Joint Pain Specialist

What is joint pain?

Joint pain is discomfort and pain in the hands, feet, knees, hips, or spine. It may feel stiff, sore, throbbing, burn, or feel like the bones are grating against each other. The pain may come and go or can be constant. 

Joint pain symptoms often feel worse in the morning after sleep but feel better as you move around and participate in your daily activities. Too much activity, however, can increase joint pain.

In addition to affecting the functioning of the joint, joint pain may limit your ability to complete basic tasks. Severe joint pain also affects your quality of life. When considering treatment options, the team at Brooklyn Pain Doctors focuses on both the level of pain you experience and how it affects your activities of daily living.

What causes joint pain?

Chronic joint pain has a variety of potential causes, including:

Arthritis

Osteoarthritis is a common form of arthritis that occurs gradually when the cartilage between the bones wears away. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease that causes pain and swelling in the joints, often leading to deformity.

Bursitis

Most commonly experienced in the hip, knee, shoulder, or elbow, bursitis is an overuse injury.

Gout

Most often experienced in the big toe, gout is a painful joint condition where uric acid crystallizes and collects in the joint. Gout also causes swelling.

Injuries

Joint pain may be a result of broken bones or sprains. You should always schedule an appointment with your doctor after an injury.

Tendinitis

Tendons are flexible bands connecting your bone and muscle. Tendinitis is a condition where the tendons become inflamed, typically experienced in the shoulder, heel, or elbow, and caused by overuse. 

Viral infections

Some viral illnesses may cause joint pain, including fever or rash.

How is joint pain treated?

You can often treat joint pain at home with a combination of:

Ice

Apply ice to the painful joints to relieve pain and swelling. Use ice several times per day for up to 15 minutes per session.

Rest

During the first day of joint pain, avoid activities that cause pain to help reduce inflammation. After the inflammation goes away or lessens, exercise helps restore strength around the joint.

Heat

After the first day or two of joint pain, apply heat to painful areas to reduce muscle spasms around the joint. Heat is particularly effective when applied after exercise.

Exercise

Try low-impact aerobic exercises, such as walking or swimming. If you typically participate in strenuous sports activities or workouts, you may need to reduce your activity temporarily while the joint heals.

Weight loss

If you are overweight, losing weight can help reduce the strain on your joints. Weight loss is a long-term strategy for preventing recurring joint pain.

If your home treatment efforts don’t resolve joint pain, schedule an appointment with the team at Brooklyn Pain Doctors. After reviewing your symptoms and X-rays, the team may recommend physical therapy or supportive aids. Your doctor may also use steroid injections in the joint to provide short-term relief of swelling and pain or prescribe pain medication or antidepressants.

Call the practice or schedule an appointment online and get relief from your joint pain today.