Overview
Joints are where your bones meet. The joints allow your bones to move. These joints include:
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- hips
- Brackets
- Knife
Joint pain refers specifically to discomfort, aches, or soreness in any one of the body’s joints. Joint pain is common. The majority of the time, it doesn’t require hospitalization.
Sometimes, joint pain is caused by injury or illness. Arthritis, which is also common, can cause joint pain. But, it could also be caused by other conditions.
What causes joint pain?
Arthritis
Arthritis is one of the leading causes of joint pain. The main forms of arthritis include osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
According to the American College of Rheumatology OA is most prevalent in people over 40 years old. It can progress slowly and affects commonly used joints, such as the.
- Bracelets
- Hands
- hips
- Knife
OA can cause joint pain because of a breakdown or damage to the cartilage. This serves as a shock absorber and cushioning for the joints.
RA is the second form of arthritis. According to the Arthritis, Foundation RA is a condition that affects around 1.5 million Americans. It affects more women than men.
Over time, it can lead to deformities in the joints. The body’s immune systems attack the membrane that lines the joints and causes pain, inflammation, swelling, and fluid buildup.
Other causes
There are many causes of joint pain, including:
- bursitis or inflammation of cushioning pads around joints
- lupus
- gout
- Some infectious diseases like mumps or influenza and Hepatitis are possible.
- Chondromalacia in the patella (or a rupture of the cartilage in your kneecap)
- an injury
- tendinitis is an inflammation of the tendon.
- Infection of the bone or joint
- Use of a single joint too often
- Cancer
- fibromyalgia
- osteoporosis
- sarcoidosis
- rickets
What are the symptoms of joint pain?
Some cases of joint pain may require that you see a doctor. If you have any questions about your pain or if you experience other symptoms that are not related to it, make an appointment.
A doctor should be consulted if you:
- The area surrounding the joint is red, tender, warm, or swollen.
- Three days or more of pain can persist
- A fever is present but there are no other symptoms.
If you have any of the following symptoms, visit the emergency room.
- You’ve suffered a serious injury.
- The joint looks deformed.
- The sudden swelling of the joint is called “swelling”.
- The joint is in complete immobilization.
- There is severe pain in your joints.
Our Healthline FindCare tool allows you to make an appointment with a local primary care physician.
How does joint pain get diagnosed?
Most likely, your doctor will conduct a physical exam. A series of questions will be asked about your joint pain. This can help to pinpoint the possible causes.
A joint X-ray may prove necessary in order to detect arthritis-related damage.
If they suspect that there is another reason, they might order a blood sample to check for certain autoimmune conditions. You may also be asked for a sedimentation test to assess the amount of inflammation and a complete blood count.
How can joint pain be treated?
Home treatment
Both OA, as well as RA, are chronic conditions. There are currently no treatments that can eliminate or reduce the symptoms of arthritis. But there are ways to manage your pain.
- You may find it helpful to use topical pain-relieving drugs or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce swelling and inflammation.
- Be active and use a fitness program that emphasizes moderate exercise.
- To keep your joints flexible, stretch before you do.
- Your body weight should be kept within a healthy range. This will help reduce joint stress.
- If you don’t have arthritis and your pain isn’t severe, you might consider taking an anti-inflammatory drug. This would include getting a massage, getting enough rest, stretching, and taking a warm bath.
Medical treatment
The exact cause of the pain will affect the treatment options. Sometimes, your doctor may need to drain the fluid from the joints to check for infection or gout. Sometimes, they might recommend surgery to repair the joint.
You may also consider lifestyle changes or medication that could help your RA go into remission. In the case of RA, your doctor will first treat inflammation. After RA is under control, your doctor will continue to treat you.
What’s the outlook for those suffering from joint pain?
Joint pain is often caused by damage from normal wear and tears. It could also be a sign that you have RA or an infection.
Any unwelcome joint pain should be reported to your doctor, even if it does not go away after a few days. It is possible to treat the root cause of your discomfort by early detection.
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