Joint Pain

The joints in our bodies provide support and help our bodies to move. When there is damage to the joints it can not only reduce mobility, but also cause intense pain. The pain can range from mild to severe and has a variety of causes. The most common symptoms of joint pain include: pain, stiffness, swelling, crepitus, osteophytes, and fatigue.

Commonly Linked Conditions

Arthritis

Arthritis is the inflammation of the joints. With over 100 different types, it affects more than 3 million people each year. Arthritis worsens over age, damages the joints, and causes the affected joints to be painful and stiff. Learn more about chronic arthritis pain here.

Bursitis

The small cushions that help the bones, tendons, and muscles around the joints are called bursae. When the bursae become inflamed, the painful condition bursitis can set in. Bursitis affects the joints in the body that are used most frequently in a repetitive motion.

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes muscle pain throughout the entire body. It does not cause the damage that arthritis does but can appear in joints and muscles. Learn more about fibromyalgia here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease that has an unknown cause and cure. The symptoms include extreme exhaustion, abnormal sleep patterns, unexplained muscle or joint pain, and more.

When Should I See a Doctor?

Most joint pain is mild and can be treated at home with simple remedies like over the counter pain relievers, rest, and applying ice packs or heating pads to the painful area. You should schedule an appointment with your doctor if you have a painful joint along with swelling, redness, tenderness, or warmth around the painful joint. See a doctor immediately if you have any of these occur:

  • An injury
  • Cant’ use the joint
  • Intense pain
  • Sudden swelling

Risk Factors

Age

The risk of suffering from joint pain increases along with age. As you age your body is not as strong as it once was. You are more likely to develop from a condition or have an injury occur that causes joint pain.

Weight

Being overweight causes extra stress on your joints. Maintaining a healthy body weight can reduce the chances of added pressure and stress affecting your joints.

Diseases

Certain diseases like arthritis can cause various symptoms, including joint pain. While diseases like these can’t necessarily be prevented, it’s important to know how you can manage any pain they might cause.

Smoking

Studies show that smoking can worsen or even intensify you pain and also slows down your bodies healing process. It can reduce your blood flow, which means that your body does not get all of the nutrients it needs to keep you healthy and strong. Quitting smoking can be difficult but can greatly improve your quality of life.

Injury

An injury to the joints can be extremely damaging and painful. It can prevent movement and if not treated properly can even cause more damaged to the area surrounding the injury.

Stress

Stress can have multiple different effects on the body, including inflammation. When inflammation occurs it can cause swelling and pain in the joints.

Lifestyle

Individuals that live a much more physical and active lifestyle have a higher risk of joint pain because of the higher activity levels. The more the joint is used over time, the higher the possibility of becoming injured or damaged increases.

Gender

Women have a higher likelihood of suffering from chronic pain. There are many reasons why women suffer more than men. Women feel pain stronger than men and they are more likely to develop conditions, like arthritis, that causes pain.

How Alabama Pain Physicians Can Help

At Alabama Pain Physicians, our goal is to better the quality of life of our patients. We take your pain seriously and strive to establish an accurate diagnosis along with a treatment plan to ultimately minimize your pain. To determine the exact cause of you pain, our physicians will perform a physical exam and use your complete medical history to help find the best treatment options suited for you. In addition to the physical exam and history, you may also need imaging studies and test to help the physician determine the cause of your pain. Contact Alabama Pain Physicians today and let us help get you on the right track to managing your pain.