Arthritis and Joint Pain

Arthritis — especially age-related osteoarthritis — is a leading cause of joint pain. If you have arthritis symptoms or ongoing pain in one or more joints, visit experienced interventional pain specialist Gabriel Mattei, MD. Dr. Mattei provides accurate diagnoses and effective nonsurgical treatments at offices in Atlantis, Boynton Beach, and Wellington, Florida. Call the Gabriel Mattei, MD, office nearest you to arrange an arthritis and joint pain evaluation, or schedule a consultation today by completing the online booking form.

Is arthritis causing my joint pain?

Joint pain has multiple causes, and arthritis is a common one. It tends to come on slowly, unlike acute injuries that cause sudden pain and often affect the joint’s function instantly, it tends to come on slowly. Arthritis pain typically comes from deep in the joint, spreading out as it worsens.

The joints feel hot, swollen, and stiff. Over time, the pain increases, the joint gets weaker and stiffer, and you may lose function. For example, you might lack the strength in your knees to climb steps. 

Wet, cold weather, stress, and activities outside your usual routine can all cause agonizing flare-ups where the pain intensifies significantly.

To determine if arthritis is causing your joint pain, Dr. Mattei examines the affected joints, checks your medical history, and discusses your symptoms. He may send you for diagnostic imaging procedures like X-rays or a CT scan.

What form of arthritis most often causes joint pain?

Arthritis comes in many forms, but the most widespread is osteoarthritis. This condition usually takes years to develop because it results from the wear-and-tear your joints suffer throughout life. Therefore, osteoarthritis most commonly causes problems in middle age or later.

Other kinds of arthritis include rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis, which both develop because of an immune system malfunction, and gout, in which painful crystals form in the joints.

If my joint pain isn’t due to arthritis, what could it be?

The cause of acute joint pain is usually clear because it starts when you damage a bone, ligament, tendon, and/or nerve. When you fracture your arm, you feel immediate, intense pain.

Overuse injuries take longer to develop because the damage occurs a little at a time. Repeating the same movements when playing sports or at work causes tiny tears in tendons (tendinitis) and irritates the bursae (fluid-filled sacs that cushion your joints), triggering bursitis.

Common causes of acute and overuse joint pain include:

• Ankle sprains
• Rotator cuff tears (shoulder)
• Meniscus cartilage tears (knee)
• Labral cartilage tears (hip or shoulder)
• Dislocations
• Carpal tunnel syndrome (wrist)
• Golfer’s and tennis elbow
• Patellofemoral pain syndrome (knees)

Acute or overuse injuries require rest and icing. You might need a support bandage, splint, brace, or cast to support the joint while it heals.

Chronic joint pain treatments include physical therapy, medication, viscosupplementation (hyaluronic acid injections), steroid injections, and radiofrequency ablation.

Call Gabriel Mattei, MD, today or book an appointment online for effective arthritis and joint pain treatment.