Joints are the parts of the skeleton that allow the body to move in different ways. The three types of joints--hinge, pivot and ball-and-socket--are filled with synovial fluid to facilitate free movement. Muscles, ligaments, cartilage and tendons provide support and stability to joints for movement. Many diseases can affect any part of the joint and cause pain and swelling.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that affects the way the body breaks down and uses food as a source of energy known as glucose. Insulin produced by the pancreas moves the glucose from the bloodstream into the cells. The Arthritis Foundation states that musculoskeletal changes that result from diabetes include joint pain and stiffness.
Diabetes is the result of too little or no insulin production, which allows glucose to build up in the blood. A person with type 1 diabetes requires daily insulin intake. Those most at risk for Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes, include people with a family history of diabetes, the elderly and overweight individuals. Gestational diabetes affects about 2 to 5 percent of pregnant women in the United States, as reported by the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention.
Scleroderma
Scleroderma, a chronic degenerative disease of the joints, skin and internal organs, is a complex condition of genetic and environmental factors. New York-Presbyterian states that scleroderma affects females three to four times more than males. Symptoms of scleroderma include painful joints, thickening of the fingertips, immobile wrists or elbows, shortness of breath from scarred lung tissue, heart failure and difficulty swallowing due to esophageal scarring.
Scleroderma treatment may include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications for pain, penicillamine to slow skin thickening, physical therapy, immunosuppressive medications and occupational therapy. Treatment depends on age, health history and the extent of the scleroderma.
Hemophilia
Hemophilia, the most common inherited bleeding disorder, is the inability of the blood to clot, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Symptoms of hemophilia include joint pain and swelling from internal bleeding, large bruising from minor accidents, blood in the urine and frequent nosebleeds.
Hemophilia is a blood disease passed from parent to child through a gene on the X chromosome. The University of Maryland Medical Center also reports that the two most common types of hemophilia are hemophilia A and hemophilia B, and males with the gene will develop hemophilia and pass the gene only to their daughters. Females with the defective gene are carriers with a 50 percent chance of passing the gene to their children.
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE, is an autoimmune disease that causes tissue damage in cells throughout the body. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that SLE affects joints, lungs, skin, kidneys, blood vessels and the brain. Symptoms include pain or swelling in joints, fatigue and skin rashes. The CDC also reports that SLE mainly affects young women.
