View source for Arthralgia

{{short description|Joint pain}}
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| field           = [[Rheumatology]]
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'''Arthralgia''' ({{ety|el|arthro-|joint||-algos|pain}}) literally means '[[joint]] [[pain]]'.<ref name="medterms_arthralgia">{{cite web|url=http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=2343|title=Arthralgia Definition|work=MedicineNet.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011105648/http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=2343|archive-date=11 October 2007 |url-status=live|access-date=2007-09-20}}</ref><ref name="jgh_arthralgia">{{cite web|url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?indexed=google&rid=cm.chapter.4738|title=Arthralgia|author=Joe G. Hardin|work=Clinical Methods - The History, Physical, and Laboratory Examinations|access-date=2007-09-20}}</ref> Specifically, arthralgia is a symptom of [[injury]], [[infection]], [[illness]] (in particular [[arthritis]]), or an [[allergic reaction]] to [[medication]].<ref name="drugReaction" >{{cite web |url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?highlight=arthralgia&rid=cm.chapter.5910#5949 |title= Allergic Drug Reactions - Systemic Allergic Drug Reactions|author=James R Philp|access-date=2007-09-20 |work=Clinical Methods - The History, Physical, and Laboratory Examinations}}</ref>

According to [[Medical Subject Headings|MeSH]], the term ''arthralgia'' should only be used when the condition is non-inflammatory, and the term ''arthritis'' should be used when the condition is [[inflammation|inflammatory]].<ref name="title">{{cite web |url=https://www.nlm.nih.gov/cgi/mesh/2008/MB_cgi?field=uid&term=D018771 |title=MeSH |access-date=2007-12-23 }}</ref>

==Causes==
The causes of ''arthralgia'' are varied and range,  from a joints perspective, from degenerative and destructive processes such as [[Arthritic|osteoarthritis]] and sports injuries to inflammation of tissues surrounding the joints, such as [[bursitis]].<ref name="nihbook_2">{{cite web  |url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?indexed=google&rid=cm.chapter.4738|title= Table 161.1. Some Common Regional Rheumatic Syndromes|author=Joe G. Hardin|access-date=2007-09-20|work=Clinical Methods - The History, Physical, and Laboratory Examinations }}</ref> These might be triggered by other things, such as infections or vaccinations.<ref name="Gardasil" >{{cite web |url=https://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/SafetyAvailability/VaccineSafety/ucm179549.htm|title= Information from CDC and FDA on the Safety of Gardasil Vaccine|author= Loris McVittie|access-date=2008-07-21|work=supplement to your [[Biologic License Application|biologics license application]] (BLA) for Human Papillomavirus Quadrivalent (Types 6, 11, 16 and 18) Vaccine, Recombinant (GARDASIL), to include arthralgia, myalgia, asthenia, fatigue, and malaise in the Adverse Reactions section of the package insert}}</ref>

{|class="wikitable sortable"
! Cause !! [[Monoarticular|Mono-]] or<br />[[polyarticular]] !! Speed of onset
|-
| [[Rheumatoid arthritis]] || Polyarticular <ref name="agabegi2nd6-8">Table 6-8 in: {{cite book |author1=Elizabeth D Agabegi |author2=Agabegi, Steven S. |title=Step-Up to Medicine (Step-Up Series) |publisher=Lippincott Williams & Wilkins |location=Hagerstwon, MD |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-7817-7153-5 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/stepuptomedicine0000agab }}</ref> || Weeks–months<ref name="Chan1994">[[Diagnosis lag time]] of median 4 weeks, and median [[diagnosis lag time]] of 18 weeks, taken from: {{Cite journal | doi = 10.1002/art.1780370606 | last1 = Chan | first1 = K. W. | last2 = Felson | first2 = D. T. | last3 = Yood | first3 = R. A. | last4 = Walker | first4 = A. M. | title = The lag time between onset of symptoms and diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis | journal = Arthritis and Rheumatism | volume = 37 | issue = 6 | pages = 814–820 | year = 1994 | pmid = 8003053}}</ref>
|-
| [[Systemic lupus erythematosus]] || Polyarticular<ref name="agabegi2nd6-8" /> || Months<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Doria | first1 = A. | last2 = Zen | first2 = M. | last3 = Canova | first3 = M. | last4 = Bettio | first4 = S. | last5 = Bassi | first5 = N. | last6 = Nalotto | first6 = L. | last7 = Rampudda | first7 = M. | last8 = Ghirardello | first8 = A. | last9 = Iaccarino | first9 = L. | title = SLE diagnosis and treatment: When early is early | journal = Autoimmunity Reviews | volume = 10 | issue = 1 | pages = 55–60 | year = 2010 | pmid = 20813207 | doi = 10.1016/j.autrev.2010.08.014}}</ref>
|-
| [[Viral arthritis (disambiguation)|Viral arthritis]] || Polyarticular<ref name="agabegi2nd6-8" /> ||
|-
|[[Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome]] || <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ehlers-danlos-syndrome/basics/definition/con-20033656/|title=Ehlers-Danlos syndrome - Symptoms and causes|access-date=10 February 2018}}</ref> ||
|-
| [[Reactive arthritis]] || Polyarticular<ref name="agabegi2nd6-8" /> ||
|-
| [[Rheumatic fever]] || Polyarticular<ref name="agabegi2nd6-8" /> ||
|-
| [[Lyme disease]] || Polyarticular<ref name="agabegi2nd6-8" /> ||
|-
| [[Gonorrhea|Gonococcal arthritis]] || Polyarticular<ref name="agabegi2nd6-8" /> ||
|-
| [[Drug-induced arthritis]] || Polyarticular<ref name="agabegi2nd6-8" /> ||
|-
| [[Ligamentous laxity]] || Polyarticular<ref name="agabegi2nd6-8" /> ||
|-
| [[Osteoarthritis]] || Monoarticular<ref name="agabegi2nd6-8" /> ||
|-
| [[Gout]] attack || Monoarticular<ref name="agabegi2nd6-8" /> || Hours<ref name="Harwood-Nuss2009" />
|-
| [[Pseudogout]] || Monoarticular<ref name="agabegi2nd6-8" /> ||
|-
| [[Behcet's Disease]] || Monoarticular<ref name="agabegi2nd6-8" /> ||
|-
| [[Physical trauma]] || Monoarticular<ref name="agabegi2nd6-8" /> || Immediate
|-
| [[Septic arthritis]] || Monoarticular<ref name="agabegi2nd6-8" /> || Hours<ref name=Harwood-Nuss2009>[https://books.google.com/books?id=Idb0Z658lFQC&pg=PT773 Page 740 (upper right of page)] in: {{cite book |last1=Schaider |first1=Jeffrey |last2=Wolfson |first2=Allan B. |first3=Gregory W. |last3=Hendey |first4=Louis |last4=Ling |first5=Carlo L. |last5=Rosen |title=Harwood-Nuss' Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine (Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine (Harwood-Nuss)) |publisher=Lippincott Williams & Wilkins |location=Hagerstwon, MD |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-7817-8943-1 }}</ref>
|-
| [[Hemarthrosis]] || Monoarticular<ref name="agabegi2nd6-8" /> ||
|-
| [[Serotonin receptor antagonist#5-HT2A antagonists|5HT2-antagonists]]<ref name=mirtaartha>{{cite journal |last1=Passier |first1=Anneke |last2=van Puijenbroek |first2=Eugene |title=Mirtazapine-induced arthralgia |journal=British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology |date=November 2005 |volume=60 |issue=5 |pages=570–572 | pmc=1884949|doi=10.1111/j.1365-2125.2005.02481.x |pmid=16236049 }}</ref>
|-
| [[Henoch–Schönlein purpura|Henoch-Schonlein purpura]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Henoch-Schonlein purpura (video)|url=https://www.khanacademy.org/science/health-and-medicine/circulatory-system-diseases/vasculitis/v/henoch-schonlein-purpura|access-date=2020-06-06|website=Khan Academy|language=en}}</ref>
|
|
|}

==Diagnosis==
Diagnosis involves interviewing the patient and performing [[physical exam]]s. When attempting to establish the cause of the arthralgia, the emphasis is on the interview.<ref name="jgh_arthralgia"/> The patient is asked questions intended to narrow the number of potential causes. Given the varied nature of these possible causes, some questions may seem irrelevant. For example, the patient may be asked about [[dry mouth]], [[light sensitivity]], [[rash]]es or a history of [[seizure]]s.<ref name="jgh_arthralgia"/><ref name="spondyl_table1" >{{cite web |url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?highlight=arthralgia&rid=cm.chapter.5910#5949|title=  Table 159mptomatic Extraarticular Features of the Connective Tissue Diseases and the Spondyloarthropathies|access-date=2007-09-20 |work=Clinical Methods - The History, Physical, and Laboratory Examinations}}</ref> Answering yes or no to any of these questions limits the number of possible causes and guides the physician toward the appropriate exams and lab tests.

==Treatment==
Treatment depends on a specific underlying cause. The underlying cause will be treated first and foremost. The treatments may include [[joint replacement]] surgery for severely damaged joints, [[immunosuppressants]] for immune system dysfunction, antibiotics when an infection is the cause, and discontinuing medication when an allergic reaction is the cause. When treating the primary cause, pain management may still play a role in treatment.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pain Management|url=https://www.arthritisaction.org.uk/living/pain_management|website=Arthritis Action UK|publisher=Arthritis Action|access-date=16 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160213052724/https://www.arthritisaction.org.uk/living/pain_management|archive-date=13 February 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Antiarthritics]]
* [[Myalgia]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Medical resources
|  DiseasesDB     = 15237
|  ICD10          = {{ICD10|M|25|5|m|20}}
|  ICD9           = {{ICD9|719.4}}
|  ICDO           =
|  OMIM           =
|  MedlinePlus    = 003261
|  eMedicineSubj  =
|  eMedicineTopic =
|  MeshID         = D018771
}}

{{Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue}}
{{Pain}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Rheumatology]]