Causes of severe joint pain.What to do if your joints hurt.
Joint pain
Joint pain (or as they are otherwise called, arthralgia) is an important symptom in the diagnosis of many diseases.She is the first to say that serious changes have begun at the junction of the bones.Joint pain is not always accompanied by swelling, curvature, severe pain on palpation or redness.The patient also does not complain of significant restrictions in the mobility of large joints.It also happens that even an x-ray examination cannot detect signs of inflammation.But this does not make joint pain an innocent symptom: it can signal serious organic damage and even pathologies that are not linked to the condition of the joint itself.
As statistics show, acute pain in the joints of the arms and legs begins to bother every second person aged 40-50.In people who have crossed the 70-year mark, diseases of the musculoskeletal system are even more common - in 90% of cases.
Causes of joint pain
Age-related changes
Possible causes of pain include age-related joint changes: cartilage tissue thins and loses elasticity, causing pain and stiffness in movement.There is also less and less production of synovial fluid, which fills the “capsule” around the bony junction and lubricates the joint.
As a result, the joint surfaces may begin to touch each other and the joint may begin to wear out.Without adequate cartilage protection and support, osteoarthritis and other diseases that accompany acute pain can develop.The process of age-related joint changes is aggravated by poor diet, low muscle tone, previous injuries, a sedentary lifestyle or, conversely, excessive physical activity.It should be noted that joint discomfort due to the age factor often intensifies in the fall and spring.
Physical activity
Increased physical activity can be considered an independent reason why even young people may experience aching or sharp joint pain.Intense training at the limit of capabilities and heavy physical work in one way or another have a negative effect on the musculoskeletal system.Even in the absence of injury, excessive stress can lead to problems with blood flow in the synovium surrounding the joint.As a result, the cartilage tissue stops receiving “nutrition” and becomes thinner without the possibility of normal regeneration.
Professional athletes and people of certain professions often face this problem - builders, miners, mechanics, etc.
Diseases
Various diseases can also “hit” the joints.So, joint pain often confirms the presence of rheumatic processes in which the connective tissues of the body are affected.In this case, the pain syndrome is pronounced in the morning and tends to decrease in the evening.A person feels the most severe discomfort in the small joints of the hands and feet.In the morning, the patient often suffers because he cannot immediately get up and walk quickly - his body is stiff.
Some patients experience joint pain after suffering from an inflammatory disease of the musculoskeletal system.In this case, you just need to wait until the discomfort goes away by itself.
If the pain is paroxysmal, occurs unexpectedly, intensifies during the day and persists for several days, while only one joint of the big toe hurts, you can suspect gouty arthritis, in which uric acid crystals accumulate in the joint structures.
If the pain increases very slowly, if the inflammatory process has affected the pelvic region, knees, if the symptoms intensify during physical work and weaken at night, then the presumptive diagnosis is "osteoarthritis deformans".
Infectious diseases are also among the causes of joint pain;for example, after intestinal diseases, a person may experience discomfort in which all joints of the body hurt.Mobility persists, but the unpleasant symptom lasts for several days.
If there are pockets of chronic infections in the human body, this can also cause joint pain.
The list of less common causes of joint pain is long and includes:
- weather dependence;
- heavy metal poisoning;
- long-term use of certain medications;
- post-allergic reactions;
- psychosomatic disorders.
Classification of joint pain
There are several classifications of joint pain.Depending on the location criterion, we distinguish:
- monoarthralgia - in this case, only one joint is affected;
- oligoarthralgia - different joints hurt at the same time, but not more than four;
- polyarthralgia - discomfort is felt in more than 4 joints of the body.
Depending on the nature of the lesion, the pathology can be non-inflammatory or inflammatory in nature.Post-inflammatory arthralgia and pseudoarthralgia are divided into separate groups.
Joint pain occurs in different circumstances.A person feels initial pain at the very beginning of movement - when he tries to change the position of the limbs, get up or walk at a different speed.Night pain occurs during the nighttime rest period, when a person is at rest.Such discomfort often causes sleep disturbances and significantly impairs quality of life.Referred pain may be noticed in areas where there is actually no painful deviation from the normal state.There are also mechanical pains that occur during or after performing certain exercises or activities.
In addition, joint pain is variable in nature.These are :
- dull and sharp;
- permanent and transient;
- weak, moderate and intense.
This classification is largely subjective and depends on the individual characteristics of the human body.
Diagnosis of joint pain
To understand why the joints of your legs and arms hurt, you need to consult a doctor.The doctor prescribes a number of diagnostic procedures to the patient.To begin with, laboratory tests are carried out:
- General blood test.Allows deviations to be detected taking into account the nature of the joint damage and its degree of severity.
- Biochemical blood test.For joint inflammation, they look at the levels of C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, total protein, seromucoid, diphenylamine reaction, as well as some other indicators that confirm a rheumatic diagnosis.
In addition, the following examinations may be prescribed:
- X-ray.It is mandatory for painful joints, because without photographs the doctor cannot carry out differential diagnosis and assess the degree of damage to the skeletal system;
- CT scan.Used to study the location of injured or inflamed areas of bone;
- Ultrasound examination is an accessible diagnostic method that describes in detail the joint and adjacent tissues;
- Densitometry.An additional type of diagnosis that shows how well bone density is preserved.Used to diagnose osteoporosis;
- Arthroscopy.During the procedure, the specialist visually examines the structure of the joint, its structure, takes a tissue sample from the desired area;Scanning for radionuclides (radioisotopes).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 it the opportunity to judge the presence of affected parts in hard-to-reach parts of the joint.
If the doctor considers it necessary, a biopsy is performed - a diagnostic sample of cells from the affected area.
Treatment of joint pain
Treatment of arthralgia will be effective only if doctors find out the cause of the symptom and determine what disease it signals.To relieve inflammation, the patient may be prescribed:
- chondoprotectors – slow down the progression of osteoarthritis, block further destruction of articular cartilage, reduce inflammation;An example of a well-known drug from this group is a drug that contains glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, the components of which activate the processes of cartilage regeneration, thanks to 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 arthritis of an infectious nature;
- vitamin and mineral complexes - vitamins D, A, E, C, group B are necessary for the normal functioning of joints and their speedy recovery.Calcium, magnesium and selenium are also important;
- hormonal drugs - steroids - are used for severe and severe inflammation, in case of ineffective treatment with non-steroidal drugs.
Along with taking pills, intramuscular and intravenous administration of drugs, the patient may be prescribed warming, analgesic and anti-inflammatory ointments and creams.
If the pain is unbearable, a nerve block may be performed.During the procedure, strong medications are used to help you forget the pain symptoms for a while.
Additional methods of treating joint pain include:
- physiotherapy;
- massage;
- manual therapy;
- mechanotherapy;
- joint traction using special equipment;
- diet.
Physiotherapeutic procedures are indicated for the patient:
- shock wave therapy;
- laser therapy;
- phonophoresis;
- myostimulation;
- magnetic therapy and others.
A medicine containing glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate for joint pain
A line of drugs containing glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate was created specifically to solve joint health problems.
Medicines containing glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate belong to the group of chondroprotectors, that is, drugs that prevent the destruction of cartilage tissue in the joints, which can be associated with age-related changes and increased physical activity, as well as a number of other reasons.Chondroprotectors help restore joints, relieve inflammation and pain, and prevent further development of the disease.The range of medications, which includes glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, not only relieves symptoms, but acts directly on the cause of joint pain and stiffness.
Surgical treatment of pain syndrome
In complex cases, it is impossible to eliminate pain in one or more joints at once by non-invasive methods.The patient is then recommended to undergo surgery.This could be:
- arthroscopic debridement - the surgeon makes tiny incisions and through them removes dead tissue from the joint cavity;the operation involves the use of modern endoscopic equipment;
- injection – using a special needle, the doctor removes the fluid accumulated in the joint;
- periarticular osteotomy - in order to reduce the load and improve mobility of the affected joint, the doctor files the articular bones so that they grow together at a certain angle;
- endoprostheses are a very serious operation, which is used only if it is no longer possible to restore the joint, then a prosthesis is installed instead.
The doctor decides individually which method of treating joint pain is indicated for a particular patient, taking into account age, medical history, symptoms and some other factors.
Prevention
To avoid damage to the joints, you should pay maximum attention to proper nutrition.Your daily diet should contain all the necessary vitamins and minerals.Avoid junk food, limit your meat consumption to 2-3 times a week and opt for fish dishes: this has a positive effect on the functioning of the musculoskeletal system.
It is also important:
- do not overcool;
- lead a moderately active lifestyle;
- give up bad habits;
- sleep at least 8 hours a day;
- take regular walks in the fresh air;
- avoid staying in the same position for a long time.
If there is discomfort in the joint, you should undergo an examination.If you suspect an inflammatory process, you should not self-medicate.