Joint pain is a perception of pain or discomfort in the joints. While pain in the joints is a common occurrence with age, other factors like weight, previous injuries, overuse and underlying systemic medical conditions can also cause it. Joint pain is mostly associated with major joints like knee, hip, ankle or wrist but involvement of small joints is also seen in case of systemic disorders like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis etc.
Of the various types of joint pain, osteoarthritis is the most commonly seen joint problem. It is estimated that 9.6% of men and 18% of women above 60 years of age have symptomatic osteoarthritis. This condition is associated with degenerative changes of the joint and most commonly affects the knees, hips, spine and hands.
To know the exact cause of the joint pain, your doctor may advise various radiological and laboratory tests. In most cases, joint pain is treated with medications such as painkillers to provide symptomatic relief or with medications that treat the underlying cause of pain. In a few cases, surgery is also recommended. Other therapies such as exercise, yoga, and physiotherapy are also known to be useful in reducing joint pain.
