Joint pain can be seen in many different diseases;they not only cause discomfort to patients, but also cause serious problems with the musculoskeletal system.
Experts note that almost every second person over the age of 40 has problems of this kind in their lives, and about 90% of the population over the age of 70 is concerned about joint pain.But what to do if your joints hurt?There is only one answer - immediately contact a qualified specialist who will diagnose you and prescribe the necessary therapy to get rid of the cause of the pain, and not just the symptoms.
Let us mention that a joint is a movable connection between the bones of the skeleton;they are present in the limbs and other parts of the body.Their movement occurs thanks to tendons and muscles.Let's take a closer look at why such pain occurs, and also consider how to get rid of them.
Causes of pain
Various pathological processes often develop in the joints, namely inflammations, tears, sprains and many others.Pain can also occur due to certain diseases, but these will be discussed a little later.Here are the main risk groups:
- Aging.People whose age is above 40-50 years, as mentioned earlier, are much more likely to experience these kinds of problems.This largely depends on the slowing down of the metabolic processes of the joints.
- Genetic predisposition.It has been found that people whose immediate relatives have suffered from arthritis, arthrosis, or other diseases manifesting as joint pain are much more likely to experience this manifestation.
- Congenital disorders.Congenital disorders can involve the joints, causing pain or other serious abnormalities for obvious reasons.
- Excess body weight.Being overweight puts a heavy strain on the joints.
- Excessive load.If you are a professional athlete or your work involves regular physical exertion, then joint pain is inevitable.
Such manifestations can also be caused by problems with poor circulation in the composition shell.Thus, the regeneration process of all cartilaginous tissues deteriorates, which leads to the gradual destruction of articular cartilage and even damage to the bone itself.As a result, even nearby muscles and other joints can be damaged.
Poor nutrition can also negatively affect joint health.If this is the problem, a qualified specialist will prescribe a special diet for you.Such nutrition should be of an individual nature, but it certainly contains a large amount of calcium, boron, silicon, as well as zinc and phosphorus.
As strange as it may seem, joint pain can occur due to a sedentary lifestyle.The fact is that in the absence of a sufficient number of movements, the production of synovial fluid decreases, metabolic processes are seriously disturbed, and as a result, the joints begin to hurt.
Listen!In the vast majority of situations, all the previously described risk groups and causes are just additional problems, and the real reason for the appearance of pain itself lies in the development of a certain disease.Let's look at the main diseases that can be behind such disorders.
What diseases can cause joint pain?
Here is a list of the most common diseases.
Arthritis
Everyone has probably heard of this disease, since arthritis is a collective name that includes all diseases that can cause joint pain.The disease can develop in several ways, so one or more joints can be affected at the same time.The following symptoms indicate arthritis:
- Significant increase in body temperature;
- The appearance of swelling of nearby tissues;
- The appearance of a feeling of heaviness during movement.
Gout
Gout is a chronic disease characterized by disorders related to purine metabolism.With the relapse (exacerbation) of this inflammatory process, the adjacent joints are also affected, and after a certain time, the disease may even affect the whole body.The pain of gout is sharp and intense.
Osteoarthritis
This joint disease is also very common.The essence of this disease is that in the elderly, the elastic cartilage that is supposed to protect the joint begins to harden, as a result, it loses its elasticity and wears out.Thus, the tendons and ligaments begin to stretch and severe pain occurs.Absolutely every joint can be affected by the disease, from the fingers to the shoulders and spine.To eliminate this pathological process, consult a doctor, lose weight and, if possible, reduce the load on the inflamed joint.This pathology has the following characteristic symptoms:
- Increased sensitivity of the affected area;
- The appearance of "bumps" on the bones.
Arthrosis
Osteoarthritis is another common condition that can cause joint pain.Such a disorder is usually classified as a degenerative-dystrophic pathology that spreads to the cartilage tissue.Arthrosis can only be seen in the large joints, namely the hip, the knee, and the humerus or ankle.The development of this disease takes place very slowly;over time, the patient notices a slight crackling and intermittent pain in the joint.At the same time, microcracks appear on the cartilage, its surface becomes rough, and eventually it is completely destroyed, and the joint loses mobility and becomes rigid.
Bursitis
This disease is similar to arthritis in many ways, but an experienced specialist will never confuse them.Bursitis refers to an inflammatory process that is localized in the synovial bursa, that is, the bursa.
Bursitis can be caused by an injury.It is always accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Severe stiffness of movement;
- Constant discomfort in the joints.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a chronically progressive metabolic disease characterized by a significant decrease in average bone density.Women often experience osteoporosis in the post-menopausal period.Joint pain is one of its main symptoms.
Listen!Do not try to diagnose yourself;contact a qualified specialist who will not only examine and listen to you, but also prescribe the necessary diagnostic tests.
This makes it possible to establish a quick and professional diagnosis and therefore to prescribe treatment.If you try to identify the problem yourself and start self-medication, then the risk of error is extremely high, therefore you will only worsen the condition of your joints and lose valuable time, which will significantly complicate the treatment process in the future.
Diagnostics
To determine the causes of pain in the joints, as mentioned earlier, it is imperative to consult a specialist.
The examination of the body can be entrusted to a therapist, orthopedist, traumatologist, surgeon or rheumatologist.If any other doctor treats the disease you have been diagnosed with, you will simply be referred to him.
We perform the following types of laboratory and instrumental research (the specialist selects only the most necessary ones based on consultations and previously performed diagnostic procedures, if any):
- general and biochemical blood tests;
- Immunological test;
- performing an antistreptolysin test;
- with or without x-ray contrast, no;
- Computer or even magnetic resonance imaging;
- Sampling of synovial fluid;
- Biopsy and more.
You should inform your doctor about your clinical picture, as well as the presence of any other chronic or infectious diseases.It mentions everything that can be associated with localized pain in the joints.This significantly speeds up the diagnosis process.
Treatment
As mentioned earlier, it is important to use a complex treatment when the pain appears, that is, not only the pain itself, but also the root cause of the symptom must be eliminated.For this reason, the treatment process is different for each disease.Here are the basic rules that doctors recommend to follow for almost all such disorders (consult with a specialist about their observance, as each disease is unique):
- Use a gentle regimen.If the joint pain becomes very severe, you can repair the damaged joint with regular bandages, and in some cases even a plaster cast is used if everything is so severe.
- Apply ice to the injury.If a joint is damaged due to an injury, be sure to apply ice until you see a trauma specialist.But in no case do not use this advice for any disease, as it can only aggravate the process.If you don't have ice, you can use something else, like a bowl of cold water.
- Use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).These types of drugs can significantly reduce joint pain, but they can only be used for a short time, otherwise side effects may occur.It should also only be used on the recommendation of a specialist, otherwise everything can result in the same side effects.These types of drugs affect the inflammatory process and the resulting swelling.These medications can be in the form of injections, tablets, or ointments.All NSAIDs have their own contraindications that should never be ignored;read the instructions carefully!
- If necessary, use chondroprotectors.Almost all chondroprotectors are quite effective in diseases related to the joints, especially if you start taking them in the initial stages of the disease and in combination with other drugs, the list of which depends on the specific disease.In no case should you save on your health, despite the fact that chondroprotectors are quite expensive, take them if necessary!
- Use folk remedies to relieve symptoms.There are many debates and different points of view regarding the use of folk remedies in the treatment of any disease and disorder.In fact, the use of folk remedies can even be useful, but they are used only in agreement with the attending physician and as part of complex therapy.
Important!Unfortunately, not all diseases can be easily cured with conservative methods.Sometimes serious surgical intervention may be necessary, which doctors only perform in cases where there is simply no other option.
But you should not refuse surgical intervention or delay it, because the disease can progress, so getting rid of it will be much more difficult.
Use of folk remedies
Let's look at the process of using the most commonly used folk remedies:
- Tincture of burdock leaves.Freshly picked burdock leaves should be crushed in a meat grinder, poured with alcohol and left to stand for a week.This tincture can be used as a rub and poultice;can relieve pain in many cases.
- Soda baths.Such baths will help if you have problems with your hands or fingers.Just add baking soda to warm water, it will help relieve pain and discomfort and reduce the inflammatory process a little.
- A poultice made from a decoction of bay leaves.This folk remedy is excellent for hip joint problems.Take eight bay leaves, pour 200 ml of plain water over them, boil and wait 5 minutes, then remove the future poultice from the stove and wait until it cools down.Now you can moisten a piece of gauze in this concoction and apply it to the joints.
Listen!As you can guess, such folk remedies do not help to overcome the cause of joint pain, so it is forbidden to use folk remedies as the main treatment method.
Not all such remedies are effective enough to relieve symptoms, so it is important to discuss the possibility of their use with a specialist.
During the treatment process, in addition to the use of medicines and folk remedies, lifestyle changes are important.First, you need to normalize your sleep and devote a lot of time to rest.If possible, stop sitting and move more, this will reduce the pain to a minimum, but you should not load your joints with critical and unusual loads.Start swimming and it is not considered a professional sport;swim to keep your body in good shape.
Preventive measures
The essence of preventive measures is to follow the simplest rules, but they can significantly help and prevent all joint problems.Experts recommend that we start playing sports, but this does not have to be a professional sport, it is important to start moving more.Even half-hour sessions held two or three times a week can show excellent results.
Preventive measures are closely related to dietary rules;only those foods should be consumed that contain useful microelements, macroelements, as well as protein and vitamins.
If you already have discomfort in the joint area, immediately contact a qualified specialist who will help you identify the problem and treat it.