Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsArthritis-RelatedOther CausesWhen to Get HelpDiagnosisTreatmentFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Arthritis-Related
Other Causes
When to Get Help
Diagnosis
Treatment
Frequently Asked Questions
Joint pain has many causes, including many types of arthritis (e.g.,osteoarthritis,rheumatoidarthritis, gout) and some that aren’t arthritis-related (e.g., fibromyalgia, thyroid disease, Lyme disease, depression).
Joint pain can feel different depending on the cause. It might feel like a sudden, sharp pain. You might notice stiffness, burning, or a dull ache.
With so many causes, the reason for your joint pain can be hard to diagnose. And until you know the cause, you won’t know the best way to treat it. A major feature that determines the treatment is whether your joint pain involves inflammation.
This article walks you through many common causes of joint pain, how they’re diagnosed and treated, and when you need to see a healthcare provider.
What Is Arthritis?Arthritis literally means “joint inflammation.” Arthro = joint, itis = inflammation. In diseases classified as arthritis, inflammation may lead to joint damage (rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis) or joint damage may lead to inflammation (osteoarthritis, gout).
What Is Arthritis?
Arthritis literally means “joint inflammation.” Arthro = joint, itis = inflammation. In diseases classified as arthritis, inflammation may lead to joint damage (rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis) or joint damage may lead to inflammation (osteoarthritis, gout).
Arthritis-Related Causes
In arthritis, inflammation and/or joint damage is responsible for the pain. Arthritis comes in many forms with different causes.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis (OA)is the most common form of arthritis.It results from thebreakdown of cartilagedue to aging or injury.
Cartilage is a flexible tissue that cushions the ends of bones so they glide smoothly against each other inside your joints. When the cartilage wears away, the bones start grinding against each other, causing pain.
OA can affect any joint but it’s most common in the:
The pain of OA gets worse with movement and better with rest. It often starts with sharp, intermittent pain and then grows into a constant ache.Joint stiffness and a limitedrange of motionare common.
But an aggressive subtype of OA—callederosive osteoarthritis—is inflammatory. Erosive OA is most common in people who’ve gone through menopause. Symptoms include:
Gout
When the immune system tries to destroy them, it leads to inflammation and pain. (Inflammationis a normal and necessary part of the immune response.)
Common joints for gout are:
A classic gout attack involves sudden, severe, often burning joint pain. It’s usually in just one joint. Joints may be:
Without treatment, an acute flare may last up to two weeks.
Symptoms of Gout
Pseudogout
Pseudogout feels much like gout, but the attacks may last longer.
Gout vs. Pseudogout
Septic Arthritis
Septic arthritis tends to affect a single joint. It’s usually a:
The affected joint gets swollen, warm, and stiff. You’ll also have a fever.
The infection usually starts in the blood, then moves into the joint.Less often, joint surgery or something like a tick bite may be the culprit.
Viral Arthritis
Several viruses may causeviral arthritis. The most common ones include:
Viral arthritis lasts for a short time. Then most people are symptom-free. But some viruses leave behind pain that lingers for months or years.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)is a chronic autoimmune disease that develops gradually. RA predominantly affects the joints. Early symptoms may include:
What Is Autoimmune Disease?
RA then progresses to the joints. It most often starts in the fingers and toes on one side of the body. Thenother joints follow. The likely ones are:
The joint(s) also tend to be stiff, warm, discolored, and swollen. Unlike OA, RA pain tends to improve with movement. It’s often worse in the morning and the heightened pain lasts for more than an hour.
Treating RA
Spondyloarthritis
Spondyloarthritisis a family of inflammatory rheumatic diseases. It includes four conditions.
Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS)
Ankylosingspondylitisis an axialspondyloarthropathy. That means it mainly affects the axial skeleton (the spine and other bones of the central core). Common sites include the:
The joint pain of AS tends to come on gradually and to begin before age 45. Symptoms tend to improve with activity (similar to RA).Morning stiffness that lasts longer than 30 minutes is common in AS.
Psoriatic Arthritis
Psoriasisis an autoimmune skin disease. It causes patches of thick skin covered in silvery scales.
Up to 30% of people with psoriasis developpsoriatic arthritis.It most commonly affects the end joints of the fingers and toes. It causes:
In about 15% of people, joint pain shows up before psoriasis appears.
Reactive Arthritis
Reactive arthritisshows up within six weeks after an infection in the urinary tract, genitals, or intestines.It causes joint pain and swelling.
Bacteria linked to reactive arthritis include:
Typical joints are the knee, ankle, and foot.
Arthritis Associated With Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Some people withinflammatory bowel disease(IBD) develop a type of arthritis. It tends to be more active when bowel symptoms flare.
IBD includesCrohn’s diseaseandulcerative colitis.
Arthritis associated with IBD causes throbbing joint pain and swelling. It’s more common in larger joints like the knees and hips.
The Link Between Arthritis and IBD
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Joint inflammation is common insystemic lupuserythematosus(lupus or SLE). That’s a chronic autoimmune disease that can affect nearly every organ in the body.
Lupus especially hits the:
It tends to affect joints on the same side of the body. Mornings often bring stiffness but it generally lasts for just a few minutes.
Joint pain also tends to be short-lived. It may move from one joint to another throughout the day.
Could It Be Lupus?
Polymyalgia Rheumatica
Polymyalgia rheumatica(PMR)is an inflammatory joint disease. It causes:
The feet and ankles are never affected. And the disease almost exclusively affects people over 50.
PMR is associated with an inflammatory blood-vessel disease calledgiant cell (temporal) arteritis. It causes inflammation in the arteries of the head and scalp.
Other Systemic Rheumatic Diseases
Other systemic (whole-body) conditions may cause arthritis, too. They include:
Non-Arthritis Causes
Many other conditions cause joint pain that’s not related to joint disease or inflammation.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgiais a chronic pain condition involving nervous system dysfunction and hypersensitive nerves.
Fibromyalgia painusually moves around the body. It can affect joints, muscles, and connective tissues. Nerves may cause shooting, zinging, or tingling pain.
Other symptoms include crippling fatigue and cognitive dysfunction (“fibro fog”). Some people with this illness have joint aches and minor swelling.
However,exams and testsdon’t generally find any serious inflammation or joint damage.
Fibromyalgia’s Dozens of Symptoms
Hemarthrosis
Hemarthrosisoccurs when you have bleeding into a joint. It may be due to a number of reasons, including:
Blood can damage the cartilage inside your joints. Symptoms include:
It can take weeks or months to go away on its own. Treatment helps prevent pain and disability.
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidisminvolves an underactive thyroid gland. The most common cause isHashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease in which your body attacks your thyroid gland.
The thyroid is responsible for keeping numerous hormones in balance. When they’re out of balance, a lot of things can go wrong. Symptoms of hypothyroidism include:
Symptoms of Hypothyroidism
Lyme Disease
Lyme diseaseis transmitted via tick bites. Lyme bacteria in your joint tissue causes inflammation and pain known as Lyme arthritis.
The main symptom is swelling of one or more of the joints. Common sites include:
When Lyme Disease Becomes Chronic
Depression
It may seem odd, but unexplained joint pain is a primary physical symptom ofdepression.Other common symptoms include:
Menopause and Joint Pain: Understanding the Link and Finding Relief
When to See a Healthcare Provider
New joint pain is a reason to see your healthcare provider. Also, make an appointment if you have a pain condition but:
Many people with one pain condition go on to develop another. For example, it’s common for someone with RA or lupus to eventually developsecondary fibromyalgia.
Emergency SymptomsGet urgent medical care if your joint pain is severe or you have:FeverUnexplained weight lossInability to function due to joint painA hot or significantly swollen jointSudden numbness with burning and/or muscle weakness
Emergency Symptoms
Get urgent medical care if your joint pain is severe or you have:FeverUnexplained weight lossInability to function due to joint painA hot or significantly swollen jointSudden numbness with burning and/or muscle weakness
Get urgent medical care if your joint pain is severe or you have:
Healthcare providers have myriad tools for diagnosing the cause of your back joint pain. They include:
The specific tests you’ll get depend on your symptoms.
Medical History
The first step in the diagnostic process is a medical history. That includes the details of your joint pain, such as:
Your healthcare provider will also ask whether you have a family history of joint pain. That’s because some conditions (like psoriatic arthritis) tend to run in families.
Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if any of the following apply to you:
Before your appointment, think about all of these things so you can provide helpful information.
How Symptoms Help
Details about your pain can help narrow down possible diagnoses. For example, if sudden, severe pain hits one joint at a time, it may be:
Mild, achy pain that comes on gradually and affects more than one joint could be:
Joint pain of osteoarthritis improves with rest and worsens with activity. Arthritis due to RA is worse with rest and improves with activity.
Being thorough at that first appointment can help you get to the right tests, and the right treatments, faster.
Physical Examination
During the physical exam, your healthcare provider will press on the painful joints. They’re looking for:
These are signs of inflammation. They’ll also move your joints around to check for a limited range of motion orcrepitus(popping and grinding).
They’ll note whether your pain is symmetrical (in the same joint on both sides) or asymmetrical. Lastly, they’ll look for various clues such as:
Exam findings may lead to a clear diagnosis. But much of the time, more work is needed.
Labs and Tests
Blood tests are necessary for diagnosing many systemic (body-wide) causes of joint pain. They may include:
If they suspect autoimmune disease, your provider may order tests for certain antibodies. Those are your immune system’s “attack” cells.
If they suspect fibromyalgia, you may be given questionnaires to fill out. These are measurements of pain, other symptoms, and their impact on you.
Imaging
Imaging tests can help confirm or rule out a diagnosis. For example, anX-raymay reveal:
Other imaging tests may provide more information about a joint and its surrounding tissues. Common ones include:
Procedures
A few procedures can help confirm a diagnosis.
Joint Aspiration and Synovial Fluid Analysis
Withjoint aspiration, a needle is used to remove fluid from inside thesynovium(joint lining). Thefluid is then analyzedunder a microscope. This can help diagnose:
Synovial Biopsy
If your healthcare provider suspects tuberculosis or fungal infection, they may perform a synovial biopsy.
This involves removing a small tissue sample from the synovium. The tissue is then examined in the lab.
In some cases, you may need to see a specialist (or more than one) to get an official diagnosis.
Differential Diagnoses
Sometimes, what’s perceived as joint pain comes from a non-joint related condition. These may include:
These causes are typically easy for your health team to rule out.
Treatments for joint pain depend on the diagnosis. Options include:
Self-Care Strategies
Simple things you can try at home, before or after a diagnosis, include:
You may want to try ananti-inflammatory diet. Some illnesses, such as gout, may be improved with specific dietary changes.
Be sure to involve your healthcare practitioner in any lifestyle change you make.
10 Ways to Fight Fatigue From Arthritis
Medication
Several different medications can ease joint pain. The specific type depends on your diagnosis. Some possible medications are:
Medications for autoimmune diseases change how your immune system works. These include:
Fibromyalgia and depression are often treated with drugs that alter brain chemistry. These include:
Fibromyalgia is also treated with anti-seizure medications:
Other conditions require specific treatments.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy for joint pain focuses on:
Depending on your condition, your physical therapist may recommend awalking aid, brace, or splint.
For fibromyalgia, asupervised physical exercise programis especially important. It can help manage symptoms like muscle and joint, fatigue, and anxiety.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Several mind-body therapies can alleviate joint pain. They can be used alone (alternative) or along with other treatments (complementary).Some of these include:
Your healthcare provider can help you decide which approaches may be helpful or harmful to you.
What Joint Pain Supplements Work?
Surgery
Surgery is generally reserved for advanced cases of joint pain. This may include knee or hip OA that hasn’t responded to less invasive treatments.
An osteotomy is sometimes a good option. It involves cutting and reshaping bones to ease pressure on a joint. That may delay the need for a joint replacement.
Osteotomy for Arthritis
Good osteotomy candidates are:
In severe cases, total joint replacement may be necessary.
Summary
Many conditions cause joint pain. Some are chronic (long-lasting). Others may be temporary. They may run their course without treatment or only clear up with the right treatments.
Some joint-pain causes just affect the joints. Others are systemic conditions with many other symptoms.
New joint pain, or a new type of joint pain, are reasons to see a healthcare provider. To diagnose the problem, they’ll use your medical history, a physical exam, and possibly blood tests, imaging, and special procedures.
Treatment depends on the diagnosis. Medication, physical therapy, and sometimes surgery are standard. You may also benefit from lifestyle changes, self-care strategies, and complementary therapies.
A Word From Verywell
Pain is your body’s way of telling you something is wrong. Joint pain is a clear signal but it can be hard to figure out where it’s coming from.
The diagnostic process can take time and lead to a lot of frustration. Hang in there, though. Once the cause is found, you can start on the right treatments.
And that’s what it takes to tackle your pain, quiet your symptoms, and improve your quality of life.
You may have a temporomandibular disorder (TMD). The temporomandibular joints (TMJ) attach your lower jaw to your skull. TMD can come from internal problems with the joint, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.Learn MoreWhat Are Temporomandibular Disorders?
You may have a temporomandibular disorder (TMD). The temporomandibular joints (TMJ) attach your lower jaw to your skull. TMD can come from internal problems with the joint, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Learn MoreWhat Are Temporomandibular Disorders?
Make an appointment if you have these symptoms for three days in a row or several times in one month:Pain, swelling, or stiffness in one or more jointsRedness, warmth, or tenderness in one or more jointsDecreased mobility
Make an appointment if you have these symptoms for three days in a row or several times in one month:
Cold therapy (like an ice pack) is usually most effective for acute (short-term) joint inflammation. That’s because it reduces blood flow to the area.
Learn MoreWhen to Use Heat or Cold for Pain
25 SourcesVerywell 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.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Osteoarthritis (OA).National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Osteoarthritis.Banks SE.Erosive osteoarthritis: a current review of a clinical challenge.Clin Rheumatol. 2010;29(7):697-706. doi:10.1007/s10067-009-1369-7Engel B, Just J, Bleckwenn M, Weckbecker K.Treatment options for gout.Dtsch Arztebl Int.2017;114(13):215-222. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2017.0215MacMullan P, McCarthy G.Treatment and management of pseudogout: insights for the clinician.Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis. 2011;4(2):121-131. doi:10.1177/1759720x11432559Arthritis Foundation.Infectious arthritis.Marks M, Marks JL.Viral arthritis.Clin Med (Lond).2016;16(2):129-134. doi:10.7861/clinmedicine.16-2-129Sierakowski S, Cutolo M.Morning symptoms in rheumatoid arthritis: a defining characteristic and marker of active disease.Scand J Rheumatol. 2011;40(sup125):1-5. doi:10.3109/03009742.2011.566433Spondylitis Association of America.Overview of spondyloarthritis.National Psoriasis Foundation.Psoriatic arthritis.UpToDate.Patient education: Psoriatic arthritis (Beyond the basics).National Organization for Rare Disorders.Reactive arthritis.Arvikar SL, Fisher MC.Inflammatory bowel disease associated arthropathy.Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2011;4(3):123-131. doi:10.1007/s12178-011-9085-8Lam NC, Ghetu MV, Bieniek ML.Systemic lupus erythematosus: Primary care approach to diagnosis and management.Am Fam Physician. 2016;94(4):284-94.UpToDate.Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of polymyalgia rheumatica.National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Hashimoto’s disease.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Clinical care and treatment of lyme arthritis.Jaracz J, Gattner K, Jaracz K, Górna K.Unexplained painful physical symptoms in patients with major depressive disorder: Prevalence, pathophysiology and management.CNS Drugs. 2016;30(4):293-304. doi:10.1007/s40263-016-0328-5Solmaz D, Bakirci S, Kimyon G, et al.The impact of having family history of psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis on psoriatic disease.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2020;72(1):63-68. doi:10.1002/acr.23836Fouladbakhsh J.Complementary and alternative modalities to relieve osteoarthritis symptoms: A review of the evidence on several therapies often used for osteoarthritis management.Orthop Nurs. 2012;31(2):115-121. doi:10.1097/nor.0b013e31824fce6eAmerican Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Osteotomy of the knee.National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.TMD (temporomandibular disorders).Merck Manual Consumer Version.Joint pain: Many joints. (Polyarticular joint pain).Arthritis Foundation.When it’s time to see a doctor for joint pain.Arthritis Foundation.Heat therapy helps relax stiff joints.Additional ReadingPujalte G, Albano-Aluquin SA.Differential diagnosis of polyarticular arthritis.Am Fam Physician. 2015 Jul 1;92(1):35-41.Skou ST, Roos EM, Laursen MB, et al.A randomized, controlled trial of total knee replacement.N Engl J Med. 2015;373(17):1597-1606. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1505467UpToDate.Evaluation of the adult with polyarticular pain.
25 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.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Osteoarthritis (OA).National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Osteoarthritis.Banks SE.Erosive osteoarthritis: a current review of a clinical challenge.Clin Rheumatol. 2010;29(7):697-706. doi:10.1007/s10067-009-1369-7Engel B, Just J, Bleckwenn M, Weckbecker K.Treatment options for gout.Dtsch Arztebl Int.2017;114(13):215-222. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2017.0215MacMullan P, McCarthy G.Treatment and management of pseudogout: insights for the clinician.Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis. 2011;4(2):121-131. doi:10.1177/1759720x11432559Arthritis Foundation.Infectious arthritis.Marks M, Marks JL.Viral arthritis.Clin Med (Lond).2016;16(2):129-134. doi:10.7861/clinmedicine.16-2-129Sierakowski S, Cutolo M.Morning symptoms in rheumatoid arthritis: a defining characteristic and marker of active disease.Scand J Rheumatol. 2011;40(sup125):1-5. doi:10.3109/03009742.2011.566433Spondylitis Association of America.Overview of spondyloarthritis.National Psoriasis Foundation.Psoriatic arthritis.UpToDate.Patient education: Psoriatic arthritis (Beyond the basics).National Organization for Rare Disorders.Reactive arthritis.Arvikar SL, Fisher MC.Inflammatory bowel disease associated arthropathy.Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2011;4(3):123-131. doi:10.1007/s12178-011-9085-8Lam NC, Ghetu MV, Bieniek ML.Systemic lupus erythematosus: Primary care approach to diagnosis and management.Am Fam Physician. 2016;94(4):284-94.UpToDate.Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of polymyalgia rheumatica.National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Hashimoto’s disease.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Clinical care and treatment of lyme arthritis.Jaracz J, Gattner K, Jaracz K, Górna K.Unexplained painful physical symptoms in patients with major depressive disorder: Prevalence, pathophysiology and management.CNS Drugs. 2016;30(4):293-304. doi:10.1007/s40263-016-0328-5Solmaz D, Bakirci S, Kimyon G, et al.The impact of having family history of psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis on psoriatic disease.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2020;72(1):63-68. doi:10.1002/acr.23836Fouladbakhsh J.Complementary and alternative modalities to relieve osteoarthritis symptoms: A review of the evidence on several therapies often used for osteoarthritis management.Orthop Nurs. 2012;31(2):115-121. doi:10.1097/nor.0b013e31824fce6eAmerican Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Osteotomy of the knee.National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.TMD (temporomandibular disorders).Merck Manual Consumer Version.Joint pain: Many joints. (Polyarticular joint pain).Arthritis Foundation.When it’s time to see a doctor for joint pain.Arthritis Foundation.Heat therapy helps relax stiff joints.Additional ReadingPujalte G, Albano-Aluquin SA.Differential diagnosis of polyarticular arthritis.Am Fam Physician. 2015 Jul 1;92(1):35-41.Skou ST, Roos EM, Laursen MB, et al.A randomized, controlled trial of total knee replacement.N Engl J Med. 2015;373(17):1597-1606. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1505467UpToDate.Evaluation of the adult with polyarticular pain.
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.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Osteoarthritis (OA).National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Osteoarthritis.Banks SE.Erosive osteoarthritis: a current review of a clinical challenge.Clin Rheumatol. 2010;29(7):697-706. doi:10.1007/s10067-009-1369-7Engel B, Just J, Bleckwenn M, Weckbecker K.Treatment options for gout.Dtsch Arztebl Int.2017;114(13):215-222. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2017.0215MacMullan P, McCarthy G.Treatment and management of pseudogout: insights for the clinician.Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis. 2011;4(2):121-131. doi:10.1177/1759720x11432559Arthritis Foundation.Infectious arthritis.Marks M, Marks JL.Viral arthritis.Clin Med (Lond).2016;16(2):129-134. doi:10.7861/clinmedicine.16-2-129Sierakowski S, Cutolo M.Morning symptoms in rheumatoid arthritis: a defining characteristic and marker of active disease.Scand J Rheumatol. 2011;40(sup125):1-5. doi:10.3109/03009742.2011.566433Spondylitis Association of America.Overview of spondyloarthritis.National Psoriasis Foundation.Psoriatic arthritis.UpToDate.Patient education: Psoriatic arthritis (Beyond the basics).National Organization for Rare Disorders.Reactive arthritis.Arvikar SL, Fisher MC.Inflammatory bowel disease associated arthropathy.Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2011;4(3):123-131. doi:10.1007/s12178-011-9085-8Lam NC, Ghetu MV, Bieniek ML.Systemic lupus erythematosus: Primary care approach to diagnosis and management.Am Fam Physician. 2016;94(4):284-94.UpToDate.Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of polymyalgia rheumatica.National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Hashimoto’s disease.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Clinical care and treatment of lyme arthritis.Jaracz J, Gattner K, Jaracz K, Górna K.Unexplained painful physical symptoms in patients with major depressive disorder: Prevalence, pathophysiology and management.CNS Drugs. 2016;30(4):293-304. doi:10.1007/s40263-016-0328-5Solmaz D, Bakirci S, Kimyon G, et al.The impact of having family history of psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis on psoriatic disease.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2020;72(1):63-68. doi:10.1002/acr.23836Fouladbakhsh J.Complementary and alternative modalities to relieve osteoarthritis symptoms: A review of the evidence on several therapies often used for osteoarthritis management.Orthop Nurs. 2012;31(2):115-121. doi:10.1097/nor.0b013e31824fce6eAmerican Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Osteotomy of the knee.National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.TMD (temporomandibular disorders).Merck Manual Consumer Version.Joint pain: Many joints. (Polyarticular joint pain).Arthritis Foundation.When it’s time to see a doctor for joint pain.Arthritis Foundation.Heat therapy helps relax stiff joints.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Osteoarthritis (OA).
National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Osteoarthritis.
Banks SE.Erosive osteoarthritis: a current review of a clinical challenge.Clin Rheumatol. 2010;29(7):697-706. doi:10.1007/s10067-009-1369-7
Engel B, Just J, Bleckwenn M, Weckbecker K.Treatment options for gout.Dtsch Arztebl Int.2017;114(13):215-222. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2017.0215
MacMullan P, McCarthy G.Treatment and management of pseudogout: insights for the clinician.Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis. 2011;4(2):121-131. doi:10.1177/1759720x11432559
Arthritis Foundation.Infectious arthritis.
Marks M, Marks JL.Viral arthritis.Clin Med (Lond).2016;16(2):129-134. doi:10.7861/clinmedicine.16-2-129
Sierakowski S, Cutolo M.Morning symptoms in rheumatoid arthritis: a defining characteristic and marker of active disease.Scand J Rheumatol. 2011;40(sup125):1-5. doi:10.3109/03009742.2011.566433
Spondylitis Association of America.Overview of spondyloarthritis.
National Psoriasis Foundation.Psoriatic arthritis.
UpToDate.Patient education: Psoriatic arthritis (Beyond the basics).
National Organization for Rare Disorders.Reactive arthritis.
Arvikar SL, Fisher MC.Inflammatory bowel disease associated arthropathy.Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2011;4(3):123-131. doi:10.1007/s12178-011-9085-8
Lam NC, Ghetu MV, Bieniek ML.Systemic lupus erythematosus: Primary care approach to diagnosis and management.Am Fam Physician. 2016;94(4):284-94.
UpToDate.Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of polymyalgia rheumatica.
National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Hashimoto’s disease.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Clinical care and treatment of lyme arthritis.
Jaracz J, Gattner K, Jaracz K, Górna K.Unexplained painful physical symptoms in patients with major depressive disorder: Prevalence, pathophysiology and management.CNS Drugs. 2016;30(4):293-304. doi:10.1007/s40263-016-0328-5
Solmaz D, Bakirci S, Kimyon G, et al.The impact of having family history of psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis on psoriatic disease.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2020;72(1):63-68. doi:10.1002/acr.23836
Fouladbakhsh J.Complementary and alternative modalities to relieve osteoarthritis symptoms: A review of the evidence on several therapies often used for osteoarthritis management.Orthop Nurs. 2012;31(2):115-121. doi:10.1097/nor.0b013e31824fce6e
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Osteotomy of the knee.
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.TMD (temporomandibular disorders).
Merck Manual Consumer Version.Joint pain: Many joints. (Polyarticular joint pain).
Arthritis Foundation.When it’s time to see a doctor for joint pain.
Arthritis Foundation.Heat therapy helps relax stiff joints.
Pujalte G, Albano-Aluquin SA.Differential diagnosis of polyarticular arthritis.Am Fam Physician. 2015 Jul 1;92(1):35-41.Skou ST, Roos EM, Laursen MB, et al.A randomized, controlled trial of total knee replacement.N Engl J Med. 2015;373(17):1597-1606. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1505467UpToDate.Evaluation of the adult with polyarticular pain.
Pujalte G, Albano-Aluquin SA.Differential diagnosis of polyarticular arthritis.Am Fam Physician. 2015 Jul 1;92(1):35-41.
Skou ST, Roos EM, Laursen MB, et al.A randomized, controlled trial of total knee replacement.N Engl J Med. 2015;373(17):1597-1606. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1505467
UpToDate.Evaluation of the adult with polyarticular pain.
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