Serious Signs of Joint Pain You Shouldn’t Ignore

At Kentuckiana Pain Specialist, Dr. Ajith Nair specializes in joint health and offers a wide range of treatment options, from alternative therapies to more traditional pain management solutions. That means you can get the treatment you need that provides long-term results.

Here we explain the signs that could indicate your joint pain is a serious medical concern.

Identifying the cause of joint pain

A joint forms where two or more bones meet in your skeleton. Some joints stay fixed in place, like the ones in your skull. But most joints can move, like the ones in your hips, legs, and shoulders.

The ends of your moveable joints have a coating of cartilage that protects the joint, creates mobility, and keeps the bones from grating together. Your joints also get support, stability, and mobility from surrounding connective tissue, like muscles, ligaments, and tendons.

When you have joint pain, it can develop if any of the components in or around your joint become damaged or diseased. Common causes of joint pain include:

• Sprains and strains
• Tendinitis
• Bursitis
• Arthritis
• Fibromyalgia

In most cases, arthritis is the leading cause of joint pain. More specifically, osteoarthritis. This type of arthritis — often referred to as “wear-and-tear” arthritis — develops over time as the cartilage cushioning the joint degenerates. This deterioration creates bone-on-bone contact, which leads to pain, swelling, stiffness, and more cartilage degeneration.

Joint pain symptoms you should ignore

Even though many people experience joint pain, you shouldn’t put off seeing a doctor. You need an evaluation even more urgently if you have joint pain after an injury or from an unknown cause.

If you’ve received an arthritis diagnosis, then you know what’s causing your joint pain. Even so, arthritis is a progressive condition, meaning it worsens over time. Signs that your arthritis may be more serious include:

• Swelling or redness
• Worsening pain
• Decreasing the range of motion
• Changing or deformity of the joint

Whether you have joint pain from an acute injury or a chronic condition, ignoring your symptoms won’t make them go away. In fact, delaying your treatment can make your problem worse, and you could lose control of the joint.

Finding relief for joint pain

Dr. Nair is an experienced physician board-certified in integrative medicine and interventional pain management. Whenever possible, he starts with the most conservative treatments first, such as:

• Oral medications
• Joint injections containing anesthetic and anti-inflammatory medications
• Epidural steroids
• Sympathetic nerve blocks
• Cervical and lumbar facet joint blocks
• Physical therapy and at-home exercises

For joint pain causing nearby nerve compression, Dr. Nair may also recommend radiofrequency ablation. This therapy involves applying heat to the affected nerve to block pain signals to your brain.

Never ignore joint pain, especially if it worsens over time. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Nair at Kentuckiana Pain Specialists, contact us by phone or online today.

Ajith Nair

Dr. Ajith Nair, MD | Founder & Medical Director, Kentuckiana Pain Specialists

Philosophy: “My mission is to help patients reclaim their lives through advanced interventional pain treatments that minimize opioid dependence and restore mobility.”
– Dr. Ajith Nair
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Credentials at a Glance

Board Certifications: American Board of Anesthesiology, American Board of Pain Medicine, American Board of Addiction Medicine, American Board of Physician Specialties (Anesthesiology)
Medical Degree: Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, India (1992)
Academic Appointment: Gratis Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery, University of Louisville
Hospital Affiliation: University of Louisville Hospital
NPI Registry:1295311058,
Verification link for certification:
American Board of Anesthesiology – Certification Matters

Biography:

Dr. Ajith Nair is a board-certified anesthesiologist and pain-management specialist with more than three decades of experience in interventional pain medicine. As the founder and medical director of Kentuckiana Pain Specialists, he leads a multidisciplinary team dedicated to providing minimally invasive treatments for chronic pain conditions. His approach focuses on precision-targeted therapies that reduce the need for long-term opioid use and improve patient quality of life.

Dr. Nair earned his medical degree from Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University in 1992. He currently serves as a Gratis Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery at the University of Louisville, mentoring medical students and residents in interventional pain techniques. His clinical expertise includes spinal cord stimulation, intrathecal pain-pump implantation, and regenerative therapies.

Recognized as one of the leading pain-pump implanters in the Louisville region, Dr. Nair has been featured on WAVE 3 News for his work helping patients reduce their reliance on pain medications through advanced implantable technologies.

Areas of Expertise

Interventional Pain Management
Anesthesiology
Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Spinal Cord Stimulation
Intrathecal Pain Pumps
Regenerative Therapies
Chronic Pain and Back Injury Treatment

Public Reputation & Professional Profiles

Healthgrades: https://www.healthgrades.com/physician/dr-ajith-nair-ylb28
Vitals: https://www.vitals.com/doctors/Dr_Ajith_Nair.html
Healthline: https://care.healthline.com/find-care/provider/dr-ajith-nair-1073515227
WebMD: https://doctor.webmd.com/doctor/ajith-nair-151c358e-893c-4c45-8efc-287d5ce46d2b-overview
RateMDs: https://www.ratemds.com/doctor-ratings/371931/Dr-Ajith-Nair-Louisville-KY.html
Healthcare4PPL: https://www.healthcare4ppl.com/physician/kentucky/louisville/ajith-nair-1073515227.html
Medical News Today: https://connect.medicalnewstoday.com/provider/dr-ajith-nair-1073515227
University of Louisville Profile: https://louisville.edu/medicine/departments/neurosurgery/ajith-nair

Media Recognition

WAVE 3 News: “Ditching Pain Pills for the Pump” (2018) – coverage of Dr. Nair’s leadership in targeted drug-delivery therapy https://www.wave3.com/story/36815760/tonight-at-11-ditching-pain-pills-for-the-pump/

MarketersMedia: Louisville Pain-Management Pump Implant Services Launch (2018) https://news.marketersmedia.com/louisville-ky-pain-management-intrathecal-pump-implant-services-launched/88997667