Morning Stiffness in Joints
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Reviewed By:

Kenji Taylor, MD, MSc

Kenji Taylor, MD, MSc (Family Medicine, Primary Care Physician)

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.

Kaito Nakamura, MD

Kaito Nakamura, MD (Rheumatology)

Dr. Nakamura is a rheumatologist who has practiced in the Ota Nishinouchi Hospital attached to Ota General Hospital, National Health Insurance Matsudo City Hospital, Chiba University Hospital, and the National Health Insurance Asahi Central Hospital.

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Content updated on Mar 7, 2024

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  • Joint stiffness lasts more than an hour in the morning

  • Prolonged stiffness in the morning (more than 1 hour)

  • Morning stiffness usually lasts more than 1 hours

  • Long morning stiffness (lasting more than 1 hour)

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About the Symptom

Morning stiffness is the sensation of difficulty moving a joint or the apparent loss of range of motion of a joint that occurs in the morning usually after getting up. Many times it may improve with increased movement over the course of the day.

When to see a doctor

Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms

  • Morning stiffness in joints

Possible Causes

Generally, Morning stiffness in joints can be related to:

  • Polymyalgia rheumatica

    Polymyalgia rheumatica is a chronic, inflammatory disorder of unknown cause. It typically affects women more than men over the age of 50. Classic symptoms include pain in the neck, shoulders, hips, upper arms and thighs.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Menopausal syndrome
  • Scleroderma
  • Lumbar spondylosis
  • Neuropathic pain
  • Migraine
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
  • Chronic pain

Doctor's Diagnostic Questions

Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:

  • Do you have prolonged morning joint stiffness?

  • Is the affected area red?

  • Is the affected area swollen?

  • Do you have a fever?

  • Do you feel you fatigued?

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Find Similar Symptoms

Similar symptoms or complaints

References

  • Lineker S, Badley E, Charles C, Hart L, Streiner D. Defining morning stiffness in rheumatoid arthritis. J Rheumatol. 1999 May;26(5):1052-7. PMID: 10332967.

    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10332967/#:~:text=Results%3A%20These%20findings%20resulted%20in,and%20gets%20better%20with%20movement.

Reviewed By:

Kenji Taylor, MD, MSc

Kenji Taylor, MD, MSc (Family Medicine, Primary Care Physician)

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.

Kaito Nakamura, MD

Kaito Nakamura, MD (Rheumatology)

Dr. Nakamura is a rheumatologist who has practiced in the Ota Nishinouchi Hospital attached to Ota General Hospital, National Health Insurance Matsudo City Hospital, Chiba University Hospital, and the National Health Insurance Asahi Central Hospital.

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