Joint Pain – Part 1 - Health Plus Digest

Joint pain is a generic term used to describe discomfort and pain stimuli which originates from the joint or joint space. And, joint pain can be caused by several different types of injuries or conditions. However, no matter what the cause, it is usually bothersome and uncomfortable, if not downright painful.

Joint pain can be caused from one of the over 100 different types of arthritic conditions which can affect the human body. The most common of these arthritic conditions is Osteoarthritis which affects approximately 27 million Americans alone. Rheumatoid Arthritis is another common autoimmune disorder that causes stiffness and pain in the joints. (1)

Joint pain can also be caused by bursitis which is the generic term to describe any inflammation of the bursa. The bursa are fluid filled sacs that cushion and protect bony prominences in the body and allow the muscle and tendons to move freely over the bone. When the bursa becomes inflamed, motion of the muscle and tendon over the joint surface will cause pain and discomfort.

Gout is another form of arthritis which can cause pain in the joints. Individuals can also suffer from Septic Arthritis in which an infection resides in the joint space setting up an inflammatory process that includes bacterial growth. Osteomyelitis, Tendinitis, Chondromalacia Patella, Lupus, fractures and strains and sprains round out the causes of joint pain which originate in the joint space or surrounding area.

There are several different infectious diseases which can also cause joint pain but are not limited to the joint itself. For instance, Hepatitis, Measles and Mumps all have the side effect of causing joint pain. Other infectious diseases which will cause pain in the joints include Rubella, Chickenpox, Rheumatic Fever, Epstein-Barr Virus, Influenza and Lyme Disease. Individuals who suffer from sickle cell disease will experience joint pain during a flareup. People who are going through steroid drug withdrawal will have pain in their joints related to the withdrawal of medication which has suppressed inflammation and individuals who are suffering from a septic necrosis, death of the head of the bone without bacterial infection, will also experience significant joint pain.