Multiple Joint Pain - Know Its Treatment Options!

Pain in two or more joints in the body is known as multiple joint pain. Pain may occur either when a joint moves or when it is at rest. Sometimes, the pain might stem from the muscles, ligaments, or tendons. Examples of such conditions include tendinitis and bursitis.

Arthritis may be associated with the pelvis or spine joints. Different disorders affect different joints and the causes and treatment options vary accordingly. There are some disorders which affect the same joint on both the sides of the body, such as both hands and the knees. In certain disorders, the pain resulting from arthritis keeps on moving from one joint to another (migratory arthritis).

Causes:

1. Most of the time, the root cause is arthritis. However, the reasons which cause arthritis are different from each other, in the way:

   • The types of joints involved.

   • The number of joints involved.

   • Whether the central area of the skeleton is involved or not.

   • Whether it is chronic arthritis (longstanding) or acute arthritis (sudden).

2. Acute arthritis which affects multiple joints can be due to:

   • Viral infections

   • A chronic disorder which was already present or any joint-related condition (such as psoriatic arthritis; occurring in combination with skin psoriasis or rheumatoid arthritis).

3. Chronic arthritis causing pain in multiple joints is most commonly due to:

   • Inflammatory disorders including psoriatic arthritis or systemic lupus erythematosus (combination of several auto-immune disorders).

   • Osteoarthritis or non-inflammatory disorder (adult joint disorder).

   • Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (children joint disorder).

The most common joint disorders are:

1. Fibromyalgia (widespread tenderness and pain in the muscles)

2. Bursitis (inflammation of the joint cushions) or tendinitis (inflammation of the tissues which connect the bone to the muscle)

3. Polymyalgia rheumatica (stiffness and muscle pain, primarily in the shoulders)

Warning Signs Include:

1. Swelling and redness of the joints.

2. Fever, chills or sweat.

3. Chest pain or severe cough.

4. Abdominal pain.

Treatment Methods:

1. Drugs and medications are needed to treat autoimmune disorders. The autoimmune response of the immune system is suppressed with the help of these drugs. These medications include immunosuppressive medications, pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medicines.

2. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) help in reducing inflammation.

3. A sling or splint bag immobilizes the joint, which relieves the pain.

4. The application of heat with a heating pad will lessen the pain to a great extent.

5. Cold application with ice cubes wrapped in a cloth will provide relief.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!