Joint pain is an incredibly common issue that can have a wide range of causes. Joint pain can be debilitating and difficult to manage, whether due to an underlying medical condition, physical activity, or simply wear and tear. In order to better understand joint pain and how to treat it, let’s take a closer look at the most common types of joint pain to keep you from needing to visit an orthopedic surgeon like Integrated Orthopedics.
Table of Contents
1. Osteoarthritis
Source: medicalnewstoday.com
Osteoarthritis is one of the most common types of joint pain. This chronic degenerative disorder affects millions of people worldwide and occurs when cartilage in the joints wears away over time due to aging or injury. Osteoarthritis can cause pain, stiffness, swelling, and inflammation in the affected joint(s). The most commonly affected joints include those found in the hips, knees, hands, wrists, feet, and spine.
Symptoms and Treatment
Symptoms of Osteoarthritis vary from person to person but can include difficulty performing everyday activities such as walking or climbing stairs, reduced flexibility of the affected joint(s), and a grinding sensation when moving it. Treatment for Osteoarthritis typically includes lifestyle changes such as losing weight, physical therapy, NSAIDs, and/or steroid injections.
2. Rheumatoid Arthritis
Source: cdc.gov
Rheumatoid arthritis is another type of joint pain affecting many people worldwide. Unlike osteoarthritis, which typically affects older individuals or those with a history of injury or trauma to the affected area, rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder in which your body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues around your joints. Symptoms tend to come on suddenly and may include redness, swelling, intense joint pain, and stiffness. Rheumatoid arthritis typically affects smaller joints, such as those found in the fingers, wrists, and toes but can also affect larger joints like the shoulders and hips.
Symptoms and Treatment
There are several symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis that you should be aware of, including inflammation and swelling, joint pain, stiffness and difficulty moving the affected joint(s), fatigue, fever, and weight loss. Treatment for rheumatoid arthritis is typically focused on reducing inflammation with medications such as Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or steroids and physical therapy to maintain the range of motion in the affected joints.
3. Gout
Source: sharp.com
Gout is another form of painful joint inflammation that usually occurs when uric acid crystals accumulate inside a joint causing intense swelling and severe discomfort. Gout most frequently affects feet (especially big toes) but can occur in other parts of the body, including elbows, wrists, hands, ankles, knees, fingers, and thumbs. It’s important to note that gout can also be associated with other health conditions like diabetes, so it’s always best to consult your doctor if you experience sudden or persistent joint pain or discomfort.
Symptoms and Treatment
The symptoms of Gout always come quickly and usually include redness and swelling in the affected joint(s), intense pain that may be worse at night, warmth around the affected area, visible lumps or nodules in the joint, and difficulty performing everyday tasks. Treatment for Gout typically includes medications to reduce inflammation, such as Corticosteroids or steroids, as well as lifestyle changes, like avoiding certain foods and beverages that can trigger gout attacks.
4. Lupus
Source: danas.rs
Lupus is an autoimmune disorder that often causes joint pain and swelling, especially in the hands, wrists, elbows, and knees. While the exact cause of this disorder is unknown, it is speculated that it is due to the immune system going awry and causing inflammation in your body organs instead of fighting viruses.
Symptoms and Treatment
Lupus can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms vary widely depending on the individual, ranging from mild joint pain and swelling to severe inflammation. Other common symptoms include fatigue, fever, hair loss, rashes, and ulcers. Treatment for Lupus typically involves lifestyle changes such as avoiding direct sunlight and eating a healthy diet, medications to reduce inflammation and manage symptoms, and physical therapy.
5. Psoriatic Arthritis
Source: genesisresearchservices.com
Psoriatic Arthritis is an inflammatory form of arthritis affecting between 0.3%-1.2% of the adult population in the United States. It affects joints connecting the spine, axial skeleton, and peripheral joints. Psoriatic arthritis can result in significant deformity and loss of mobility if it progresses and is left untreated. The cause of this particular form of arthritis is not known, but some genetic factors may lead to its development- meaning certain individuals may be predisposed. Additionally, psoriasis lesions themselves release certain inflammatory molecules that can weaken the connective tissues surrounding a joint, leading to erosion and damage.
Symptoms and Treatment
Typically, those affected will experience swelling and stiffness, primarily in the joints near their fingers and toes; joint pain often occurs in the knees, ankles, hips, elbows, lower back, or neck and sometimes leads to changes in the shape of the affected joints. Additionally, psoriatic arthritis can result in inflammation of tendons around joints (like the Achilles tendon), spreading to other areas such as nail beds, resulting in discoloration of nails as well as detachment from their base leading to crumbly nails over time. Other symptoms include fatigue, eye redness, and dryness due to inflammation around the eyes (which could lead to recurrent infections like conjunctivitis) and scalp inflammatory lesions with associated hair loss around the scalp and face boundaries. Treatment of psoriatic arthritis includes medications such as disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), biologics, and NSAIDs.
6. Bursitis
Source: advancedfunctionalmedicine.com.au
Bursitis is inflammation affecting the bursae, small fluid-filled sacs that cushion muscles and tendons near bones. It often occurs in the shoulder, elbow, hip, or knee. The main cause of Bursitis is overexertion or overuse of the affected joint, but it can also be caused by direct trauma and certain medical conditions like gout or rheumatoid arthritis.
Symptoms and Treatment
The main symptom of this condition is pain in the affected area, which worsens with movement. Additionally, those affected may experience swelling, tenderness to touch, and warmth in the affected area. Treatment of bursitis usually includes rest, ice or heat applications, physical therapy exercises to strengthen the affected muscles, and medications like NSAIDs to reduce inflammation. Severe cases of bursitis may require the removal of the excess bursa fluid with a needle which can then be tested for infection, identifying less effective treatments from more suitable ones. To avoid developing bursitis, it is important to maintain safe techniques during activities like sports or exercise, which could potentially cause stress on joints.
Bottom Line
Several conditions may cause joint pain, and it is important to determine the root cause of pain in order to manage it effectively. Depending on the type of arthritis, treatment may involve lifestyle modifications, medications, and physical therapy exercises. It is important to seek medical attention if joint pain persists, as it could be indicative of an underlying condition.
