Joint Pain Specialist

What causes joint pain?

There are several possible reasons why you might have joint pain, but the most widespread cause is the degenerative disease osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis develops over time, following repeated wear on your joints. In a healthy joint, the ends of the bones that make up the joint have a protective layer of cartilage on them. The cartilage is thin but tough and slippery, meaning the bones slide comfortably within the joint.

After years of use, the cartilage starts to erode, and the bones lose their protection. They then begin rubbing together, which creates friction and inflammation. The result is osteoarthritis, which causes:

• Joint pain
• Stiffness
• Loss of function
• Swelling
• Twisting of the joints

Osteoarthritis can affect any joint but is particularly likely to cause painful knees, hips, and hands.

Are there other causes of joint pain?

You can develop joint pain from injuries that damage the bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons that make up the joint.

You might dislocate a joint, where one of the bones in the joint moves partially or entirely from where it should be. You might sprain a ligament or strain a tendon by running and twisting. The cartilage inside your joints can tear, especially if you play sports where you have to turn, run, and stop quickly.

Other forms of arthritis can cause joint pain, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and septic arthritis. You might have internal derangement, chondral defects, or joint effusions. Your joints might have started to calcify, or you could develop popliteal masses. When looking for help with joint pain, an accurate diagnosis is vital to ensure you receive the most effective treatment.

How is joint pain diagnosed?

To diagnose your joint pain, your provider at Orthopedic Ultrasound, Inc. examines your joints and asks you to do specific tasks and exercises. This shows them how the condition is affecting you.

They also look at your medical history and discuss your symptoms with you for clues as to what’s causing your joint pain.

The next stage is to run diagnostic tests on your joints. At Orthopedic Ultrasound, Inc., the team specializes in using musculoskeletal ultrasound technology to accurately diagnose the cause of your joint pain.

Musculoskeletal (MSK) ultrasound is safe, fast, comfortable, and accurate. In the expert hands of the team at Orthopedic Ultrasound, Inc., MSK ultrasound is patient-friendly and makes an excellent alternative to MRI.

They use a special technique they designed themselves, called the Jablon protocol, for examining major joints.

Once you have a positive diagnosis for your joint pain, you can return to your doctor knowing they’re able to prescribe the best possible course of treatment. To find out more, call Orthopedic Ultrasound, Inc. today or book an appointment online.