Joint pain (arthralgia) is an important symptom in the diagnosis of a number of diseases.She is the first to say that serious changes have begun at the junction of the bones.
Usually with arthralgia there is no swelling, curvature, severe pain when palpated or redness.For significant limitations in mobilitylarge jointsneither the patient complains.It also happens that even the X-ray examination does not allow to see signs of inflammation.But that doesn't make arthralgia (joint pain) innocentsymptom:it can signal serious organic lesions and even diseases that are not related to the condition of the joint itself.
As statistics show,painINthe joints of the handsand feet begin to bother every second person over the age of 40.For people over 70,diseasesmusculoskeletal system are even more frequent - in 90% of cases.
Causes of joint pain
One of the mainreasonthe problem is infectionacuteinfection.Painpain can occur both before the appearance of the first symptoms of the disease and in its early stages.In case of infectionCOLIC all joints of the body.Mobility is preserved in them.
Post-infectioussharpJoint pain is felt after:
- 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 - in the bile ducts, kidneys, pelvic organs, with parasitic infections - it canbreak the knots.
Arthralgia (joint pain) often confirms the presence of rheumatic diseases.In this case, the pain syndrome is associated with changes in weather conditions.Most often, the patient feels severe discomfort in the large joints of the lower extremities.In the morning, he suffers from the fact that he cannot get up immediately and walk quickly - because of the pain and feeling of stiffness in the joints.
If the pain is paroxysmal, it appears suddenly, intensifies during the day and continues for several days, whileAPPEALonly one joint, gouty arthritis can be suspected (uric acid crystals accumulate in joint structures).
If the pain increases very slowly, affecting large joints exposed to stress (most often the knee or hip), intensifying with physical activity and/or accompanied by stiffness in the morning, the development of osteoarthritis (the old name osteoarthritis), i.e. degenerative-dystrophic processes in the joints, 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 drugs;
Classification of joint pain
There are several classifications of joint pain.According to the localization criterion, the following are distinguished:
- monoarthralgia (only one joint is affected);
- oligoarthralgia (paindifferent at the same timenodes - but not more than five);
- polyarthralgia (discomfort is present 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 inflammatory.
Pain manifested in diseases of the musculoskeletal system is conventionally divided into:
- start (appears at the beginning of movement);
- mechanical (as a result of doing exercises, long walks, running);
- reflected (observed in areas where, in fact, there are no pathological changes);
- night (disturbing during night rest).
Other joint pains can include:
- dull and sharp;
- permanent and transient;
- weak, moderate and intense.
Post-inflammatory and pseudoarthralgia are divided into separate groups.
Diagnosis of joint pain
To understandwhy do my ankles hurt?hands, the doctor prescribes the patient to undergo a series of diagnostic procedures.To begin with, laboratory tests are taken:
- General blood test.It makes it possible to detect deviations taking into account the nature of joint damage and its degree of severity.Increased sedimentation of erythrocytes, which confirms the presence of inflammation, with a normal number of leukocytes is a sign of rheumatic pathology.If leukocytes, on the contrary, are elevated, the pain prevails in the back and individual joints, it is most likely that the nature of the disease is infectious.
- Biochemical blood test.For joint inflammation, they look at the levels of C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, total protein, seromucoid, diphenylamine reaction, as well as several other indicators that confirm a rheumatic diagnosis.
In addition, the following examinations may be prescribed:
- Radiography.It is mandatory for painful joints, 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.An additional type of diagnosis that shows how widespread rheumatoid arthritis is.
- Arthroscopy.During the procedure, the specialist visually examines the structure of the knee joint, its structure and takes a tissue sample from the desired area.
- Radionuclide scanning.Effective in the early stages of joint diseases.
- Arthrography.The doctor injects special contrast agents 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 discover the cause of the symptom and determine what disease it signals.To relieve inflammation, the patient can be prescribed:
- Condo protectors.They slow the progression of osteoarthritis, block further destruction of articular cartilage and reduce inflammation.An example of such drugs from this group are combined drugs containing 2 cartilage components, the substances chondroitin and glucosamine in therapeutic doses, chondroitin sulfate 1200 mg, glucosamine 1500 mg, in capsule form.These components activate the regenerative processes in the cartilage, due to which the pain gradually disappears and the patient's condition improves.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.Eliminate pain and prevent the spread of inflammatory reactions.Normalizes body temperature.
- Muscle relaxants.Designed to minimize skeletal muscle stiffness.
- Antibacterial drugs.It is used for arthritis of an infectious nature.
- Complexes of vitamins and minerals.For the normal functioning of the joints and their quick healing, vitamins A, E, C and group B are necessary. Selenium, calcium, etc. are also important.
- Hormones, steroids.They are used if the joint is very inflamed and drug treatment was ineffective.
In parallel with taking pills, 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, powerful medications are used that help to forget the symptoms of arthralgia for a long time.
Additional methods for treating joint pain include:
- physical therapy;
- massage;
- manual therapy;
- mechanotherapy;
- joint traction using special equipment;
- diet.
Physiotherapy procedures are indicated for the patient:
- Shock wave therapy;
- ozone therapy;
- phonophoresis;
- myostimulation and some others.
Surgical treatment
In complex cases, it is impossible to eliminate discomfort in the area of one or several joints using non-invasive methods.The patient is then recommended to undergo an operation.It can 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.
- Daughter.Using a special needle, the doctor removes the accumulated fluid from the joint.
- Periarticular osteotomy.To reduce the load and improve the mobility of the affected joint, the doctor places the articular bones so that they grow together at a certain angle.
- Endoprosthetics.A very serious operation, which is used only if it is no longer possible to restore the joint.A prosthesis is then placed in its place.
The doctor decides which method of treating joint pain is indicated for a particular patient individually, taking into account age, medical history, symptoms and several other factors.
Preventing
To avoid joint damage, you should pay maximum attention to proper nutrition.Your daily diet should contain all necessary vitamins and minerals.Junk food should be avoided.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:
- don't get too cold;
- lead 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 a long time.
If discomfort appears in the joint, you should undergo an examination.If you suspect an inflammatory process, you should not self-medicate.