Joints can become tender or achy for a variety of reasons, and joint pain at night may be due to the same causes of joint pain during the day, or a separate condition. Fibromyalgia may be a possibility, as can Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS). Injuries to the joint can also lead to joint pain at night, as can conditions such as arthritis. Very often, the joints can become inflamed at night, particularly in menopausal or pre-menopausal women. This may be due in part to diet, exercise habits, or sleep habits. A correct diagnosis will often necessitate a trip to a doctor.
Fibromyalgia is a condition in which various parts of the body become extremely sensitive to pressure, in turn causing a painful sensation in different parts of the body. Joint pain at night can be a result of this condition, and other symptoms such as sleep disorders often accompany the pain. No cure exists for fibromyalgia, and treatment is generally aimed at managing the symptoms to ease the stress of the condition. The causes of fibromyalgia range from genetic predisposition to high levels of stress, and in the latter case, the condition may dissipate or disappear if daily routines are modified to reduce stress. This will in turn lead to a reduction or elimination of joint pain at night.
An injury can also cause joint pain at night. Direct trauma can damage ligaments in a joint, or even the bones of that joint. What may seem like a minor injury may seem more painful at night because swelling and inflammation is likely to occur if the injury is untreated. Icing the affected area can help reduce swelling and bruising, thereby alleviating some of the pain. Resting the joint for several days and taking over-the-counter medications is often enough to manage the pain in such an instance.
Restless Leg Syndrome is a condition in which a sufferer tends to move the legs often, almost ceaselessly, to alleviate some kind of discomfort. This may lead to overuse of the legs, causing joint pain at night. RLS is also often accompanied by other symptoms such as insomnia. As the joints become overused, the ligaments and muscles tend to tighten, causing discomfort. Medications can help alleviate the symptoms of RLS, and full treatment involves identifying the cause of the condition.
Other conditions such as arthritis can cause joint pain at night or during the day. Arthritis occurs when the ligaments in a joint begin to break down, allowing bone to rub on bone or on nerve endings. This can lead to bone spurs, which can cause even more pain. Arthritis is usually managed with medication, stretching, and proper exercise.
