Joint Pain Regions
Types of Joint Pain and What It Feels Like
One of the most common symptoms of arthritis is joint pain, and according to the Arthritis Foundation, there are over 100 different forms of arthritis and related diseases. This means that arthritis-related joint pain can be felt in many different ways, but that pain can be debilitating and even life-changing. Living with pain every day wears you down and can lead to fatigue and many other unbearable symptoms.
Treatments for Joint Pain
There are many different ways to treat arthritis joint pain, depending on its severity and location. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are sometimes prescribed; however, these come with a risk of liver damage, especially if you drink alcohol. Capsaicin, which is found in chili peppers, has been used to reduce joint pain, as well as frequent stretching, low-impact exercise, and adequate sleep.
Types of Joint Pain
There are many different types of joint pain, depending on where it is localised in the body. Arthritis joint pain is most commonly felt in the knees, ankles, and fingers, and the most common type of arthritis joint pain is called arthrosis. This is a degenerative joint disease that wears cartilage down and tends to worsen with age. These are some of the most common sites of joint pain and how they affect the body.
Joint Pain in the Hands and Feet
One of the early warning signs of rheumatoid arthritis, for example, is joint pain of the hands and feet. It’s important to describe your symptoms of joint pain in these regions to your doctor, because hand and foot pain could also be a sign of fibromyalgia, which causes pain in the muscles and soft tissues rather than the joints.
Joint Pain in the Knees and Shoulders
Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis major causes of joint pain in the knees and shoulders. These are some of the most mobile joints in the body that get a lot of wear and tear. This pain limits your range of motion and causes some patients to consider surgery as an option.
Joint Pain in the Back and Neck
Another common area that arthritis sufferers experience pain is the neck and back. Cervical osteoarthritis is arthritis of the neck, for example. A common marker of this condition are cervical bone spurs that impinge on nerves and send pain down through the arms.
Distinguishing Joint Pain
It’s important to distinguish joint pain caused by arthritis from joint pain that’s cause by other injuries and illnesses, such as sprains or gout. Joints support the entire body and help it move. Joint pain happens when the joints of your bone structure throughout the body ache. Symptoms of joint pain include swelling in the joint areas, tenderness around joints, and warmth in the joint areas.
In contrast, muscle pain is usually localised, but it may radiate throughout the body. Muscle pain is typically marked by spasms, localised weakness, coordination issues, and even paralysis in severe cases. Unlike joint pain, it is usually felt as a sharp pain that’s temporary and caused by an injury or illness. Another kind of pain, bone pain, originates inside the bone. This differs from joint pain, which typically occurs at the connection points between bones.
