Joint Pain: Causes, Symptoms, Risk Factors, and Treatment at Lowcountry Male

What is Joint Pain?

Joint Pain is discomfort in one or more joints. A joint is where two or more bones come together, such as the knee joint, where the femur, tibia, and patella meet. The pain can be constant or come and go with varying degrees of intensity. Below, we will discuss the different causes of joint pain, the common symptoms, and risk factors, and wrap up with non-surgical treatments offered at Lowcountry Male.

Causes of Joint Pain

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease in which the joints deteriorate over time, is the most common form of arthritis found in older people. The most frequently affected areas are the hands, knees, hips, neck, and lower back. It can damage all joint areas, including cartilage, tendons, ligaments, synovium, bone, and the meniscus. 

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory disorder in which the immune system attacks the body’s tissues. RA can affect the joints and other parts of the body, such as the skin, eyes, lungs, heart, and blood vessels. Unlike osteoarthritis, RA affects explicitly the lining of the joints, causing a painful swelling that can eventually result in bone erosion and joint deformity.

Gout

Gout is also an inflammatory arthritis that causes joint pain and swelling, usually for a week or two before resolving. It begins in your lower limbs or toes and is caused by high levels of urate buildup in your body, which can form needle-shaped crystals around the joints. These crystals lead to inflammation and arthritis of the joint.

Bursitis

Bursitis affects the small, fluid-filled pads—bursae—that cushion between the bones, tendons, and muscles near joints. Bursitis is most commonly found in the shoulder, elbow, and hip but can occur in other body parts, like the knee. 

Tendonitis

Tendonitis is inflammation of a tendon, which differs from arthritis—inflammation of a joint. This condition is most commonly caused by overuse of the tendon, which causes small tears, leading to pain and inflammation. 

Symptoms of Joint Pain

The most common symptoms of joint pain are pain and swelling caused by the condition’s inflammatory nature. Other symptoms include stiffness, aches, and feelings of heat or warmth. Most of these initial symptoms can lead to more severe problems, such as issues moving around and carrying out daily activities. 

Joint pain, especially swelling, may be better or worse at certain times of the day. Joint swelling can often worsen in the morning and improve slightly throughout the day. This constant cycle of pain can lead to tiredness, fatigue, and difficulty staying engaged in daily activities.

Joint Pain Risk Factors

1. Obesity

When you are heavier, your body works harder to move around. This extra exertion and movement leads to stress on the joints, which can cause swelling, stiffness, and pain. Ensuring you stay at a healthy weight is essential to continued joint health.

2. Inactivity 

Inactivity is also another factor in developing joint pain. If you are inactive for an extended period, your joints’ muscles become weak. This weakness means the muscles will provide less support to the joints when moving regularly, causing strain to build. The strain on the joints then leads to pain and inflammation. Having a regular exercise routine is critical to maintaining joint health. 

3. Genetics

Unfortunately, you can’t do much about genetic risk factors. If you have family members already affected by osteoarthritis, you may also experience it. What’s important is to know if these conditions are genetic so that you can take preventive measures to limit the strain on your joints.

4. Injury

Injury is one of the most common causes of joint pain. Injuries can affect ligaments, tendons, or cartilage in your joints, so it’s always important to have a doctor run an X-ray to determine the cause of the pain. Common injuries that lead to joint pain include strains, dislocations, and fractures.

5. Old Age

The older you are, the more natural wear and tear you will have on your joints. Joint pain from aging is also inevitable, but you can mitigate the issue by remaining active, getting ample sleep, and practicing good posture. 

Joint Pain Treatments

Medications

1. NSAIDs

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can sometimes relieve minor pain and reduce inflammation. Examples include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB) and naproxen sodium (Aleve).

2. Counterirritants

Some creams and ointments contain menthol or capsaicin, which may interfere with the pain signals from your joints when applied to the skin.

3. Steroids

Corticosteroid medications can often reduce joint pain and swelling and slow joint damage in certain instances.

4. DMARDs

Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs can slow the progression of rheumatoid arthritis. These medications can also save the joints and other tissues from continued damage.

Surgery

1. Joint Repair

Joint surfaces can sometimes be realigned to reduce pain and improve function. These procedures are often performed arthroscopically through small incisions over the joint.

2. Joint Replacement

This procedure involves removing and replacing the damaged joint with a new one. It is most commonly performed on hips and knees.

3. Joint Fusion

Joint fusion involves removing the ends of the two bones in the joint and then locking them together. These ends heal into place over time until they are one rigid unit. This surgical procedure is most often done on smaller joints in the wrist, ankle, and fingers.

PRP Therapy

PRP injections are a non-surgical treatment and perhaps the most natural solution for joint pain. PRP therapy involves the usage of your platelet-rich plasma to provide regenerative relief to the areas of pain. This procedure is quick and painless, providing relief to patients quicker than surgical treatments.

Learn More: Exploring Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy

How Can Lowcountry Male Help?

At Lowcountry Male, our team of experienced physicians provide our patients with a personal and professional PRP therapy experience. We will walk you through every step of the process, ensuring you feel comfortable and informed. If you want to take the next step in your joint pain recovery, reach out to us below!