Joint pain (arthralgia) is an important symptom in the diagnosis of a variety of diseases. She was the first to say that serious changes began in the union of the bones.
Usually with arthralgia, there is no swelling, curvature, severe pain when feeling, redness. Important restrictions on mobilitylarge jointsthe patient does not complain either. It also happens that even an X-ray examination does not allow us to see signs of inflammation. But that doesn't make arthralgia (joint pain) innocent.symptom:it can indicate serious organic injuries and even diseases that are not related to the state of the joint itself.
As the statistics show,painvhand jointsand one in two people over the age of 40 begins to have discomfort in the legs. For those who have crossed the milestone of 70 years,diseasesthe musculoskeletal system is even more common, in 90% of cases.
Causes of joint pain
One of the mainreasonsthe problem is infectionacuteinfection.PainPain can occur both before the appearance of the first symptoms of the disease, and in its early stages. With an infectious lesionpainsall joints of the body. . . Mobility is preserved in them.
Post-infectioussharpjoint pains are felt after:
- urogenital infections;
- intestinal diseases.
The causes of the disease also include: secondary syphilis, tuberculosis, endocarditis. If the human body has foci of chronic infections - in the bile ducts, kidneys, pelvic organs, with parasitic infections - it can alsoarticulations pain. . .
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, you suffer from the fact that you cannot get up immediately and walk quickly, due to pain and a feeling of stiffness in the joints.
If the pain is paroxysmal, it arose unexpectedly, intensified during the day and persists for several days, whilepainsonly one joint, gouty arthritis may be suspected (uric acid crystals accumulate in joint structures).
If the pain grows very slowly, affecting large joints that are subjected to stress (most of the knee or hip), increasing with physical effort and / or accompanied by morning stiffness, we can assume the development of osteoarthritis (the old name osteoarthritis), ie. , degenerative-dystrophic processes in the joint.
Common causes of joint pain:
- thyroid gland pathology;
- climate 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 location criteria, there are:
- monoarthralgia (only one joint is affected);
- oligoarthralgia (painsimultaneously differentjoints, 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, arthralgias are general and localized. By the nature of the injury, the pathology may not be inflamed and inflamed.
The pain that manifests itself in diseases of the musculoskeletal system is conventionally divided into:
- start (appears at the beginning of the movement);
- mechanical (consequence of exercise, long walk, running);
- reflected (marked in areas where, in fact, there are no pathological changes);
- night (disturb during night rest).
More joint pain can be:
- dull and sharp;
- permanent and transitory;
- weak, moderate and intense.
Post-inflammatory and pseudoarthralgias are distinguished into separate groups.
Diagnosis of joint pain.
UnderstandWhy do the leg joints hurt?hands, the doctor prescribes the patient to undergo a number of diagnostic procedures. To begin with, laboratory tests are taken:
- General blood test. It allows detecting deviations, taking into account the nature of the joint injury and the degree of its severity. An increase in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, confirming the presence of inflammation, with a normal number of leukocytes is a sign of rheumatic disease. If the leukocytes, on the contrary, increase, the pain predominates in the spine and individual joints, then most likely the nature of the disease is infectious.
- Chemistry of the blood. In case of joint inflammation, they look at the levels of C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, total protein, seromucoid, reaction to diphenylamine, as well as some other indicators that confirm a rheumatic diagnosis.
In addition, the following exams can be assigned:
- Bone scan. It is mandatory for painful joints, since the doctor cannot perform differential diagnoses and assess the degree of damage to the skeletal system without imaging.
- Computed tomographyIt is used to study the location of inflamed areas.
- Immunoelectrophoresis. Another 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 tissue sample from the desired area.
- Radionuclide scan. Effective in the early stages of joint diseases.
- ArthrographyThe doctor injects special contrast agents into the joint (contrast may not be used). A change in the initial image allows you to judge the presence of affected sections in parts of the joint that are difficult to access.
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 establish the development of the disease it indicates. To relieve inflammation, the patient may be prescribed:
- Hondoprotectors. They slow the progression of osteoarthritis, block further destruction of articular cartilage, and reduce inflammation. An example of such drugs from this group are combination preparations containing 2 cartilage components, chondroitin and glucosamine in therapeutic doses, chondroitin sulfate 1200 mg, glucosamine 1500 mg, capsule release form. These components activate the regenerative processes in the cartilage, due to which the pain gradually disappears, the patient's condition improves.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Eliminates pain, prevents 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.
- Vitamin and mineral complexes. For the normal functioning of the joints and their speedy recovery, vitamins A, E, C, 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 the taking of tablets, intramuscular and intravenous administration of drugs, the patient may be prescribed hot, analgesic and anti-inflammatory ointments.
If the pain is unbearable, a nerve block may be performed. During the procedure, powerful medications are used that help to forget about the symptoms of arthralgia for a long time.
Additional methods of treating joint pain include:
- physical therapy exercises;
- massage;
- manual therapy;
- mechanotherapy;
- joint traction with special equipment;
- diet.
From physiotherapy procedures, the patient is shown:
- Shock wave therapy;
- ozone therapy;
- phonophoresis;
- myostimulation and some others.
Surgery
In difficult cases, it is impossible to eliminate discomfort in the area of one or more joints at once using non-invasive methods. The patient is then advised to undergo surgery. This could be:
- Arthroscopic debridement. The surgeon makes small incisions and through them removes the dead tissue from the joint cavity. The operation involves the use of modern endoscopic equipment.
- Puncture. With a special needle, the doctor removes the accumulated fluid from the joint.
- Periarticular osteotomy. To reduce the load and improve mobility of the affected joint, the doctor files the joint bones so that they grow together at a certain angle.
- Endoprosthesis. A very serious operation, used only if it is no longer possible to restore the joint. A prosthesis is then installed in its place.
The doctor decides which method of joint pain treatment is indicated for a particular patient on an individual basis, taking into account age, history, symptoms, and some other factors.
Prophylaxis
To avoid joint damage, you need to pay the utmost attention to proper nutrition. All essential vitamins and minerals must be present in the daily diet. Junk food must be thrown away. It is necessary to drink approximately 2 liters of clean drinking water per day; this has a positive effect on the work of the musculoskeletal system.
It is also important to:
- do not cool too much;
- live an active lifestyle;
- reject 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 any discomfort arises in the joint, it is necessary to undergo an examination. It is impossible to self-medicate if an inflammatory process is suspected.