Spurs, they are a janglin'

I've got a new diagnosis.  No, it's not yet another autoimmune disease.  But some of the symptoms I was experiencing, I had thought were caused by rheumatoid arthritis.

But, alas, it is not so.

Spurs!!

Bone Spurs, that is.

For quite some time, I've had that grinding, crackling noise in my knees when I sit (wasn't all the time, though).  My understanding was that this is extremely common and called crepitus.  I remember my yoga teacher (years ago) saying that it was nothing to be concerned about.  So I ignored the noise.

At various moments over the last several years (shortly after RA was diagnosed), I've wondered if I were developing RA in my knees.  I would feel a full sensation and the knees seem to be swollen, especially my right one.  But we never really looked any further.

Last month, I was climbing up and down a ladder many, many times when prepping and painting the music studio.  (I still need to take photos and post them.  I just got the newly-framed pictures back this week....so soon.)  I know that I put a lot of pressure on my knees, strained them, twisted them, abused them.

Since then, my knees have been hurting, especially my right knee.  It's the one which has felt wrenched.  I would take it easy, taking stairs one at a time to avoid the shooting pain, and hope that healing would occur.  The pain simply became outrageous enough that I called my doctor.

X-rays were taken of my knee and I received a referral to an orthopedic doctor in return.  Bottom line is that I have bone spurs under my kneecap.  I believe that he said the official (long) name of what I have is chondromalacia patella.  (However, I didn't write it down and have just tried to find something which sounds vaguely familiar and fits my symptoms.  I think that's what he said.)

The doctor also used another term which I didn't like to hear.  He mentioned osteoarthritis.  Dang it, early OA of the knee(s). 


The good news was that I was the recipient of a wonderful steroid injection in my knee.  The pain has diminished.  The crackling has diminished.  The joint moves much more smoothly now.   Now I kinda wish that my left knee had received the special treatment too.  It is still stiff and crackly (although not nearly as bad as my right knee had gotten). 

The advice of of the orthopedic doctor?  Ride that stationary bike 30 minutes, 3 times per week.  Best thing I could do for my quality of life as an MS patient.  His advice echoes that of my rheumatologist too.  Now, I really, REALLY, need to move that bike into a location where it is easy to use.