Joint pain (arthralgia) is an important symptom in the diagnosis of many diseases.He is the first to say that serious changes have begun at the junction of the bones.
Generally, in the case of arthritis, there is no swelling, curvature, strong pain to the touch or redness.Due to significant restrictions on mobilitylarge jointsthe patient does not complain either.It also happens that even an X-ray examination does not allow the detection of signs of inflammation.However, this does not make joint pain innocentsymptom:it can indicate serious organ changes and even diseases that are not related to the state of the joint.
As statistics show,paininhand jointsand legs start to bother every second person over 40.They are over 70 years olddiseasesmusculoskeletal system is even more common - in 90% of cases.
Causes of joint pain
One of the main onesfor reasonsthe problem is infectionacuteinfection.Sorepain can occur both before the appearance of the first symptoms of the disease and in the early stages.In case of infectionspecies all the joints of the body.Mobility remains in them.
Post infectionsharpJoint pain occurs in the following cases:
- urogenital infections;
- intestinal diseases.
The causes of the disease also include: secondary syphilis, tuberculosis, endocarditis.If there are foci of chronic infections in the human body - bile ducts, kidneys, pelvic organs, with parasitic infections - this can also happen.breaking joints.
Arthralgia (joint pain) often confirms the presence of rheumatic diseases.In this case, the pain syndrome is associated with changes in weather conditions.More often, the patient feels severe discomfort in the large joints of the lower limbs.In the morning, he suffers from not being able to get up immediately and walk quickly - due to pain and joint stiffness.
If the pain is paroxysmal, appears unexpectedly, intensifies during the day and persists for several days,whineonly one joint can be suspected of gouty arthritis (accumulation of uric acid crystals in joint structures).
If the pain increases very slowly, affects large joints exposed to stress (most often the knee or hip), is accompanied by physical activity and/or stiffness in the morning, osteoarthritis (old name osteoarthritis), i.e. the development of degenerative-dystrophic processes in the joint, can be assumed.
Common causes of joint pain:
- pathology of the thyroid gland;
- weather dependence;
- heavy metal poisoning;
- frequent physical injuries;
- long-term use of certain medications;
Classification of joint pain
There are several classifications of joint pain.According to the localization criterion, we distinguish the following:
- monoarthralgia (only one joint is affected);
- oligoarthralgia (paindifferent at the same timejoints - but no more than five);
- polyarthralgia (discomfort in more than 5 joints of the body).
Also, taking into account the location of the joints, arthralgia can be general and localized.Depending on the nature of the lesion, the pathology can be non-inflammatory or inflamed.
Pain manifested in musculoskeletal diseases is traditionally divided into:
- start (appears at the very beginning of the movement);
- mechanical (as a result of doing exercises, long walks, runs);
- reflected (observed in areas where there are actually no pathological changes);
- nocturnal (disturbed during night rest).
Other joint pains may include:
- dull and sharp;
- permanent and temporary;
- weak, medium and intense.
Post-inflammation and pseudoarthralgia can be divided into separate groups.
Diagnosis of joint pain
To understandwhy do the joints in my legs hurt?in his hands, the doctor prescribes the patient to perform a series of diagnostic procedures.Initially, laboratory tests are carried out:
- General blood test.It allows the detection of deviations, taking into account the nature and severity of joint damage.An increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate, which confirms the presence of inflammation, with a normal leukocyte count, is a sign of rheumatic pathology.If, on the contrary, the leukocytes increase, the pain dominates in the spine and in some joints, then it is most likely that the nature of the disease is infectious.
- Biochemical blood test.In case of inflammation of the joints, the level of C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, total protein, seromucoid, diphenylamine reaction, and some other indicators that confirm the rheumatic diagnosis are examined.
In addition, the following tests may be prescribed:
- Radiography.In the case of painful joints, it is mandatory, since without photographs the doctor cannot make a differential diagnosis and assess the degree of damage to the skeletal system.
- Computed tomography.It is used to study the location of inflamed areas.
- Immunoelectrophoresis.Another type of diagnosis that shows how much rheumatoid arthritis has spread.
- Arthroscopy.During the procedure, the specialist visually examines the structure and structure of the knee joint and takes a tissue sample from the desired area.
- Radionuclide scanning.It is effective in the early stages of joint diseases.
- Arthrography.The doctor injects a special contrast material into the joint (contrast cannot be used).Changing the initial image gives him the opportunity to judge the presence of affected parts in hard-to-reach parts of the joint.
If the doctor deems it necessary, a biopsy is performed.
Treatment of joint pain
TreatmentArthralgia will be effective only if doctors find out the cause of the symptom and determine what disease it indicates.To relieve inflammation, the patient can be prescribed:
- Chondoprotectors.They slow down the progression of osteoarthritis, block further destruction of joint cartilage and reduce inflammation.Such drugs belonging to this group are, for example, combined drugs containing two cartilage components, chondroitin and glucosamine in therapeutic doses, chondroitin sulfate 1200 mg, glucosamine 1500 mg, in capsule form.These ingredients activate the regenerative processes in the cartilage, as a result of which the pain gradually disappears and the patient's condition improves.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.Eliminating pain and preventing the spread of inflammatory reactions.Normalizes body temperature.
- Muscle relaxants.Designed to minimize skeletal muscle stiffness.
- Antibacterial drugs.It is used for infectious arthritis.
- Vitamin and mineral complexes.Vitamins A, E, C and B are needed for the normal functioning of the joints and their speedy recovery.Selenium, calcium, etc. are also important.
- Hormones, steroids.It is used when the joint is very inflamed and medication has been ineffective.
In parallel with taking tablets and intramuscular and intravenous administration of drugs, the patient can prescribe warming, pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory ointments.
If the pain is unbearable, a nerve block can be performed.During the procedure, strong drugs are used, which help to forget the symptoms of joint pain for a long time.
Other methods of treating joint pain include:
- Physiotherapy;
- massage;
- manual therapy;
- mechanotherapy;
- joint towing with special equipment;
- diet.
Physiotherapy procedures are recommended for the patient:
- Shock wave therapy;
- ozone therapy;
- phonophoresis;
- myostimulation and some others.
Surgical treatment
In complicated cases, it is not possible to eliminate the discomfort in the area of one or more joints with non-invasive methods.The patient must then undergo surgery.It could be:
- Arthroscopic debridement.The surgeon makes small incisions and uses them to remove dead tissue from the joint cavity.The operation involves the use of modern endoscopic equipment.
- Thrust.Using a special needle, the doctor sucks out the accumulated fluid from the joint.
- Periarticular osteotomy.In order to reduce the load and improve the mobility of the affected joint, the doctor files the joint bones so that they grow together at a certain angle.
- Endoprosthesis.It is a very serious operation that is only used when the joint cannot be repaired.A prosthesis is then inserted in its place.
The doctor individually decides which method of joint pain treatment is recommended for a particular patient, taking into account age, medical history, symptoms and some other factors.
Prevention
In order to avoid joint damage, maximum attention should be paid to proper nutrition.The daily diet should contain all the necessary vitamins and minerals.Avoid junk food.You should drink about 2 liters of clean drinking water per day - this has a positive effect on the functioning of the musculoskeletal system.
It is also important to:
- do not overcool;
- leads an active lifestyle;
- give up bad habits;
- sleep at least 8 hours a day;
- take regular walks in the fresh air;
- avoid staying in one position for long periods of time.
If there is discomfort in the joint, an examination should be performed.If you suspect an inflammatory process, do not self-medicate.