brain-dump for the people who asked me for specifics about the arthritis

[the_siobhan]

So I still have to follow up with my doctor, but it's almost certain that I have the osteoarthritis version. No inflammation, no swelling, not really any impact to range of motion. The only thing on the wikipedia site that doesn't fit is where it says that symptoms don't improve with movement, since mine definitely do.

I had been assuming that the stiffness in my back every morning was solely a result of the old injury but it's gradually gotten worse even as my core muscles have gotten stronger. It literally feels like somebody hammered a steel plate across the back of my pelvis. I have to wake up to roll over in bed because I can't shift my torso at all without engaging arms and legs in lifting me up and changing my position. The first few minutes of every day involve me hobbling to the bathroom hanging onto walls and dressers and bedposts and swearing a blue streak as every joint in my body boots up and comes online. Five minutes after that I'm walking around completely normally and wondering what all the fuss was about.


My back is obviously the worst site but I also get stiffness in my knees, ankles and hips. It doesn't hurt - at least not once I get past that first two minutes of standing up in the morning. I don't have the weather vane effect. I'm just stiff. Certain movements elicit loud grinding or popping noises - I notice that more when I'm doing something like pilates rather than during normal daily movement, but it occasionally it just happens at random.


My chiro already had me taking Glucosamine and Chondroitin. I'm back to exercising. A hot shower directed at my back feels awesome.

What else?