on the right knee, once on the left). I also have it in my neck, toes and apparently fingers. Those don't give me too much problem but the knees are a big issue.

I agree keep moving no matter how difficult it might be. I only recently was given, finally, medication which has taken the edge off enough to allow me to move around a lot better (Sulindec). The biggiest problem is the weight I gained from not being active for too long.

BTW I personally don't recommend scotch LOL. Why? Because then you'll be drunk and be more prone to falling and well, who needs even more pain?
Happy happy birthday!

 

[kashmir64]

In my 50's. I do have arthritis in my cerebral spine, but the biggest issue is my shoulders. Have almost no cartilage left in my left shoulder, and the bone is scraping and catching every time I move it. And now my right shoulder is acting the same. I'll live, it's a long way from my heart so the saying goes.

Happy Birthday Arouetta. I was thinking more along the lines of a Kahlua drink. Like a Mudslide or something.

 

[kashmir64]

O.K. so I guess this is part of being old. I was watching something, put it on pause to buffer and came on TCS.
I don't even know what a cerebral spine is, but that's what came out.
It's my cervical spine.