Pain, inflammation, and discomfort on any joint part (tendons, bone, muscles, and ligaments) is typically referred to as joint pain.
In most cases however, joint pain is also the term given to arthritis or arthralgia—a condition associated with inflammation or pain from within the joint itself.
Pain brought about by the condition can be mild (where soreness manifesting only after an activity) or it can be severe.
In severe cases, even limited movement can cause excruciating pain.
Causes
Some of the most likely causes of pain in the joint include but are not limited to the following:
- Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
- Complex regional pain syndrome
- Septic arthritis
- Polymyalgia rheumatic
- Tendinitis
- Reactive arthritis
- Sarcoidosis
- Rickets
- Sprains
- Strains
- Osteoarthritis
- Leukemia
- Paget’s disease of the bone
- Lupus
- Leukemia
- Bursitis
- Avascular necrosis
- Meralgia paresthetica
- Bone cancer
- Gout
- Hyperthyroidism
- Dislocation
- Adult Still’s disease
- Broken bone
- Ankylosing spondylitis
In majority of the cases, joint pain is relatively harmless and will respond to home-care remedies.
However, a doctor’s visit would be needed if the following symptoms will occur:
- Swelling
- Redness
- Tenderness
Visiting the doctor is also required if the joint pain is the result of an injury and the following symptoms manifest:
- Severe pain
- Sudden swelling
- Joint deformity
- Inability to use the joint
Treatment
Before the right treatment approach for the condition is identified, doctors would first need to accurately diagnose the cause of the condition.
Regardless of the chosen treatment option, the primary goals remain the same—alleviating the pain, minimizing the inflammation, and preserving the joint’s function.
Some of the treatment options for joint pain include the following:
Medications
Joint pains that are classified as moderate to severe (with swelling), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs (i.e. aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen) and over-the-counter painkillers might be recommended.
However, taking OTC medications should be done with caution especially if patient is an avid drinker as it might result to liver damage.
If pain that manifests is severe and won’t respond at all to NSAIDs, a strong opioid medication might be given.
Since opioid drugs can result to drowsiness, it is recommended that they are used only upon the doctor’s recommendation.
Yet another possible side effect of opioid medication is constipation.
Fortunately, it can easily be remedied through the use of laxatives.
Other medications that are known to help alleviate joint pain include:
- Muscle relaxants made to combat muscle spasms. These muscle relaxants are sometimes taken with NSAIDs in order to maximize pain relief.
- Some antidepressant and antiepileptic drugs. These medications do their job by interfering with the pain signals.
Physical Therapy
Working with a physical therapist is also an option for those who have joint pain.
The therapist will be using different techniques—manipulation, ultrasound, heat and cold therapy, and electrical nerve stimulation—in order to strengthen the muscles, improve the patient’s range of motion, and to stabilize the joint.
For those patients that are obese and suffering from joint pain, losing weight will be recommended to help ensure pressure and strain on the joints will be minimized.
However, it is recommended that they stick to exercises that are low-impact like swimming and bicycling in order to avoid irritating the joint even further.
Injections
For joint pain that does not respond to oral or topical mediations, a steroid medication might be prescribed.
Together with a local anesthetic, steroid medication will be directly injected into the joint.
The procedure is done every 3 to 4 months.
Steroid injections are often the recommended treatment options for those who are suffering from tendinitis, joint disease, and arthritis, among others.
For joint pain that is persistent, get expert help from the specialists at www.bjios.sg right away.
