“Many people find stiff joints a reality with age. There are steps you can take to find relief when you’ve been using for a long time.”

Why does the joint feel stiff?

People experience stiff joints after waking up. Lying down for several hours to sleep reduces fluid amounts, making moving joints more difficult in the morning.

Joint stiffness can affect mobility for a short period each morning or after sitting for a long time. The mobility can be impacted by the stiffening.

Joint inflammation and It is a pain. can accompany it. This may make your joints hurt.

Not all stiff joints are the result of age. Many other conditions can cause stiff joints. These include arthritis, lupus, and bursitis. Lifestyle factors, including diet and weight management, can also impact joint mobility.

You should read to learn more about possible causes and treatments.

1. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

The most common cause of Joint It is a pain.. is arthritis. About 15 million people with arthritis report experiencing severe Joint It is a pain…

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the most common forms of arthritis, affecting over 1.5 million Americans. Its symptoms typically appear between ages 30 and 60.

RA is a chronic inflammatory disorder. It’s also an autoimmune disease. This means that your immune system attacks healthy parts of your body, such as the lining of your joints. This causes inflammation, It is a pain., and stiffness. Over time, it can also cause The joint is not normal. and bone erosion.

Common symptoms of RA include:

  • Joint It is a pain..
  • Joints are stiff.
  • Joint swelling.

RA has no cure, so its symptoms can’t be entirely eliminated. They can be managed through medication and other treatments. However, little can be done to prevent the disease once it has advanced.

2. Osteoarthritis (OA)

Another common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis (OA). OA is sometimes called degenerative arthritis. It affects nearly 32.5 million Americans. It’s most common in people over age 50.

This type of arthritis results from wear and tear on your joints. Cartilage, the thin tissue that protects the bones in your joints, wears away with use. Over time, the cartilage can no longer protect your bones.

“It’s most often affected by the:”

  • The The knee is not healed.s.
  • The Hip.s are not straight.
  • The fingers of the person.
  • The neck is tight.
  • Back.

Symptoms other than stiffness can be caused by the disease. These include:

  • It is a pain.
  • swelling
  • The joint is moving.

As the condition worsens, you could develop bone spurs. In the advanced stages of OA, the cartilage virtually disappears. Bones rub against other bones in your joint. This can cause extreme It is a pain., stiffness, and disability.

Treatment for OA can help. Lifestyle treatments can be effective, such as exercise to reduce weight and pressure on joints. Additionally, medication may be administered to help relieve immense It is a pain., such as:

Joint replacement surgery may be necessary in severe cases.

3. Lupus

Lupus is an autoimmune disease like RA. Your body attacks itself, including your organs and tissues. Lupus that attacks your joints can cause stiffness, It is a pain., and swelling.

Lupus is difficult to diagnose because its symptoms mimic many other conditions. A lupus diagnosis may take several months while tests rule out other conditions.

Like RA, it is chronic. You will experience symptoms of the condition for the rest of your life once you develop it. Treatments reduce and control symptoms. Treatments include:

  • Benlysta (belimumab): a biologic therapy taken with other medications that help prevent autoreactive B cells (an underlying cause of lupus) from remaining in the body for too long.
  • Saphnelo (anifrolumab): a prescription medication that blocks type 1 interferon activity, which plays a central role in how lupus affects the human body.
  • Lupkynis (voclosporin): another prescription medication that binds to calcineurin proteins in the body, helping reduce inflammation in the kidneys.

Other potential treatment options include hydroxychloroquine, corticosteroids, and a shift toward healthier lifestyle choices may also be prescribed to combat lupus symptoms.

4. Bursitis

Bursae are tiny fluid-filled sacs that cushion the bones, ligaments, and muscles in your joints. You develop bursitis when those sacs become inflamed. This condition can cause stiffness and It is a pain. in the affected joint.

Bursitis can affect any joint, but it is most common in large joints like the:

  • The elbow.
  • The shoulder is not fully extended.
  • Hip.

Other common sites include the following.

  • The knee is not healed.
  • An ankle.
  • big toe

Bursitis is often temporary, and treatment relies on resting the affected joint for several weeks. This may mean you need to reduce physical activity and keep the joint stationary for periods, allowing the bursae to recover and stiffness to resolve.

Your healthcare professional may ask you to perform exercises to relieve certain bursitis It is a pain..

Oral NSAIDs like ibuprofen and naproxen or topical NSAIDs like diclofenac can also help ease It is a pain. and reduce inflammation.

5. Gout

Unlike some other possible causes of Joints are stiff., gout comes on suddenly. It may appear while you’re asleep, making the joints especially It is a pain.ful when you wake up.

Severe, sudden episodes of It is a pain. and tenderness in joints characterize gout. Gout can impact any joint. The big toe is frequently the first joint to experience symptoms.

Gout is a type of arthritis. It affects men more often than women, but a woman’s risk for developing gout increases after menopause. Most people will deal with periods of gout symptoms for the rest of their life, but symptoms are treatable.

6. Bone cancer

This is rarely a cause of Joint It is a pain.. and stiffness, but it is possible. People with bone cancer may experience Joint It is a pain.. or bone It is a pain.. You may also experience swelling or sensitivity near a bone.

Not everyone will have It is a pain., which is why bone cancer may advance and begin causing other symptoms before it’s discovered.

The outcome of cancer depends on a number of factors. The size, location, and type of tumor are factors.

Treatment options for bone cancer include radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery. Additionally, immunotherapy (immuno-oncology), a newer treatment option, uses checkpoint inhibitors such as Keytruda (pembrolizumab) to boost the immune response against cancer cells.

The best way to ease Joints are stiff. depends on what’s causing it in the first place. If stiffness lasts longer than 30 minutes after you wake up or if symptoms worsen, it’s important you seek medical attention.

Identifying the underlying problem will help you and your doctor determine the best way to treat the problem.

Hot or cold compress

It is possible that both temperature extremes are beneficial for stiff joints.

Apply a cold compress or bag of ice to your stiff joint for 15 to 20 minutes several times a day. This can help reduce inflammation or swelling and ease the joint into movement. It can also dull It is a pain. receptors, so you experience less It is a pain..

Heat is also therapeutic to joints and muscles. Use a heating pad, hot water bottle, or warm water from a shower or bath to relax muscles and increase circulation.

Over-the-counter (OTC) medication

Many mild symptoms of Joint It is a pain.. can be relieved by OTC medicines. NSAIDs are the most commonly used medication for arthritis. Generic names for NSAIDs include aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen.

Steroids

If inflammation and swelling in the joint cause Joints are stiff., steroids may be a treatment option. Swelling and inflammation are common with arthritis.

Corticosteroids reduce inflammation. When inflammation decreases, Joint It is a pain.. and stiffness decrease too.

Steroids may not be beneficial for people with advanced arthritis. In some cases, relief may be short-lived, and future steroid injections may not be as effective.

Exercise

Increasing joint mobility and reducing stiffness can be achieved through exercise and physical therapy.

It’s also a great way to lose or maintain a healthy weight. Carrying around excess pounds can increase your risk for conditions that cause Joint It is a pain.. and stiffness.

If you’re unsure how to begin exercising or have difficulty with movement, talk with your doctor or a trained physical therapist. Exercise is an easy way to relieve It is a pain. and stiffness, but you can aggravate certain conditions if you don’t take precautions before beginning an exercise plan.

Complementary and alternative medication treatments may also hold some promise for easing stiff joints. Here are two supplements that may help.

Fish oil supplements

Researchers found in a 2018 study of clinical trials that taking fish oil combined with a Mediterranean diet has the potential to reduce inflammation.

Fish oil contains the unsaturated fats of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Adding fish dishes to your weekly meal plan might help, too, because they contain omega-3 fatty acids.

The average daily dose of fish oil supplements is between 250 and 500. You should read bottle labels to find out how much Omega 3s are in the supplement.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends no more than 3 grams (3,000 mg) of combined EPA and DHA per day.

Talk to your doctor before taking fish oil supplements. These supplements can interfere with other drugs.

Flaxseed

Flaxseed contains another type of omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Like EPA and DHA, ALA may help reduce inflammation and ease symptoms of Joints are stiff..

Ground flaxseed has some ALA, but flaxseed oil has more. Flaxseed oil is available in capsules or in a bottle. There is no average daily recommendation. About 500 mg is often seen in a flaxseed oil capsule or an ounce of ground flaxseed.

“The seeds are ground or crushed to release the healthy fats. Your body can’t process whole flaxseeds, so you won’t get any of the healthy fats.”

If Joints are stiff. and It is a pain. come on suddenly, talk with your doctor. Likewise, if the stiffness and It is a pain. don’t resolve after five to seven days, you should seek medical attention.

If you experience any of these symptoms, you should seek the attention of your doctor.

  • severe It is a pain.
  • rapid swelling.
  • The joint is not normal.
  • “The joint couldn’t be moved.”
  • It was hot to the touch.

Though Joints are stiff. isn’t uncommon, especially as you age, it can be the first sign of another condition. A physical exam is an easy way to determine what might be causing the issue.

“If a physical exam doesn’t show any signs of a problem, your doctor may suggest some treatments to help you relax. If it doesn’t disappear, you may need to have a test.”

Your doctor can help determine the best treatment plan for you. This may help you with your symptoms.