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Acute injuries, overuse, or chronic diseases can cause joint pain. Whatever’s causing your pain, you can get relief at Integrated Pain Consultants in Scottsdale, Mesa, and Phoenix, Arizona. Nikesh Seth, MD, and the highly experienced pain experts diagnose your condition and offer cutting-edge treatments to reduce or eliminate pain. Call your nearest Integrated Pain Consultants office to arrange a joint pain evaluation, or book an appointment online today.
Joint Pain Q & A
What’s causing my joint pain?
Joint pain has many causes. Acute injuries cause sudden pain and frequently affect the joint’s function. They can happen when playing sports, exercising, or awkwardly twisting the joint. Acute joint injuries include:
- Ankle sprains
- Rotator cuff tears in the shoulder
- Meniscus cartilage tears in the knee
- Labral tears in the hip or shoulder
- Fractures (broken bones)
- Dislocations (joint separation)
- Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) sprains in the knee
Overuse injuries build up over time due to repetitive movements. Tendinitis and bursitis are common overuse injuries, causing inflammation in the tendons and bursae (fluid-filled sacs) in your joints. Carpal tunnel syndrome in the wrist and golfer’s or tennis elbow is often due to repetitive strain.
The most likely cause of chronic joint pain is arthritis.
Why does arthritis cause joint pain?
Arthritis isn’t a single disease but a collection of over 100 conditions affecting the joints. Some only involve one joint, while others occur in multiple joints. Most forms of arthritis are rare. Of the most common, osteoarthritis is the most likely cause of chronic joint pain.
Osteoarthritis develops when the cartilage protecting the ends of your bones gradually deteriorates from years of use. The bones start to rub against each other, and age causes the joint fluid to lose its shock-absorbing qualities. Sometimes abnormal bony growths called bone spurs develop in the joint.
The result of these changes is joint pain that worsens over time. Osteoarthritis also causes other joint problems, including:
- Stiffness
- Weakness
- Loss of function
- Swelling
- Distortion
Some forms of arthritis stem from problems with your immune system that causes it to attack the joint linings. Rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis are the most common examples. Other autoimmune disorders like lupus can also cause chronic joint pain.
Can anything help with joint pain?
If you have an acute or overuse injury, resting the joint, applying ice, and raising the area can help reduce pain and swelling. You might need to wear a support bandage, splint, or brace while the injury heals. Many acute musculoskeletal problems benefit from chiropractic adjustments.
Chronic joint pain treatments include:
- Physical therapy
- Medication
- Pain management counseling
- Viscosupplementation (hyaluronic acid injections)
- Steroid injections
- Radiofrequency ablation
It’s important to get expert treatment for acute injuries. If you don’t, they may fail to heal properly, leading to chronic problems like joint instability.
Call Integrated Pain Consultants or book an appointment online today to receive the best joint pain treatment.