Joint Pain: Single Joint

Pain in just one joint usually has different causes than pain in many joints Joint Pain: Many Joints Joints are places in your body where two bones come together, such as your wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles. Joints also exist where you might not think, such as between the... read more .

At all ages, the most common cause of sudden pain in one joint is:

If you haven't been injured, the most common causes depend on your age.

Among young adults:

Joint infections are often caused by gonorrhea Gonorrhea Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection (STI). An STI is an infection that is spread from person to person by sexual contact. Gonorrhea infects your genitals and, in women, your fallopian... read more that has spread through the body. Other germs, such as those in a nearby skin infection Cellulitis Cellulitis is characterized by red, warm areas on the skin. Sometimes blisters form. Cellulitis is a bacterial infection in your skin. Cellulitis is a common skin infection that can spread quickly... read more or boil (abscess Folliculitis and Skin Abscesses This photo shows infected, inflamed hair follicles caused by a bacterial infection. A hair follicle is where a hair grows out from your skin. Folliculitis is inflammation or infection in a hair... read more ) also can cause joint infections.

Among older adults:

Less common causes of pain in one joint include:

Osteonecrosis is when bone dies and collapses. Bone can die as a result of serious injury (such as a broken hip) or as a side effect of some medicines (such as corticosteroids).

See a doctor right away if you have pain in one joint and any of these warning signs:

Call a doctor after several days if you have mild joint pain that doesn’t stop on its own.

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and health history and do a physical exam.

Doctors may do tests such as:

Doctors will treat the cause of your pain. For example, if you have a bone fracture, doctors may put your joint in a cast. If you have a joint infection, they will give you antibiotics and often do surgery to drain the infection.

Doctors may also treat your joint pain with:

After your joint pain is better, doctors sometimes prescribe physical therapy Physical Therapy (PT) Physical therapy, a component of rehabilitation, involves exercising and manipulating the body with an emphasis on the back, upper arms, and legs. It can improve joint and muscle function, helping... read more . Physical therapy prevents and treats joint stiffness Joint Stiffness Joints are places in your body where two bones come together, such as your wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles. Joints also exist where you might not think. For example, there... read more and strengthens the muscles around the joint.