Overview
Joints are the parts of your body where your bones meet. Joints allow the bones of your skeleton to move. Joints include:
- shoulders
- hips
- elbows
- knees
Joint pain refers to discomfort, aches, and soreness in any of the body’s joints. Joint pain is a common complaint. It doesn’t typically require a hospital visit.
Sometimes, joint pain is the result of an illness or injury. Arthritis is also a common cause of joint pain. However, it can also be due to other conditions or factors.
What causes joint pain?
Joint pain can be caused by:
- arthritis
- bursitis, or inflammation of the cushioning pads around joints
- lupus
- gout
- certain infectious diseases, such as mumps, influenza, and hepatitis
- chondromalacia of the patella, or a breakdown of the cartilage in the kneecap
- an injury
- tendinitis, or inflammation of the tendon
- an infection of the bone or joint
- overuse of a joint
- cancer
- fibromyalgia
- osteoporosis
- sarcoidosis
- rickets
Source: Healthline