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- General:
- Pain is the chief symptom of most musculoskeletal disorders. The pain may be dull, sharp, radiating, or local and may be mild or severe. Although pain may be acute (short-lived), as is the case with most injuries, it may become chronic (ongoing) with illnesses such as rheumatoid arthritis. Muscle pain is known as myalgia.
- Arthritis:
- Common symptoms of osteoarthritis include joint pain, swelling and/or stiffness in a joint (especially after use), joint discomfort before or during a change in the weather, bony lumps on the fingers, and loss of joint flexibility. The joints that are most often affected by osteoarthritis include the fingers, spine, and weight-bearing joints, such as the hips, ankles, feet, and knees.
- Rheumatoid arthritis often affects many joints at the same time, and the severity of symptoms varies among patients. Symptoms, which may come and go, typically include pain and swelling in the joints (especially in the hands and feet), generalized aching or stiffness of the joints and muscles (especially after periods of rest), loss of motion of the affected joints, weakness in the muscles near the affected joints, low-grade fever, and general feeling of discomfort. Early in the disease, the joints in the hands, wrists, feet, and knees are most frequently affected. Over time, arthritis may develop in the shoulders, elbows, jaw, hips, and neck. In addition to the joints, rheumatoid arthritis may cause swelling in the tear ducts, salivary glands, the lining of the heart, the lungs, and occasionally, blood vessels.
- Periarthritis causes swelling and pain in the joints. Most patients develop periarthritis of the shoulder. When the shoulder is affected, the joint's mobility is significantly or completely reduced and aggressive treatment is started.
- Muscular dystrophy:
- Signs and symptoms of muscular dystrophy vary according to the type of muscular dystrophy. In general, they may include muscle weakness, apparent lack of coordination, and progressive crippling, resulting in contractures of the muscles around the joints and loss of mobility.
- Fibromyalgia:
- The primary symptoms of fibromyalgia include widespread musculoskeletal pain, severe fatigue (tiredness), and sleep disturbances. Fibromyalgia may cause pain in the muscles, tendons, or ligaments. The pain is usually in multiple locations and may be difficult to describe precisely.
- Most individuals with fibromyalgia complain of a total body "ache." Their muscles may feel like they were pulled or overworked or feel as if they are burning. Other symptoms associated with fibromyalgia include irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Symptoms of IBS include fluctuations between constipation and diarrhea, frequent abdominal pain, abdominal gas, and nausea. Symptoms of IBS are frequently found in roughly 40 to 70% of fibromyalgia patients.
- Acid reflux, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), also occurs with the same high frequency. Recurrent migraine or tension-type headaches are seen in about 70% of fibromyalgia patients and can pose a major problem in coping for this patient group.
- Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) causes tremendous jaw-related face and head pain in one-quarter of fibromyalgia patients.
- Other common symptoms of fibromyalgia include
premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and painful periods, chest pain, morning stiffness, cognitive or memory impairment, numbness and tingling sensations, muscle twitching, irritable bladder, the feeling of swollen extremities (hands and feet), skin sensitivities, dry eyes and mouth, dizziness, and impaired coordination. Fibromyalgia patients are often sensitive to odors, loud noises, bright lights, and sometimes even the medications they are prescribed.
- Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder:
- Common symptoms of TMJ disorders include pain and soreness of the jaw (which may worsen when the individual chews food, talks, or yawns), pain in and around the ear, facial pain, an uneven bite or change in the way the lower and upper teeth fit together, jaw muscle stiffness, a clicking sound or grating sensation when the mouth is opened and closed (sometimes called jaw clicking), headache, tired facial muscles, and locking of the joint, which may temporarily limit the movement of the jaw.
- It is important to note that jaw clicking affects many individuals who do not have TMJ disorders. Individuals who do not experience pain or limited movement of the jaw when the jaw clicks most likely do not have TMJ disorders.
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