Joint Pain

What causes joint pain?

Joint pain can strike suddenly when you injure the structures in the joint, or progress slowly if there's tissue degeneration. These joint conditions arise from damage to the tendons, ligaments, bones, or capsules (the fibrous tissue surrounding a joint).

Some of the more common causes of joint pain include:

• Arthritis
• Sprained ligaments
• Torn cartilage
• Bursitis
• Tendinitis
• Full or partial dislocations
• Osteoporosis

Arthritis is the most likely cause of chronic joint pain. There are numerous forms of arthritis, but the most common ones include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, septic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and psoriatic arthritis.

Each pain generator requires an accurate diagnosis and a unique treatment plan.

How is joint pain diagnosed?

At Arthritis & Osteoporosis Center, the team uses their knowledge and experience combined with modern technologies to accurately diagnose the cause of your joint pain.

During your initial consultation, your provider looks at your medical and family history, discusses your symptoms with you, and performs a thorough physical exam. This usually gives them a clear idea of the cause of your joint pain.

They then need to confirm the cause, exclude other possibilities, and get a detailed look at the nature of the joint damage using diagnostic imaging technologies. Arthritis & Osteoporosis Center has both digital X-rays and musculoskeletal ultrasound on-site.

The team also has on-site lab services to test your blood for infections and inflammatory conditions. The rheumatologists are experts in detecting inflammatory and noninflammatory causes and plan treatments accordingly.

What types of medication can help with joint pain?

Osteoarthritis often responds well to acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). You can take these orally or use topical creams. 

The Arthritis & Osteoporosis Center team also uses duloxetine, a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) which has also been approved for the pain associated with degenerative arthritis. 

What other treatments are there for joint pain?

Other treatments the Arthritis & Osteoporosis Center team uses for joint pain include:

Physical therapy

The practice has state-of-the-art physical therapy facilities on-site where you can receive tailored treatments to keep you mobile and increase muscle strength around your joints.

Joint injections

Euflexxa® hyaluronic acid injections help by lubricating the joints, while steroid injections reduce inflammation.

For effective joint pain treatments without the need for surgery, call Arthritis & Osteoporosis Center today.