Arthritis in Older Adults: When Should Joint Pain Be Checked?

“My knees hurt because I'm getting old.”

It's an easy conclusion to reach.

Joint problems do become more common with age. Osteoarthritis, for example, is more common in older adults and can cause pain, stiffness, swelling and difficulty moving the affected joint.

But age doesn't tell you what's causing joint pain.

And persistent pain shouldn't automatically be accepted as something you simply have to live with.

What Is Arthritis?

Arthritis isn't one disease.

The term describes conditions affecting joints and surrounding tissues. Different forms of arthritis have different causes and treatments.

Osteoarthritis is the most common form and becomes more common as people get older. It involves changes within the joint that can lead to pain, stiffness and reduced function.

Other types of arthritis exist, which is one reason persistent joint symptoms are better assessed than self-diagnosed.

When Should Joint Pain Be Checked?

1. The pain keeps returning

Occasional discomfort after unusual activity is different from pain that persists for weeks or repeatedly comes back.

If joint pain is becoming part of everyday life, it deserves attention.

2. The joint is becoming stiff

Arthritis can make a joint harder to move, particularly after periods of rest.

Increasing stiffness or loss of movement can begin affecting everyday activities even when the pain itself isn't severe.

3. The joint is swollen

Swelling can accompany several joint problems.

Persistent, significant or unexplained swelling should be medically assessed rather than assumed to be “old age.”

4. Walking or using stairs is becoming difficult

Think about what the joint problem is stopping you from doing.

Can you walk your usual distance?

Climb stairs?

Stand comfortably?

Get out of a chair?

Carry out normal household activities?

Loss of function matters because treatment decisions aren't based on pain alone.

5. You've started changing your life around the pain

Perhaps you've stopped going somewhere because the walk is too long.

You avoid stairs.

You no longer exercise.

Or you need increasing assistance with normal activities.

Those changes can be easy to overlook because they happen gradually.

They are still useful information to give your doctor.

Does Arthritis Always Need Surgery?

No.

An arthritis diagnosis does not automatically mean surgery or joint replacement.

Treatment depends on the type of arthritis, joint affected, severity of symptoms, effect on daily function, overall health and other individual factors.

For osteoarthritis, management can include therapeutic exercise and other non-surgical approaches. Joint replacement may eventually be considered for some patients when symptoms substantially affect quality of life and appropriate non-surgical management is no longer sufficient or suitable.

When Might an Orthopaedic Assessment Help?

An orthopaedic assessment may be appropriate when joint pain is persistent, mobility is worsening, the joint has become significantly stiff or symptoms are interfering with normal activities.

The aim of the appointment isn't to decide how quickly you can have surgery.

It's to establish what is causing the problem.

Depending on the findings, the next step may be further investigation, non-surgical management or, for selected patients, surgery.

Looking for Orthopaedic Care in Ibadan?

Banby Specialist Hospital provides orthopaedic care in Akobo, Ibadan, including hip and knee surgery, total hip replacement and total knee replacement where clinically indicated.

Prof. Bade B. Omololu, MBBS, FRCS, FWACS, founder of Banby Specialist Hospital, is a Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon/Traumatologist.

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This article provides general health information and does not replace individual medical assessment.