Arthritis is a medical condition characterized by the swelling and tenderness of one or more joints. It encompasses over 100 different types, each affecting the joints in various ways. While arthritis primarily involves inflammation and discomfort within the joint structures, it is distinct from nerve pain. However, arthritis can secondarily lead to nerve involvement, creating a complex interplay of symptoms.
What Arthritis Pain Feels Like
Pain from arthritis feels like an aching, throbbing sensation within the affected joint. This discomfort includes stiffness, which is common in the mornings or after periods of inactivity. The pain worsens with movement or when pressure is applied to the joint.
This type of pain is primarily nociceptive, meaning it arises from tissue damage and inflammation within the joint itself. The cartilage, bone, and synovial lining of the joint can all contribute to this sensation as they are affected by the arthritic process. It can range from a dull, persistent ache to sharp pain, often with warmth or swelling around the joint.
How Arthritis Can Lead to Nerve Involvement
Although arthritis pain originates in the joints, the inflammation and structural changes it causes can indirectly affect nearby nerves. One common mechanism is nerve compression, where swollen joint tissues, bone spurs, or misaligned joints press on nerves. For example, in the spine, osteoarthritis can lead to bone growth that narrows the spaces where nerves exit, resulting in a pinched nerve.
Chronic inflammation associated with conditions like rheumatoid arthritis can also sensitize nearby nerves, leading to neuropathic pain characteristics even without direct compression. This sensitization means nerves become more responsive to pain signals. Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease, often causes neuropathy. Carpal tunnel syndrome, where nerves in the wrist are squeezed, is a common compressive neuropathy seen in people with rheumatoid arthritis due to inflamed tendons and joints.
Recognizing Nerve Pain Versus Joint Pain
Differentiating between arthritis joint pain and nerve pain involves recognizing distinct symptom patterns. While joint pain is typically an ache or stiffness localized to the joint, nerve pain, also known as neuropathic pain, presents with different sensations such as burning, tingling, numbness, or a pins-and-needles feeling. It may also be described as shooting, stabbing, or electric shock-like pain. This type of pain often follows the path of a specific nerve, potentially radiating from the joint to other areas, such as down an arm or leg.
Treatment Approaches When Nerves Are Affected
Managing pain when arthritis has led to nerve involvement often requires a comprehensive approach. Treatments aim to reduce inflammation and joint damage while also addressing the specific nerve symptoms. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can help alleviate joint inflammation and pain. For inflammatory types of arthritis, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) or corticosteroids may be used to slow disease progression and reduce inflammation.
Specific treatments for neuropathic pain include certain medications that target nerve signals. Physical therapy is also beneficial, offering exercises that strengthen supporting muscles and improve joint flexibility without aggravating nerves. In some cases, localized treatments like nerve blocks, which inject an anesthetic and steroid near the affected nerve, or radiofrequency ablation, which uses heat to interrupt pain signals, might provide relief. Topical creams containing capsaicin can also block pain signals from nerves.