What causes pain in the joints?
Disease description:
My joints have been hurting a lot recently, especially after physical activity, and the pain tends to worsen at those times. Sometimes I also experience joint stiffness. What could be causing this?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Chen Jian
Bone and joint pain is a common symptom that can be caused by various factors. The following are some common causes:
1. Trauma: Injuries to bones, joints, cartilage, or bones resulting from trauma may be accompanied by significant swelling, pain, and limited movement.
2. Degenerative joint changes and bone spurs: This is more common in middle-aged and elderly individuals, with noticeable bone spur formation easily occurring at the joints, leading to bone and joint pain.
3. Joint wear: Long-term participation in activities such as squatting, running, and jumping may cause joint wear, triggering cartilage and bone edema, or even bone marrow edema, thereby causing pain.
4. Osteoarthritis: This is the most common joint disease, mainly affecting middle-aged and elderly individuals, especially weight-bearing joints such as the knee and hip joints. Osteoarthritis is caused by degeneration and wear of joint cartilage, which leads to pain, stiffness, and limited movement.
5. Rheumatoid arthritis: This is an autoimmune disease that causes joint inflammation, swelling, and pain, typically affecting the small joints of the hands and feet. Rheumatoid arthritis may also be accompanied by systemic symptoms such as fatigue and fever.
6. Gout: This occurs due to excessively high levels of uric acid in the body, leading to deposition of uric acid salt crystals in the joints, causing severe pain and inflammation. Gout most commonly affects the big toe, but can also affect joints in other areas.
