Joint aches in the knee can be related to the existence of a disease or underlying condition. According to the Mayoclinic.com, some common diseases that may cause joint aching in the knee include bursitis, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. If aching in the knee makes it difficult to walk or prevents other kinds of joint-related movement, contact a health-care provider.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a condition that affects the joints and is due to the normal wear and tear that cartilage receives over time. Also known as degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis affects the knee, hands, hip, lower back and neck. Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage that cushions the joints becomes damaged. If the cartilage becomes completely worn down, the bones may end up rubbing against each other. When this happens, the ends of the bones become damaged and pain in the affected joint typically occurs. According to Mayoclinic.com, osteoarthritis can cause aching and stiffness in the joints. This stiffness may be more pronounced in the morning or after a period of joint inactivity. Another symptom of osteoarthritis is the loss of flexibility. Osteoarthritis gets worse over time and can prevent someone from getting through basic every day activities. Treatment for osteoarthritis can be in the form of medicine to reduce the pain, physical therapy or joint replacement surgery.
Bursitis
Bursitis is a condition that affects the small fluid-filled sacs--bursae--that cushion the joints. According to Medline Plus, bursitis is an inflammation of one of the bursa sacs. The inflammation may result because of some form of arthritis in the joint, injury or an infection of the bursae. Bursitis can produce pain and tenderness in nearby joints and can limit movement. Bursitis affects the knees, shoulders, big toe, heels, elbows and hips. Repetitive motion is one cause of bursitis. Any activity that requires someone to perform a specific movement repeatedly can lead to inflammation of the bursae. The occurrence of bursitis occurs more in middle-aged people. People who participate in sports such as baseball or bicycling will more likely develop bursitis, as are those in the carpet or tile laying business. Bursitis usually clears up on its own when the activity or activities that caused the inflammation ceases. If the bursitis is caused by an infection, antibiotics may be prescribed.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that affects the joints. When the body's immune system mistakes its own tissue for a foreign invader, it begins to attack it. Over time, this attack eventually damages the tissue of the affected joints and causes aching. Rheumatoid arthritis starts by attacking the smaller joints such as those in the hands, fingers and wrist. Eventually it will move to larger joints like the knees and shoulders. Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include pain, stiff joints--typically in the morning--joint swelling and joint tenderness. Other symptoms that can patients may experience include fever, weight loss and fatigue, according to Mayoclinic.com. There is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis so treatment puts emphasis on reducing joint pain and preventing further joint damage.
