Lower back/neck/shoulder pain

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Garrylee
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Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2015 3:30 pm
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by Garrylee on Tue Oct 25, 2016 9:08 am

Lower back/neck/shoulder pain

I had been diagnosed ( over a decade ago now ) with osteoarthritis of my knee , (had two operations after an industrial injury ) that has migrated(?) to other parts of my body.
I was told it was a progressively degenerative disease so I tried to stay ahead of the oncoming issues by getting an orthopaedic mattress ( very firm).
Was I mistaken, as now , I have no sleep pattern and wake up many times every night? I wake up worse than when I went to bed. I realise we are all individuals but I do not know any manufacturer that will allow people to use a mattress for a sufficient time span to discover whether it is the 'right one'.
Are there solid base questions and rules to follow when picking a bed/mattress other than just 2 minutes lying on it in a show-room?
My Doctor says my arthritis is progressing well... it's ok we both have a sense of humour. :)
By the way in response to a previous question/comment , I am so much better after going to the gym and I go about 5 times a week .
Regards , Garry

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Arthritis Care
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Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2016 10:27 am
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by Arthritis Care on Tue Oct 25, 2016 12:08 pm

Re: Lower back/neck/shoulder pain

Hi Garry,
Choosing the right mattress can be tough, as you’ve already experienced. Unfortunately there isn’t one type that suits everyone – even people with the same diagnosis.
One avenue that may be worth pursuing is to get the advice of an Occupational Therapist (OT): http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/occupation ... ction.aspx. You can do this by contacting your local social services department, or by contacting an OT who works privately.
Arthritis Care hosts an online community made up of people who have arthritis. The question of choosing a mattress was posted by a member of the community earlier this year. It resulted in the following discussion, which I hope will be helpful to read: http://arthritiscareforum.org.uk/viewto ... t=mattress.
You are, of course, welcome to join the online community and post your own question and/or phone the Arthritis Care Helplines on 0808 808 4050.
Best wishes,
Rachael, Helplines Worker

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Arthritis Action
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Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2016 1:27 pm
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by Arthritis Action on Tue Oct 25, 2016 7:27 pm

Re: Lower back/neck/shoulder pain

Hello Garry,

Osteoarthritis used to be thought of as a progressive degenerative condition but we now know that this is definitely not the case. There are lots of things that you can do to help yourself and as you have already discovered, exercise is a great start. Sleep disturbance can, in itself, make pain worse. A study in fit army recruits who were sleep deprived found that many developed widespread pain, so part of your solution may be to improve your sleep quality. There are again many things that you can try, for example avoiding stimulants such as caffeine, keeping your bedroom cool and dark, avoiding blue light from computers before bed and having some exercise early in the evening or afternoon. Medication such as amitriptyline can sometimes help to improve your sleep quality after a couple of months and can help reduce pain. Physical therapies such as physiotherapy, osteopathy, chiropractic, or massage, yoga or Pilates can all help reduce pain and improve sleep. Try Arthritis Action for more advice on all these things.

Wendy

Dr Wendy Holden
Consultant Rheumatologist and Medical Advisor to Arthritis Action

www.arthritisaction.org.uk
info@arthritisaction.org

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