Health Tip: Diagnosing Joint Pain
July 7, 2009, 10:44 AM ET
• 1 min read
July 8 -- (HealthDay News) -- Joint pain has many possible causes, ranging from injury to arthritis.
To help your doctor diagnose a cause, it's important to fully discuss the details of your condition.
The U.S. National Library of Medicine offers this checklist:
Which joint hurts, and which parts of the body are affected.If the pain just began, and whether you've felt it before.If the pain started severely or slowly, and if it is persistent or fluctuates.Any recent injuries, fevers or illnesses.What makes the pain feel better, and what makes it feel worse.Any other symptoms, including numbness or stiffness.Times of day that the pain is better, and times that it feels worse.