what are the causes of progressive joint pain?
For the past 5-6 weeks my joints have been very achey (fingers/hands, wrists, shoulders, upper vertebrae, tailbone area, knees, & ankles). Pretty much, everything hurts and I am feeling kind of fatigued, but have also been working a lot. IThe pain is not such excrutiating pain (probably about a 5-6 on a scale of 1-10 depending upon the day), but more off a dull pain or extreme discomfort. I often feel stiff, expecially after waking up or sitting for extended periods and having trouble getting comfortable. After sitting for extended periods it is hard for me to straighten my body right away. It seems to vary in intensity, but a lot of times my hands hurt most. I am a 26 year old slightly overweight (about 15-20 lbs) female who has never had any severe medical problems. Do you think that this is something that I should go to the doctor for, or are there any otc remedies that you know of? Have you ever experienced anything of the sort. Is there a "diagnosis?"
Public Comments
1. strain2. Yes go and see a Doctor. It may be that you are developing Arthritis. This is possible even at your age.
3. You may have an inflammatory arthritis. There are several different types. The symptoms include joint pain, stiffness (especially in the morning) and gelling phenomenon (feeling stiff after sitting). It sounds a lot like Rheumatoid Arthritis but your doctor will have to run blood tests on you to find out for sure. You need to see a Rheumatologist- who specializes in the treatment of connective tissue disorders and joint pain. These conditions are treatable and you will start feeling better with treatment! (There are not any over the counter medications- you need to be treated by a doctor- these conditions can start affecting the other body systems if not treated correctly) Good luck.
Oh yeah- the joints most affected are the hands- especially middle and lower knuckles, the elbows, wrists, hips, knees, ankles, and the lower spine. Your doctor may get xrays of your hands.
