Chest pain, trouble breathing, sudden weakness on one side, a fit or heavy bleeding needs help now, not an appointment.

112Any emergency108Ambulance102Pregnancy and newborn
Check a symptomManage a conditionHealth calculatorsUnderstand a lab reportFirst aid
Bones, joints and muscles

Joint pain or swelling

Also called joint pain, joint swelling, jodo me dard, gathiya, arthritis

What it meansSafe at homeDo not doSee a doctorWarning signs

What this means

Joint pain or swelling can come from injury, wear and tear, gout or inflammatory arthritis. Pain in one hot, swollen joint or pain in many joints needs medical review.

Safe to do at home

  • Rest the joint during severe pain but keep gently moving otherwise
  • Apply a cold or warm compress as it suits you
  • Maintain a healthy weight to ease load on the joints

Please do not do this alone

  • Do not take long term painkillers or steroids on your own
  • Do not massage a hot, swollen, red joint forcefully
  • Do not ignore joint pain with fever

Book a consultation if

  • Joint pain lasts more than a week or keeps returning
  • There is morning stiffness or swelling in several joints
  • Pain follows an injury or limits movement

Get help immediately if

  • A single joint that is suddenly very hot, red, swollen and painful, with fever
  • Inability to move or bear weight after an injury

The right doctor for this

Orthopedician (Bone and Joint Specialist)

This is the specialist who sees this symptom most often and can examine you properly. If you are not sure, a general physician is always a safe place to start and will refer you onward if you need it.

Consult a Orthopedician (Bone and Joint Specialist)Start with a General Physician

Get care for this

Doctors and care for joint pain or swelling

Verified Teleprac doctors you can see online or in a clinic, lab tests with home sample collection, and genuine medicines delivered to your door.

Shop Bones & Joints CareDelivered home. Please take medicines only as your doctor advises.
See all symptoms

How to use this page. It explains what a symptom usually means, so that you can decide whether to watch it, book a consultation or get help now. It does not diagnose you, it does not know your age, your pregnancy or your other medicines, and it cannot replace being examined. Please do not start, stop or change any medicine on your own.

Consult a doctorOrthopedician

More free tools in the Health Hub

Open Health Hub
Manage a conditionYou live with diabetes, blood pressure, thyroid, asthma or something similarHealth calculatorsYou have a number, such as weight, waist or blood pressure, and want to know what it meansUnderstand a lab reportYou have a lab report with sugar, thyroid, cholesterol or blood counts and want to know what it meansFirst aidSomething has just happened to someone and you need to know what to do right now

Emergency numbers in India

Save these in your phone now, not when you need them. Tap any number to call it.

112Any emergencyOne number for police, fire and ambulance across India108AmbulanceFree emergency ambulance in most states and union territories102Pregnancy and newbornAmbulance for mothers and babies in most states14416Mental health supportTele MANAS, free counselling every hour of the day, many languages1800 116 117Poisoning or overdoseNational Poisons Information Centre, AIIMS New Delhi1098Child in distressChildline India, free and confidential

Where to read more

Public health sources written for patients rather than for doctors, and kept up to date.

Ministry of Health and Family WelfareOfficial Indian health programmes, advisories and public guidanceWorld Health Organization health topicsGlobal fact sheets written for the public, on hundreds of topicsNHS health A to ZPlain language pages on symptoms, conditions, tests and treatmentsMedlinePlusPatient information from the United States National Library of MedicineTele MANASIndia's national mental health support service, free and available all day

Important: Everything in Teleprac patient resources is general health education. It does not give you a diagnosis and it cannot replace examination by a qualified doctor, because it does not know your age, your reports, your pregnancy or the other medicines you take. Please do not start, stop or change any medicine on your own. Teleprac Healthcare is not liable for decisions made on the basis of this information. In an emergency, call your local emergency number or go to the nearest hospital immediately.