Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Joint Pain?Is Joint Pain a Symptom?TreatmentWhen to See a ProviderFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is Joint Pain?
Is Joint Pain a Symptom?
Treatment
When to See a Provider
Frequently Asked Questions
This article will explore the connection between joint pain and diabetes, including the causes and treatment, as well as management, of joint pain in diabetes.
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Joint pain can affect your knees, hips, fingers, or other joints in the body—places where bone meets bone. If you have diabetes, you are predisposed to certain types of joint pain, which can develop over time. Joint pain related to diabetes is calleddiabetic arthropathy.
Is Joint Pain a Symptom of Diabetes?
Joint pain can be a symptom of either type 1 or type 2 diabetes.Type 1 diabetesis an autoimmune disorder in which the body doesn’t produceinsulin(a hormone that controls blood sugar). Intype 2 diabetes, the body is resistant to the action of insulin or doesn’t make enough of it.
Symptoms of diabetic arthropathy in a joint include:
Here are some common causes of joint pain associated with diabetes.
Inflammation
High blood sugar promotes the production of substances in the body that are linked to jointinflammationand joint damage, which can cause pain.Inflammation is a reaction of the body to fight possible invading microbes or toxins. But it can be triggered mistakenly and result in damage to the body’s own tissues.
Diabetic Neuropathy
Diabetic neuropathycan be the first sign of diabetes.Neuropathy(nerve damage) is a common complication in people with diabetes. Chronic high blood sugar and high blood triglycerides (a form of fat) in diabetes can lead to nerve damage.
Diabetic neuropathy can cause pain, numbness, and a tingling sensation in the joints, often in the lower extremities. Reduced sensation and proprioception (sensing where a limb is) can lead to falls or small injuries. The effects of these traumas can build up to cause changes in joint structure and chronic joint pain.
One form of diabetic neuropathy, calledCharcot foot, causes swelling and can damage the bones and joints of the feet.
Limited Joint Mobility
Stiff joints can be painful. Some people with diabetes may develop diabetic hand syndrome, ordiabetic cheiroarthropathy, which makes it hard to move the joints in your hands and also makes the skin tighten. These symptoms can be an early sign of diabetes or may develop in people with prediabetes.
Frozen shoulder, in which the collagen that forms a capsule around the joint tightens and makes it hard to move the arm, is not unommon in people with diabetes.
Arthritis in DiabetesPeople with diabetes are more likely to have arthritis than people without diabetes. This includesosteoarthritis, which causes pain and swelling in joints like the hands, the neck, and the weight-bearing joints. Some 52% of people with type 2 diabetes develop osteoarthritis, about twice as many as those without diabetes.People withrheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that inflames joints and can damage them permanently, are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.They are also more likely to have type 1 diabetes.
Arthritis in Diabetes
People with diabetes are more likely to have arthritis than people without diabetes. This includesosteoarthritis, which causes pain and swelling in joints like the hands, the neck, and the weight-bearing joints. Some 52% of people with type 2 diabetes develop osteoarthritis, about twice as many as those without diabetes.People withrheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that inflames joints and can damage them permanently, are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.They are also more likely to have type 1 diabetes.
People with diabetes are more likely to have arthritis than people without diabetes. This includesosteoarthritis, which causes pain and swelling in joints like the hands, the neck, and the weight-bearing joints. Some 52% of people with type 2 diabetes develop osteoarthritis, about twice as many as those without diabetes.
People withrheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that inflames joints and can damage them permanently, are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.They are also more likely to have type 1 diabetes.
Treatment and Management of Joint Pain
Managing joint pain when it is a symptom of diabetes is usually similar to managing it for other causes of joint pain. Treatment may include:
If your joint pain is due to an autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, your healthcare provider may prescribe a pain medication called Arava (lefluonamide) that may also help lower your blood sugar and risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Call a healthcare provider if you’re experiencing swelling, redness, pain, or numbness in your joints. Joint pain connected to diabetes can’t be cured, but it can be treated. If left untreated, it may be more likely to lead to permanent joint damage and loss of mobility.
Summary
Joint pain can be a symptom of diabetes and can affect people with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The symptoms include aching, swelling, tingling or numbness, redness, and lack of mobility. High blood sugar in diabetes can lead to increased inflammation and nerve damage, and other effects that can result in joint pain.
Your provider can recommend treatment for joint pain that is a symptom of diabetes, which can include lifestyle changes like losing weight and exercising or medications that can address inflammation. Keeping your blood sugar under control will also help lower the risk of permanent joint damage.
A Word From Verywell
Frequently Asked QuestionsIt is common for people with diabetes to develop joint pain, which is known as diabetic arthropathy. There can be several reasons for joint pain to occur, including inflammation and nerve damage (neuropathy).Learn MoreJoint Pain Associated with DiabetesSome conditions associated with diabetes can cause your joints to swell. These include osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Anti-inflammatory medication can help alleviate swelling in the joints when you have diabetes.Learn MoreJoint Pain Causes and Treatment OptionsDiabetes can cause conditions like trigger finger, in which your finger feels locked, or Dupuytren’s contracture, in which the tissues in your hand tighten and pull your fingers inward toward your palm.Learn MoreCauses and Treatment of Dupuytren’s Contracture
It is common for people with diabetes to develop joint pain, which is known as diabetic arthropathy. There can be several reasons for joint pain to occur, including inflammation and nerve damage (neuropathy).Learn MoreJoint Pain Associated with Diabetes
It is common for people with diabetes to develop joint pain, which is known as diabetic arthropathy. There can be several reasons for joint pain to occur, including inflammation and nerve damage (neuropathy).
Learn MoreJoint Pain Associated with Diabetes
Some conditions associated with diabetes can cause your joints to swell. These include osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Anti-inflammatory medication can help alleviate swelling in the joints when you have diabetes.Learn MoreJoint Pain Causes and Treatment Options
Some conditions associated with diabetes can cause your joints to swell. These include osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Anti-inflammatory medication can help alleviate swelling in the joints when you have diabetes.
Learn MoreJoint Pain Causes and Treatment Options
Diabetes can cause conditions like trigger finger, in which your finger feels locked, or Dupuytren’s contracture, in which the tissues in your hand tighten and pull your fingers inward toward your palm.Learn MoreCauses and Treatment of Dupuytren’s Contracture
Diabetes can cause conditions like trigger finger, in which your finger feels locked, or Dupuytren’s contracture, in which the tissues in your hand tighten and pull your fingers inward toward your palm.
Learn MoreCauses and Treatment of Dupuytren’s Contracture
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Arthritis Foundation.The link between arthritis and diabetes.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Diabetic neuropathy.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Peripheral neuropathy.
Johnson-Lynn SE, McCaskie AW, Coll AP, Robinson AHN.Neuroarthropathy in diabetes: pathogenesis of Charcot arthropathy.Bone Joint Res.2018;7(5):373-378. doi:10.1302/2046-3758.75.BJR-2017-0334.R1.
Gokcen N, Cetinkaya Altuntas S, Coskun Benlidayi I, Sert M, Nazlican E, Sarpel T.An overlooked rheumatologic manifestation of diabetes: diabetic cheiroarthropathy.Clin Rheumatol.2019;38(3):927-932. doi:10.1007/s10067-019-04454-z.
Piva SR, Susko AM, Khoja SS, Josbeno DA, Fitzgerald GK, Toledo FGS.Links between osteoarthritis and diabetes: implications for management from a physical activity perspective.Clin Geriatr Med.2015;31(1):67-87. doi:10.1016/j.cger.2014.08.019.
Arthritis Foundation.Rheumatoid arthritis and type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes Queensland.Type 1 diabetes increases risk of rheumatoid arthritis.
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