# what causes these symptoms **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 25, 2014, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-these-symptoms/694011 "2014-07-25T11:01:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MostlyUseless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MostlyUseless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MostlyUseless)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2014, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-these-symptoms/694011/1 "2014-07-25T11:01:52Z")
I am not looking for a medical diagnosis, but rather, maybe someone else has dealt with this and knows what to tell a doctor. As long as I can remember, say 40+ years, I have an issue with low level pain in my ankles and wrists. On bad days, I can feel this during the day. The real problem occurs at night. It seems to be so low level that it does not rise as an issue in the daytime, but when trying to get to sleep, it becomes pronounced enough to be an issue. The condition appears to be temperature based. When it is hot, the symptoms are much more pronounced. Summers are a real problem for me to try to sleep. When we had a Tempur-Pedic foam type bed, it was a problem all year round. I have discussed this with doctors to no avail. Thus far, my solution has been to drop two Advils a night about two hours before bedtime and I have done this every night for many years. Does anyone else deal with this? ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2014, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-these-symptoms/694011/2 "2014-07-25T11:34:51Z")
Reported for forum change. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2014, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-these-symptoms/694011/3 "2014-07-25T11:40:19Z")
Moved from General Questions to IMHO, where you can get shared experiences, opinions, etc. **samclem** , moderator ---
**Author:** ![PurpleClogs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f04885/32.png) [@PurpleClogs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurpleClogs)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2014, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-these-symptoms/694011/4 "2014-07-25T18:09:39Z")
Sounds joint related. Go to a Rheumatologist. Tell them you’re having morning joint pain and stiffness. Cold can be a pain reliever and anti inflammatory so it may not be that you are worse in heat but rather that you have it all the time and your symptoms are sufficiently treated with colder temperatures. (Not medically trained but I’m a fellow joint pain sufferer.) ---
**Author:** ![MostlyUseless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MostlyUseless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MostlyUseless)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2014, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-these-symptoms/694011/5 "2014-07-25T18:32:16Z")
Hmmm, cold as theurapeutic never occurred to me. My mom has crippling RA and this has been going on since I was 12 or so. I will have to see how insurance wants to handle this. Thanks!!! ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2014, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-these-symptoms/694011/6 "2014-07-30T01:59:25Z")
If it’s inflammatory in nature, then cold is your friend. I have knee issues. A few years ago, I was staying in a hotel that had a hot tub and I treated myself to a long, lovely soak. It felt wonderful on my achy knees. Sadly, the next day (and for several weeks after), the knees hurt much worse than usual. I have to assume that the heat increased blood circulation to the area and that increased pressure or something.