Ankle pain is one of the most common types of joint pain, and there are many different causes. If you have had a trauma like a high-impact sports injury, there may be the possibility of a broken bone. If you have not had any trauma, there are many different causes such as skin problems, joint problems like arthritis or gout, muscle and tendon problems like Achilles tendinopathy, and many more. If you have severe pain, or pain that is not settling with simple pain relief, you may need to seek advice from your doctor.

Abdominal pain, commonly referred to as a stomach ache, is a discomfort or ache felt anywhere between the chest and pelvis. It is one of the most frequent reasons people visit their doctor or seek medical advice. While abdominal pain can be mild and short-lived, it can sometimes indicate a more serious underlying condition. Understanding the causes and symptoms of abdominal pain is essential for managing it effectively. The nature of the pain—whether it is sharp, dull, crampy, or constant—can provide important clues about its origin. By learning to identify what might be causing your discomfort, you can make informed decisions about whether to manage it at home or seek professional care. This guide will help you navigate the possible causes of abdominal pain, when it might be a cause for concern, and practical ways to find relief. Whether it’s a simple case of indigestion or something more serious, being informed is the first step to feeling better.\ \ You can also get pain that feels like colic – waves of sharp pain that can stop and start suddenly and common causes of this abdominal pain are kidney stones and gallstones.

Wrist pain is common, and there are many different causes. If you have had some sort of trauma like a high-impact injury such as a fall there may be the possibility of a broken bone. If you have not had any trauma, there are many different causes such as skin problems, joint problems like arthritis or gout, muscle and tendon problems like repetitive strain injury, along with many more. If you have severe pain, or pain that is not settling with some simple pain relief then you may need to seek advice from your doctor.

Upper back pain occurs in the area called the thoracic region of the body, which goes from the back of the neck down to the start of the lower spine at the level of the waist, known as the lumbar spine. It is typically felt in the mid-back between the shoulder blades and the neck. Pain here can vary in intensity, severity, and character. The area of your upper and mid back is known as the thoracic spines, and consists of 12 small bones called vertebrae that help to make up your backbone. Between each vertebra is a small disc of firm jelly-like material that helps to stop the backbones rubbing together as well as cushioning and protecting the back. Each thoracic vertebra is connected to a pair of ribs that run round to the front of your chest, forming your rib cage. There are also lots of muscles and ligaments in your upper back as well as your backbones and discs, so upper back pain can develop as a result of problems with any of these. For most people, pain in the upper back is less common than pain in the neck or lower back. This is because the bones in these areas tend to move more and be more flexible than the bones in the upper back, as the thoracic bones and rib cage help to keep your upper body strong and stable. Upper back pain can feel different to different people, and depends on the underlying cause. For many people, it feels like a burning or pulling discomfort in one particular area that can feel worse on moving or stretching. For others though it may feel like a deep burning pain, pain that travels from the back and round to the side or front of the body, or a tingling type of pain that can also cause numbness or weakness. In this article we look at some of the most common causes of upper back pain and how they can be treated.

Toe pain is common, and there are many different causes. If you have had some sort of trauma like kicking something hard or dropping something on your toe there may be the possibility of a fracture or broken bone. If you have not had any trauma, you may have a skin problem, such as blisters or ulcers, joint problems like arthritis or gout, and many more. If you have severe pain, or pain that is not settling with some mild pain relief, then you may need to seek advice from your doctor.

Shoulder pain is one of the most common and debilitating joint problems, especially as we get older. As GPs, more than a quarter of our consultations are musculoskeletal problems, so we’re used to managing this. But we’re always on alert for the rare occasion that something is seriously wrong, and we need to get a patient the right help with speed. Along with GPs, many surgeries offer a first-contact physiotherapy service to triage your problem and manage it – you may even be able to refer yourself without speaking to your GP. It’s a great service but you may have a few weeks’ wait. In this article we’ll go through some of the more serious symptoms relating to shoulder pain, and when you should be urgently seeking help from your GP (or Emergency Department in some circumstances), rather than waiting for a routine appointment or physio assessment.

Waking up with shoulder pain in the morning is never an ideal way to start the day. It can make your morning activities all the more difficult before you've even left the house for the day. Brushing your teeth, getting dressed, and washing your hair can all feel much harder than they need to. If you can relate to this, you might be wondering what's going on, and what action you need to take. The good news is that there are plenty of ways to relieve and prevent shoulder pain in the morning. In this article, we'll take a look into the possible reasons for your morning shoulder pain, and what you can do to alleviate it.

Sitting in front of a computer screen for hours each day isn’t the best for your health yet for many of us, it’s unavoidable due to our jobs. Whether you're working in an office or working remotely, you’re likely in front of a computer screen for close to 8 hours which can lead to all sorts of aches and pains. Work-related shoulder pain is affecting people more and more frequently today and one of the most common ailments is shoulder pain from using a mouse, known as mouse shoulder. In this article, we’ll cover the symptoms of mouse shoulder, what can cause it, ways to treat this type of joint pain and how you can prevent it from happening. What is mouse shoulder? A common issue that people get from using a computer mouse for an extended period with poor posture or lack of support is mouse shoulder. It’s a form of a Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) which is due to overusing muscles or straining them by doing the same actions. Mouse shoulder often feels like a deep aching or burning sensation in your shoulder and neck on the side you have been using a mouse. Carpal tunnel syndrome is another ailment brought on by your mouse, causing pain in your wrist and hand.

Shooting pains tend to describe nerve-associated pain. One of the common causes of shooting pains down the back of the legs is sciatica. Sciatica is a broad term used to describe symptoms caused by compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve or its contributing nerve branches. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve present at the back of the leg, passing from the lower back to the foot. It is responsible for controlling the muscles at the back of the thigh, all muscles below the knee and it provides sensation to the skin of most of the leg. Sciatica is characterised by a sensation of pain, tingling, or burning passing along the course of the nerve, extending from the lower back down into the leg. The specific location of the pain or altered sensation is dependent upon the nerves that are irritated or compressed. Sciatica is often associated with low back pain. The most common cause of sciatica is from a prolapsed intervertebral disc. Here a part of the fluid-filled centre of the intervertebral discs (the discs which separate each of the spinal column bones) is allowed to leak out through a tear in the outer disc layer. This prolapse, or disc bulge, causes direct compression or irritation of a nerve, which subsequently causes the symptoms of sciatica.

Your shin is the area over the tibia bone. This is the area between the knee and the ankle at the front of the leg. Shin pain is caused by inflammation of the muscles, tendons, or bone over the shin area.

Our ankle joints are complex joints joining each of our legs to our feet and are made up of ligaments, muscle, nerves, cartilage and blood vessels. They move each time we move our feet or legs and they allow our ankles to move in two directions - up (known as dorsiflexion) and down (called plantar flexion). The ankle joint carries our weight and so can be under stress a lot of the time, which can sometimes cause discomfort or pain. If you have pain at the back of your ankle, called posterior ankle pain, this can be very painful and interfere with normal activities such as walking, running, jumping or stretching. We know how frustrating this can be for you so in this article we look at the common causes and symptoms of posterior ankle pain. We’ll also give you advice on how to treat it - both medically and with self-care - how to prevent it, and what to do if you suffer from chronic pain in this part of your body. If you want to know how to get rid of that pain you’ve had for ages in the back of your ankle, read on! What are the causes of pain in the posterior ankle? There are a number of possible causes of posterior ankle pain and so you may need an opinion from a healthcare professional to get an accurate diagnosis if your symptoms do not settle with self care treatments. The usual causes of this pain are posterior ankle impingement, Sever’s disease, heel spurs, and inflammation or rupture of the Achilles tendon at the back of the heel. Posterior ankle impingement.** Sometimes known as posterior ankle impingement syndrome (PAIS), this usually occurs when a muscle, ligament or bone pinches the back of the foot and is common in sportsmen and women who move their feet repetitively in a certain way, causing their feet to point down repeatedly - such as in football players, ballet dancers and trail runners for example. Sever’s disease** is heel pain that occurs when the Achilles tendon is too tight and puts too much pressure on the soft cartilage at the end of the heel bone, known as the growth plate. It is common in children between the ages of 8 and 14 years who do lots of running or jumping and who are going through a growth spurt. Fortunately this doesn’t cause any long-term damage and usually goes away as the child gets older. Heel spurs** are bony growths that stick out from the bottom of your heel, where your heel bone connects to the ligament running between your heel and the ball of your foot. They usually develop over time and are quite common. Inflammation of the achilles tendon at the back of your heel (Achilles tendinopathy) causes pain, swelling and stiffness of that area and is thought to be caused by repeated tiny injuries to the Achilles tendon. It is common in runners and people who play a lot of sports or in people who exercise regularly in the wrong kind of footwear. If the Achilles tendon tears by more than 50% or snaps completely it is said to be ruptured and this is usually obvious at the time this happens, causing very characteristic symptoms. If you are not sure if you have ruptured your Achillies we have an artice on Achillies tendon rupture which may help you.

Pelvic pain occurs in the lower abdomen and pelvis. The pain can originate from organs close by, such as any of the reproductive organs, the digestive or urinary systems, or from the surrounding muscles and ligaments. It predominantly affects women, and may be acute, lasting a short time such as in period cramps or a urinary tract infection, or persisting as a chronic condition. Chronic pelvic pain is defined as intermittent or continuous pelvic pain that lasts for longer than 6 months and affects around 1 in 6 women.