Symptom · Whole body
Joint pain
Also known as: arthralgia, sore joints
Pain in one or more joints. One hot swollen joint, several symmetrical swollen joints, and aching joints without swelling are three different problems: infection or crystals, inflammatory arthritis, and wear or viral illness respectively.
What it is
Pain in one or more joints. One hot swollen joint, several symmetrical swollen joints, and aching joints without swelling are three different problems: infection or crystals, inflammatory arthritis, and wear or viral illness respectively.
Common causes
OsteoarthritisWear of cartilage in knees, hips, hands and spine; pain with use, stiffness after rest.
Injury and overuseSprains, tendon and bursa inflammation.
Viral infectionsAching joints with flu, parvovirus, rubella, chikungunya and others.
GoutSudden agonising red joint, classically the big toe.
Rheumatoid arthritisSymmetrical swelling of small joints of hands and feet with morning stiffness over an hour.
Less common causes
Septic arthritisA single hot swollen joint with fever; an emergency.
Psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, reactive arthritisInflammatory arthritis linked to psoriasis, the spine or a recent infection.
Lupus and other connective tissue diseasesJoint pain with rash, mouth ulcers, fatigue.
Lyme diseaseSwollen knee weeks after a tick bite.
Haemophilia and leukaemiaJoint bleeding or bone pain in children.
Often occurs with
Seek urgent care if
- A single hot, red, swollen joint with fever or inability to move it
- Joint pain with a rash that does not fade under pressure
- Joint pain after injury with deformity or inability to bear weight
Conditions to read about
How it is investigated
Educational content. This page explains what a symptom can mean so that the anatomy and the medical reasoning make sense. It cannot tell you what is causing yours: only a clinician who can examine you and order tests can do that.