What Can Cause the Onset of Sudden Joint Pain?

The onset of sudden joint pain can be seen in acute conditions such as fractures or in chronic diseases such as lupus. The pain is usually severe and can affect the shoulders, fingers, elbows, hips, knees and toes.

Traumatic Fractures

• Traumatic fractures (acute fractures) are caused by a direct impact to the bone. The direct impact can come from car accidents, falls or sports injuries. The result is not only a broken bone but sudden, severe joint pain in the extremities, as well.

Dislocations

• A dislocation is a joint injury in which the ends of the bones are moved from their normal position due to trauma. This type of injury can immobilize the joints, resulting in sudden and severe pain to the shoulder, hips, pelvis, knee, ankle and fingers.

Gout

• Gout or gouty arthritis is an inflammation of the joints characterized by sudden and severe attacks of pain and tenderness at the base of the big toe. This condition is caused by an accumulation of uric acid crystals that eat away at the cartilage, making the joints feel hot and swollen.

Lupus

• Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disorder. An autoimmune disorder is one in which the body's immune system attacks its own tissues and organs. These attacks come on suddenly and can be characterized with episodes of severe joint pain, stiffness and swelling in the fingers, shoulders, elbows and knees.

Sickle Cell Anemia

• Sickle cell anemia is a chronic heredity condition in which the red blood cells resemble a crescent or sickle shape due to abnormal hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is an oxygen-carrying protein within the red blood cells. The abnormal hemoglobin causes the cells to burst, leading to anemia. Similar to lupus, sickle cell anemia is also characterized by sudden attacks of severe pain, swelling, and inflammation of the joints. These episodes can last from a few minutes to several days.