Joint pain
Joint pain can affect one or more joints.
The structure of a joint
Joints, particularly hinge joints like the elbow and the knee, are complex structures made up of bone, muscles, synovium, cartilage, and ligaments that are designed to bear weight and move the body through space. The knee consists of the femur (thigh bone) above, and the tibia (shin bone) and fibula below. The kneecap (patella) glides through a shallow groove on the front part of the lower thigh bone. Ligaments and tendons connect the three bones of the knee, which are contained in the joint capsule (synovium) and are cushioned by cartilage.
Causes
Joint pain can be caused by many types of injuries or conditions. It may be linked to arthritis, bursitis, and muscle pain. No matter what causes it, joint pain can be very bothersome. Some things that can cause joint pain are:
Arthritis
Arthritis is inflammation or degeneration of one or more joints. A joint is the area where 2 bones meet. There are more than 100 different types of...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleBursitis
Bursitis is the swelling and irritation of a bursa. A bursa is a fluid-filled sac that acts as a cushion between muscles, tendons, and bones....
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleMuscle pain
Muscle aches and pains are common and can involve more than one muscle. Muscle pain also can involve ligaments, tendons, and fascia. Fascias are th...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article- Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a disease that leads to inflammation of the joints and surrounding tissues. It is a long-term disease. It can also aff...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleLupus
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease. In this disease, the immune system of the body mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. It c...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Bursitis
Bursitis
Bursitis is the swelling and irritation of a bursa. A bursa is a fluid-filled sac that acts as a cushion between muscles, tendons, and bones....
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Chondromalacia patellae
Chondromalacia patellae
Anterior knee pain is pain that occurs at the front and center of the knee. It can be caused by many different problems, including:Chondromalacia of...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Crystals in the joint -- gout (especially found in the big toe) and CPPD arthritis (pseudogout)
Gout
Gout is a type of arthritis. It occurs when uric acid builds up in the blood and causes inflammation in the joints. Acute gout is a painful conditio...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Infections caused by a virus
- Injury, such as a fracture
- Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disorder. It is due to aging and wear and tear on a joint.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Osteomyelitis (bone infection)
Osteomyelitis
Osteomyelitis is a bone infection. It is caused by bacteria or other germs.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Septic arthritis (joint infection)
Septic arthritis
Septic arthritis is inflammation of a joint due to a bacterial or fungal infection. Septic arthritis that is due to the bacteria that cause gonorrhe...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Tendinitis
Tendinitis
Tendons are the fibrous structures that join muscles to bones. When these tendons become swollen or inflamed, it is called tendinitis. In many case...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Unusual exertion or overuse, including strains or sprains
Sprains
A sprain is an injury to the ligaments around a joint. Ligaments are strong, flexible fibers that hold bones together. When a ligament is stretched...
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Signs of joint inflammation include:
- Swelling
Swelling
Swelling is the enlargement of organs, skin, or other body parts. It is caused by a buildup of fluid in the tissues. The extra fluid can lead to a ...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Warmth
- Tenderness
- Redness
- Pain with movement
Home Care
Follow your health care provider's advice for treating the cause of your pain.
For non-arthritic joint pain, both rest and exercise are important. Warm baths, massage, and stretching exercises should be used as often as possible.
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) may help the soreness feel better.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or naproxen may help relieve pain and swelling. Talk to your provider before giving aspirin or NSAIDs such as ibuprofen to children.
When to Contact a Medical Professional
Contact your provider if:
- You have fever that is not associated with flu symptoms.
Fever
Fever is the temporary increase in the body's temperature in response to a disease or illness. A child has a fever when the temperature is at or abov...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleFlu
The flu (influenza) is a viral respiratory illness that causes fever, chills, runny nose, body aches, and cough. It spreads easily from person to pe...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - You have lost 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) or more without trying (unintended weight loss).
Unintended weight loss
Unexplained weight loss is a decrease in body weight, when you did not try to lose the weight on your own. Many people gain and lose weight. Uninten...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Your joint pain lasts for more than several days.
- You have severe, unexplained joint pain and swelling, particularly if you have other unexplained symptoms.
What to Expect at Your Office Visit
Your provider will ask you questions about your medical history and symptoms, including:
- Which joint hurts? Is the pain on one side or both sides?
- What started the pain and how often have you had it? Have you had it before?
- Did this pain begin suddenly and severely, or slowly and mildly?
- Is the pain constant or does it come and go? Has the pain become more severe?
- Have you injured your joint?
- Have you had an illness, rash, or fever?
Rash
Rashes involve changes in the color, feeling or texture of your skin.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Does resting or moving make the pain better or worse? Are certain positions more or less comfortable? Does keeping the joint elevated help?
- Do medicines, massage, or applying heat reduce the pain?
- What other symptoms do you have?
- Is there any numbness?
Numbness
Numbness and tingling are abnormal sensations that can occur anywhere in your body, but they are often felt in your fingers, hands, feet, arms, or le...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Can you bend and straighten the joint? Does the joint feel stiff?
- Are your joints stiff in the morning? If so, for how long does the stiffness last?
- What makes the stiffness better?
A physical exam will be done to look for signs of joint abnormality including:
- Swelling
- Tenderness
- Warmth
- Pain with motion
- Abnormal motion such as limitation, loosening of the joint, grating sensation
Tests that may be done include:
- Complete blood count (CBC) or blood differential
Complete blood count (CBC)
A complete blood count (CBC) test measures the following:The number of white blood cells (WBC count)The number of red blood cells (RBC count)The numb...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleBlood differential
The blood differential test measures the percentage of each type of white blood cell (WBC) that you have in your blood. It also reveals if there are...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - C-reactive protein
- Sedimentation rate
- Blood tests specific to various autoimmune disorders
- Joint aspiration to obtain joint fluid for culture, white cell count and examination for crystals
Joint aspiration
Joint fluid culture is a laboratory test to detect infection-causing germs in a sample of fluid surrounding a joint.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Joint x-ray
Joint x-ray
This test is an x-ray of a knee, shoulder, hip, wrist, ankle, or other joint.
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Treatments may include:
- Medicines such as NSAIDs including ibuprofen, naproxen, or indomethacin
- Injection of a corticosteroid medicine into the joint
- Antibiotics and often surgical drainage, in case of infection (usually requires hospitalization)
- Physical therapy for muscle and joint rehabilitation
Reviewed By
Neil J. Gonter, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Columbia University, NY and private practice specializing in Rheumatology at Rheumatology Associates of North Jersey, Teaneck, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Bykerk VP, Crow MK. Approach to the patient with rheumatic disease. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 236.
Davis JM, Moder KG, Hunder GG. History and physical examination of the musculoskeletal system. In: Firestein GS, Budd RC, Gabriel SE, Koretzky GA, McInnes IB, O'Dell JR, eds. Firestein & Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 43.