Joint Pain (Arthralgia): Medical History

Medical history (history of illness) represents an important component in the diagnosis of arthralgia (joint pain).

Family history

  • What is the general health of your relatives?
  • Are there any diseases of the bones/joints in your family that are common?

Social history

  • What is your profession?
  • Do you work physically hard in your profession?

Current medical history/systemic history (somatic and psychological complaints).

  • Do you have joint pain? If yes, did the pain occur after a minor fall or did the pain occur spontaneously?
  • How long has the pain been present?
  • At which joint(s) do you have your pain?
  • Do you have start-up pain: start-up pain is expressed when a joint begins to be active.
  • Do you have a night pain or pain at rest?
  • Do you have a strain pain?
  • Is the joint(s) swollen/heated?
  • On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is very mild and 10 is very severe, how severe is the pain?
  • Are there any functional limitations of the joint(s)?
  • Have you noticed any other symptoms such as fever or fatigue?

Vegetative anamnesis incl. nutritional anamnesis.

  • Do you exercise regularly every day?
  • Do you smoke? If yes, how many cigarettes, cigars or pipes per day?
  • Do you drink alcohol? If yes, what drink(s) and how many glasses of it per day?
  • Do you use drugs? If yes, what drugs and how often per day or per week?

Self history incl. medication history.

Medication history