17/20 Joint Popping or Clicking
Don’t Worry:
That snap, crackle or pop you hear when you stand up, walk down stairs or stretch is called crepitus, and it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re decrepit. It’s either caused by gas bubbles forming in the fluid that surrounds and lubricates the joints, or the sound of a tightly strung tendon snapping as it slides over a bony surface. Either way, if the noise is painless, it’s nothing to worry about (and becomes more common as we age, especially in the knees).
Do Worry:
If the cracking hurts or the noise changes to a crunching sound, see your doctor—as arthritis progresses, the breakdown of cartilage can lead to bones grinding against one another. Your doctor will first recommend exercise therapies to support and stabilize the joint, and if necessary prescribe medications for pain and inflammation relief.
I pop my knuckles & thumb all the time.. my knees like to pop on their own and occasionally my should & elbow pop . Those can get painful if it pops while moving in a certain position.. If I’m paying attention I can realize it’s about to go and switch to a more comfortable position for it to pop.
18 / 20 Swollen Knee
Don’t Worry:
Prepatellar bursitis, which most commonly affects gardeners or anyone whose occupation involves a lot of kneeling, is caused by inflammation in the bursa, or fluid pouch, on the front of your kneecap. If you notice one knee is noticeably more swollen than the other, tender to the touch and painful to extend, try treating it with rest, ice and a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medication like ibuprofen.
Do Worry:
If the symptom doesn’t abate, if the knee feels warm or if more than one joint is swollen, have your doctor check for arthritis.
I’ve has issues with my knees since I was a child. My issue is from the muscles not being as strong and thus the patella (kneecap) is not positioned properly. Over the years it has been shifted, rotated & tilted. Right now, it’s the tilted that’s causing the problem & am currently seeing a physiotherapist for it Doing exercises to build up muscles & getting treatments for the inflammation. He thinks there might be arthritis in there too.
19 / 20 Enlarged, Sore Big Toe
Don’t Worry:
Your body’s underappreciated workhorse is the last part of your foot to push off the ground with every stride, and bears 40 to 60 per cent of the force load. You may not think about your big toe much, but when something goes wrong with it, you’ll wince with every step. Ingrown toenails are a common cause, accounting for one in five foot complaints to family doctors. A mild case can be treated by soaking the toe and applying antibiotic cream.
Do Worry:
A lesser-known form of osteoarthritis—hallux rigidus—affects 2.5 per cent of people over 50, and causes inflammation, swelling and aching in the joint connecting your big toe to your foot. Over time, the bone overgrowth caused by the condition can make it almost impossible to bend your big toe, and lead to protruding bone spurs.
The resulting joint degeneration can’t be reversed, but symptoms can be managed with NSAID medications, custom-made orthotic insoles, physiotherapy, specialized shoes or even joint replacement surgery.
You should also ask your doctor to check for gout, a rare form of arthritis caused by excess uric acid crystals in the blood.
Last time I had problems with my big toe, I possibly may have broken it. The cause was repeatedly kicking roots on a 3K hike with my Cubs. I had a bruise show up two days later, big and purple. It healed up on its own
20 / 20 Jaw Pain
Don’t Worry:
Aching in your jaw, pain while chewing, and a locking or popping sensation when you open your mouth wide can be signs of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, which can dislocate your jaw joint and inflame the muscles and ligaments that control its movement. Bruxism, or grinding your teeth, is a common cause, and many people aren’t aware that they clench or grind their teeth at night. “Waking up with a headache is a telltale sign of bruxism,” says Frank. “A dentist can prescribe a splint that covers the surface of your teeth, so you’re punishing the plastic instead of wearing down your tooth surface.”
Do Worry:
More rarely, jaw pain on one side can result from a cyst or a tumour, which your dentist can see on an X-ray. If the pain is only on the left side and radiates up your neck to your jaw, go to the ER right away—it could be an uncommon sign of a heart attack.
I have both TMJ & Bruxism, so I have a night guard I wear most nights.
Based on an article in Reader’s Digest by Anna-Kaisa Walker
Fibromyalgia 