It's all down hill after 40

Geez, sorry to hear that, MB. I don't know about the age thing in relation to osteoarthritis, of which I know nothing, but 42 is a great age. 50 is better, mind you, but you're getting there.

Please keep us posted on the diagnosis and prognosis. I'll look it up after I finish serving breakfast.

Don't worry, 40 year old women are HOT, arthritis or not.

Osteoarthritis can creep up on you slowly. I have arthritis a couple of my fingers. I have had cortisone injections, which in one case, solved the problem. In another, the orthopedist made me a small brace for my thumb. Wearing it for a few hours for a number of days cleared things up for a long time.

I have found that triple strength capsaicin cream can often bring relief.

http://altmedicine.about.com/od/completeazindex/a/capsaicin_cream.htm

I have arthritis in my hands... a real pain in the ass for a guitar player. Treat it and ignore it as much as possible.... that's really all you can do.

I have some arthritis. And I am 38.
I have some other problems that I sometimes say that I was too young to get.
Sometimes you get dealt with some bad genes or injuries.
Yeah, it's not fair. But it's not all about age. Shrug.
Taking care of yourself and get proper medical treatment is all you can do.

(I could have said it was all downhill after 34, but I have alot of living left to do!)

Carpal Tunnel might be fixable but I won't ever wish to have it again.

Sometimes I read about the ailments of people and realize how very fortunate I have been. Never, in all my years, have I had a single medical problem. Wait....do crabs count as a problem? They didn't hurt me or anything. They didn't cause me too much discomfort. Oh, sure, a little itching now and then, but they eventually died of old age and I was able to put away my scratching stick.

I still have that stick, now that I think about it; one of those thin plastic sticks with the hand shape on the end. I liked the thin part because I could do my scratching without taking off my jeans -- simply slide the scratcher down and start the process of scratching. Plus, I would imagine that thin, calcified-looking hand was actually the hand of that old lady from The Beverly Hillbillies, (I believe her name was Granny) and the itches were washed away by fantasies of lounging poolside in Beverly Hill, Granny at my side.

I always wanted to do Miss Hathaway. Now there was a fox.

Bear, prepare to be awash in envy. I did Miss Hathaway in the summer of '69.

Oh yeah.

I'm surprised you didn't just use your pitchfork.

He uses pitchfork as eating utensil.

Marty, has the moist rainy weather an affect on arthritis? It seems that
people who live in damp conditions are more prone to arthritis.

hey - sorry to hear about this - yeah 42 does seem too young, but kids get it even, so ... you know... it's just bad luck. I have to deal with physical pain on a daily basis and sometimes i get so frustrated and angry about this (I'm several years younger than you) but there is a LOT you can do to help with that - so don't despair. Okay?
i'm sure you are feeling very down right now but it's important that while you read up on your problem, you look after yourself in other ways - eat well and get sleep, that kind of thing- and keep your mind positive it's important - take the fight to it - know what i mean?
You seem like an energetic sort of person and this thing doesn't need to change you - you may need to adapt, but haven't you always been adaptable?
You're gona be okay. Okay?
cheers and good luck
Endy

Arthritis started creeping up on me about ten years ago - at about age 63, but I only felt it during cold climates. Now, I can still feel it in the summer, but it's much less painful. I try to keep exercising my fingers by making a tight fist so they won't "lock up" on me. It's pretty painful sometimes in winter, but I'm still able to handle the pain without any meds, but it's really difficult to make a tight fist.

I feel your pain. When you get older you just get hurt doing nothing! Last year I tore my achilles' tendons--both of them--and I don't even know how. I just woke up one morning and they were both sore, and they only got worse. It took me over a year of rehabbing them to get to the point I'm at now, where one of them is fine, and I have only minor tenderness in the other. I am starting to think that pain will never totally go away. Gittin' old sucks.

I hear ass massages help.

I think what has me bummed is that I need to start taking anti-inflamatories. I'm not good at taking a regular medication. Maybe I'll treat myself to one of those weekly pill holders.

BPB, I hear ya, my work requires me to have a good grip. Every once in a while I'll just get a sharp shooting pain in my distal middle finger joint.

Gus, I'm sorry to hear about your crabs. Do you still have your scratching stick in case they decide to come back?

Mame, did you turn 50 already? Yeah, I hear ya about our age being great. I'm not as stupid as I was in my 20's and 30's.

CJ, it's been a beautiful summer but with fall comes rain here.