Joint pain: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia
Joint pain can affect one or more joints.
Follow your health care provider's advice for treating the cause of your pain.
For non-arthritic joint pain, both rest and exercise are important. Warm baths, massage, and stretching exercises should be used as often as possible.
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) may help the soreness feel better.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or naproxen may help relieve pain and swelling. Talk to your provider before giving aspirin or NSAIDs such as ibuprofen to children.
Contact your provider if:
You have
that is not associated with
symptoms.
You have lost 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) or more without trying (
).
Your joint pain lasts for more than several days.
You have severe, unexplained joint pain and swelling, particularly if you have other unexplained symptoms.
Your provider will ask you questions about your medical history and symptoms, including:
Which joint hurts? Is the pain on one side or both sides?
What started the pain and how often have you had it? Have you had it before?
Did this pain begin suddenly and severely, or slowly and mildly?
Is the pain constant or does it come and go? Has the pain become more severe?
Have you injured your joint?
Have you had an illness,
, or fever?
Does resting or moving make the pain better or worse? Are certain positions more or less comfortable? Does keeping the joint elevated help?
Do medicines, massage, or applying heat reduce the pain?
What other symptoms do you have?
Is there any
?
Can you bend and straighten the joint? Does the joint feel stiff?
Are your joints stiff in the morning? If so, for how long does the stiffness last?
What makes the stiffness better?
A physical exam will be done to look for signs of joint abnormality including:
Swelling
Tenderness
Warmth
Pain with motion
Abnormal motion such as limitation, loosening of the joint, grating sensation
Tests that may be done include:
(CBC) or
Blood tests specific to various autoimmune diseases
to obtain joint fluid for culture, white cell count and examination for crystals
Treatments may include:
Medicines such as NSAIDs including ibuprofen, naproxen, or indomethacin
Injection of a corticosteroid medicine into the joint
Antibiotics and often surgical drainage, in case of infection (usually requires hospitalization)
Physical therapy for muscle and joint rehabilitation
Stiffness in a joint; Pain - joints; Arthralgia; Arthritis
Bykerk VP, Crow MK. Approach to the patient with rheumatic disease. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 236.
Davis JM, Hunder GG. History and physical examination of the musculoskeletal system. In: Firestein GS, McInnes IB, Koretzky GA, Mikuls TR, Neogi T, O'Dell JR, eds. Firestein & Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 40.
Updated by: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Professor Emeritus, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.