BACK PAIN:
Your spine is a column of more than 30 bones (vertebrae) held together by muscles, tendons and ligaments and cushioned by shock-absorbing discs. A problem in any part of your spine can cause back pain. Back pain may occur suddenly or develop gradually — the result of wear and tear on your spine over time. Surgery is rarely needed for back pain and is generally considered only as a last resort.
KNEE PAIN:
Knee pain refers to pain that occurs in and around your knee joint. Knee pain can be caused by problems with the knee joint itself, or it can be caused by conditions affecting the soft tissues — ligaments, tendons, or bursae — that surround the knee.
FEET PAIN:
Some feet pain is simply an annoyance. But feet pain can also be more serious, especially if it’s the result of injury or certain chronic conditions. Minor feet pain usually responds well to home treatment. More severe foot pain needs medical attention. If not treated, some types of feet pain can lead to long-term damage or disability.
SHOULDER PAIN:
Shoulder pain includes any pain that arises in or around your shoulder. Shoulder pain may originate in the joint itself, or from any of the many surrounding muscles, ligaments or tendons. Shoulder pain usually worsens with activities or movement of your arm or shoulder.
Certain diseases and conditions affecting structures in your chest or abdomen, such as heart disease or gallbladder disease, also may cause shoulder pain. Shoulder pain that arises from some other structure is called “referred pain.” Referred shoulder pain usually doesn’t worsen when you move your shoulder.
MUSCLE AND JOINT PAIN:
Muscle pain (myalgia) can range from mild to excruciating, and though it often goes away in a few days, some muscle pain can linger for months. Muscle pain can develop almost anywhere in your body, including your neck, back, legs and even your hands. Although it’s usually localized to one or a few muscles, it may be more widespread. Joint pain is discomfort that arises from any joint — the point where two or more bones meet. Joint pain is sometimes called arthritis or arthralgia. Joint pain can be mild, causing some soreness each time you move your joint.
HEADACHE:
Headache is a pain in any region of the head. Headaches may occur on one or both sides of the head, be isolated to a certain location, radiate across the head from one point or have a vice-like quality. A headache may be a sharp pain, throbbing sensation or dull ache. Headaches may appear gradually or suddenly, and they may last less than an hour or for several days.
ARTHRITIS:
Different types of arthritis have different symptoms, which can range in severity from person to person. Osteoarthritis generally does not cause any symptoms outside the joint. Symptoms of other types of arthritis might include fatigue, fever, a rash, and the signs of joint inflammation, including:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Stiffness
- Tenderness
- Redness
- Warmth
SCIATICA:
Sciatica is a symptom. It consists of leg pain, which might feel like a bad leg cramp, or it can be excruciating, shooting pain that makes standing or sitting nearly impossible. The pain might be worse when you sit, sneeze, or cough. You might also feel weakness, numbness, or a burning or tingling (“pins and needles”) sensation down your leg, possibly even in your toes. Less common symptoms might include the inability to bend your knee or move your foot and toes. Sciatica might be a symptom of a “pinched nerve” affecting one or more of the lower spinal nerves. The nerve might be pinched inside or outside of the spinal canal as it passes into the leg.
TENDONITIS:
Tendonitis most often is caused by repetitive, minor impact on the affected area, or from a sudden, more serious injury. Tendonitis can occur in almost any area of the body where a tendon connects a bone to a muscle. The most common places are:
- The base of the thumb
- Elbow
- Shoulder
- Hip
- Knee
Achilles tendon (connects the calf muscles to the heel bone)
Symptoms:
- Pain at the site of the tendon and surrounding area. Pain may be a gradual buildup or sudden and severe, especially if calcium deposits are present.
- Loss of motion in the shoulder, called “adhesive capsulitis” or frozen shoulder.
MUSCLE SPASM:
Muscle knots are abnormal areas within the muscle, which cause pain. The medical term for muscle knots is myofascial trigger points. The muscle spasm makes the muscle work continuously, around the clock. The muscles are not designed for this continuous work. After some amount of time the muscle overloads and forms these knots. Treating spasm helps reduce this problem. The spasm occurs after other kinds of injuries, but muscle knots only become a problem when the source of the pain doesn’t go away quickly. This happens most often (but not only) with injuries to the neck and back.