Joint pain can be commonly caused by arthritic or degenerative changes within the joints as well as inflammation in the surrounding tissues. Commonly shoulder, hips and knees are involved although not uncommonly small joints are also affected.
Do you have Major Joint Pain?
Cause & Risk Factors
Joint pain refers to discomfort, aches, and soreness in any of the body’s joints. Joint pain is a common complaint. Sometimes, joint pain is the result of an illness or injury. Arthritis is also a common cause of joint pain. However, it can also be due to other conditions or factors.
Causes of the condition include:
- Arthritis
- Lupus
- Gout
- Injury
- Infections
- Overuse of a joint
- Cancer
- Fibromyalgia
- Osteoporosis
- Sarcoidosis
- Bursitis ( inflammation of the cushioning pads around joints)
- Tendinitis, or inflammation of the tendon
Symptoms
In some cases, your joint pain will require you to see a doctor. You should make an appointment if you don’t know the cause of your joint pain and are experiencing other unexplained symptoms. You should also see a doctor if the area around the joint is swollen, red, tender, or warm to the touch, the pain persists for three days or more, or you have a fever but no other signs of the flu.
Go to the emergency room if any of the following occurs:
- You’ve experienced a serious injury.
- The joint appears deformed.
- Swelling of the joint occurs suddenly.
- The joint is completely immobile.
- You have severe joint pain.
Diagnosis
First a history and physical exam must be completed to learn about your joint pain. This may help to narrow down the potential causes.
Diagnostic studies like X-rays or blood work may be necessary to identify the cause of your joint problem.
If needed a different consult with another specialist (rheumatologist, orthopedic, oncologist) will be furnished.
Treatment Options
Your treatment options will depend on the cause of the pain. In some cases, we will need to inject antinflammatories or hyaluronic acid to mitigate pain and improve the joint function. In other cases we can draw out accumulated fluid in the joint area. We might also recommend surgery to replace the joint.
Get Pain Relief Today
Understanding the underlying cause of your pain is fundamental to tailoring the treatment plan that will work best for you. Our Pain Specialists take a proactive approach to diagnosing and treating a wide variety of pain-causing conditions, using the latest technologies and most advanced equipment.