Joint pain

Tier 1: Established: peer-reviewed research or government health authority
Publisher: National Health Service · Published: August 7, 2026 · Accessed: August 7, 2026

Visit the source ↗

Claims this source supports

• Perimenopause and menopause can cause aching and painful joints due to lowered levels of oestrogen.
• Joint pain has many possible causes, including injury or a longer-lasting problem such as arthritis; NHS advises not to self-diagnose and to see a GP if worried.
• See a GP if joints are stiff for more than 30 minutes after waking up, pain or swelling is getting worse or keeps coming back, pain has not improved after treating it at home for 2 weeks, or joint pain affects sleep or normal activities.
• Urgent advice: joint pain with skin that is swollen and feels hot, or joint pain with feeling generally unwell, high temperature, or feeling hot, cold or shivery, warrants an urgent GP appointment or NHS 111.
• Pain and stiffness felt on both sides of the body that is worse after not moving (for example, when waking up) is a listed possible-cause pattern for rheumatoid arthritis.
• Self-care includes rest, ice packs wrapped in a towel for up to 20 minutes every 2-3 hours, talking to a pharmacist or GP about painkillers, losing weight if overweight, and not completely stopping movement of the affected joint.