Mom's arthritis...

[Running Mommy]

Hi all-
As most of you probably know from a previous thread, I went out last week to see my mom and her new bike. When I was out there I discovered that she has what appears to be quite an arthritis problem brewing. As I said in a past post, she has very bad bones, so she has to take Boniva. I don't know if what she is experiencing is related to that or not.
After her maiden ride on the new steed she complained of her tail bone hurting. In fact it's still bothering her as of today. When I was out there she said that she also has problems with her hip. It was diagnosed as a knot that can be surigcally shaved off, or she can do exercises to ease the pain. She opted for the exercises. While we were in church I saw her clutching her thumb. She showed it to me and it appeared to be swollen and bluish color. It looked rock hard. She said it felt like someone was poking it with a hot stick??
My guess is that she has some nasty form of arthritis brewing. She has health insurance but a very high deductable, so getting her to the doctor is no small feat. Also she hates taking meds. She has a sensitive stomach (past ulcer problems and I suspect a gluten intolerance) so she says that they upset her stomach.
So my question is, does this sound like arthritis? And if so do any of you know of a holistic approach to getting it under control? She may not take meds, but she has always taken supplements and prefers natural medicine.
I'm really worried about her and I don't want to see her crippled by this or in such pain.
Any input that you ladies have would be great.
Denise

[LBTC]

Denise, that sounds awful! Your poor mom! Of course it makes the most sense for her to see a doctor, and I'm certainly no medical professional. There are a number of supplements that have been known to help relieve joint pain. I take glucosamine for my bad jaw, and it seems to help, and there's a chance that Olbas oil (essential oils, available from health food stores), or an arnica rub (herbal blend) rubbed on the outside of the joints may reduce the pain a bit, too. Both have worked for me very well for various painful areas, but my hurting parts are likely not caused by the same thing, so her mileage may vary.

Hugs and extra soothing butterflies for your mom,
~T~

[Trek420]

Well, as you know I have no medical training whatsoever, and I don't know your Mom so I can't make my totally untrained diagnosis in the first place.

But I do have Arth, pretty much from the neck down.

As far as I know there's only one thing you can do about Arth and that's .... keep moving. Never stop moving, 'cause it's gainin' on ya'

If you stop it gets harder and harder to get going.

Sometimes I hate it that I have to work around it; dress warm such as wear knickers when everyone else is in shorts, warm up more or longer than others have to do, or go out later when I'm loosened up, steel instead of aluminum frame (oh heck, I love steel), I don't like weight lifting but stronger muscles around the joints help so I do it, I hate stretching but I do it too.

The way I feel about Arth is:
The bad news is I have joint problems
The good news is diet and exercise can ease my pain
The bad news is I have to do those things the rest of my life
The good news is I found activities I love to do and that are lifelong.

So your Mom has found something she likes, she has you to encourage her and help her remove obstacles like find solutions to the tailbone thing. Whatever she finds that keeps her moving is good and even if it's NOT Arth that's good for her so .... why not do it anyway.

[Zen]

I have some arthritis in my gimp knee but have never experienced anything like swollen, bluish and a burning pain.

Could she have injured herself and not realized how badly she was injured?

[newfsmith]

I have arthritis in my hands. The slightest bump, or even opening a tough jar can make it flare up rapidly. My knuckles will swell, the blood vessels will appear larger and will be tender. I've never had an entire digit swell, but I'm sure it can happen. Tylenol arthritis "formula" is gentler on the stomach for dealing with the pain. I have had mixed results using Capsacin ointments. At least twice it has given quick relief and seemed to stop a flare-up in it's tracks. However, you must be VERY CAREFUL TO NOT TOUCH ANY MUCUS MEMBRANES until you have washed your hands 4 or 5 times with lots of soap. Otherwise, the burning of the mucus membranes will completely distract you from the arthritic pain. Since my stomach tolerates NSAIDS, I take Ibuprofen, because it helps with the swelling as well as the pain. Elevating the limb can help also.

[Duck on Wheels]

I have osteoarthritis in one ankle, so not as bad as my sister Trek. I also have an inflammatory bowel disease that gives rheumatism pains in the large joints during flare-ups. The combination means I have to avoid NSAIDS and aspirins if I can, since they irritate the guts. My DH also has a rheumatic disease. I do not have any medical training.

Based on that combination of experience, I'd say you should get your Mom to see a doctor and get a clear diagnosis. If indeed it is arthritis, then there are alternatives to NSAIDS or aspirins. I'm taking Glucosamine, Ginger, and Turmeric. They seem to be doing the job. No more knife-like pains in the ankle or hips. And like Trek says, it helps to keep moving. If her tailbone is hurting and she can't bike for now, maybe there's a well-heated pool nearby where she could swim. Walking can also help. And yes, when I've got an ache anywhere, I have to start out dressed warmly and count the first hour or so as warm-up time. Then, usually, the pain eases off and I can enjoy a brisk walk or ride, sometimes even peel off some layers if the weather isn't too cold.

[Torrilin]

People aren't supposed to turn blue. Take them to the doctor when they do. I have no idea what's wrong with her, but turning blue can indicate potentially lethal problems. The symptoms are odd enough that if they're all related, diagnosis should be pretty easy. If they're not it will be harder, but there just can't be that many ailments where body parts begin swelling, turning blue and giving you a burning pain. If that pattern is happening often, she could develop gangrene because enough cells have died to give it a foothold. Not good, and your mom is smart enough to know it.

[Duck on Wheels]

Come to think of it ... I've had arthritis-swollen knuckles, but the only time a joint turned blue was when I broke it. Maybe it's that simple, a broken finger.