Understanding Arthralgia, Arthropathy: Causes, Symptoms, and Management

What is it?

The term arthralgia describes joint pain. There are many possible causes for the onset of joint pain. Causes can be mechanical (e.g. as a result of an injury, rupture of a ligament and so on), degenerative, inflammatory or infectious. It is very important to identify the cause of the pain, because while some conditions will go away without treatment, some conditions need prompt treatment to prevent the condition from getting worse or developing complications.

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Additional names

This group contains additional names:
- Joint disease
- Infectious(septic) joint
- Postdysenteric Arthropathy
- Arthropathy in Behcet's Syndrome

Signs & symptoms

The main symptom in arthralgia is joint pain that is often accompanied by difficulty in activating it. Depending on the cause of the pain, there may be additional symptoms and signs. The pain can be in a single joint or in many joints. Exacerbation of pain can be caused by movement or rest, in the morning or evening, in passive or active movement. In some cases, arthralgia can be accompanied by extra-articular symptoms, such as of the eyes or skin. In case the joint pain is located to a single joint and is accompanied by fever, swelling, general malaise or weight loss - one should seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Diagnosis

investigation of arthralgia includes a detailed examination by a physician, including a medical history and a complete physical examination. In some cases, and depending on the doctor's decision, additional tests will be required, such as blood tests, a joint X-ray or a biopsy (taking a tissue sample and examining it under a microscope).

Treatment

The treatment of arthralgia depends on its cause. In some cases, rest, physiotherapy or adapted physical activity may be satisfactory. In some cases, medication or surgery will be required.

☝️ This is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult with your physician before making any medical decision.

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Source of Information - We analyze big data of more than 23 million patients de-identified medical records from the following sources:

National Institution of Health ∙ World Health Organization ∙ University of Illinois hospital