3 Causes of Joint Pain

Almost all of us, at some point in our lives, will experience arthritis, or pain in the joints. It's practically unavoidable. And there's a very good chance that it's just the pain that comes with age. But before you start popping aspirins, consider some of the possible causes:

1. Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease: 27 million people are living with this condition. If you are not already one of them, there is a very good chance you can add yourself to their numbers by the time you reach your 60s. Our joints are lubricated and cushioned by a tissue known as cartilage. Over the years, depending on your lifestyle, this cartilage wears away. When that happens, bone is rubbing against bone, causing small trauma. Your body responds by "filling the gaps" with tiny bits of its own bone, called osteophytes. These actually don't help, causing more pain.
   
2. Rheumatoid Arthritis: The symptoms are very similar to osteoarthritis, though people with rheumatoid arthritis are more likely to have warmness in the affected joints. This is because of a reaction against the joint capsule, a sack-like tissue which surrounds your joint and keeps fluid inside. Once again, the inflammation results in a loss of cartilage.
   
3. Gouty Arthritis, or plainly, Gout: The first two items on our list will cause pain in joints throughout the body. Gout, on the other hand, tends to start out at only one joint, and it's usually at the base of your big toe. You can distinguish gout from the others because the joint will be exquisitely tender, hot, and red. It might surprise you to find out that this is actually a disorder of the liver and kidneys. Normally, your kidneys will filter a waste molecule called urea into your bladder so it can be expelled. People with gout are unable to complete the biological process that produces urea, and so a chemical (uric acid) remains in the blood stream, where it is deposited somewhere. And usually that location is the joint of big toe, for some reason.
   

In general, arthritis is treated by warm baths, massage, stretching. Aspirin or Ibuprofen may also be useful. However, the causes of arthritis are far too many to cover in one blog entry. If you have joint pain your feet, consult with Dr. Reddy or a podiatrist in your area. This is particularly true if you have a fever as well.