Musculoskeletal · Symptom
Joint pain
Also called: arthritis, achy joints, knee pain
Joint pain in one joint is usually mechanical (sprain, osteoarthritis, gout) or septic; pain in many joints points to autoimmune disease (rheumatoid arthritis, lupus). Clindle evaluates joint pain over video, orders X-rays or labs (uric acid, RF, anti-CCP, ANA, CRP) when indicated, treats acute gout with indomethacin or colchicine, manages osteoarthritis with NSAIDs and topical diclofenac, writes PT referrals, and refers to rheumatology for suspected autoimmune disease. Joint that's red, hot, and swollen with fever needs in-person evaluation to rule out septic arthritis.