Causes of joint pain and fatigue

Joint Pain and Fatigue General InformationJoint pain and fatigue can be combined symptoms of different disorders and may occur due to several causes.

Causes

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis as well as other similar conditions is usually the most common cause for joint pain and fatigue. Symptoms of joint pain are swelling, stiffness, increased rate of sedimentation and increased anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide.

Autoimmune Diseases

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a disease with underlying problems with immunity. It is the disease that has the symptoms of joint pain and fatigue. Systematic lupus is an autoimmune disease that is characterized with excess production of antibodies that attack healthy tissue in the body.

One of autoimmune diseases known as Sjorgen’s disease is seen in several hundred thousand Americans of which 90 percent are women. It can often go undiagnosed or even misdiagnosed.

Apart from fatigue and joint pain symptoms may include higher body temperature, rash, mouth sore, muscle ache, changes in blood counts and even serious kidney, lung, brain and heart damage.

Diagnosis is given after laboratory test results that establish the level of specific autoantibodies in serum.

Lupus cannot be cured but symptoms can be relieved with proper treatment that stops additional organ damage.

Treatment for Lupus

Treatment consists of:

1. Corticosteroids. They are helpful in muscle and joint inflammation. Side effects of corticosteroids can be severe such as diabetes, glaucoma and osteoporosis.

2. DMARDs or disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs that are also known as SAARDs or slow-acting antirheumatic drugs. These drugs can be taken separately or in combination for relieving symptoms of muscle and joint pain and dry skin (Sjorgen’s disease symptom).

3. NSAIDs or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are utilized in cases of inflammation, though adverse reaction can involve gastroesophangeal reflux disease (GARD) especially in Sjorgen’s syndrome patients.

4. Biologic therapy. Drugs that aim for cells and cellular messengers known as cytokines.

HypothyroidismHypothyroidism is a serious thyroid disorder that includes symptoms such as fatigue, dryness of the eyes and mouth, problems with memory, aches, pains, and others. Untreated hypothyroidism can result in death.

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is considered as musculoskeletal disease or central neurotransmitter function disorder. The disorder apart from joint pain and fatigue includes difficulties with breathing, dryness of the eyes and mouth, bowel and bladder problems, headache, etc. It is diagnosed after all other conditions have been excluded.

LymphomaLymphoma is the cancer in lymphatic cells. Lymphoma, next to other symptoms, can be accompanied with joint pain and fatigue due to affecting glands that are producing secretion. Malignant diseases are generally accompanied with symptoms like fatigue and joint pain.