Joint pain is used to refer to the constant or fleeting discomfort in the hands, feet, hips, knees, or spine. It may affect one’s ability to complete daily activities and basic tasks, thus severely impacting their quality of life. People who have had previous injuries to a joint, repeatedly overuse a muscle, live with chronic health conditions, and suffer from depression, anxiety, stress, or poor health are most likely to develop joint pain.

Signs and symptoms of joint pain
Some of the most common signs and symptoms of joint pain include:

• The area around the joint is swollen, red, tender, or warm to the touch
• Persistent pain in the joint for 3 days or more
• Fever, but no other signs of flu
• Noisy joints (clicking, snapping, or grinding sounds during movement)
• Difficulty bending or straightening the joint

The following signs and symptoms of joint pain require immediate health attention:

• The joint appears deformed
• Sudden swelling of the joint
• Complete immobility in the joint
• Severe pain in the joints that is impacting daily activities such as walking

Causes of joint pain
The most common cause of joint pain is arthritis. Two types of arthritis occur frequently – osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). OA progresses slowly and tends to affect commonly used joints such as the wrists, hands, hips, and knees. RA, too, develops slowly but can deform joints over time. It also causes pain, inflammation, and fluid buildup in the joints.

Other common causes of joint pain and inflammation include bursitis, lupus, gout, infectious diseases like mumps, influenza, and hepatitis, overuse or infection of the joint, chondromalacia of the patella, injuries, tendinitis, cancer, fibromyalgia, osteoporosis, sarcoidosis, and rickets.

Treatment for joint pain
Depending on the underlying cause and the severity of symptoms, doctors may recommend several different lines of treatment. These include:

At-home treatments
These are ideal for people experiencing mild-to-moderate joint pain.

• Applying a heating pad or ice over the affected areas to ease the pain.
• Exercising, such as walking, swimming, gentle stretching, or low-impact aerobic exercising, can also help improve joint and muscle strength and function.
• Using pain-relieving topical treatments such as creams, ointments, gels, or sprays.
• Taking food supplements such as glucosamine to relieve pain.

Doctor-recommended treatment
In case of more severe pain, doctors may recommend:

• Supportive aids
  Aids such as braces, canes, or other orthotic devices may help one better manage pain and improve movement.
• Physical or occupational therapy
  Working with a trained physical or occupational therapist on a fitness program can help relieve pain and improve flexibility.
• Pain management treatments
  These may be prescribed for short-term pain relief.

If none of the above treatments work, surgery may be advised for long-lasting relief. Most commonly, the following procedures are prescribed for joint pain:

• Arthroscopy
  This is a surgical procedure where a surgeon makes two to three incisions over the joint to repair cartilage or remove bone chips near it.
• Joint replacement
  Once the cartilage that protects the bone wears off, it may be time for joint replacement surgery. This is carried out for the hip, knee, and shoulder joints. In this procedure, the surgeon removes and replaces the original joint with a metal or plastic joint.