What is joint pain?
Joint pain refers to discomfort, aches, and soreness in any of the body's joints. This sensitive symptom often arises from joint inflammation due to conditions like arthritis, injuries, infections or mechanical stress from repetitive movements.
Common Causes
- Arthritis: Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are common inflammatory joint diseases. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder and osteoarthritis results from cartilage breakdown.
- Injuries: Sprains, fractures, and dislocations can damage the joints and ligaments. Sports accidents and falls often cause these traumatic injuries.
- Infections: Bacterial or viral joint infections create inflammation and fluid build-up inside joints.
- Mechanical stress: Doing the same forceful motions repeatedly can irritate the joints over time even without injuries or arthritis. Jobs requiring repetitive knee bending or extensive computer typing commonly lead to joint pain.
Major Symptoms
- Soreness or tenderness directly over the joint
- Stiffness or reduced range of joint motion
- Swelling from fluid accumulation
- Redness and warmth over the joint
- Creaking or cracking sounds on movement
Over-the-counter pain medications and hot/cold compresses can temporarily relieve discomfort. However, the underlying cause needs diagnosis and treatment to resolve the pain. See your doctor if the pain persists over 2 weeks or significantly limits daily activities.
Diagnosis
To determine the cause, doctors assess medical history and conduct a physical exam of the painful joint. They may order blood tests or imaging scans like x-rays, CTs or MRIs to evaluate injuries, arthritis, infections, or other joint problems. Identifying the diagnosis is key for appropriate treatment.
Treatment Options
- Medications - Anti-inflammatory drugs, pain relievers, antibiotics, steroids
- Joint injections - Cortisone shots to reduce swelling
- Physical therapy - Stretching and exercises to stabilize joints
- Orthotics - Shoe inserts or braces to support joints
- Surgery - Joint repair, cartilage grafting or partial/total joint replacements
Conservative measures like rest, ice, compression and over-the-counter meds provide initial symptom relief. Further treatment targets the specific underlying culprit based on the diagnosis. Consistent care helps manage chronic joint conditions and prevent recurrent pain flares.