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6. Painful or swollen joints
Joint pain, localized swelling, and, muscle stiffness can develop as a result of diffuse systemic sclerosis, which is discussed in greater detail below.
The sharp, shooting pain in the joints can make movement very uncomfortable and often exercising is put on the back burner for sufferers, who seek to soothe the aches and pains with either ice, heat or both, instead of opting to keep the body moving, as is the advice of many medical professionals. It is always hard to juggle opinions and advice with the will of the head and the actual capability of the body.
Swollen and inflamed joints are very hard to manipulate and patients often find simple everyday tasks such as cooking or dressing to be painful and miserable experiences, until the pain and swelling have settled down to a functional level. Some people may find that their normal level of activity is resumed within a week, whereas for others, they may have to wait for months at a time until they are satisfactorily recovered.