joint pain

Joint pain is a common symptom with many possible causes.

 

A joint is the place where two bones come together. For example, the knee joint is the place where the thigh bone and shin bone meet. Most people have one or more sore joints at some point in their lives. The joints of the arms and legs are most commonly affected.

 

When someone reports joint pain, the healthcare professional will need more information about the pain. These questions may be asked:

 

Additional questions may also be asked, depending on the history and physical findings.

 

There are many possible causes of joint pain. The causes can be divided into categories: wear-and-tear, such as from overuse, injury, or osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, or joint inflammation.conditions that affect metabolism, such as gout and pseudogout. These conditions result from materials being deposited into the joints.infections of the joint, sometimes called septic arthritis. Infections usually spread to the joint from other areas of the body. Gonorrhea and syphilis, two sexually transmitted infections, can cause joint pain. Lyme disease, an infection that results from a tick bite, and other infections can also cause arthritis.autoimmune disorders, in which a person's body produces antibodies against its own tissues. These disorders include rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. reactive arthritis, which means joint pain and inflammation caused by infections in other areas of the body. This type of joint pain can result from infectious diarrhea or from chlamydia, a sexually transmitted infection. bone diseases, such as Paget's disease, which causes inflamed bones and bone tumors or cancer near joints.medications, such as penicillin or procainamideinfluenza (the "flu")

Prevention is related to the cause of the joint pain. For example, practicing safer sex can reduce, but not eliminate, some joint pain resulting from sexually transmitted infections. Maintaining a normal weight can reduce the risk of joint damage. Avoiding injuries or certain medications can prevent joint pain from these causes. Many cases cannot be prevented.

In some cases, the cause of joint pain is obvious from the medical history and physical exam. In other cases, more tests may be needed, depending on the suspected cause. Blood tests are often used to help diagnose infections, autoimmune disorders, and metabolism problems. Joint X-rays of the affected area may also be helpful.