Understanding Chronic Joint Stiffness: Causes, Symptoms, and Management

What is it?

Joint Stiffness occurs when there is a feeling a joint can’t be moved or loses its range of motion. Accompanying symptoms may include swelling of the joint, redness, pain, tenderness, warmth, tingling, or numbness, depending on what is causing the pain. It could be caused due to injury, or arthritis. Diagnosis is based upon findings from medical history and physical examination. Further evaluation may include blood and imaging tests. Treatment depends on the underlying cause and may include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and pain killers.

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Signs & symptoms

Symptoms of joint pain range from mild to disabling. Without cartilage, bones rub directly against each other as the joint moves. Symptoms can include:
- Swelling
- Stiff or enlarged joint
- Numbness
- Noisy joints, or clicking, grinding or snapping sounds when moving the joint
- Painful movement
- Difficulty bending or straightening the joint
- Loss of motion
- A red and hot and swollen joint

Diagnosis

Diagnosis may include laboratory tests, x- rays, and other imaging tests (such as an ultrasound or MRI).

Treatment

Although there may not be a cure for the pain, it can be managed to bring the patient relief. Sometimes the pain may go away by taking over-the-counter medication or performing simple daily exercises. Other times, the pain may signal problems that can only be corrected with prescription medication or surgery.

☝️ 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