arthralgia: Definition from Answers.com

Arthralgia
Classification and external resources
ICD-10	M 25.5
ICD-9	719.4
DiseasesDB	15237
MeSH	D018771

Arthralgia (from Greek arthro-, joint + -algos, pain) literally means joint pain;^[1]^[2] it is a symptom of injury, infection, illnesses (in particular arthritis) or an allergic reaction to medication.^[3]

According to 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 inflammatory.^[4]

1 Diagnosis and causes
2 Treatment
3 Associated conditions
4 References

Diagnosis and causes

Diagnosis involves interviewing the patient and performing physical exams. When attempting to establish the cause of the arthralgia, the emphasis is on the interview ^[2]. 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, rashes or a history of seizures.^[2] ^[5] Answering yes or no to any of these questions limits the number of possible causes and guides the doctor toward the appropriate exams and lab tests.

The causes of arthralgia are varied and range, from a joints perspective, from degenerative and destructive processes such as osteoarthritis and sports injuries to inflammation of tissues surrounding the joints, such as bursitis.^[6] These might be triggered by other things, such as infections or vaccinations.^[7]

Treatment

Treatment depends on 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. Conservative chiropractic care has also shown to be beneficial in the relief of symptoms. When treating the primary cause, pain management may still play a role in treatment. The extent of its role varies depending on the specific cause of the arthralgia. Pain management may include stretching exercises, over the counter pain medications, prescription pain medication, or other treatments deemed appropriate for the symptoms.

Associated conditions

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

References

^ "Arthralgia Definition" (HTML). MedicineNet.com. http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=2343. Retrieved 2007-09-20.
^ ^a ^b ^c Joe G. Hardin. "Arthralgia" (HTML). Clinical Methods - The History, Physical, and Laboratory Examinations. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?indexed=google&rid=cm.chapter.4738. Retrieved 2007-09-20.
^ James R Philp. "Allergic Drug Reactions - Systemic Allergic Drug Reactions" (HTML). Clinical Methods - The History, Physical, and Laboratory Examinations. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?highlight=arthralgia&rid=cm.chapter.5910#5949. Retrieved 2007-09-20.
^ "MeSH". http://www.nlm.nih.gov/cgi/mesh/2008/MB_cgi?field=uid&term=D018771. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
^ "Table 159.3. Selected Symptomatic Extraarticular Features of the Connective Tissue Diseases and the Spondyloarthropathies" (HTML). Clinical Methods - The History, Physical, and Laboratory Examinations. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?highlight=arthralgia&rid=cm.chapter.5910#5949. Retrieved 2007-09-20.
^ Joe G. Hardin. "Table 161.1. Some Common Regional Rheumatic Syndromes" (HTML). Clinical Methods - The History, Physical, and Laboratory Examinations. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?indexed=google&rid=cm.chapter.4738. Retrieved 2007-09-20.
^ Loris McVittie, Ph.D.. "Information from CDC and FDA on the Safety of Gardasil Vaccine". supplement to your 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. http://www.fda.gov/cber/approvltr/gardasil061208L.htm. Retrieved 2008-07-21.

Musculoskeletal disorders: Arthropathies (M00-M19, 711-719)

Arthritis
(monoarthritis/
polyarthritis)

Inflammation
(Neutrophilia)

Infectious	Septic arthritis · Tuberculosis arthritis · Reactive arthritis (indirectly)

Noninfectious	Seronegative spondyloarthropathy: Reactive arthritis · Psoriatic arthritis · Ankylosing spondylitis Rheumatoid arthritis: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis · Adult-onset Still's disease · Felty's syndrome Crystal arthropathy: Gout · Chondrocalcinosis

Noninflammatory

Osteoarthritis: Heberden's node · Bouchard's nodes

Other

hemorrhage (Hemarthrosis) · pain (Arthralgia) · Osteophyte · Hypermobility · villonodular synovitis (Pigmented villonodular synovitis) · Joint stiffness

joint navs: anat, non-congenital arthropathies/deformities/dorsopathies/soft tissue arthropathy/congenital, eponymous signs, proc

v • d • e Pain and nociception

Head and neck	Jaw and mouth (Odynophagia ) • Ear (otalgia, otitis media, otitis externa) • Eye (glaucoma) • Head (headache, migraine, tension headache, cluster headache, cerebral aneurysm, sinusitis, meningitis) • Neck (atypical myocardial infarction)

Thorax	Back (upper back, lower back, spinal disc herniation, degenerative disc disease, coccydynia) • Breast (perimenstrual, breast cancer) • Chest (myocardial infarction, gastroesophageal reflux disease, pancreatitis, hiatus hernia, aortic dissection, asymptomatic pulmonary embolism, Tietze's syndrome) • Shoulder (right side - cholecystitis)

Abdominal	Left and right upper quadrant (peptic ulcer disease, gastroenteritis, hepatitis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, atypical myocardial infarction, abdominal aortic aneurysm, asymptomatic gastric cancer) • Left and right lower quadrant (appendicitis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, ectopic pregnancy, endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, diverticulitis, urolithiasis, pyelonephritis, colorectal cancer)

Limbs	Arm (myocardial infarction, left arm) • Leg (deep vein thrombosis, peripheral artery occlusive disease, claudication, spinal disc herniation, sciatica)

Joints (arthralgia)	Small joints (osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosis, gout, pseudogout • Large joints (osteoarthritis, septic arthritis, hemarthrosis, osteonecrosis) • Back joints (ankylosing spondylitis, inflammatory bowel disease) • Other (psoriatic arthritis, Reiter's syndrome)

Musculoskeletal	Delayed onset muscle soreness, myalgia, physical trauma

Other/unspecified	cold pressor test, congenital insensitivity to pain, dolorimeter, HSAN (Type I, II congenital sensory neuropathy, III familial dysautonomia, IV congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis, V congenital insensitivity to pain with partial anhidrosis), neuralgia, pain asymbolia, pain disorder, paroxysmal extreme pain disorder • Allodynia, breakthrough pain, chronic pain, hyperalgesia, hypoalgesia, hyperpathia, phantom pain, referred pain

Related concepts	Anterolateral system, gate control theory of pain, pain management (anesthesia, cordotomy), pain scale, pain threshold, pain tolerance, posteromarginal nucleus, substance P, suffering, OPQRST

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arthralgia

Contents

Diagnosis and causes

Treatment

Associated conditions

References