Your questions on joint care and joint pain have been answered by the consultants from Spire Healthcare

Can you recommend the best exercises for chronic back pain.

my husband has a slightly swollen ankle which hurts everyday, he hasn't done anything to it, but it is a niggling pain, Doctor gave him some Fenbid but he stopped using it after a frightening experience one evening (almost like he was having a LSD trip/overdose)

Hi there. For the last 3 years I have suffered with lower back pain, and neck pain that starts from the top of my shoulder blade and up the side of my neck and my head. X-rays show arthritis in both cases, and my GP has prescribed Amitriptyline 20 mg. I also do specific exercises that are supposed to help for the pain. The neck pain is quite severe at times. My question is this: Should my GP be referring me for an MRI or CT scan which would give a more detailed picture of any possible damage to my spine? John K

I have pain in both knees, one more than the other. As, so far, I can sleep undisturbed by pain I haven’t asked my GP about it. I’m trying to lose weight (some small success) & have another stone to lose. What more can I do to prevent the deterioration of my knee joints?

Due to a torn meniscus I had an arthroscopy 10 years ago but have been in worsening pain ever since. I was told that the cartilage was practically non-existent and I'm now struggling to walk more than several yards without needing to rest. I'm afraid of going down the knee replacement route and wonder if a less extreme procedure is possible?

I have a sore elbow, how do I know if its tennis elbow or arthritis

I have had one TKR and should at some point have another. I’m not in pain from the ‘old’ knee but awaken with strong lower back pain and often my hip is painful. I try not to take paracetamol too often and sprinkle powdered turmeric on food. What else can I do?

I have severe arthritis in both knees, went for x ray and was told to come back in four years time, I have more than gone over that time now, but with Covid am afraid to mention it to my Dr again, I am on Pain killers Narproxin prescribed by the doctor , but now can only walk short distances, also my wrist is fused and I get terrible pains in my fingers and backs of my hands, I cannot exercise as I would like, so am putting on weight, is there any thing I can do to help my condition, as some days the pain is excruciating.

I have an enlarged thumb joint at the base of my thumb on my left hand which is painful. Is there anything I can do to relieve this or is it going to get worse. My Osteopath seems to think there is a ganglion on the tendon

I’m really sorry to hear what painful conditions some grans are having to endure.

My question is about my osteoarthritic hands. I have several Heberden’s nodes and painful joints. My main concern is a large Bouchard’s nodule on one finger which is painful and keeps getting knocked. Could I have it removed, and is there anything I can do to prevent further deterioration? Thank you.

Like my parents before me, I take a daily cod liver oil capsule in an attempt to ward off joint problems. Could you please advise as to whether this is at all beneficial or am I just wasting my money?

Second frozen shoulder; this one caused by ‘flu jab given inaccurately. First shoulder treated with two steroid injections. This one has had one injection, but GP who did steroid injections has left general practice. Told to wait six months, when there might be someone qualified. Doing exercises, any more ideas?

I suffer with sciatica in my lower back on my right side. The "exercises" I was given by the physico are impossible as they are mostly on the floor and with two dicky knees there's no way I could get up again! I've trawled the web but can't find a 'cure' , so I take ibuprofen to kill the pain enough to get to sleep but they are only a temporary fix - what can I do that will actually work! I'm 66 and feel like 100, every time I get up from a chair it hurts, if I do anything like gardening it takes a week to recover. I swim but it doesn't really help once I'm out of the water. Suggestions welcome!

My arthritic knee can suddenly 'go' and I am then in pain and unable to do the exercise, including cycling, which was suggested by my physio and helps to build up the muscles surrounding the cartilage to support my knee.
How best do I deal with this situation? I currently use high dose ibuprofen, paracetamol and heat/cold sprays and gels and avoid exercise but would like to cut down on painkillers.

My mother has arthritis and I was wondering if it was a genetic problem or if there was something that would stop me from getting it in future.

What's the best thing for knee pain I've had most of my life please? It's worse when it's cold and wet and it occasionally gives way. Thank you! ?

I have arthritis in both hips (diagnosed after scans) which caused me pain at work whenever I stood up from my office chair, since I have been working from home and using a wooden dining chair, the pain has gone and my hips are so much better. Unfortunately I will soon have to return to working in the office, can you recommend a style of chair I could use as they won’t allow me to use a dining room style chair.

I have osteoarthritis in my left knee, which is quite well managed with gentle exercise.

In consultation with my GP, I do 35/40 mins of gentle exercise x 5 times a week, usually walking or the exercise bike. I have gently increased the duration over many months and can now manage to walk 1.5 miles per day.
I am on a calorie counted eating plan and have lost 22.5% of my body weight in 18 months.

My issue is that often my knee hurts when I am taking exercise (maybe 3 on a scale of 1:10) but I continue with the walk/cycle.
Is this the right approach?

Hello. from about May 2020, and worried about Covid, I stopped taking my methotrexate, which I normally take with sulphasalzine for Rheumatoid arthritis. I stopped taking the methotrexate because I am aware that it can cause severe irreversible chest problems, especially if one has a chest infection. This made sense to me, in that, if I did get Covid I would have a better chance of survival.
Do you think I was wrong in doing so?

My issue seems minor compared to others, but it prevents me from pursuing my hobbies of knitting and crochet, so here goes:

My thumb joint becomes very painful from repetitive movements required by e.g. knitting. I presume it's becoming arthritic. I don't want to give up my creative hobbies (although I sometimes give it a break to ease the joint pain) because I find it soothing and enjoyable. Would it help if I wore a joint support whilst working?

I have pain in my left hip but only at night, if is not severe more like a niggle, as if someone is pressing a finger into my hip, I take paracetamol and ibuprofen at night before bec but it doesn't always help.

I have just been prescribed Letrozole after Breast Cancer one of the side effects seems to be
joint pain in my right hip is there anything apart from painkillers. I've tried different makes.

I'm 77. Hate taking any medications (on the grounds that there are always side effects). Have led an active life. Just over 10 years ago, I had two operations on my spine, the first unsuccessful, the second successful (fusion). I exercise daily: walking, swimming, cycling. However, I do experience aches and pains, especially in my knees: in one, the feeling is as if it's dislocating, painfully but briefly, before it appears to 're-set'. This often happens in bed at night. I've learned to live with it.
My question is: What would you recommend in terms of diet, exercise or alternative therapies to manage what feel almost like the inevitable aches and pains of getting older?

I have had lumber pain for 60 years (I am 82) ever since my 1st baby was born. I was told it would go away but it didn't.
My GP won't refer me for any scans saying that by now arthritis will have set in and all that can be done is is pain relief or a spinal block.
I fell and fractured L1 two years ago, this doesn't trouble me 24/7 like the 60 year-old pain, just flares up when I overdo things.
I am on morphine for this.
I am constantly in such pain I wish I could just not wake up one morning, I pray its tomorrow.

I have arthritis in my hands, big toe, and left knee, and the top of my spine at the neck and my lower back have begun to be painful as well. Consequently I am unable to stay comfortable or asleep in bed for very long. Can you suggest a treatment or painkiller which would be helpful please?