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When to see a doctor
By Mayo Clinic staff
Call 911 or emergency medical assistance
Seek emergency help when your joint pain is caused by an injury and is accompanied by:
- Bleeding
- Exposed bone or tendon
Seek immediate medical attention
Ask someone to drive you to urgent care or the emergency room if your joint pain is caused by an injury and is accompanied by:
- A joint that appears deformed
- Inability to use the joint
- Intense pain
- Sudden swelling
Schedule a doctor's visit
Make an appointment with your doctor if your joint pain is accompanied by:
- Swelling
- Redness
- Tenderness and warmth around the joint
Begin self-care measures while you wait for your appointment with your doctor:
- Try an over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) to help relieve pain and swelling. Options include aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) and naproxen sodium (Aleve).
- Avoid using your joint in ways that cause or worsen pain.
- Apply an ice pack to your painful joint for 15 to 20 minutes a few times each day.
