“From a affected person’s perspective, joint ache can really feel like accelerated ageing, stiffness, swelling, and deep ache in any joint, particularly the knees, hips, and arms,” Dr. August says. “Mobility might be restricted and easy actions can appear exhausting and painful.”
Getting therapy for acromegaly is crucial place to begin in managing joint ache, says Atil Kargi, M.D., an endocrinologist who focuses on acromegaly at UNC Well being in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Dr. Kargi additionally recommends bodily remedy and commonplace ache drugs reminiscent of ibuprofen. Nevertheless, at all times verify together with your well being care supplier earlier than making an attempt any new over-the-counter drugs.
Dr. Balasubramanian says that if IGF-1 ranges might be lowered early within the illness course of, it might be doable to reverse some joint modifications. But when the modifications turn into everlasting, she says you’ll be able to ask about steroid or gel injections. “In extreme circumstances, joint substitute surgical procedure could also be required.”
Other than medical therapy, August has discovered the next suggestions to assist her and others with acromegaly joint ache.
- Light, constant, non-weight bearing actions reminiscent of biking or stretching
- Power coaching to help joints if doable
- Anti-inflammatory dietary decisions
- Take heed to your physique as an alternative of pushing via the ache
“A very powerful factor is to not normalize ache,” Dr. August says, urging folks with acromegaly joint ache to advocate for imaging, testing, and therapy choices.
