Joint Pain - Understanding Your Pain

How often have you, your child, or your Aunt Tilley complained of pain in the knee, ankle, hip, or shoulder? Often our first thought is to consider age. "It's just growing pains in little Johnny" or "Aunt Tilley is sixty years old; it's probably rheumatism." We often don't stop to think that it could be juvenile arthritis in little Johnny or the fact that Aunt Tilley just returned from a skiing trip.

Listed below are just some of the many diseases and conditions hidden beneath the symptom of joint pain. Many of them cannot be otherwise detected without a doctor's consultation and/or diagnostic tests, such as blood work, x-rays, and CT or MRI's being done. Both intermittent and persistent joint pain should never be ignored as early detection and treatment of many diseases and conditions can prevent future disability or save your life.

Arthritis: inflammation of the joints; can affect one or more joints; accompanied by joint pain called arthralgia. There are several types of arthritis, such as septic arthritis where bacteria settle in the joint causing infection (usually affects young children and older adults); rheumatoid arthritis, which is an autoimmune disorder (meaning the body begins to fight against itself), affects the lining of joints; and reactive arthritis, which is triggered by an infection occurring in another part of the body and is defined by pain and swelling in the joints.

Bursitis: an inflammation of the bursa, tiny fluid-filled sacs that serve as gliding surfaces to reduce friction between two surfaces.

Osteochondritis dissecans: a joint condition where a variable amount of bone and its adjacent cartilage loses its blood supply. Often asymptomatic except if a piece of bone or cartilage breaks away and causes pain. This disorder is often seen in older children, teens, and young adults and occurs most commonly in the knee.

Sickle cell disease (anemia): a disorder of the blood caused by inherited abnormal hemoglobin (an oxygen carrying protein within the red blood cells). A characteristic symptom is "episodes of pain" where blood flow to tiny blood vessels is blocked by the sickle-shaped red blood cells causing pain in the chest, abdomen, and joints.

Cartilage tear: cartilage is a firm, rubbery tissue that cushions bones at the joints.

Synovial sarcoma: a malignant sarcoma (tumor) of soft tissue that arises near a joint. Although rare, they occur in the muscle, fat, tendons, blood vessels, nerves, and lining of joints (synovial tissues).

Tendonitis: inflammation of tendons caused by overuse, injury, or related rheumatic conditions; may restrict movement of nearby joints.

Polymyalgia rheumatica: a disorder that affects large muscle groups in the body with episodes of pain and stiffness. It affects tendons, muscles, ligaments and tissues around the joints.

Hypothyroidism: (underactive thyroid) is a condition where the thyroid doesn't produce adequate levels of important hormones. The affects of an underactive thyroid are varied and symptoms come on gradually over time. They include: fatigue, depression, pain, stiffening or swelling in the joints, unexplained weight gain, muscle weakness, elevated cholesterol, hoarse voice, constipation, increased sensitivity to cold, sluggishness, and muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness.

When it comes to experiencing joint pain, especially pain that comes on gradually or for no obvious reason, it is best to talk to your doctor, have some tests done, and get a professional diagnosis. Prepare ahead of time and write down what you feel are the most important questions to you, a good description of your symptoms, and anything you feel might have contributed to this pain. As always, if you feel the diagnosis was given hastily, your concerns were not considered, or for any reason you feel uncomfortable with the situation, find another doctor and seek a second opinion.

Sources: WebMD.com, MayoClinic.com