Joint pain

What causes joint pain?

Joint pain commonly begins when the bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons inside the joint become damaged and inflamed. However, joint pain also occurs when supporting structures like muscles and ligaments are stretched or torn.

Common causes of joint pain include:

• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Reactive arthritis
• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Connective tissue disease
• Facet joint arthritis
• Lyme disease
• Fibromyalgia
• Tendonitis
• Bursitis
• Lupus

Though many people associate joint pain with a sudden injury, the conditions in this list (except tendonitis and bursitis) develop gradually and progressively worsen.

What symptoms accompany joint pain?

The conditions responsible for joint pain usually cause other symptoms. You may experience:

• Swelling
• Redness
• Bruising
• Joint instability
• Joint stiffness
• Limited movement
• Inability to use the joint

Osteoarthritis in the spinal joints may pinch the nerves, causing pain and tingling that travel down your arms or legs.

How is joint pain diagnosed?

Dr. Rehman comprehensively evaluates your joint to accurately determine the cause of the problem. He asks questions about your pain that help narrow down potential causes, then carefully examines the joint.

Depending on the results of your exam, Dr. Rehman may order blood tests, X-rays, ultrasounds, or other diagnostic tests. He could withdraw excess joint fluid and test it for signs of an infection, gout, and other problems.

How is joint pain treated?

You may be able to relieve the pain at home by applying ice and heat or resting the joint, but the conditions in the list above won’t improve without treatment. Though many progressive joint conditions can’t be cured, Dr. Rehman can provide advanced treatments that slow down tissue damage, ease your symptoms, and reduce inflammation.

Dr. Rehman may recommend joint injections containing one of several medications, depending on the cause of your pain. You may also need medications that reduce inflammation or treat the source of your pain. For example, he treats rheumatoid arthritis with medications that put the disease into remission.

The Rheumatology Clinic of Houston has an on-site infusion center where you can safely receive today’s most advanced biologic medications for inflammatory joint conditions.

If you have joint pain that doesn’t improve or gets worse, it’s time to schedule an evaluation at the Rheumatology Clinic of Houston. Call the office or request an appointment online today.

Notes: comprehensive evaluation for all kinds of joint pains