I've been diagnosed with arthralgia? (really long sorry but please read!)?!
Question: I've been diagnosed with arthralgia? (really long sorry but please read!)?
Sometimes I'm just fine and I don't hurt, and other times like the past week or two I can't stand the pain. I'm home schooled, so when I'm having pain I stay in bed all day lol. But for the past 2 months or so I haven't been having many (if any) problems, and I convinced my mom that I'm fine and I don't need any meds anymore. So, I have meds here that I can take, but quite honestly I don't like taking pills because I don't see immediate relief, and it takes a couple days to a few weeks to work! By the time the stupid meds decide to work, the pain is a bit better and I can go without meds!
But what can I do for now that doesn't involve meds (excluding Tylenol) to make the pain go away? Right now it hurts the most in my left hip and knee, in my elbows and a bit in my shoulders. My hands and wrists hurt too, but that might be because I'm typing (I'm supposed to be doing a history project, but I can't concentrate)
It's getting really annoying! What can I do to help it? Like home remedies and exercises/stretches? My physical therapist had given me some exercises to do with my hands for relief and made braces for them, but I lost them somewhere in my closet and I don't feel like going and hunting for them.
I also have severe allergies to outside things (grass, trees, dust, mold, animals etc), asthma (which is pretty much under control now) and really annoying tinnitus.
The doctor said it wasn't growing pains because of the x-rays they took and the blood tests they did. She said that its quite possible that I'm developing arthritis and I'm in the early stages, or that I will possibly have arthritis in the future.
I think I'm cursed...
Also, one more thing - about my Tinnitus...is that from this stupid arthralgia curse? Or just from listening to my mp3 player to relax? Thanks for any help you can give me! :)
Answers:
Arthralgia is not a specific disease, but a symptomatic description of your condition. It simply means that you have joint pain (arthr = joint and -algia means pain).
Arthritis is also a symptomatic classification, this time it means joint inflammation (arthr = joint and -itis means inflammation).
The difference between the two then, is simply that arthritis is accompanied by joint inflammation (maybe with pain too), whilst arthralgia means joint pain with no inflammation.
There can be many causes of joint pain, and treatment depends on the cause more than the symptom. With your severe allergies, an allergic reaction might be the cause of the pain. Sometimes it can be caused by an allergy to medication. Did the pain start when you started meds for something else (eg asthma)? The pain may also be caused by juvenile idiopathic arthritis or JIA. This is a condition where your own antibodies attack your joints, for reasons unknown (idiopathic means unknown cause). The high rheumatoid factor would suggest this (it used to be called juvenile rheumatoid arthritis).
Your doctor and/or your mum really need to explain all of this too you in more detail, you are old enough to understand. It's important that you get the right treatment, there are various drug options depending on your case (non steroid anti inflammatory drugs, corticosteroid injections, TNF blockers, etc). In some cases, not taking your meds might make it worse in the long run, so please talk to your doctor before stopping your meds. That's important!!
Swimming is about the best exercise you can get. Ice packs can relieve pain whilst warm baths can help improve mobility of stiff joints. Do you have a therapist that helps you out with exercises and stuff? If not, ask your mum to speak to your doctor.
I suspect the tinnitus is from your mp3 player if you have it up loud! Though some medications can also cause tinnitus, again ask your doctor.
Take care and good luck!