While a GP can identify your problem, he has no means of treating it. a
neurosurgeon will be your guy when the time comes. What you describe is
spinal stenosis and it is surgically treatable. In fact, it is a rather
common procedure these days. The worse the stenosis gets, the more risky the
surgery becomes.
As to the arm and hand tingling, is it in the last two fingers of your hand,
forearm,shoulder, neck? If it is isolated to these areas it may be a crushed
ulnar in your elbow. I say this because for many, many years I blamed my
neck. Had nerve conduction tests done and found out the problem was actually
in my elbow. Had to have surgery to stop it from getting worse. Wish I'd had
the surgery much sooner before the damage was done to the extent it
is-constant pain even after the surgery. But at least it won't get any
worse.
GaryZ

You REALLY need to see a rheumatologist! Get a referral and make an
appointment ASAP.

Regards,

Ari

Not qualified to diagnose or treat the 100+ types of arthritis.

Same thing happens with ankylosing spondylitis, which is very common
among men.
Used to call it a Caucasian male disease.  Then more and more women
began to
show the same symptoms.

Begins in the spine and spreads to the shoulders/neck and hip/legs.

You really, really need to see a rheumatologist who can confirm the
findings and
offer some choices of trreatment.

A doctor who says he can't help you should be booted out of the
profession.

... A lady is a woman who makes a gentleman act like one.

On Tue, 06 Feb 2007 14:22:06 GMT, Nann Bell <hanbellGOGATORS@earthlink.net>
wrote in alt.support.arthritis:

And they start with a BSc, not a BA. After that comes four years of med
school
and either two years of Family Practice residency or four years of residency
in
a specialty such as Paediatrics, Surgery, then two years as a fellow if
specializing in one particular type of surgery. Oh, and I just heard they
can't
even get into med school now without an average of 90%! I think they are
educated. I don't agree with the 90%, because just because you can make a
great
mark in an exam doesn't necessarily mean you are doctor material, but the
competition for spots in med school is so intense that is what it is. This
is in
Canada, I don't know what other countries do.
---
Joan

that's about what it is like here in wash., too, joan.  b.s. is pre-med,
though.  their MD is a degree equivalent, of taking a masters in science and
in the specialties they do have to publish in a medical journal (from what
i've been told).  my pain specialist/doctor has several MS's.  i think the
med school entry requirement is just a tad higher than 90% here, because of
the competition for placement, too.  i agree with you about the test scores.
medicine itself is more viseral/instinctive, than simply analytical, though
a good diagnostician seems to be a bit more analytical than the average
doctor.

kate

med school admission in the states isn't nearly as competitive as it used to
be.  I'm not sure where med school ranks noow, but I know clinical psych and
vet school are the most difficult programs to get into.  Med school's fall in
popularity probably has something to do with the malpractice set-up in the
states.  :-(

Also, in the states, the bachelor's degree specialty varies a lot more now.  
Many are not pre-med undergrads.  It's a combo of the lessened
competitiveness and a growing belief that a liberal arts education gives
everyone a more well-rounded background.  But you do need certain science and
math courses or you'll have to make them up in med school at graduate tuition
prices.  Most doctors say they never used that specialized science or math
after they finished those courses, but they are still required.  (pre-med
students used to drive my dad nuts because he was *serious* about chemistry
and they just wanted an A.  Never could get too serious about chemistry
myself........)

Joan,
I can relate to that.  In California, you have to have an
undergraduate degree and then a ton of science prerequisites to get
into acupuncture shcool which is a four year program.  My class
consisted of a group of 23 very brilliant people who all had graduate
degrees.  We were fircely competitive academically but then comes
clinic....<g>  I have never been with so many people who were so
involved with thier own academic brilliance that they never even saw
the patient.  TOday, four of that class practice.  Many of them
decided they just didn't like sick people.  Somea decided the money
was better in the tech worldd.  The nurse, the thearapist, the single
mom who barely made it through the science requirements and I are
still practicing.

To Alpha,
I have seen literally dozens of times internists and GPs misdiagnose
OA when it is actually an inflammatory arthritis.  You have to start
with a diagnosis and a Rheumatologist should be the guiding doc.  I am
working with a guy right now who was told he had OA and exercise and
pain meds were the only thing to do.  I pushed him for two years to
see a rheumatologist.He did, finally.  He has PA, is now on enbrel,
doing fairly well but all that joint errosion that could have been
slowed 2-3 years ago has just gone on unchecked.  t makes me really
angry .
That said, there are supplments that have worked for many people and
that many rheumatologists recommend. It is going to take research to
find what works for you.

Make your bottom line "can it possibly do any harm?" (what doesn't
work with other meds I'm taking? What is dangerous with hypertension?
What may be contraindicated with diabetes etc. etc. etc.)  Then look
at efficacy studies.  Google Cush GS/c  or glucosamine page in recent
ASA archives will give you info on supplements.  I personally don't
use vet glucosamine or MSM.  Prices are good but the purity doesn't
have to be the same.  All supplements are not created equal.  Check
into acupuncture.  If you indeed have spinal stenosis, get it treated
soon rather than later if you choose a surgery option.

Stick around and use the archive fuction fo google.  Every possible
supplement has been discussed, studies have been posted, and on and
on.

You will get good answers and this group will help you through those
dark nights of the soul that we all have with chronic manageable
conditions.

Melinda