Hot Swollen Red Joints
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Try one of these related symptoms.
Pain and swelling in the ankle
Swollen joints
Pain and swelling in the right knee
Swelling in the elbow joint
Red knee swollen right knee
Pain and swelling of the right elbow
Pain and swelling in both ankles
Index finger pain and swelling
Right toe is red and swollen
Pain and swelling in the middle finger of the left hand
About the Symptom
This refers to one or more of the joints feeling warm to the touch compared to the surrounding skin accompanied by redness, swelling and pain. Most commonly it is caused by trauma, infection or inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis or gout.
When to See a Doctor
Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms
- Hot swollen red joints
Possible Causes
Generally, Hot swollen red joints can be related to:
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA)
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a type of arthritis that occurs in children under 16 years old. It's a chronic condition characterized by joint pain and swelling that can last for months or years. It affects one or more joints for at least 6 weeks. JIA occurs when the body's immune system attacks its own tissues The cause of JIA is unknown.
- Gout / Pseudogout
Gout and pseudogout are diseases caused by inflammation and crystal accumulation in the joints. Gout results from uric acid crystals, while pseudogout stems from calcium pyrophosphate crystals. Both are marked by sudden, painful swelling in one or more joints. Gout attacks can be triggered by eating purine-rich foods like seafood, alcohol, and red meat, while pseudogout may be due to joint injury, surgery, or immune issues.
- Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
A chronic inflammatory disease where the body's immune system attacks multiple joints, most commonly in the hands and feet. The cause and trigger is unknown.
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)
- Diabetic Gangrene
- Behcet's Disease
- Adult Still's Disease
Related Serious Diseases
Sometimes, Hot swollen red joints may be related to these serious diseases:
- Septic Arthritis
Septic arthritis is an infection of a joint space. This can be caused by a wound that penetrates the joint allowing bacteria to enter, complications following surgery, or by bacteria traveling from distant sites via the bloodstream into the joint.
- Rheumatic Fever
- Cellulitis / Erysipelas
Doctor's Diagnostic Questions
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:
- Do your joints appear red, swollen, or warm?
- Are your ankles swollen?
- Have you experienced red, swollen, and hot joints before?
- How have your red, swollen, and hot joint progressed?
- How long have your joints been red, swollen, and hot this time?
Reviewed By:
Kenji Taylor, MD, MSc (Family Medicine, Primary Care)
Dr. Taylor is a Japanese-African American physician who grew up and was educated in the United States but spent a considerable amount of time in Japan as a college student, working professional and now father of three. After graduating from Brown, he worked in finance first before attending medical school at Penn. He then completed a fellowship with the Centers for Disease Control before going on to specialize in Family and Community Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) where he was also a chief resident. After a faculty position at Stanford, he moved with his family to Japan where he continues to see families on a military base outside of Tokyo, teach Japanese residents and serve remotely as a medical director for Roots Community Health Center. He also enjoys editing and writing podcast summaries for Hippo Education.
Tomohiro Hamahata, MD (Orthopedics)
Dr. Hamahata graduated from the Jikei University of Medical Science. After working at Asanokawa General Hospital and Kosei Chuo Hospital, he joined the Department of Orthopedics at Asakusa Hospital in April 2021, specializing in general orthopedics and joint replacement surgery.
Content updated on Feb 6, 2025
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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FAQs
Q.
Joints Feeling Like Glass? Why Diclofenac Quells the "Internal Fire" & Your Medically-Approved Path to Relief
A.
If your joints feel hot, stiff, and “glassy,” inflammation is likely driving it; diclofenac blocks COX-1 and COX-2 to lower prostaglandins, easing heat, swelling, stiffness, and pain. Topical forms focus relief on a single joint with fewer whole-body risks, while oral versions work bodywide but carry higher stomach, heart, kidney, and liver concerns. There are several factors to consider for a medically approved path to relief, including using the lowest effective dose, avoiding other NSAIDs, and pairing treatment with movement, physical therapy, heat or cold, nutrition, weight management, and monitoring; see details below to guide next steps and to know when urgent care is needed.
References:
* Gan, T. J. (2010). Diclofenac: an update on its mechanisms of action and safety. *Current Medical Research and Opinion*, 26(7), 1715–1731.
* McCormack, A., et al. (2020). Systemic diclofenac for pain: an updated review of its efficacy and safety. *Current Medical Research and Opinion*, 36(5), 793–802.
* Martel-Pelletier, J., et al. (2016). Osteoarthritis. *Nature Reviews Disease Primers*, 2(1), 1–22.
* Nelson, A. E., Allen, K. D., Golightly, Y. M., & Schwartz, T. A. (2020). Pharmacological Management of Osteoarthritis Pain: An Update from the EULAR Recommendations. *Rheumatic Disease Clinics of North America*, 46(4), 603–619.
* Wong, S., & Ong, Y. T. (2021). Adverse effects of NSAIDs: A review. *Singapore Medical Journal*, 62(10), 464–469.
Q.
Joints On Fire? Why your body is "rusting" & medical Celecoxib steps
A.
There are several factors to consider. Joint pain that feels like rusting is usually inflammation from osteoarthritis, autoimmune arthritis, gout, overuse, or infection, and chronic inflammation can damage cartilage and limit mobility. Celecoxib, a COX-2 selective NSAID, can ease pain and swelling and may be gentler on the stomach than older NSAIDs, but it carries heart, kidney, blood pressure, and bleeding risks, so use it only with clinician guidance; see below for key safety details, red flags, and the best next steps for your care.
References:
* Bolduc JA, O'Brien B, Collins JA, Quirk J, Kim JS, Kim JH. The Role of Oxidative Stress in Osteoarthritis: Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Implications. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2023 Feb 18;2023:6727228. doi: 10.1155/2023/6727228. PMID: 36844280; PMCID: PMC9959600.
* Li Y, Xia H, Li J, Yu R, Zhang H, Zhang X, Guo B. The Pathophysiological Roles of Inflammation in Osteoarthritis: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Implications. Front Pharmacol. 2022 Jul 25;13:933750. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.933750. PMID: 35957860; PMCID: PMC9358257.
* Tsoi D, Tsui F, Tsang Y. Recent advances in the understanding of celecoxib: a narrative review. J Basic Clin Physiol Pharmacol. 2023 Jan 25;34(1):1-10. doi: 10.1515/jbcpp-2022-0205. PMID: 36761763.
* Nissen SE, Yeomans NL, Solomon SD, Lüscher TF, Libby P, Husni ME, Graham DY, Borer JS, Wisniewski LM, Wolski KE, Wang Q, Mentor SM, Gerber RA, Godec CP, Wong F, Lincoff AM; PRECISION Trial Investigators. Cardiovascular safety of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: network meta-analysis. Lancet. 2016 Aug 27;388(10040):250-60. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30971-X. Epub 2016 Jul 14. PMID: 27156942.
* Kageyama Y, Ikegami D, Kawaguchi Y. Chronic Inflammation and Joint Destruction: The Pathogenic Interplay of Synovial Fibroblasts and Macrophages. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Oct 26;23(21):12952. doi: 10.3390/ijms232112952. PMID: 36361286; PMCID: PMC9656829.
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Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1References
Frank FA, Peduzzi N, Brugger R, Morgenstern M, Cadosch D, Clauss M. Die septische Arthritis [Septic arthritis]. Ther Umsch. 2023 Feb;80(1):39-44. German. doi: 10.1024/0040-5930/a001405. PMID: 36659842.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36659842/