What can I expect as I get older? I am not comfortable now because of widespread osteoarthritis?

Question

I have widespread arthritis from my neck to lower back from too much hard, heavy work when I was young. There are spurs, nodes, herniation & end plate damage etc.I am 56 & had a double laminectomy at 28. What can I expect as I get older?

Answer 1

49 with Rheumatoid Arthritis since I was 21 and now disc problem. Osteoarthritis is 'wear and tear' and the spine is DDD or degenerative disc disease which is not a disease but part of aging. What to expect as you get older? Well the good news the DDD will resolve itself as the discs dehydrate. The spurs will probably fuse parts of the spine, therefore pain will be less because you will not be able to bend, twist. End plate damage, is normal. By the time we reach 50, we all have widespread osteoarthritis. However with the correct exercise and treatment, you can still be mobile well into your 90's. However you need to start now and talk to a Rheumatologist, then seek PT and listen to what they say and what they tell you to do. Good news today, seems they have cracked OA of the knee, found out the pain is caused by weak knee muscles, which is why PT is so important.

Answer 2

There are a number of ways to deal with arthritis in addition to conventional treatments. Some of the other alternatives out there can include things like accupuncture. Sometimes arthritis can go in to remission.

But in the end each case of osteoarthritis is different. I'm 36 years old and have been dealing with osteoarthritis since I was 19 and have noticed changes in my arthritis.

My rheumatologist is doing his best to try and keep things in check with the help of injections and also a muscle relaxer (because I also have fibromyalgia).

If you have a rheumatologist ask him/her about other arthritic conditions that could be making this worse as well to see if they are a possibility for the changes going on inside.