What is joint pain?
Your joints are complex parts of your body where two bones meet to provide motion. Since your joints are made up of so many moving, intricate pieces, your joints are vulnerable to all kinds of damage.
Joint pain is a common medical condition. Dr. Navarkal treats pain in most of the bodies joints including:
- Temporomandibular Joints (TMJ)
- Cervical/Thoracic/Lumbar Spine Joints (Facet Joints)
- Sacroiliac Joints
- Shoulder Joints
- Elbow Joints
- Hand and Wrist Joints
- Hip Joints
- Knee Joints
- Ankle Joints
- Foot Joints
What are the symptoms of joint pain?
A sense of discomfort in the affected joint that’s aggravated by motion, pressure, or carrying weight is a telltale sign that you have joint pain. Other symptoms may vary depending on the exact location and cause of your pain.
Common joint pain symptoms include:
- Swelling
- Redness
- Stiffness
- Limping
- Weakness
- Locking of the joint
- Decreased range of motion
What causes joint pain?
A recent injury is a common cause of joint pain. Something like a fall, vehicle collision, or sports injury may cause trauma to the joint. In these cases, the cause of your joint pain is obvious and the pain usually fades as the injury heals.
Typical joint injuries include:
- Strains and Sprains
- Torn Ligaments and Tendons
- Torn labrum or acetabulum or meniscus
- Bone Fractures
- Damage to cartilage or joint capsules
If it isn’t associated with a recent injury, your joint pain may be a sign of an underlying medical problem. A whole host of diseases and disorders are associated with joint pain, such as:
- Bursitis
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Gout
- Lupus
- Lyme disease
- Cancer
- Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
How do you treat joint pain?
First, Dr. Navarkal evaluates your symptoms and medical history in a physical exam. He may test your strength and range of movement in the painful joint. He may want to get advanced imaging such as an MRI.
After he diagnoses the cause of your joint pain, Dr. Navarkal discusses the best possible treatment options. Depending on your condition, he may suggest one or more of the following:
- Ultrasound or Fluoroscopically guided injections of various therapeutic agents
- Innovative Treatment options
- Physical therapy
- Acupuncture
- Massage therapy
- Medication management therapy
The team at Rocky Mountain Spine & Sports Medicine provides integrative, personalized care for all types of joint pain. If you're suffering from joint pain and are looking to explore a variety of effective treatment options, call or click online to schedule an appointment at Rocky Mountain Spine & Sports Medicine today.
