The part where your bones meet is called joints. These joints allow our body to move and perform various actions.
Joints include
- Shoulder
- Hips
- Elbow
- Knees
Discomfort, soreness, aches in joints are referred to as joint pain. Joint pain is common these days. One of the reason can also be illness or injury. However, there can also be other factors responsible for joint pain.
- Arthritis
This is one of the most common causes of joint pain. The two forms of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
osteoarthritis is common in adults over the age of 40. It progresses slowly and tends to affect commonly used joints like the wrists, hands, hips, knees.
In this, the pain is due to the breakdown of cartilage which acts as a cushion and absorbs shock for joint.
The following can also be the causes of joint pain:
- Bursitis, or inflammation of the cushioning pads around joints, lupus, gout, certain infectious diseases, such as mumps, influenza, and hepatitis
- Chondromalacia of the patella, or a breakdown of the cartilage in the kneecap
- An injury, tendinitis, or inflammation of the tendon
- An infection of the bone, overuse of a joint
- Cancer
- Fibromyalgia, osteoporosis, sarcoidosis
- Rickets
Joint pain diagnosis
The doctor will probably perform a physical exam. They ask you a series of questions about your joint pain. This may help to narrow down the potential causes.
A joint X-ray may be necessary to identify arthritis-related joint damage. If your doctor suspects there’s another cause, they may perform a blood test to screen for certain autoimmune disorders. They may also perform a sedimentation rate test to measure the level of inflammation in the body or a complete blood count.
Joint pain treatment
Home treatment
- Tropical pain relievers or anti-inflammatory drugs can reduce swelling and pain.
- Staying physically active is one way.
- Keep your body weight in a healthy range.
Medical Treatment
Depending on the cause of the pain treatment option can be surgical or non-surgical.
Early detection and diagnosis is important and can allow for effective treatment of the underlying cause of your discomfort.
