Causes of severe joint pain.What to do if your joints hurt.
Joint pain
Joint pain (or as it is 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 when palpated, or redness.The patient also does not complain about significant restrictions in the mobility of large joints.It also happens that even an X-ray examination does not allow signs of inflammation to be seen.But this does not make joint pain an innocent symptom: it can signal severe organic lesions and even pathologies that are not related to the condition of the joint itself.
As statistics show, sharp pain in the joints of the arms and legs begins to bother every second person over the age of 40-50 years.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 changes in the joints: cartilage tissue becomes thinner and loses elasticity, which causes pain and stiffness of movement.There is also less and less production of synovial fluid, which fills the “capsule” around the bone junction and lubricates the joint.
As a result, the articular surfaces may begin to touch and the joint may begin to wear out.Without proper protection and support of cartilage, osteoarthritis and other diseases that accompany acute pain can develop.The process of age-related changes in the joint is aggravated by poor nutrition, weak muscle tone, previous injuries, a sedentary lifestyle or, conversely, excessive physical activity.It is noteworthy that discomfort in the joints due to the age factor often intensifies in the fall and spring.
Physical activity
Increased physical activity can be considered as an independent reason, in which even young people can experience aching or acute pain in the joints.Intense training at the limit of capabilities and hard physical labor one way or another have a negative effect on the musculoskeletal system.Even in the absence of injury, excessive stress can cause problems with blood flow in the synovium surrounding the joint.Because of this, the cartilage tissue ceases to receive “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.Thus, 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 mornings, the patient often suffers because he cannot immediately get up and walk quickly - his body is stiff.
Some patients have joint pain after suffering an inflammatory disease of the musculoskeletal system.In this case, you just need to wait until the discomfort goes away on its own.
If the pain is paroxysmal, arose unexpectedly, intensified during the day and persists for several days, while only one joint on the big toe aches, you can suspect gouty arthritis, in which uric acid crystals accumulate in the joint structures.
If the pain increases very slowly, the inflammatory process has affected the pelvic area, knees, symptoms intensify during physical work and weaken at night, then the presumptive diagnosis is “deforming osteoarthritis.”
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 ache.Mobility in them remains, but the unpleasant symptom lasts for several days.
If there are pockets of chronic infections in the human body, it can also cause pain in the joints.
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.According to the localization criterion, the following are distinguished:
- monoarthralgia - in this case, only one joint is affected;
- oligoarthralgia - different joints hurt at the same time, but no more than four;
- polyarthralgia - discomfort is felt in more than 4 joints of the body.
According to the nature of the lesion, the pathology can be non-inflammatory and inflammatory in nature.Post-inflammatory arthralgia and pseudoarthralgia are divided into separate groups.
Joint pain occurs under different circumstances.A person feels starting pains at the very beginning of movement - when trying to change the position of the limbs, stand up or walk at a different speed.Night pains occur during the period of night rest, when a person is at rest.Such discomfort often causes sleep disorders and greatly impairs the quality of life.Referred pain can 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 varies in nature.They 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 see a doctor.The doctor prescribes a number of diagnostic procedures for the patient.To begin with, laboratory tests are taken:
- General blood test.Makes it possible to detect deviations taking into account the nature of the joint damage and the degree of its severity.
- Biochemical blood test.For inflammation of the joints, 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.
Additionally, the following examinations may be prescribed:
- Radiography.It is mandatory for painful joints, since without photographs the doctor cannot carry out a differential diagnosis and assess the degree of damage to the skeletal system;
- Computed tomography.Used to study the location of injured or inflamed bone areas;
- Ultrasound examination is an accessible diagnostic method that describes in detail the joint and adjacent tissues;
- Densitometry.An additional type of diagnostic that shows how much 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; Radionuclide (radioisotope) scanning.Effective in the early stages of joint diseases;
- Arthrography.The doctor injects special contrast agents into the joint (contrast may not be used).Changing the initial picture 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 - a diagnostic sampling 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 activate regenerative processes in cartilage, due 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 stiffness of skeletal muscles;
- antibacterial drugs - used for arthritis of an infectious nature;
- vitamin-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.
In parallel with taking pills, intramuscular and intravenous administration of drugs, the patient may be prescribed warming, analgesic and anti-inflammatory ointments and creams.
If the aching pain is unbearable, a nerve block may be performed.During the procedure, potent medications are used to help you forget about pain symptoms for a while.
Additional methods of treating joint pain include:
- physical therapy;
- 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 drug containing glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate for joint pain
A line of drugs containing glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate was created specifically to solve problems with joint health.
Drugs that contain glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate belong to the group of chondroprotectors, that is, drugs that prevent the destruction of cartilage tissue in 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 line of drugs, which include glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, not only alleviate symptoms, but act directly on the cause of pain and joint stiffness.
Surgical treatment of pain syndrome
In complex cases, it is impossible to eliminate pain in one or several joints at once using non-invasive methods.Then the patient is recommended to undergo surgery.It 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;
- puncture – using a special needle, the doctor removes accumulated fluid from the joint;
- periarticular osteotomy - in order to reduce the load and improve the mobility of the affected joint, the doctor files the articular bones so that they grow together at a certain angle;
- endoprosthetics is 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 which method of treating joint pain is indicated for a particular patient individually, taking into account age, medical history, symptoms and some other factors.
Prevention
To avoid joint damage, you need to pay maximum attention to proper nutrition.Your daily diet should contain all the necessary vitamins and minerals.You should avoid junk food, limit your consumption of meat to 2-3 times a week and switch to 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 one position for a long time.
If discomfort in the joint does occur, you need to undergo an examination.If you suspect an inflammatory process, you should not self-medicate.