Joint pain is a common condition that is characterised by ache, discomfort or soreness in one or more joints in the body. The joints affected are usually knees, shoulders, neck, elbows and hips. The intensity and duration of the pain depend on the underlying cause. The pain is usually temporary and subsides on its own.
However, if the pain is caused by an underlying medical condition such as strain, sprain, gout, osteoarthritis, bursitis, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer in the joints. etc. then it may require long-term treatment or pain management.
Some of the most common signs and symptoms associated with joint pain are:
Joint pain has become one of the common health issues nowadays which usually affect aging individuals. It is accompanied by inflammation in the joints, caused due to wear and tear of articular cartilage present in between.
Joint pain may be a sign of the following conditions:
Summary: Joint pain may be a sign of a number of conditions including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, bursitis, etc. These health issues are accompanied by pain and inflammation associated with joints.
Joint pain may be caused due to different reasons. Some of them may include a specific kind of arthritis in which inflammation of joints results in pain while fibromyalgia and underactive thyroid are the other reasons which are not associated with inflammation. Depending upon the specific cause, the nature of joint pain may vary.
It ranges from being mild to severe and burning type of pain in some cases. It may be felt as sharp and penetrating. Other symptoms which occur along with pain include swelling and stiffness in joints, redness, and warmth in the affected area, and generalized symptoms of the body such as fever, fatigue, and weight loss.
Summary: Joint pain may vary in nature and intensity depending upon the cause and severity of the condition. It may be associated with pain which is mild to severe in some cases while it may be sharp, penetrating, and burning like in some.
Based on the studies related to flexibility, joints start hurting as a result of their restricted movements due to decreased flexibility. This happens mainly when an individual, irrespective of gender, reaches age 30 - 40 years.
As a result of aging, tendons and ligaments tend to lose elasticity as well as strength which causes stiffness in the joints. Articular cartilage present as a cushion in the joints, undergo wear and tear due to friction due to bone movements. This leads to inflammation in the joints which is the major factor responsible for joint pain.
Summary: There is no age limitation to the condition such as joint pain. However, the age group ranging from 30-40 years is prone to developing such problems as the flexibility of cartilages in joints start decreasing.
Joint pain can result from multiple medical conditions. The most common causes of joint pain are as follows:
Other causes of joint pain include:
Tiredness or fatigue is closely linked to arthritis. The major symptoms of arthritis including pain and inflammation, lesser activities, and lifestyle changes are responsible for the fatigue in affected people. Some of the important factors related to fatigue in case of arthritis include:
Summary: Joint pain, being associated with symptoms like restricted movement and sedentary lifestyle, cause fatigue or tiredness in the affected individuals. Chronic pain and inflammation are the factors producing fatigue in such conditions.
Joint pain is quite a painful and discomforting condition that needs proper medical care and attention under the supervision of a specialist. It is caused mainly as a result of aging which causes loss of flexibility in the bones of joints.
There occurs a restriction in the movement of the same, leading to pain and inflammation. Many diseases which can act as predisposing factors in case of joint pain include the following:
The diagnosis procedure for joint pain will typically involve a physical exam. The physician may also ask certain questions related to the symptoms and your history of joint pain and other medical conditions. You may be asked to undergo a joint x-ray exam. This will help the physician identify if the joint pain is caused by damage from an arthritis-related condition.
Depending on the symptoms and other factors, your physician may also ask to get a blood test to check if the joint pain is caused by an inflammatory auto-immune disorder. A sedimentation rate test may also be requested to figure out inflammation levels in your body.
Depending on the underlying cause, a physician may prescribe treatment for joint pain. Once the cause is diagnosed, the physician may prescribe topical ointments (that contain capsaicin or methyl salicylate), medications such as anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen), pain relievers (acetaminophen), injections (steroids or hyaluronan), anti-depressants etc. to ease joint pain.
If the aforementioned treatment measures don't work, then invasive treatment options such as arthroscopy (a surgical procedure to repair joint cartilage) or joint replacement surgery may be recommended.
Although a cure is not possible for arthritis or joint pain, the condition can be controlled or managed depending upon the cause or severity of the disease. In acute cases of arthritis, which are usually mild to moderate and short-lived, the symptoms can resolve themselves in a few weeks without any need for medical care and attention.
However, conservative approaches such as home remedies, lifestyle modifications, and other alternative methods may be preferred in such cases to manage the symptoms. Chronic cases take many weeks or even months to get treated.
When symptoms associated with joint pain are acute and short-lived, it often gets resolved with conservative treatment approaches including home remedies and lifestyle changes. However, some cases require urgent medical care and attention, and the symptoms related to such cases include the appearance of redness and swelling around the area of the joint, occurrence of fever which may be high grade, and prolonged occurrence of symptoms. Cases with such symptoms are eligible for treatment.
Although a cure is not possible for arthritis or joint pain, the condition can be controlled or managed depending upon the cause or severity of the disease. In acute cases of arthritis, which are usually mild to moderate and short-lived, the symptoms can resolve themselves in a few weeks without any need for medical care and attention.
However, conservative approaches such as home remedies, lifestyle modifications, and other alternative methods may be preferred in such cases to manage the symptoms. Such cases do not require treatment.
As is the case with most medications, there are certain side effects that you should be vary of. If you have been prescribed antibiotics, you may develop a mild fever as a reaction to the medication. This is completely normal as antibiotics do tend to raise the temperature of the body a little bit.
Furthermore, if you are allergic to specific ingredients that are used in medicine or as medicine, such as penicillin (which is quite common in most pain relief drugs), you should mention it to your doctor as you may end up developing an allergy.
The allergy can present itself as dermatitis, sneezing, or even swelling in the throat and mouth and can be quite dangerous. Always be careful about the medication that you are taking.
Joint pain is an outcome of decreased joint flexibility for which aging is the major cause. It may be considered as a side effect of an overactive lifestyle. Feeling tenderness in joints is common among individuals but the following are some of the symptoms which when found to be associated with the joint pain, become a serious concern:
Summary: Joint pain has become a common health issue nowadays. It is normally associated with the pain and inflammation in the bones but may also be related to limping, trouble sleeping, fever, and chills in some cases.
Joint pain commonly referred to as arthritis, is accompanied by inflammation of the joint besides pain. Prevention of it can be done in the following ways:
When symptoms associated with joint pain are acute and short-lived, it often gets resolved with conservative treatment approaches including home remedies and lifestyle changes. However, some cases require urgent medical care and attention, and the symptoms related to such cases include the following:
The post-treatment guidelines depend largely on the reason for your joint pain. If you developed joint pain due to strenuous physical activity, you will be advised to rest and take it easy for a few days. Even when you get back into your normal routine, you will be required to ease your body into your daily exercise instead of starting off at the highest point you can manage.
If your joint pain is caused due to arthritis, your doctor will recommend several ways for you to manage your pain. You will be asked to avoid stressful activities, including walking for too long, as it puts unrequired pressure on your joints and causes them to get inflamed.
Often, people are advised to change their diets to include food products that are anti-inflammatory to make the condition a bit more manageable. There are no specific post treatment guidelines for joint pain that is caused by infections other than just to be hygienic and keep the area as clean as possible.
There are certain measures that can help relieve joint pain. Some of those are:
Regular intake of certain vitamins is associated with positive results for joint health. People with joint problems should consider consuming more of these vitamins to improve their joint health and get relief from joint pain.
There are certain foods that are known to increase the likelihood of inflammation and pain in joints. Such foods are:
Foods may play an important role in the control and management of arthritis or joint pain. Some of the food items which are preferred include:
Fruits that are rich in antioxidants are preferred in case of arthritis or joint pain. These have some unique health benefits in terms of disease-fighting properties. Ascorbic acid, anthocyanins, and carotenoids are the best forms of antioxidants found in some fruits like berries.
These also facilitate the protection of the body from oxidative damage of free radicals which can cause inflammation. Some of the fruits that should be consumed in arthritis include:
Summary: Joint pain is an inflammatory condition of the bones of a joint. Hence, fruits having disease-fighting antioxidant properties are preferred to be consumed in such conditions. Ascorbic acid, carotenoids, and anthocyanins are the important antioxidants found in fruits.
Joint pain that is caused due to injury or infection can be treated in a matter of days, at most a few weeks, depending on the severity of the injury or infection. On the other hand, joint pain associated with arthritis comes and goes as is something that has to be managed throughout one’s life.
There is no permanent treatment for the same. Joint pain caused by strenuous physical activity also takes a few days to recover from. The effect of taking pain medications, however, is often immediate.
Most pain relief medications cost under Rs 100 for a single leaf of pills. Antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications also cost under Rs 100. Arthritis medications range in cost from Rs 50 to Rs 150, depending on the type of medication that is prescribed as well as the dosage that you are required to take.
The results of the treatment for joint pain caused by arthritis is not permanent. The pain will come and go throughout your life as arthritis causes stiffness in the joints as well as swelling and there is bound to be some pain that comes with the same. The results of the treatment for joint pain caused by infections and injuries, on the other hand, is permanent.
There are many home remedies that one can resort to in order to treat joint pain
Of course, it is always advised to consult with your doctor before using any home remedies to prevent any adverse effects from occurring. You can consult with a herbalist for the same reasons as well.
.Drinking water has a number of health benefits. Supporting joint pain relief is one of them. It cannot cure the problem directly but helps to maintain a healthy joint.
Important ways in which drinking water helps in joint pain, include the following:
Summary: Water, is important to sustaining life, is also needed to maintain a healthy joint. It helps to retain the synovial fluid and the water content of cartilages so as to facilitate their proper functioning.
Physical activities and exercises always play an important role in controlling the symptoms of arthritis or joint pain. However, it is preferred to do mild to moderate forms of exercises in such conditions as severe and rigorous exercises may affect the condition adversely. Some of the exercises that are commonly preferred for relief in joint pain include the following:
Aerobics exercises, especially moderate-intensity are the most preferred safe and effective form of exercise.
Summary: Joint pain has become one of the most commonly faced health problems nowadays which starts as a result of decreased flexibility and stiffness in joints. Aging is the contributing factor while health conditions like osteoarthritis, gout, hypothyroidism, bursitis, fibromyalgia, etc. are the predisposing factors. The condition can be painful and debilitating, hence needs proper medical attention and care under the supervision of an orthopaedician.
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