Some medical conditions can cause joint pain to manifest suddenly. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, joint pain may be caused by autoimmune conditions, infectious diseases, overuse injuries and degenerative conditions. Sudden joint pain can arise in one or multiple joints, and its intensity can range from mild to severe. In some cases, sudden joint pain can restrict a person's activities of daily living.
Septic Arthritis
Septic arthritis can cause sudden joint pain. According to MayoClinic.com, septic arthritis is an excruciatingly painful joint infection caused by bacteria or fungi. Bacterial infections are a more common cause of septic arthritis than fungal infections. Bacteria or fungi from other infected parts of the body can spread to a joint, although sometimes bacteria targets only the joint and leaves other parts of the body unaffected. Septic arthritis is characterized by severe, sudden joint pain and damage in just one joint. Common locations for septic arthritis to develop include the knee, ankle, hip, shoulder, elbow and wrist. Common signs and symptoms associated with septic arthritis include severe pain when moving the affected joint through its range of motion, fever, joint swelling and warmth in the involved area. MayoClinic.com states that the elderly and the very young have the greatest risk for developing septic arthritis.
Lupus
Systemic lupus erythematosus or SLE, or simply lupus, can cause sudden joint pain. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases or NIAMS--a division of the National Institutes of Health--states that lupus is an autoimmune disease, which means that a person's immune system attacks the parts of her body it was designed to protect, causing inflammation and damage throughout the body. Lupus affects a person's joints, skin, blood vessels and certain internal organs. Common signs and symptoms associated with lupus include painful or swollen joints, muscle pain, fever of an unknown origin, extreme fatigue, chest pain with deep inhalation and sun sensitivity. Many people with lupus also possess a characteristic red facial rash, known as a butterfly rash, due to its appearance on the nose and cheeks. According to the NIAMS, the signs and symptoms of lupus vary from person to person.
Gouty Arthritis
Gouty arthritis can cause sudden joint pain. According to the National Institutes of Health, gout is a type of arthritis that develops from the accumulation of uric acid crystals within a joint. The two principle types of gout are acute and chronic. Acute gout is a condition that's characterized by severe pain in just one joint. Chronic gout involves periodic bouts of joint pain and inflammation that may affect multiple joints. Common signs and symptoms associated with acute gouty attacks include sudden onset of symptoms in one or more joints, throbbing joint pain that begins during the night, joints that are red and warm to the touch and fever. Although gouty arthritis can occur anywhere throughout the body, although the joints of the big toe, knee and ankle are most commonly affected. It's not unusual for a person to go months or even years between bouts of gouty arthritis. However, states the NIH, if a person has had a gouty arthritis attack, there is a greater than 50 percent chance that he will have another attack.
