Joint diseases commonly affect the musculoskeletal system. Such issues will cause bone and joint pains in older people. In most cases, degenerative joint diseases result from damage caused by wear and tear on the joints. These pains will usually develop when older people face different pressures on a daily basis.

Causes of joint diseases

As noted earlier, joint diseases are common in the elderly, and the main causes of these issues are degenerative (osteoarthritis) and inflammatory (arthritis) processes. These injuries are caused by wear and tear that result from carrying excessive weight or by joint degeneration caused by ageing.


In many cases, joint diseases affect the lower sections of the body, and specifically, they affect the hips and knee joints. In rarer cases, the condition can affect the shoulders, elbows, and even fingers.


Certain people have a higher risk of suffering from joint diseases and disorders, and these include people who are overweight and those who are a little older. It is essential to seek joint pain treatment as soon as possible since this can reduce the risk of suffering other complications. Also, timely treatment of the condition can accelerate healing.


Women who are already experiencing menopause also have a higher risk of suffering bone and joint diseases, and this is because of osteoporosis. It is essential to understand the bone joint disease symptoms, causes, and available treatments. This way, you will be able to reduce pain and can prevent the damage that results from these issues.

Joint diseases and disorders will initially manifest with joint pains and fatigue, joint swelling, and difficulty moving. As it advances, the pain will become more chronic, and the muscle discomfort will spread. In severe cases, degenerative joint disease will make it hard for the patient to sleep at night.


In advanced or chronic joint disease, the patient will usually have difficulty in moving the joins. Depending on the types of joint diseases, they may also experience crunches (crepitus), balance problems, inflammation, bone deformities, joint effusions, loss of muscle mass (muscle atrophy), localized redness, and hyperthermia.

Next, we'll find out what diseases cause joint pain and fatigue. Here is the list of diseases related to bones and joints:

• Arthritis- Arthritis is a rheumatic inflammation that causes stiffness and pain in the bones and joints. One of its main causes is rheumatoid arthritis, and this will inflame several joints, leading to deformations.
  
  • Osteoarthritis- This is the wear and tear of joint cartilage. It causes the ends of the bone to collide with each other, leading to pain and damage to the muscles and ligaments.
  
  • Psoriatic arthritis- Pathological condition that causes joint pain in people with psoriasis. Being able to develop through spots and peeling in the area of the scalp, knees, elbows and skin rash.
  
  • Ankylosing spondylitis- This disease commonly affects the joints of the spine that connect to the pelvis.
  
  • Gout- This is a hereditary and complex metabolic disorder that affects the joints. It mostly affects the big toe, causing its inflammation.
  
  • Hallux valgus and hallux rigidus- This is a very common medical issue among the elderly, and it affects the central joint of the big toe, limiting its movement.
  
  • ISG syndrome- Sacroiliac joint syndrome causes back pain, especially in the lower back.
  
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome causes pain in the hand and wrist due to the narrowing of the nerves in this area.
  
  • Disc herniation- Disc herniation is the most common type of back pain, and it causes numbness and weakness.
  
  • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is an incurable disorder of the nervous system. Progressive nerve cell damage is often accompanied by progressive paralysis of all muscles.
  
  • Fibromyalgia: Fibromyalgia is a rheumatic disease that gradually causes pain in all the muscles of the body. It also affects the fibrous tissue of the ligaments and tendons.
  
  • Bursitis- Bursitis is joint pain that usually occurs in the shoulder, elbow, hand, hip, knee, and ankle.
  
  • Tendonitis- This condition usually affects the wrist, forearm, and ankle joints. It causes stabbing pain and great difficulty in movement.
  
  • Scoliosis- Scoliosis is the medical term for lateral bending of the spine with twisting of the vertebrae.
  
  • Tennis elbow- Tennis elbow is a painful inflammation that occurs in the external tendon of the elbow, mainly due to repetitive movements caused by sports activities or manual work.

In general, joint pain diseases result in the worsening of the patient's quality of life. In addition to bone and joint pain and inflammation, the condition also often causes psychological problems by reducing the mobility and autonomy of the affected person. Therefore, it is likely to lead to depression.

To prevent joint diseases and bone pains, at Cuidum, we recommend that you take great care of your bones. You can do this by following these tips:

• Do not carry excessive weight

• Make use of orthopaedic elements

• Follow a healthy diet, including the regular intake of calcium and vitamin D

• Engage in regular and moderate exercise