Joint Pain Diagnosis

Why do you need to see a doctor for a few aches and pains? In many cases, such as RA, an early diagnosis can help prevent the disease from progressing further. It will also be helpful to identify the cause of the joint pain in order to apply the most appropriate treatment.

Don’t postpone your trip to the doctor if:

• The joint pain lasts more than 3 days, migrates to other joints, or worsens.

• The joint pain is associated with fever

• You experience progressive weight loss

How will the doctor evaluate joint pain?

The doctor will take a detailed medical history to assess your overall health and determine possible causes for your joint pain. He or she will then perform a physical examination to gauge the joint mobility, range of motion, reflexes, and the presence and extent of swelling.

The healthcare provider may ask you the following questions during evaluation:

• Which joint hurts? Is the pain restricted to one side or is it on both sides?

• How long have you had this pain?

• How did the pain begin and progress – slowly and mildly or suddenly and severely?

• Did you injure your joint?

• Did you have a fever or illness before the onset of joint pain?

• Does the pain come and go or is it constant?

• What makes the pain worse? What alleviates it?

• When is the pain worse – morning or evening?

• Is there any stiffness in the joint?

• What tasks have been hampered by the joint pain?

• Does anyone in your family have similar problems?

• Additional tests, such as blood test, X-ray, and synovial fluid aspiration and examination, may be recommended to make a diagnosis.