Joints

For the last few years, I've had pain in all my joints.. Not unbearable pain, just a small aching pain. Over the years it has gotten worse, all my joints crack, I'm not forcing them to crack, they just do.. If I move a certain way, they crack. My toes, ankles, knees, hips (my hips are the most painful when they crack), lower back, upper back, neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, fingers.... I do crack my knuckles out of habit, but they don't bother me as much as my other joints. I can't figure out why I have pain in all my joints.. I'm only 18, just turned 18.. I feel that I'm too young to be having joint pains that a 40 yr old person would.. It's kind of worrying me and my mother. My shoulders make a grinding noise when I move them, my ankles creak... I'm not too sure what this could be, I've been looking on the internet for months trying to figure out what could be wrong, but I can't find anything that fits my discription... My back is constantly hurting, it hurts to bend over, my knees hurt to move. I have been diagnosed with Anemia before, not sure if I currently have it, but I don't think that would have anything to do with my pain, but I could be wrong. I don't have any family history of bone problems, however cancer is VERY common in my family. I have not seen my doctor yet. I plan to very soon, but this is still worrying me. Any ideas of what this could be, and how to ease the pain?

[Bridget A. Hewitt, RN]

You need to see your family doctor.  He/she can so a full physical exam and some blood work to figure out what is going on.  Some people just have "creaky" joints, but pain in the joints is a different symptom worth checking out.  If you live in an area where Lyme Disease is prevalent, I would make sure that you are tested for that as well.  IN the meantime, you can take ibuprofen for the joint pain (if you can tolerate it).  Good luck

Bridget