Understanding Joint Pain and Some of its Causes

Joint pain can be annoying.  The constant achiness not only is reason for restricting movement but it can be mentally challenging as well.  Joint pain can be caused from a number of things, including the most common arthritis.  Arthritis is a disease that affects the joint, but it isn’t the only cause for joint pain.  Joint pain can be caused from an infection, inflammation or swelling of the joint.  These are common symptoms of arthritis also.

Even though you may experience joint pain it doesn’t mean you have arthritis.  Joint pain can be just that, joint pain.  The human body has over 200 joints, with that many, it is a safe assumption that everyone will experience some sort of joint pain.  Many who experience joint pain have isolated experiences that are short lived and cured by over-the-counter anti inflammatory medications.

Trauma, a shock to the joint, can be a cause of joint pain.  An injury to the joint is considered trauma.  Constant excessive pressure or stress on the joint, can be a form of trauma also.  Athletes are at high risk for joint pain not just because of injury but they have a tendency to overwork joints which can cause pain.

Inflammation or swelling of the joint can cause pain.  Inflammation is usually caused by excessive use of the joint but can be caused from infection.  Reducing the inflammation usually always reduces the pain.  There are over-the-counter medications that can reduce inflammation and ease joint pain.

When a person over works their muscles and joints they can become achy and sore, soaking in the affected area in a warm bath or applying a warm compress can ease those achy sore joints.  In some cases alternating cold and warm compresses can be more effective.

As stated earlier, joint pain can restrict movement and can be annoying, these two factors can hinder a person’s daily activities and work which can be stressful.  Mental stress and anguish can lead to depression which can increase joint pain.  Depression is known to be a cause of sore achy bones and joints.

Sometimes it is just best to work out the pain.  For instance, an osteoarthritis suffer (a common type of arthritis), will experience their symptoms, which includes joint pain, first thing in the morning but as they move around, usually within the first thirty minutes, their joint pain or symptoms subside.

There is a lot to be said about exercise and its importance when it comes to joint pain.  Joint pain can be caused from lack of movement, as with standing or sitting for long periods.  Exercise helps keep the joints elasticity.  It helps rejuvenate the fluid, which nourishes the tissue and cartilage in the joint, to keep it healthy and pain free.

But for those who experience a seemingly constant or recurring joint pain there may be cause for alarm.  Constant and/or recurring joint pain can be an underlying cause for another, possibly more serious, medical condition such as arthritis.

If your joint pain recurs often or becomes severe and troublesome you should make an appointment to see a healthcare professional.  It can only benefit to get an early diagnosis of these symptoms in the event they are due to a more significant medical problem.