Progressive Joint Pain

Many people associate progressive joint pain with getting old, but that is an incorrect assumption. Progressive joint pain can be a debilitating illness that requires much insight and testing to see just what is causing the problem. The condition is best diagnosed by investigating symptoms and other factors.

Chronology

• Progressive joint pain that has been present for more than six weeks should be investigated as to whether it is a characteristic of an acute limited disorder or a chronic disease. Because both can present suddenly the patient should be assessed for the possibility of viral infections, such as HPV and hepatitis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erytematosus, psoriatic arthritis, osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia. Testing for gout should also be done, although gout usually only affects one joint. Most of this testing can be done with a simple blood test.

Inflammation

• Where it hurts, when it happens and what type of activity you were doing to cause inflammation in the joint can be of great help when trying to determine what is causing progressive joint pain. Overuse of a joint can contribute to rheumatoid and osteoarthritis; a sudden inflammation of a joint after a meal consisting of large amounts of protein can signal gouty arthritis; and the actual joint or joints involved can also help narrow down the diagnosis.

Distribution

• Joint involvement provides important diagnostic information. Certain types of arthritis only infect the large joints such as the knees, shoulders and hips, while other types of arthritis usually manifest themselves in the smaller joints of the hands, fingers, feet and toes. This distribution pattern and its progression to other joints as time goes on can give physicians valuable information toward a diagnosis. Also, when assessing progressive joint pain it is important to find out whether the patient has noticed any kind of rash anywhere on her body or any type of skin lesions as these can help pinpoint a diagnosis of lupus or psoriatic arthritis.

Demographics

• Gender should also be considered when making the differential diagnosis involving progressive joint pain. For example, women are much more likely to develop lupus erythematosus, while men are much more likely to suffer from gout. Race can also be a predetermining factor for such diseases as polymyalgia rheumatica and systemic lupus erythematosus, and you simply may have inherited the tendency to develop rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis from your parents or grandparents.

Clinical Findings

• The use of laboratory testing and diagnostic imaging services may be employed during the investigation to find out what is causing the progressive joint pain.
  Blood work can be done to diagnose many causes of progressive joint pain such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus and HPV infection. X-rays and MRIs are often used to look at the joints to determine exactly what is causing the joints to be painful. The joint(s) affected may have fluid aspirated by use of a needle and syringe to test for an increase in white cells as this can help determine certain diseases.