Medical Conditions That Can Cause Joint Pain

An injury, overuse, lack of physical activity — we all know that all of these things can leave your joints achy. But did you know that there are also certain medical conditions that can be blamed for joint pain?

Below you will come across some medical conditions that are known to cause achy joints.

Osteoarthritis

There are hundreds and hundreds of types of arthritis, and osteoarthritis is the most common of them all.

Put simply, osteoarthritis involves damage to the cartilages found in joints. Once damaged, the bones that make up the affected joints rub against each other, causing pain and inflammation.

Some risk factors for osteoarthritis include family history, age, being overweight or obese, previous joint injury, and overuse of the joints.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Another very common form of arthritis is called rheumatoid arthritis. Unlike osteoarthritis that commonly affects weight-bearing joints, rheumatoid arthritis usually affects small joints, like the hands and wrists.

It’s not unlikely for people with rheumatoid arthritis to form rheumatoid nodules or small bumps under the skin.

The problem with rheumatoid arthritis is it can eventually have an effect on other parts of the body, such as the lungs and blood vessels. Experts say that rheumatoid arthritis can increase heart disease risk.

Gout

A form of arthritis, gout can be very painful — so much so that it can actually wake you up in the middle of the night because of extreme pain usually in the big toe, the joint that is commonly affected by gout.

Other than being painful, the big toe may also appear red and swollen, and also feel warm when touched.

It is said that gout is more common in men than women, and overweight or obese individuals are at higher risk. Episodes may last for up to 10 days, and can be triggered by stress, alcohol and poor diet.

Lupus

Doctors say that lupus is an autoimmune disease, which means that the one to blame for it is the person’s very own immune system.

This disease can cause damage to the organs and joints, and that’s why joint pain is one of its symptoms.

Actually, about 50 percent of people who are diagnosed with lupus say that one of the very first few symptoms they have experienced is joint pain, usually in the extremities and often symmetric.

Lyme Disease

Yearly, up to 30,000 individuals are bitten by a tick and suffer from Lyme disease.

The problem with Lyme disease is it can put your health in grave danger as it may affect your nervous system and heart if it’s not diagnosed and treated properly.

One of the earlier symptoms of Lyme disease is joint pain, often affecting the knees. Some other early symptoms include headaches, fatigue, fever, and the so-called bull’s eye rash.

Gonorrhoea

If you think that gonorrhoea is a sexually transmitted disease or STD that affects your genitals only, better think again. According to experts, it’s something that can actually affect your joints.

Gonococcal arthritis is a complication of gonorrhoea, and it’s the one that can cause painful and swollen joints. According to doctors, it is something that is more common in teenage girls that are sexually active.

Some other symptoms of gonorrhoea include penile or vaginal discharge and a burning sensation when peeing.

Make sure that you seek the help of a doctor if you are experiencing chronic joint pain, especially the kind that comes with other unusual symptoms.

Sourced from HealthDigezt.