Joint pain

Joint pain or arthralgia occurs in many diseases and its mechanism is still not completely clear.Joint elements (ligaments, cartilage, capsule, bones) have pain receptors and respond to inflammatory processes and mechanical irritation.During movement, joint receptors are irritated, signals from them enter the brain and a person feels pain.During inflammation, the receptors become more sensitive to any irritation, as the cells of the immune system release substances that are pain conductors.

Joint pain is usually not accompanied by swelling, contour deformation or redness of the surrounding soft tissues.When palpating the joints, the pain is moderate.In some cases, there are no obvious signs of inflammation on the X-ray.There are also no complaints about a marked decrease in the mobility of large joints.

Arthralgia often accompanies rheumatic diseases.In this case, when the weather changes, the joints ache and ache.Severe discomfort in the knee and hip joints occurs more often.In the morning, the patient cannot get up immediately and walk at such a pace because of stiffness and pain in the joints.

If the joint pains are paroxysmal, appear suddenly, intensify during the day, last for several days and only one joint hurts, it can be assumed that there is arthritis due to gout.Uric acid crystals accumulate in joint tissues and irritate the tissues, causing pain.

If arthralgia occurs in large (knee, hip) joints, develops slowly, worsens during physical work, and is combined with stiffness in the morning, then it is possible to diagnose degenerative-dystrophic changes - osteoarthritis.

Reasons

Joint pain has various causes.One of the most common causes of arthralgia is an acute infection.Painful joint pains can appear before the first signs of the disease or in the early stages.Often during the infectious process, it breaks the joints of the whole body.At the same time, the amplitude of movements in them does not change.

Post-infectious severe arthralgia occurs during urogenital and intestinal infections.

Joints suffer from secondary syphilis, endocarditis, tuberculosis.If there are foci of chronic infection in the body, for example, in the kidneys, bile ducts, pelvic organs, parasitic diseases, then the joints also hurt.

The most common causes of joint pain are:

• Thyroid diseases.
• Poisoning by heavy metal salts.
• Physical injuries.
• Long-term use of certain medications.

I am worried about joint pains due to various diseases.They are divided into 2 large groups:

• Arthritis is an inflammatory joint disease caused by infection, autoimmune processes, endocrine gland and metabolic disorders.
• Arthrosis is a disease associated with the destruction of joint cartilage and the joint surfaces of the lower bones.Over time, cartilage becomes rough, loses elasticity and cracks.

The division of joint diseases into arthritis and arthrosis is conditional.Without treatment, arthritis eventually turns into arthrosis, as inflammatory processes disrupt the metabolism of cartilage.They do not get proper nutrition and quickly become thin and gradually collapse.

In arthrosis, initially associated with physical overload of the joint, inflammation develops over time.This is caused by the accumulation of fragments of cartilage and bone tissue in the joint cavity and causing inflammatory reactions.

The risk group for the development of this pathology includes:

• Menopausal women.
• Elderly people with pronounced age-related changes in the body.
• Obese patients.
• Patients with joint trauma.
• Athletes.
• People of certain professions.For example, the knee joint often suffers from those who spend many hours on their feet (teachers, surgeons, hairdressers, etc.).Pain in the joints of the hands is a common symptom among musicians, cashiers and loaders who perform monotonous movements with their hands.

The species

There are different classifications of joint pain.According to the location of arthralgia, they are distinguished:

• Monoarthralgia (1 joint hurts).
• Oligo arthralgia (affecting 2-5 joints).
• Polyarthralgia (pain in more than 5 joints).

Depending on the location of the joints, arthralgia is divided into general and local.

The nature of arthralgia is as follows:

1. Spicy and boring.
2. Temporary and permanent.
3. Weak, moderate and intense.

The characteristics and conditions of the onset of arthralgia depend on the diagnosis.The most common symptoms of joint pain are:

• Starting.Arthralgia first occurs when walking, then disappears when moving.It is associated with rubbing of the articular surfaces of the bones, which are covered with destroyed cartilaginous tissue.After a few steps, this mass accumulates in the inversions of the joint capsule and the arthralgia disappears.
• It hurts.They appear after physical work of the joints and disappear after rest.
• Night.They confirm severe damage to the joint and occur due to overload, blood pressure in the bone tissue under the cartilage.After a night's sleep, there is a feeling of stiffness in the joints, and the discomfort goes away when you move.
• Permanent.Occurs when there is inflammation in the joint capsule.
• Sudden (joint blockade).It occurs when a piece of bone or cartilage is compressed between two articular surfaces.
• Migrates.At first one joint hurts, then the pain moves to another.
• It was reflected.They are not felt in the affected joint, but in the nearby one.For example, if you have hip disease, your knee hurts.

Diagnostics

If you have arthralgia, you should not self-medicate.If you have joint pain, be sure to see your doctor for a diagnosis.After the basic examination, he will refer you to an orthopedist-traumatologist or rheumatologist.If a previously damaged joint becomes ill, consultation with a surgeon is indicated.

When visiting your doctor, it is important to talk about the following:

• When pain occurs.
• From what the pain decreases and subsides.
• How often do painful attacks occur?
• Arthralgia is new or pre-existing.
• Is there hyperemia, swelling or deformation of the joint.
• Have you experienced stress, acute respiratory illness or heavy physical exertion in recent days?

This information will help the specialist to draw a conclusion about the condition of the patient's joints and establish a diagnosis.

Having determined the nature of joint pain, the doctor will prescribe an examination and send a referral:

• General analysis of blood and urine.
• Biochemical blood test.
• Immunodiagnostics.
• X-ray, CT, MRI, joint ultrasound.
• If necessary, a biopsy of the affected tissue.

X-ray of the joints.This method allows you to examine the joint in two projections, it is possible to perform radioactive arthrography.

With the help of MRI and CT, you can assess the condition of osteochondral structures and soft tissues in detail.

Ultrasound of joints.It helps to identify effusion in the joint cavity, erosion of the articular surfaces of bones, changes in the synovial membrane, and to assess the width of the joint spaces.

Invasive research methods.If indicated, joint puncture and synovial biopsy are performed.In severe cases, arthroscopy (examination of the joint cavity from the inside) is performed.

Laboratory tests help identify signs of inflammation and rheumatic pathology.Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, uric acid, antinuclear antibodies, rheumatoid factor and ACCP levels are determined in peripheral blood.Synovial fluid is examined microbiologically and cytologically.

Treatment

Joint pain treatment should be comprehensive.Tactics include reducing the mechanical load on the joint, eliminating inflammation and preventing the progression of the underlying disease.This is the only way to slow down cartilage degeneration, maintain joint mobility and improve the quality of life of a patient with arthralgia.

The following drugs are prescribed to reduce joint pain:

• Pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs.
• Physiotherapy (shock wave therapy, ozone therapy, myostimulation, phonophoresis).
• Therapeutic exercise.
• Massage.
• Acupuncture.
• Orthopedic or surgical correction.

Conservative therapy is performed with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, they relieve pain and have an anti-inflammatory effect.Chondroprotectors slow down the development of osteoarthritis.These drugs reduce inflammation and prevent further cartilage degeneration in the joints.They include cartilage components - chondroitin, glucosamine.Chondroprotectors stimulate cartilage tissue repair processes.

Muscle relaxants are prescribed to eliminate skeletal muscle spasms.

If the arthritis is associated with an infection, antibiotics are indicated.

Complexes of vitamins and mineral elements are also prescribed for good joint function and recovery processes.Vitamins of group A, C, E, B and mineral elements calcium and selenium are especially important.

In case of severe inflammation and without therapeutic effect, glucocorticosteroids are prescribed according to the scheme.

Drug treatment is supplemented with ointments that warm, relieve pain, and have an anti-inflammatory effect.

If the arthralgia is very severe, a blockade of the nerve endings is performed.To do this, they use strong drugs that will make you forget the pain in the joints for a long time.

To reduce arthralgia, the joints are protected from overload.When standing for a long time, lifting and carrying heavy objects, pressure is exerted on the joints, which greatly exceeds the permissible load and contributes to cartilage damage.

To avoid arthralgia, follow these rules:

• Normalize your body weight.
• Wear comfortable shoes with low heels;if you have flat feet, use orthopedic insoles.
• Avoid psycho-emotional and physical overload.
• When you work, change your body position more often, take five minutes to move and relieve muscle tension.
• Choose moderate exercise to stay physically active.Alternate mobility with periods of rest.
• Do regular exercises that reduce stress on your joints.For example, for 20-30 minutes while sitting or lying down, you can bend and straighten your legs, perform a "bicycle" exercise.Afterwards, rest for 7-10 minutes to improve blood circulation.These exercises help to strengthen the cartilage of the leg joints.

In severe cases, surgical treatment is necessary.Through small incisions, the doctor will remove the necrotic tissue from the joint cavity.If fluid has accumulated in the joint, a puncture is performed.

In order to reduce the load and increase the mobility of the diseased joint, a periarticular osteotomy is performed.The bones that make up the joint are cut so that they can later grow together at a certain angle.

In severe cases, joint replacement is performed.

Prevention

To prevent joint diseases, follow these recommendations:

1. If you are obese, normalize your body weight.
2. Drink at least 1.5-1.7 liters of water per day.
3. Avoid hypothermia.
4. Lead an active lifestyle.
5. Avoid excessive alcohol and tobacco use.
6. Night sleep should last at least 8 hours.
7. Walk outside as often as possible.
8. Try to change your body position more often.

Summary

According to statistics, arthralgia of the upper and lower limbs occurs in half of people over 40 years old.In patients over 70 years of age, joint diseases are observed in 90% of patients.If you suddenly experience joint pain, see your doctor immediately to find out the cause and prescribe treatment.Take care of your joints and load them with useful activities.Only physical exercises can maintain the mobility of your joints, even if the cartilage is damaged and movement causes discomfort.