Arthritis can make even the simplest motions surprisingly difficult. You may start to feel pain getting up from a chair, climbing stairs, opening a jar, or walking a few minutes.

For others, the discomfort is intermittent. For some, it’s a part of daily life—a constant battle with joint pain and stiffness.

But arthritis is not a single disease.

Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and other forms of arthritis all affect the joints, but they do so in different ways. Where the pain is, how long the stiffness has lasted, swelling, and other symptoms may all give clues as to what is wrong. That’s why persistent joint pain should not be dismissed as “age-related pain” without investigating the cause.

At Sadhna Pain & Spine Clinic in Gurugram, pain due to arthritis can be assessed from a pain management perspective, especially if the pain continues even after medicines, physiotherapy, or other conservative measures.

Understanding Arthritis Pain

Arthritis is a catch-all term for conditions that cause pain, swelling, and stiffness in one or more joints. It can affect joints such as the knees, hips, hands, wrists, feet, shoulders, spine, and others.

Everyone has a different arthritis experience. You may have pain when walking or using a particular joint. You might have stiffness after sitting for a long time, swelling around the joint, or trouble moving it all the way. Some people experience periods when their symptoms suddenly worsen, called flare-ups.

The type of arthritis is important because the underlying problem can be quite different.

Common Types of Arthritis

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is most often seen in the knees, hips, and small joints of the hands. It develops as the structures within a joint change over time and may cause pain, stiffness, and reduced movement. Symptoms can be exacerbated by activity or prolonged periods of inactivity.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack the lining of the joints. It is most often found in the hands, feet, and wrists and causes pain, swelling, and persistent morning stiffness. Early diagnosis and treatment are important because ongoing inflammation can damage the joints.

Gout (Podagra)

Gout can be very painful and sudden; it causes swelling in a joint, most often in the big toe. A gout-afflicted joint can become hot, swollen, and very painful.

Other Types of Arthritis

There are other types, like psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. Their symptoms and treatment can be quite different from osteoarthritis.

That is why a persistent joint problem should be properly assessed rather than assuming that all types of arthritis should be treated the same way.

What Does Arthritis Pain Feel Like?

The pain of arthritis can feel like:

• A dull or aching pain
• Painful movement
• Stiffness of joints
• Tenderness of joints
• Burning or throbbing discomfort
• Pain after long activity
• Stiffness following periods of rest
• Heat or swelling around a joint
• Limited range of movement

Rheumatoid arthritis pain and stiffness are typically worse after long periods of inactivity or in the morning. Morning stiffness may last longer than with osteoarthritis.

Why Does Arthritis Hurt?

What causes it varies depending on the type of arthritis.

Changes in the joint can lead to osteoarthritis pain, stiffness, and trouble moving. Previous joint injuries, increasing age, family history, and excess weight can increase your chances of developing osteoarthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis affects the body differently. This happens when the immune system mistakenly attacks the lining of the joint, causing inflammation.

Gout is a disease in which urate crystals build up in a joint.

These conditions have different causes, so treating the pain alone without addressing the underlying condition may not be enough.

How to Diagnose Arthritis?

Usually, a doctor will begin with your symptoms, medical history, and an examination of the affected joints. Questions can include:

• Which joints hurt?
• When did it start hurting?
• Is it one joint or several?
• Does it get worse with movement?
• How long does morning stiffness last?
• Is there increased warmth/swelling?
• Have you ever injured the joint before?
• Does the pain interfere with your walking, work, or sleep?
• Do the symptoms come and go in flare-ups?

Investigations may include blood tests, X-rays, ultrasounds, or testing of joint fluid depending on the symptoms. For example, if you think you might have rheumatoid arthritis, blood tests can help. If you think you might have gout, testing the joint fluid can help.

Not everybody with osteoarthritis needs an X-ray or scan to be diagnosed. According to NICE guidance, osteoarthritis can usually be diagnosed clinically.

Dealing with Arthritis Pain

The treatment you receive will depend on the type of arthritis, the joint affected, and how much the symptoms are affecting you.

Regular physical activity and, where appropriate, weight management, pain-relieving medicines, and supportive therapies are important parts of treatment for osteoarthritis. Surgery is only considered in selected cases with severe symptoms where conservative treatment has not provided sufficient benefit.

The treatment for rheumatoid arthritis is different. Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and other medicines are used to control the disease and decrease the chance of long-term joint damage. Pain-relieving medicines may be given along with treatment for the underlying inflammation.

This is an important distinction: Treating the pain is not always the same as treating the underlying arthritis.

Arthritis Pain Relief Without Surgery

Many people with arthritis can be managed without surgery.

Movement and Exercise

If you have arthritis, it’s important to keep moving. In osteoarthritis, therapeutic exercise can improve muscle strength, physical function, and symptoms. It might feel uncomfortable at first, but an appropriate exercise program can lead to longer-term benefits. The type and amount of exercise should be adapted to the condition and physical capacity of the person.

Weight Management

In overweight people with osteoarthritis, weight loss may relieve pressure on weight-bearing joints and improve pain and physical function. Even a small weight loss can be helpful.

Medicines

Depending on the condition and other health problems of the person, pain-relieving medicines can be used. Some people get relief from anti-inflammatory medicines, but they are not suitable for everyone. Your doctor should consider things like stomach, kidney, and cardiovascular risks before recommending them.

Steroid Injections

Short-term relief can sometimes be obtained by injecting a steroid into a painful joint, especially if other treatments have failed or are inappropriate. Depending on the joint, diagnosis, and individual circumstances, an injection may or may not be appropriate.