Joint Pain Overview
Joint pain can be caused by injury or disease of the joint or adjacent tissues. A joint is the area at which two bone ends meet to provide motion to a body part. A typical joint is composed of bones that are separated by cartilage that serves as cushioning pad for the adjacent bones. Ligaments attach bone to bone around the joint. Bursae are fluid-filled sacs that provide a gliding surface for adjacent tendons. Tendons attach muscle to bone around the joint. Injury or disease to any of the structures of the joint can lead to pain in the joint. Joint pain is also referred to as arthralgia.

Joint Pain Causes
Joint pain can be caused by injury or disease affecting any of the ligaments, bursae, or tendons surrounding the joint. Injury or disease can also affect the ligaments, cartilage, and bones within the joint, leading to a painful joint. Pain is also a feature of joint inflammation (arthritis) and infection and can be a feature of rare tumors of the joint.

Joint Pain Symptoms
Joint pain can be aggravated by motion, pressure, or weight-bearing resistance with activity. Joint pain can be associated with local warmth, swelling, and tenderness.

Joint Pain Treatment
The treatment of joint pain is directed toward the precise underlying cause. If the problem is an injury, the initial treatment often includes rest, cold applications, and antiinflammatory medications. Additional medications for pain control may or may not be required. Gradual rehabilitation physical therapy may be needed.

If there is a form of arthritis causing the joint pain, antiinflammatory medications may be recommended, followed by other medications directed at the cause of the arthritis. If there is disease of the bone, ligament, or cartilage, surgical operation may be required.

Self-Care at Home
Initial treatment for joint pain at home might include rest, cold application, and medication to control pain and inflammation. With persistent pain, a medical evaluation by a health-care practitioner is warranted.

Medical Treatment
Medical treatment depends on the underlying cause of the joint pain as discussed above. If arthritis is causing joint pain, it can require antiinflammatory medication and a variety of other medications depending on the type of arthritis. Surgery can be required for cartilage or ligament damage.

Medications
Medications used to treat joint pain depend on the type of joint pain as described above. Antiinflammatory drugs are used to relieve inflammation, pain medications for pain relief, gout medications for gout, immune-suppressing medications for rheumatoid arthritis, cortisone injection for inflammation, and biologic medications for rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis.

Follow-up
After an initial evaluation and treatment plan, it is extremely important to have follow-up medical monitoring by your health-care practitioner if requested. During these visits, the results of tests are reviewed and the effects of medications are monitored. Further testing may be indicated based on the symptoms present at the time of follow-up.