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7 Reasons You Might Be Experiencing Joint Pain, According to an Expert
Joint pain can make it difficult to carry out basic tasks, from walking up the stairs to opening a jar and even typing.
When it comes to the skeletal system, our joints have some of the most important jobs. A joint refers to any place where two or more bones meet — we have hundreds of them around our body, especially in the limbs. These complex junctions allow for movement and flexibility, while also providing stability.
Joints are made up of bones, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, nerves and fluid, per the Cleveland Clinic. All of these work together to give our otherwise rigid skeleton a wide range of motion.
Different joints allow different types of movement. There are hinge joints, which allow limbs to bend and straighten, such as the elbows, knees, or fingers. Ball and socket joints, like the hips, allow movement in all directions and pivot joints permit our head to rotate.
Joint pain can affect one or more of the body's joints and range from mild discomfort to severe pain, limiting mobility. It may be accompanied by stiffness, swelling, and clicking or grinding sensations. The pain can be constant or worsen with movement.
There are many causes for joint pain, from normal aging to autoimmune diseases and infections.
spoke with Dr. Natalie Azar, NBC News medical contributor and board-certified rheumatologist at NYU Langone Health, about common types of joint pain and what your achy joints may be telling you about your health.
First, it's important to distinguish between joint and muscle pain, which are often confused, Azar tells
Muscle pain affects one or multiple muscle groups and is more of a deep aching that occurs with movement and gets better with rest. It may follow overexertion during a workout, poor posture, or stress and tension.
Joint pain (arthralgia) specifically affects the joints and can worsen with movement or be present at rest. Joint pain may also be associated with inflammation, swelling, stiffness and limited range of motion, Azar notes.
'It's really important for us to narrow down the diagnosis," she adds. In addition to the severity and duration of pain, a doctor will look at your medical history, age, gender and other symptoms to pinpoint the cause.
Arthritis is an umbrella term for hundreds of conditions that cause joint pain and inflammation. "The first thing that we do is try to figure out if the arthritis is inflammatory versus non-inflammatory," Azar says.
Inflammatory arthritis occurs when the immune system overacts and mistakenly attacks joint tissue. It often starts in the hands or feet. "We're looking for symptoms of swelling associated with the pain," says Azar. Joints may feel stiff, appear red or feel warm.
Common causes for inflammatory arthritis include autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis or lupus, says Azar. In addition to joint pain, these can cause skin rashes, oral ulcers, hair loss and gastrointestinal issues.
"If your symptoms involve more than two organ systems, we may start thinking autoimmune," says Azar. Inflammatory arthritis can occur at any age, per the Mayo Clinic.
Risk factors include having a family history of arthritis and being female. "Most types of arthritis are more common in women for a variety of reasons, including hormones, muscle mass and the way our skeleton is formed," says Azar.
Sometimes, joint pain is a normal part of aging or overuse. Non-inflammatory arthritis is caused by the breakdown of cartilage between the joints. 'The most common type, osteoarthritis, is the wear and tear, degenerative kind of arthritis,' says Azar.
It commonly affects weight-bearing joints like the hips and knees, and joints in the spine. 'Most of us develop a degree of arthritis as we get older, for example, pretty much everyone will have back pain at some point,' says Azar.
Repetitive movements — during a sport or a job, for example — can also break down joint cartilage, causing pain.
Osteoarthritis often occurs after age 55 and is more common in women, per the Cleveland Clinic. It can be accelerated by lifestyle factors, weight and menopause.
In severe cases, osteoarthritis can limit mobility, but many people with osteoarthritis can still live an active life, says Azar.
Joint pain can also result from injuries, such as fractures, strains and sprains, says Azar. These can cause acute pain or affect the structure of the joint, increasing the risk of arthritis later on.
Post-trauma joint pain is often sudden and is often accompanied by swelling, says Azar. It commonly affects the knees, hips, ankles and shoulders.
Injuries to the tissues around joints — such as the ligaments, tendons (tendonitis) and fluid-filled sacs cushioning the bones called bursae (bursitis) — can also cause pain.
Joint pain may range from mild to severe, but it's usually temporary. "Any joint pain after trauma that lasts beyond a couple of days, you probably want to get checked out," says Azar.
Sometimes, joint pain is associated with more widespread, chronic pain.
A possible cause is fibromyalgia, a condition that affects the entire musculoskeletal system, causing pain throughout the body and extreme tiredness, per the Cleveland Clinic. It can cause multiple joints to feel sore, tender and sensitive.
'If your joint pain is associated with fatigue and non-restorative sleep, it may be fibromyalgia,' Azar adds. Fibromyalgia can also cause mental symptoms, and it's more common in women.
Unlike arthritis, fibromyalgia does not directly damage the joints, and the cause is unknown.
Hypermobility, often called "double-jointedness" occurs when a person's joints have a greater range of motion than normal. It can affect one or more joints and may be isolated or a symptom of a connective tissue disorder.
Hypermobility can be benign, but many patients have joint pain, says Azar. The extra flexibility can cause joints to overstretch or lose stability. This can result in pain, stiffness or swelling, and joints may make a clicking or popping sound.
Activities like stretching can worsen pain. 'Exercise is good, but you've got to do a lot of strength training or work with a physical therapist ... and resist the urge to do the deepest downward dog in yoga,' says Azar.
Sometimes, joint pain is caused by bacterial or viral infections, says Azar. Infectious arthritis occurs when an infection in one part of the body spreads through the bloodstream to the joints, where it causes inflammation and pain, per the Mayo Clinic. It's often sudden and severe.
Possible causes include staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria that lives on the skin, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which causes the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhea, Azar says. Joint pain is also a symptom of Lyme disease. "A tick exposure ... and bull's eye rash (are) clues that a patient may have Lyme," says Azar.
Viral infections that can cause joint pain include COVID, hepatitis, rubella, parvovirus B19 and chikungunya.
The pain may be accompanied by a fever, chills or fatigue.
"A detailed medical history, and travel history, is super important," says Azar, adding that testing is necessary to determine the cause and best treatment.
Joint pain may be related to deficiencies in nutrients that support bone health, such as vitamin D and calcium, says Azar.
Vitamin D allows the body to absorb the mineral calcium. Together, these help us grow and maintain healthy bones.
A deficiency in vitamin D or calcium may not cause symptoms in the early stages. However, over time, not getting enough of these nutrients can affect bone health and cause pain in the joints, Azar notes. These deficiencies can also worsen existing arthritis and increase the risk of fractures.
Joint pain isn't always a sign of something serious. However, it may be worth checking out if it interferes with daily activities.
'If you have joint pain that lasts for more than one to two weeks without an obvious explanation, you should see a doctor," says Azar.
Treatment will vary depending on the cause. In many cases, joint pain can be managed with over-the-counter pain relievers, physical therapy or corticosteroid injections. Physical therapy can also help improve mobility and strengthen joints.
There are also lifestyle habits that may help support healthy joints and reduce pain, says Azar. These include:
Eating a nutritious, anti-inflammatory diet
Exercising (as much as you can tolerate)
Maintaining good posture
Maintaining a healthy weight
Avoiding smoking
Getting enough rest
Reducing stress
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