UKC

So it's official - I have arthritis in the ball of my foot. Great. GP says - 'sorry, wear and tear, nothing can be done.'

Any better offers out there?

In reply to Rob Exile Ward:

I will swap my MS(PP) for your arthritis PM me if you think it's a deal...

In reply to Rob Exile Ward:



I'll exchange it for my cervical stenosis !

In reply to Rob Exile Ward:

Anti TNF drugs? Depends how bad it is really. I have had Humira prescribed for my arthritis and it is doing the trick (basically like i never had it).

In reply to Rob Exile Ward:

I can highly recommend Naproxen(NSAID) Ask your doctor. It is seriously good and I always carry a supply(on prescription) in my first aid kit

In reply to Rob Exile Ward:

As a physio, I regularly see patients who've been referred by their GP for a 'frozen shoulder'. Nine times out of ten, it isn't that, and an in depth postural approach is required to get it working better.

Less frequently, they refer individuals because of poor balance/falls.
Some of them have been told by their GP that they have arthritic feet, but that this observation is purely incidental and they need physio exercises.

Some of these that I send on to the Podiatrist for supportive/corrective insoles do remarkably well. I'd advise you give them a try too.

I think that many GPs don't utilise podiatrists as well as they could for the benefit of their patients. As gatekeepers to access other NHS services, I guess they don't realise how to use 'all the tools in their GP box'
The old adage about 'if the only tool you've got is a hammer, then everything starts to look like a nail' springs to mind.



GP's tend to focus on the big stuff that they see as important.

In reply to llechwedd:

So, your recommendation is a private podiatrist then? (Which I'm probably going to do anyway.)

In reply to Rob Exile Ward:
or an NHS one.
The rest of my post was context.

Never mind, glad that you found it accorded with what you were going to do anyway.

In reply to Rob Exile Ward:

I was diagnosed with OA in both big toes in 1986, was referred to a podiatrist who devised insoles. These did no good at all. Fortunately a climbing mate who was a GP knew a surgeon who wanted to try a novel op. The 'knuckle' joints of both big toes were replaced with silicon rubber joints that were supposed to last ten years. They're still going strong and climbing was OK with stiffish boots.

There are modern joint replacements that are apparently more effective than mine. I guess the trick is to find/persuade someone to refer you.