Joint pain (arthralgia) is an important symptom in diagnosing a wide variety of diseases. It was she who first said that serious changes were beginning at the junction of the bones.
Usually with arthralgia there is no swelling, curvature, severe pain when feeling, redness. Significant restrictions on mobilitylarge jointsthe patient does not complain either. It also happens that we don't see any signs of inflammation even if we have an X-ray. But that doesn't make arthralgia (joint pain) innocent.Symptom:it can signal severe organic lesions and even diseases unrelated to the condition of the joint itself.
As statistics showpainsvWristsand every second person over 40 begins to bother their legs. For those who have passed the 70 year milestone,Diseasesthe musculoskeletal system is even more common - in 90% of cases.
Causes of Joint Pain
One of the most importantReasonsthe problem is an infectionacuteInfection.painPain can appear both before the onset of the first symptoms of the disease and in the early stages. With an infectious lesionpainsall joints of the body. . . Mobility is preserved in them.
Post-infectiousSpicyJoint pain becomes noticeable after:
- urogenital infections;
- Bowel disease.
The causes of the disease also include: secondary syphilis, tuberculosis, endocarditis. If the human body has chronic foci of infection - in the bile ducts, kidneys, pelvic organs, with parasitic infections - it can toopain 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 extremities. In the morning he suffers from not being able to get up immediately and walk quickly - because of sore muscles and a feeling of stiffness in the joints.
If the pain is attack-like, unexpected, worsened during the day, and lasted for several days duringpainsGouty arthritis can only be suspected in one joint (uric acid crystals accumulate in the joint structures).
If the pain grows very slowly, affects large, stressed joints (usually knees or hips), increases with physical exertion and / or is accompanied by morning stiffness, osteoarthritis (old term for osteoarthritis) can be assumed, i. e. degenerative-dystrophic processesin the joint.
Common causes of joint pain:
- thyroid pathology;
- Weather dependency;
- Heavy metal poisoning;
- frequent physical injuries;
- long-term use of certain drugs;
Classification of joint pain
There are several classifications of joint pain. According to the localization criterion there are:
- Monoarthralgia (only one joint is affected);
- Oligoarthralgia (injury)at the same time differentJoints - but not more than five);
- Polyarthralgia (symptoms occur in more than 5 joints in the body).
Taking into account the location of the joints, arthralgia is general and localized. Due to the nature of the lesion, the pathology can not be inflamed and inflamed.
The pain that manifests itself in diseases of the musculoskeletal system is conventionally divided into:
- beginning (appear at the very beginning of the movement);
- mechanical (a sequence of movement, long walking, running);
- reflected (marked in areas where, in fact, there are no pathological changes);
- Night (disturbing the night's sleep).
Other joint pain can include:
- dull and sharp;
- permanent and temporary;
- weak, moderate and intense.
Post-inflammatory and pseudo-arthralgia are divided into separate groups.
Diagnosis of joint pain
Understandwhy do the joints of the legs hurt,Hands, the doctor prescribes a number of diagnostic procedures to the patient. First of all, laboratory tests are carried out:
- General blood analysis. It allows the detection of deviations, taking into account the type of joint lesion and its severity. An increased sedimentation rate, confirming the presence of inflammation, with a normal number of leukocytes is a sign of rheumatic pathology. On the other hand, if the white blood cell count is high and pain in the spine and individual joints is prevalent, the disease is most likely infectious.
- Blood chemistry. For joint inflammation, the levels of C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, total protein, seromucoid, diphenylamine response, and some other indicators that confirm a rheumatic diagnosis are examined.
The following tests can also be assigned:
- Radiography. In the case of painful joints, it is absolutely necessary, since the doctor cannot perform differential diagnostics without images and assess the degree of damage to the skeletal system.
- CT scan. Used to examine the location of inflamed areas.
- Immunoelectrophoresis. An additional type of diagnosis that shows how far rheumatoid arthritis has spread.
- Arthroscopy. During the procedure, a specialist visually examines the structure of the knee joint, its structure and takes a sample of tissue from the desired area.
- Scanning of radionuclides. Effective in the early stages of joint diseases.
- Arthrography. The doctor injects special contrast media into the joint (contrast must not be used). A change in the initial image enables him to assess the presence of affected areas in hard-to-reach areas of the joint.
If the doctor considers it necessary, a biopsy will be done.
Treatment of joint pain
treatmentArthralgia is only effective if doctors find out the cause of the symptom and determine how the disease it is signaling is developing. To relieve inflammation, the patient can be prescribed:
- Hondoprotectors. They slow the progression of osteoarthritis, block further destruction of the articular cartilage and reduce inflammation. An example of such drugs from this group are combination preparations with 2 components of cartilage, chondroitin and glucosamine in therapeutic doses, chondroitin sulfate 1200 mg, glucosamine 1500 mg, capsule form. These components activate the regenerative processes in the cartilage, as a result of which the pain gradually disappears and the patient's condition improves.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Eliminate pain, prevent the spread of inflammatory reactions. Normalize body temperature.
- Muscle relaxants. Designed to minimize skeletal muscle stiffness.
- Antibacterial drugs. Used for contagious arthritis.
- Vitamin and mineral complexes. For the normal function of the joints and their early recovery, vitamins A, E, C, group B are needed, selenium, calcium, etc. are also important.
- Hormones, steroids. They are used when the joint is severely inflamed and drug treatment has not worked.
In parallel with taking tablets, intramuscular and intravenous administration of drugs, warming, analgesic and anti-inflammatory ointments can be prescribed to the patient.
If the pain is unbearable, a nerve block can be performed. During the procedure, strong drugs are used that will help to forget about the symptoms of arthralgia for a long time.
Other methods of treating joint pain include:
- physiotherapy exercises;
- Massage;
- manual therapy;
- Mechanotherapy;
- Tensile strength of the joints with special equipment;
- Diet.
From physiotherapeutic procedures, the patient is shown:
- Shock wave therapy;
- Ozone therapy;
- Phonophoresis;
- Myostimulation and some others.
surgery
In difficult cases, it is impossible to get rid of discomfort in one or more joints at the same time using non-invasive methods. Then the patient is advised to undergo an operation. It can be:
- Arthroscopic debridement. The surgeon makes tiny incisions and removes dead tissue from the joint cavity. The operation involves the use of modern endoscopic equipment.
- Puncture. Using a special needle, the doctor pulls the accumulated fluid out of the joint.
- Periarticular osteotomy. In order to reduce the stress and improve the mobility of the affected joint, the doctor files the joint bones so that they grow together at a certain angle.
- Endoprosthetics. A very serious operation that is only used when the joint cannot be restored. Then a prosthesis is installed instead.
Which method of treating joint pain is indicated in a particular patient is decided by the doctor individually, taking into account age, medical history, symptoms and a few other factors.
prophylaxis
In order to avoid damage to the joints, you need to pay maximum attention to proper nutrition. All essential vitamins and minerals should be present in the daily diet. Junk food should be disposed of. It is necessary to drink about 2 liters of clean drinking water every day - this has a positive effect on the work of the musculoskeletal system.
It is also important:
- do not overcool;
- lead an active lifestyle;
- to refuse from bad habits;
- sleep at least 8 hours a day;
- take regular walks in the fresh air;
- Avoid staying in one position for long.
If there are still problems in the joint, an examination is necessary. Self-medication is not possible if an inflammatory process is suspected.