Joint pain

Disease	Injury	Nutrition	Poison

Special Topic	Surgery	Symptoms	Test

Overview

Treatment

Joint pain

Definition:

Joint pain (arthralgia) affects one or more joints. See also arthritis (inflammation of joints), muscle pain, and bursitis.

Alternative Names:

Stiffness in a joint; Pain - joints; Arthralgia

Considerations:

Joint pain can be caused by many types of injuries or conditions. No matter what causes it, joint pain can be very bothersome.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that causes stiffness and pain in the joints. Osteoarthritis involves growth of bone spurs and degeneration of cartilage at a joint. It is very common in adults older than 45 and can cause joint pain.

Joint pain may also be caused by bursitis (inflammation of the bursae). The bursae are fluid-filled sacs that cushion and pad bony prominences, allowing muscles and tendons to move freely over the bone.

Common Causes:

Unusual exertion or overuse, including strains or sprains
Injury, including fracture
Gout (especially found in the big toe)
Osteoarthritis
Septic arthritis
Tendonitis
Bursitis
Infectious diseases, including
- Influenza
- Measles (rubeola)
- Rheumatic fever
- Epstein-Barr viral syndrome
- Hepatitis
- Mumps
- Rubella (German measles)
- Varicella (chickenpox)
Chondromalacia patellae
Osteomyelitis
Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus

Review Date: 11/11/2002
Reviewed By: Ajay Nirula, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Rheumatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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