*Welcome to the OutUK series looking at gay men and their health brought to you in association with the NHS* website.**
	Each week we'll tackle a different topic in our A to Z of Gay Health. We'll have features and advice on everything from relationships, sexual health, mental and physical conditions and how to stay fit. You can follow any of links provided below for more information direct from the NHS website, or see this week's feature O: Orthodontics.

Joint Pain

Joint pain is common, especially as you get older. There are things you can do to ease the pain but get medical help if it's very painful or it does not get better.

Types of joint pain

Common types of joint pain include:

knee pain
shoulder pain
hip pain
foot pain, including your ankle and toes
hand pain, including your wrist and fingers
elbow pain
neck pain

You might feel pain in 1 joint, or more than 1 joint at the same time, such as your knees and hips.

Causes of joint pain

There are many possible causes of joint pain. It might be caused by an injury or a longer-lasting problem such as arthritis.

Your symptoms might give you an idea what could be causing the pain. But do not self-diagnose, see a GP if you're worried.

Symptoms	Possible cause
Pain, swelling or bruising after intense or repetitive exercise	Sprain or strain
Over the age of 45, pain worse when walking and stiffness after moving	Osteoarthritis
Hot, swollen joint that's more painful when you move it or press on it	Bursitis
Pain and stiffness felt in both sides of your body that's worse after not moving (for example, when you wake up)	Rheumatoid arthritis
Hot, swollen toe joint (usually big toe) with very bad pain that comes on suddenly	Gout
Hot, swollen joint and a high temperature or feeling hot and shivery	Joint infection (septic arthritis)

How you can ease joint pain

There are some things you can do to ease joint pain.

Do

try to rest the affected joint if you can
put an ice pack (or bag of frozen peas) wrapped in a towel on the painful area for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours
take painkillers, such as ibuprofen or paracetamol, but do not take ibuprofen in the first 48 hours after an injury
try to lose weight if you're overweight

Don't

do not carry anything heavy
do not completely stop moving the affected joint

See a GP if:

joint pain is stopping you doing normal activities or affecting your sleep
the pain is getting worse or keeps coming back
the pain has not improved after treating it at home for 2 weeks
your joints are stiff for more than 30 minutes after waking up

Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if:

you have joint pain and the skin around it is swollen and feels hot
you have joint pain and feel generally unwell and have a high temperature or feel hot and shivery

You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.

Go to A&E or call 999 if:

you have very bad joint pain after a fall or injury
you're unable to walk or put weight on a joint
your joint has moved out of place
you have any tingling or you have no feeling in the area around the joint after an injury

Treatments for joint pain

Treatment for joint pain depends on what's causing it. Sometimes the pain might go away without treatment.

A GP might:

prescribe stronger painkillers
prescribe antibiotics if they think you have an infection
refer you for physiotherapy
refer you to a hospital for a scan or specialist treatment, for example steroid injections or surgery

Self-refer for treatment

If you have joint pain, you might be able to refer yourself directly to services for help with your condition without seeing a GP.

To find out if there are any services in your area:

ask the reception staff at your GP surgery
check your GP surgery's website
contact your integrated care board (ICB) - find your local ICB
search online for NHS treatment for joint pain near you

OutUK's A to Z of Gay Health continues and you can read this week's feature O: Orthodontics. We have covered many subjects in this series and you can catch up with all of our Previous A to Z Features. If you want to find out more about this particular topic you can visit the Original article on the NHS website. If you are worried by any aspect of your health make sure you go and see your doctor or book an appointment at your local clinic.
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