My joints are killing me—which specialist should I see?

For about ten days now, I’ve been running a low-grade fever, somewhere between 99.5 and 100.5°F, along with this wandering pain in my hands and feet. Some joints ache constantly, while others just flare up and then subside. My ankles are the worst part—the pain there hasn't let up once—and I've started getting these red patches and bumps that look like I was swarmed by giant mosquitoes. On top of all that, I haven't had a sore throat in years, but suddenly it's back.

I know, I know, I really should be seeing a doctor, but I'm still holding out hope that this will just pass on its own. I'm hoping someone here might have some insight into what on earth is going on.

You really need to get to a doctor as soon as possible! It might even be worth scheduling an appointment with a rheumatologist too.
We can't just sit here and guess what's going on through a screen...

It could potentially be rheumatoid Arthritis. You should probably head over to the lab at the local hospital as soon as you can to get some bloodwork done—specifically to check those immunoglobulin levels.

Ugh, my hand joints are killing me too... honestly have zero clue what's causing this crap. 🤷

When does the pain actually hit you? Like, how many hours a day are we talking about? Does it stop you from getting stuff done—you know, just regular daily life? Any swelling involved? And where specifically on your hands are the joints acting up?

Anonymous said:I've been running a low-grade fever for about ten days now—somewhere between 99 and 100 degrees—and my joints in my hands and feet are just aching everywhere. Some of them hurt constantly, while others come and go. My ankles are the absolute worst; they haven't let up since this started, and now I'm getting these red patches and bumps that look like I was bitten by giant mosquitoes. On top of all that, I’ve got a sore throat, which hasn't happened to me in years.

Look, I know, I know... I need to see a doctor. But I'm still holding out hope that this will just clear up on its own, so maybe someone here has a clue what the hell this could be.

I am going through the exact same thing! Same joint pain in pairs and the same red spots!

Does anyone have any idea what this might be?

I’m currently leaning toward thinking it might be sarcoidosis or perhaps some other kind of autoimmune issue, though I can't say for certain yet. To be honest, I’ve been dealing with a whole laundry list of other symptoms too—things like a persistent dry cough, having absolutely no appetite at all, joints that feel swollen and tender, and this overwhelming, bone-deep exhaustion that just never seems to lift. It feels like running on empty constantly. I really think seeing a rheumatologist is the right move here, so just try to hang in there and see what they have to say about everything.

Angela Kelly said:It's the exact same thing for me! My joints ache in pairs and I get these red spots too...

Does anyone have any idea what this could be?

I noticed a red rash once too, and ended up being diagnosed with systemic Arthritis... maybe try seeing a rheumatologist😢😢😢

Hey there!
Here’s what I’m dealing with:
- joint pain (shoulders, elbows, shoulder blades, neck—even my tailbone... but never my legs or knees, strangely enough)
- it's this pinpoint kind of pain, and man, if you press on it, it hurts like hell
- it isn't the whole joint that hurts, just one tiny spot, but the pain is so intense it radiates everywhere else nearby
- my range of motion gets super limited because the pain is just too much
- I don't really get swelling or redness all over the place
- it starts out pretty mild, then after a few hours it really ramps up and takes over, but then after 2 or 3 days, it just vanishes like it was never even there...
- it never hits multiple spots at once; it just picks one joint and stays there for a bit
- honestly, it feels more like it's tied to the ligaments where they attach to the bone in the joint
- this happens every month or two, roughly

I've seen a doctor maybe two or three times now. They ran some blood work, which came back totally normal, so they just gave me some painkillers and topical creams to deal with it.

I'm 34, I stay active with sports, I'm at a healthy weight, I don't drink, I smoke occasionally, and my diet is pretty decent.

I've been going down a massive rabbit hole searching for answers online, and honestly... my doctor didn't seem to have any clue what's actually going on.

If anyone here has dealt with anything similar, I would seriously appreciate any insight or help you could offer...

Drew King5 said:Hey there.
Symptoms:
- Joint pain (hips, shoulders, elbows, shoulder blades, neck, and even my tailbone—never my legs, knees, or anything like that)
- It’s a localized, pinpoint kind of pain that hurts like hell when you press on it.
- It doesn't ache through the whole joint; instead, it hits one tiny spot, but it's so intense that the surrounding area just radiates the pain.
- My range of motion is basically non-existent during these episodes because the pain is so sharp.
- Swelling and redness aren't really a regular thing.
- It starts off slow, then builds up over a few hours until it's unbearable, and then it just vanishes after two or three days like it was never there.
- It never breaks out in multiple places at once; it just grabs one specific joint and holds on tight.
- Honestly, I'd bet it's more about the ligaments connecting to the bone at the joint rather than the joint itself.
- These flare-ups happen every month or two.

I've seen a doctor two or three times already. They ran blood work which came back totally normal, so they just handed me some painkillers and topical creams.

I'm 34, stay active with sports, and my weight is pretty much right in the middle. I don't drink, I smoke occasionally, and my diet is fine.

Searching for answers online has been driving me absolutely insane, especially since my doctor seems completely clueless about what this actually is.

If anyone has dealt with anything similar, any help would be huge.

Find a doctor who will actually refer you for comprehensive blood testing if they haven't already.
•Rheumatoid factor
•Sedimentation rate (ESR),
•C-reactive protein (CRP).
Based on those results, have them send you to a rheumatologist if things look positive; if everything comes back clear, see a physiatrist.

Take a look at this link.
https://arthritis-info.org/types-of-arthritis

It doesn't matter if those levels aren't elevated; it still counts toward your rheumatologist evaluation. Honestly, you're better off just sticking with your rheumatologist. If they decide you need to see a physical therapist, they'll send the referral themselves.

melloworca6 said:Even if those levels aren't elevated, it doesn't mean you can just ignore the rheumatology side of things. Honestly, sticking with a rheumatologist is your best bet; they can easily refer you to a physical therapist if the situation calls for it.

And vice versa 😉