Bone or joint pain
Bone and joint pain are very common. Most of the time, they are not symptoms of blood cancer. Find out about warning signs and when to contact your GP.
Summary
- Bone and joint pain are very common symptoms that can be caused by many different things.
- They can sometimes be a symptom of leukaemia or other types of blood cancer. But most people with bone and joint pain do not have cancer.
- If you have bone or joint pain that lasts 4 weeks or more or is getting worse, make an appointment with your GP.
About bone or joint pain
Bone and joint pain are common symptoms of leukaemia and other types of blood cancer in children. Older children might complain of pain. In younger children, you might notice they’re limping, walking stiffly or are reluctant to walk at all. Or that they’re avoiding using a particular arm or leg.
Up to 4 in 10 children with leukaemia have bone or joint pain. More than 6 in 10 do not. Most children with bone pain do not have leukaemia.
In adults, bone and join pain are less common as a first symptom of leukaemia. But they are very common symptoms generally, and can be caused by many different things. Most people with bone and joint pain do not have blood cancer.
Bone or joint pain can also be a side effect of some treatments for blood cancer. We’re developing separate information on coping with side effects for people who already have a diagnosis.
Like all symptoms of leukaemia, having bone or joint pain does not mean you definitely have leukaemia. But if you’re worried about your symptoms, it’s a good idea to see your GP.
Fewer than 2 in 100 children referred to a specialist for bone or joint pain have cancer. More than 98 in 100 do not have cancer.
Why do people with blood cancer get bone or joint pain?
The main cause of bone or joint pain in people with blood cancer is a build-up of cancer cells in the bone marrow. This makes your bone marrow expand and puts pressure on the nerves in your bones. This can cause bone pain.
Other things that might also cause bone or joint pain include:
- Cancer cells in your bones, joints or the thin membrane that covers your bones. This can cause inflammation and swelling.
- Your body’s inflammatory response to cancer. This helps your immune system fight the cancer. But inflammatory proteins can change the balance between bone loss and bone growth, especially in children. This can cause thinning of the bones, and sometimes tiny cracks or fractures. This can lead to bone pain.
What else can cause bone or joint pain?
Bone or joint pain can be caused by lots of things. Most people who get it do not have leukaemia.
Other causes of bone and joint pain include:
- Arthritis
- Injuries or fractures
- Growing pains
- Gout
- Some autoimmune conditions
- Bone or joint infections
- Trapped nerves
- Inflammation in your tendons
- Other types of cancer
When to seek help
If you have bone or joint pain that lasts 4 weeks or more or is getting worse, make an appointment with your GP.
Nearly 4 in 10 people with leukaemia wait 3 months or more before contacting a GP about their symptoms.
Some signs that you should contact your GP include bone or joint pain that:
- Started suddenly
- Wakes you at night
- Is constant or severe
- Is getting worse
- Affects one particular bone, especially if this is your spine or the long bones in your arms or legs
- Is painful when you press it
- Causes you to limp
- Does not improve after taking painkillers
- Is accompanied by other symptoms of leukaemia
If you have bone or joint pain that lasts more than 4 weeks and your GP can’t identify a cause, they should refer you urgently. This is to rule out cancer. Children with unexplained bone pain should have an urgent blood test. If your GP does not offer a blood test, ask for one.
If you are struggling to get help
Nearly 3 in 10 people with leukaemia have to speak to their GP three or more times before getting a diagnosis.
There may be many possible explanations for your symptoms for a GP to consider.
If you have to go back to your GP three or more times about the same symptom, remind them about Jess’ rule. This encourages GPs to ‘reflect, review and rethink’, particularly if:
- You still have the symptoms
- They have got worse
- They are unexplained
Take a look at our Spot Leukaemia campaign to find out what we’re doing to help the public and GPs spot the signs of leukaemia sooner.
Sources
We used an AI tool to help identify relevant evidence sources for this webpage, such as scientific journals and clinical guidelines. A human checked the reliability of these sources.
Sources we used to develop this information
Black GB, Boswell L, Harris J, Whitaker KL. What causes delays in diagnosing blood cancers? A rapid review of the evidence. Primary Health Care Research & Development. 2023 Jan;24:e26. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1463423623000129
Bordbar R, Shahgholi E, Habibi A, Sadeghi P. Distinguishing acute lymphoblastic leukemia from juvenile idiopathic arthritis in children with musculoskeletal complaints: a retrospective cross-sectional study. BMC Pediatrics. 2026 Mar 24;26(1):400-. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-026-06701-0
Clarke RT, Jones CH, Mitchell CD, Thompson MJ. ‘Shouting from the roof tops’: a qualitative study of how children with leukaemia are diagnosed in primary care. BMJ Open. 2014 Feb;4(2):e004640. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2013-004640
Clarke RT, Van den Bruel A, Bankhead C, Mitchell CD, Phillips B, Thompson MJ. Clinical presentation of childhood leukaemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Archives of Disease in Childhood. 2016 Oct 1;101(10):894-901. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2016-311251
Coluzzi F, Rocco M, Green Gladden R, Persiani P, Thur LA, Milano F. Pain management in childhood leukemia: diagnosis and available analgesic treatments. Cancers. 2020 Dec 7;12(12):3671. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers12123671
Howell DA, Smith AG, Jack A, Patmore R, Macleod U, Mironska E, Roman E. Time-to-diagnosis and symptoms of myeloma, lymphomas and leukaemias: a report from the Haematological Malignancy Research Network. BMC Blood Disorders. 2013 Oct 31;13(1):9. DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/2052-1839-13-9
Jari M, Ana FK. Musculoskeletal manifestations of childhood malignancies: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Pediatrics. 2025 Mar 17;25(1):200. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-025-05556-1
King LK, Abhishek A. OA fundamentals series: Diagnosis and clinical assessment of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage. 2026 Jun 1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joca.2026.05.012
Mostoufi-Moab S, Halton J. Bone morbidity in childhood leukemia: epidemiology, mechanisms, diagnosis, and treatment. Current osteoporosis reports. 2014 Sep;12(3):300-12. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11914-014-0222-3
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Clinical Knowledge Summary: Haematological cancers - recognition and referral. Revised 2025. Available at: https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/haematological-cancers-recognition-referral/ [Accessed May 2026]
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Suspected cancer: recognition and referral. NICE guideline NG12. 23 June 2015; updated 25 April 2026. Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng12 [Accessed May 2026]
NHS cancer programme: faster diagnosis framework. November 2022. Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/cancer-programme-faster-diagnosis-framework/ [Accessed May 2026]
NHS England. National Cancer Patient Experience Survey 2024. Available at: https://www.ncpes.co.uk/latest-national-results/ [Accessed May 2026]
NHS Scotland. Scottish referral guidelines (SRGs) for suspected cancer: Haematological cancers. Available at: https://www.rightdecisions.scot.nhs.uk/scottish-referral-guidelines-srgs-for-suspected-cancer/haematological-cancers/ [Accessed May 2026]
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Page last reviewed: 10 September 2026
Updated September 2026
Next review due: 30 September 2029
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