Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

20 year old, possible arthritis

Hi, wondering if anyone can help me out. I am a 20 year old male used to be very active and enjoy all sorts of sport especially weight lifting. Since i was 17 i have been having pain in my shoulder's which has continued to get worse over time. I carried on training with the pain in my shoulder after advise from a physio untill january last year which then the pain was so bad i had to stop. Also having trouble with my back and after the doctor and phsyio saying there was nothing wrong which i was convinced they were wrong i payed for a private mri scan last june and that found osteoarthritis in my lower back, since then things have got alot worse being out of the gym i tried to start running and my knees have gone bad aswell with similar symptoms as in my shoulders. I have been going to see a sports therapist once a week and he has said that there is more than three things wrong with each shoulder and there is also pain coming from the ac joint. I am never not in pain with my shoulders and back, can't sleep propely becasue i keep waking up because of the pain. My syptoms in my shoulder are a constant dull type of ache pain, grinding, poping and crunching noises when moving the shoulders and i have aslo started to develope weakness yet the mri scan back in june came back clear with nothing wrong. Becasue of all of this happening i can't get a job and being out of the gym it has causes BDD, depression, anxiety and anger problems. The doctors seem to keep saying as the scan found nothing there is nothing wrong with me and wont help. On top of all that since i have been out of the gym last march i started getting palpatations and still have them to this day. My neck and upper back aslo hurt, not sure whether that is becasue of bad posture though. Thanks in advance.
15 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
What type of doctor did you go to, to get the live blood analysis?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi, can you please tell me what test you had to determine that your had this?  My 20 year old daughter has been living with lower back and knees pain that keeps her award and its hard for her to stand for very long. Nothing has helped and the doctors can't figure it out. She has done physical therapy, MRI, x-rays and blood work...with no answers.
Helpful - 0
4298589 tn?1352403439
im 20 years old i was just told i have lower lumbar arthritis, it took a lot of tests to figure this out. now ima be in pain manager for the rest of my life. which is not helpin cause  over the counter meds help more. all i have to say is keep lookin for another doctor. they said in 5 or 10 years i will have fake discs and a rod in my back along with a spinal lower fusion. yay me. it runs in my family and im only 110 lbs so its not from being big. and only 5 foot 1. so its happens to us younger generations...
Helpful - 0
469901 tn?1276563623
I apologize for getting the name wrong, but the treatment plans that I have found are pretty much the same.  Tendonosis requires longer to heal.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Anyone else??
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I don't have tendonitis i have tendonosis, they are two different things and require different treatments. Tendonosis is degeneration of the tendon rarley with inflammation but in my case i also have inflammation which is going to make treatment really difficult as treatment for the inflammation makes tendonosis worse. As far i know there is no cure for tendonosis. I haven't done any activity for nealry 2 years and have had this problem for over 3 years.
Helpful - 0
469901 tn?1276563623
I would definitely see what the surgeon says and talk to doctor who referred you to him/her.  When cortisone shots are not an option, surgical correction is the next step.  What I have read indicates that the first step is to stop the activity that triggered the tendonitis for 3 weeks, then ease back into activity.  If that does not workand you have an extreme case (which it sounds like you do) then surgery is the next step.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
The ortopedic surgeon that i seen last said that there was no longterm damage there and to carry on training and if it was still bad when i see him next whcih will be next month he would give me cortizone shots but that was before the ultrasound found this wrong and i was suppose to see the surgeon neary 2 months ago but they still haven't called for me.

The doctor that sone the scan said the same thing the only ting that i can do is have cortizone shots and to never train again and there was no surgery needed.

What's weired is a mri scan foundnothing wrong back in june last year.
Helpful - 0
469901 tn?1276563623
Cortisone can cause your tendons to tear.  What did the doctor say could be done for you?  Did he say?  What about the bursa tear and the degeneration in the ac joint?  Is there anything they can do for that?  Did he mention surgery or a followup?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi just thought i would update you on some news i have. Two days ago i had a ultrasound on both shoulder's and these were the results -

Right shoulder: Normal appearance to biceps tendon. Normal appearance to the subscapularis. There is tendonosis of the supraspinatous. Normal appearance to infraspinatous. Degenerative change in the acromioclavicular joint.

Left shoulder: Normal appearance to biceps tendon. Normal appearance to the subscapularis. There is tendonosis of the supraspinatous. There is a small delaminated tear of the bursal surface of the supraspinatous. Normal appearance to infraspinatous. Degenerative change in the acromioclavicular joint.

The doctor that done the scan recommended that i should never train again and the problem is going to continue to get worse. This is really bad news for me as i love training and since i have been out of the gym it has caused a number of mental health problems so i will do and take anything to get me back training as i am only 20.

As for the cortizone 3 doctors have told me that i should not have them as they will damage the tendon's even more untill they will tear completly. People that i know that have had them have also said that the cortizone either didn't work or only worke'd for 1-4 week's then things were back like they were before the injection.

I am located in port talbot which is near swansea in south wales.Thanks for all the help everyone.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi Dan,

First let me say I really sympathize with you.  Since a surgery I had 2 years ago to fix an iossue in my hip joint I have hd nothing but joint pain, in both hip - told I need both replaced, in my spine - feels like the bones are 'hitting' each other and in shoulders - crunching like you describe and major pain in a/c joint - also had rotator cuff injury - yes it's reallyu miserable.

I have been from Dr. to Dr. and they cannot really tell me why this has happened when i used to be so healthy.  Reluctant to get surgery (hip replacement) after bad experience last time, or at least keep that as a very last resort I've tried lots of holistic methods - most without much success, although accupuncture does help for a while and meditation CD's allow me to get a decent rest.

Recently I had a 'live blood analysis' done and was really amazed!  The guy who did it was a PHD and incredibly knowlegable.  Whjen my blood was really magnified hew was able to see a 'stealth pathogen' a tiny organism about the size of a pin head when my red b. cell was magnified to the size of a pencil eraser.  It was called 'mycoplasma arthritides'  Because it had no cell walls, the white cells couldn't find it this caused them to attack my joint tissues instead.

I know lots of people might think this is hocus pocus - and may be if performed by anyone less than a real scientist with lots of experience - but to me it was the answer that nobody else was able to come up with and explained a lot!  It also wasn't super expensive - less than most tests etc. and I am convinced I now have the answers I need to heal my whole body.  If you are thinking about it be sure to go to someone really really good.  I have a friend whose RA is much better since she went to this guy, which is a great endorsement.  You are too young to suffer like this so whatever you do I really hope you are able to get help.

Where are you located?
Helpful - 0
469901 tn?1276563623
Have they given you steroid injections for the tendonitis?  That always helps me when mine flairs up.  I think you may need a fresh set of eyes on your symptoms.  Ask about having autoimmune tests run on your blood.  (Arthritis can be an autoimmune condition.)  While you are young, it is worth being tested to be sure.  It could be that you do need surgery, but I would highly recommend you get a second opinion before you move forward with that plan.  Please let us know what you find out and get the lab results from the doc.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
The only other other test the doctor done was a full blood count which was normal. The sports therapist said that i have tendon damge, a bild up of scar tissue on top of the tendons which he has broke most of it down but because the tendons are damged i have constant tendonitis which won't go. I have a similar problem at the back of the shoulder and aslo what worries me is the pain that is coming from the ac joint. All pain that i have is made worse with any sort of activity and my lower back is always hurting, the pain is all across the lower. The sport therapist thinks i need a operation on the both shoulders to see what's acually happening and to do something to the bone to stop the grinding, crunching and poping.
Helpful - 0
469901 tn?1276563623
Pain is a misery.  Worse when you see doctors and cannot seem to get out of it.  We so want them to fix us.  What tests were run besides xrays and MRI?  Did anyone do lab work on you?  If so, do you have the results?  The sports doc that said there were 3 things wrong with your shoulders, what did he say could be done to correct them?  How are the docs treating your symptoms?  Do you have lower back pain?  What about in your "sit" bone?  Do you hurt more with activity or with rest?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Anyone?
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Arthritis Community

Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Find out how beta-blocker eye drops show promising results for acute migraine relief.
Could it be something you ate? Lack of sleep? Here are 11 migraine triggers to look out for.
Find out if PRP therapy right for you.
Tips for preventing one of the most common types of knee injury.
Here are 10 ways to stop headaches before they start.
Tips and moves to ease backaches