Hello from new arthritis member

Hello all. I joined the forum because I recently began having chronic discomfort, pain and weakness in my left knee and want to know more about what it is and how to treat it from people with similar conditions. 

I have found that peers often have very useful information and experiences and can contribute things that doctors can’t.

I went to a see a physio and a doctor who said I had osteoarthritis, but they did no scans or other tests and offered me some anti-inflammatory pills and a few exercises to do.

The pills didn’t seem to do much, and the physio exercises haven’t helped much either so far.

The condition began about 5 weeks ago. 

It started with a feeling of tightness and puffiness at the back of both my legs when I was standing where they bend at the knee. 

Then the situation got worse in my left knee area, and I started getting pains along the inside of my left leg from above to below my knee. They feel like tendon or ligament pains, not pain in the knee itself.

I also feel pains along the right side of my knee at times and a general sense of weakness when using my knee to climb stairs or pivot around.

The front of the knee itself has developed more pronounced bumps on it compared to the other knee, as if the bone was thickening in places, and there is a general swelling and puffiness along both sides and top of the knee.

I don’t feel any continual pain when I walk, but I feel continual discomfort in my knee/leg area in most situations or positions during the day and night.

It feels stiff when I first try to use it after sitting or lying down and then loosens up when I walk a little. 

Wearing good shoes makes walking less uncomfortable.

It feels a bit better in the mornings and gets sorer during the day, and the knee pain feels more pronounced if I carry something a bit heavy like grocery bags, and it can be a bit uncomfortable while sleeping. 

The pain pills and anti-inflammatory gels and pills don’t have much effect.

I don’t have a history of arthritis or knee injuries, although I tore a ligament or tendon in my knee about 5 years ago while running around a tight corner, but that healed up completely and it may have been the other leg anyway (I forget).

I am a 72-year-old man with no other health issues. 

So far, I don’t take any daily medications. 

I don’t do much exercise and don’t drink or smoke and am slightly above normal weight. 

I have been trying to find out more about potential treatments, alternative therapies, any exercises or foods/vitamins that might help (or should avoid) and any advice from others with the same condition. I also wonder if it might be something other than arthritis.

The doctor mentioned injections of cortisone or some other substance and knee surgery, but I worry about the consequences of continual injections, and I haven’t heard a lot of positive things about knee surgery.

Thank you for any information or advice that you can offer.