Jeev wrote:
> Around 2 months back, my wife (38 years old) started having pain in one
> of her knees. Mainly the pain happens when she squats - sometimes so bad
> that
> she couldn't squat - other times it used to be Ok.There was a small
swelling
> also,
> & very little redness. We had visited the doctor - he said we aren't
going
> to make a diagnosis now - we will wait for a couple of weeks, before we
> send her for tests etc. He said this could be an injury or
osteoarthritis or
> rheumatoid arthritis.
> He gave her a COX-2 inhibitor & asked her to return after 2 weeks.
> He didn't ask her to stop activity, but said that she should avoid it
> whenever she could - i.e. if she could sit & cook, she should do that
> rather than standing & doing it. Likewise, avoid unneccessary walking
> - combine trips etc. Excersies to be done while sitting or sleeping &
> that too only after a week or two.
>
> After 3-4 days she started getting chest pains & I did a little googling
> about COX-2 inbitors & we called the doctor. He asked her to stop
> the medicine & visit him. However we are currently travelling & hence
> will be visiting him only after a couple of weeks more.
> However, the chest pain stopped immediatelly after stopping the Cox-2
> inhibitor.
>
> In the mean time, on the advice of an aunt, my wife started a few
things.
> - Glucosamine 500 - thrice a day
> - Chondroitin 400 - thrice a day
> - Garlic - 2 pieces in the morning
> - Calcium supplements.
>
> 10 days of this & her pain has reduced by 70%. There is only trace
> pain left now.
>
> Since she took multiple stuff, we don't know if any of them caused
> the improvement or did it happen automatically.
> Since there is a couple of weeks more till she visits the doc, I wanted
> to know the opinion of people here - does this sound like arthritis -
> what type?
> How long can one take Glucosamine/Chondroitin - i.e.is it to be
> taken lifelong or only for a few months? Any other supplements
> which may help? Will applying ice/heat help?
>
> Also my wife has stopped all kinds of excercise since this
> started. She used to do an hour of walking everyday & 1/2
> hour of dancing few times a week, earlier. She has almost
> stopped this. She is marginally overweight - 5 to 10 pounds.
> What kind of exercise is safe for her to do?
>
> The doctor she visited for this is not our regular doc.
> Our regular doc is on a 6 month vacation or something.
> He will be back only in Aug/Sept. We will visit the
> other doc once we are back from our travel, however.
>
>
>
Perhaps her knee cap is running out of its groove.
That action sometimes causes similar symptoms.
If that's what it is, simple exercises can correct it and she
will be able to squat once more.
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