Joint pain is pain associated with any joint in the body. Some of the most common joints affected by pain are the knee, shoulder, hip and elbow. The pain can be related to any structure within the joint including ligaments, cartilage and bones. One out of every three Americans experience joint and chronic pain on a daily basis. Unfortunately, many people have learned to live with it. Daily anti-inflammatory medications as well as limiting activities one’s daily activities can provide temporary pain relief. Many individuals, especially younger patients, endure the pain as long as they can, then opt for extreme measures, like joint replacement, in an effort to maintain functionality.
Joint Pain Causes And Symptoms
Joint pain may be caused by injury, arthritis, overuse, or poor alignment. With acute joint pain, fracture should be ruled out. Symptoms of joint pain may include:
- Loss of motion of the joint
- Pain with movement or weight bearing
- Joint redness
- Joint swelling
- Joint tenderness
- Joint warmth
- Limping
- Locking of the joint
- Stiffness
- Weakness
Treatment
For acute pain, traditional treatment typically includes rest and anti-inflammatory medication followed by physical therapy. If the pain persists and anatomical abnormality is identified, surgery may be recommended. For chronic pain, traditional treatment would likely still include anti-inflammatories with limited or modified activities for pain control. For some conditions, like arthritis, surgery is not an option for repair. If a patient has chronic joint pain, the treatment options are usually limited, and medical management is focused on pain control rather than resolution.
Fortunately, with the advances in medicine and the emerging field of Regenerative Medicine, stem cell therapy and regenerative therapies include non-surgical options using a patient’s stem cells along with exosomes and growth factors to allow the body to regenerate healthy cells to reduce pain and restore function.