All over joint pain. Help???

[riramsey]

Hi everyone,
I am a 21 year old college student and in pretty good health (besides smoking half a pack a day). I have recently developed pain in all my joints and nothing seems to help. It started in my chest. i was diagnosed with bronchitus over christmas this year and the chest pain has never gone away. the cough is gone, but the chest pain is still there. I have seen a doctor since then, and he assured me that there was nothing wrong with my lungs and it was a muscular problem. he put me on some muscle relaxants and sent me on my way. since then, it has spread down to my arms, into my fingers, its in my hip joints, knees, ankles and toes. it really just shoots up and down my entire body and is really painful and uncomfortable. Oh, ive been getting some really bad headaches, which i usually never get. the headaches come with the muscle and joint problems. any ideas anyone? im kinda freaking out,

[tulsa1966]

You should google "joint pain causes"  then write down all of your questions and go back with your pre-written notes and make do the right thing. I suffer from the same since i was 34, I am now 45. it took forever for my diagnosis but finally I was told it was lupus. Not many men get it but there are about 30 other things this could be. Avascular Necrosis is primarily found in young men. Just something to think about. Don't just accept the old standby "we don't know" A simple ESR should help to reveal where to start looking. If your ESR is high then tell them to give you a C3 and C4 and a CBC. Those will help with another part of the story. If they don't tell you what it is, at the very least they will tell you what they arent.  I got dismissed for years. I had to get brave and stand up and say "Look, you work for me" But joint pain can only get worse. Once you know the what and why, you can find out how to fix or at least treat it.

[Tuckamore]

Glad to hear it. Please let us know what you discover.

Best of Luck to You,
~Tuck

[riramsey]

Thanks guys i really appreciate it. Going back to the doctor in the morning.

[skepticalpeach]

I would definitely go back to the doctor. Maybe find a different one this time? Try taking some vitamin D/calcium supplements. Sometimes that is enough to help with joint pain.

It could also be fibromyalgia. It's really something you need to discuss with a doctor. Don't be afraid to be pushy and make them listen to you!

[Tuckamore]

I agree that you should return to your physician. Don't be dismissed without some investigation into the possible causes. You are your own best Health Care Advocate. Be assertive and refuse to live without some answers!

I could "guess" what could be going on but I am not comfortable doing so. Make sure this is not a systemic infection following your pneumonia before things like Fibro or Lyme's are considered.

Good Luck to you,
~Tuck

[Totie]

Go back to your doctor. It could be mono.