Joint pain is a common problem. Doubts about what is related and how to get rid of it have not left people for a long time. Scientific discoveries have made it possible to successfully combat pathologies and extend the life of joints.
In this article we will look at the causes and treatment of severe pain in the small joints of the arms and legs, what to do when all the joints in the body hurt, how to treat pain in the muscles and bones.
Causes of pain
Why do my joints hurt? The causes of joint pain may be related to:
- with injuries (dislocations, ligament or tendon sprains, fractures, microtraumas); the pain during the injury is aching, pulling, sharp, which bothers the victim even at rest;
- physical overload (sports or industrial); Constant physical overload leads to microdamage to muscles and connective tissue. Joints wear out prematurely, leading to degenerative diseases;
- joint pathologies.
The most common joint diseases are associated with damage to connective tissue, destruction of cartilage, decreased bone density, infectious processes and metabolic disorders. Diseases caused by developmental anomalies (dysplasia, congenital dislocation or subluxation, congenital inflammatory-degenerative processes) are quite rare. We will only consider acquired diseases.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease associated with decreased bone density.Most often it affects elderly people, women during menopause and people with metabolic disorders.
Pain syndrome develops slowly, gradually increasing, its strength increases, and the pain is disturbing even at rest.Most often, the initial development of arthrosis is the answer to the question of why knees hurt from the cold. The disease is irreversible, so its treatment aims to prevent further bone destruction and the development of joint deformities.
Arthritis
It has many varieties.Affects the connective tissue of the joint.The pain may increase gradually or develop quickly over a few days. Joints swell, skin turns red, and joint tissue feels hot to the touch.
The disease is treated depending on its cause. If it is an infection - anti-inflammatory drugs or antibiotics, autoimmune disorders in rheumatoid arthritis - immunosuppressants, in gouty arthritis, along with the use of NSAIDs, a diet is necessary.
Patients' complaints about why joints throughout the body hurt simultaneously at night may be a sign of an aggressive form of rheumatoid arthritis or its harbinger. In another case, it may be a sign of severe physical fatigue.
Chronic rheumatism
Chronic rheumatism can last for years and affect internal organs.Characteristic symptoms include joint pain, which occurs from time to time and is accompanied by swelling and an increase in body temperature.
Joint damage due to gout is associated with metabolic disorders and the accumulation of uric acid in the joints.Pain occurs from time to time in small joints(hands, big toe).
The pain is pressing and throbbing, disturbing at night.In the chronic form, swelling may form– accumulation of uric acid in the joint area.
If your entire spine starts to hurt, this could be a sign of diseases such as:
- osteochondrosis with damage to intervertebral discs;
- spondylosis;
- infectious lesions of the spine, including tuberculosis;
- Stress as a psychosomatic reaction to an irritant is the answer to the question: "Can joints hurt from nervousness? "
How to relieve joint pain in the morning? To solve the problem, it is necessary to identify the cause. Could it be:
- ankylosing spondylitis, which affects large joints and the spine;
- deforming osteoarthritis;
- fusion of bone, cartilage, or fibrous tissue after injury;
- osteochondrosis;
- bursitis, tendovaginitis.
Other reasons
Tendon diseases are similar in symptoms to osteoarthritis. They differ in that in osteoarthritis pain is felt even at rest, and in tendon disease it manifests itself only when the muscles are under tension.
A blockage, or pinched nerve, is also similar in pain to osteoarthritis. But the pain appears suddenly and drastically blocks the movement of the joint.
Vascular disorders are most often observed in the shoulder and knee joints. They are associated with vasospasm or reduced blood supply. This is common in teenagers and is due to the fact that blood vessel growth occurs at a slower rate than bone growth.
The pain is symmetrical and similar to "twisting" or "aching. "As you grow older, around 18-20 years old, the pain disappears.
Diagnosis
Accurate diagnosis of joint diseases is the key to successful treatment.
General examination and palpation allow you to assess the patient's posture and movements, swelling, range of motion, distribution and nature of pain.
By feeling the painful area, it is possible to determine, for example, the presence of rheumatoid nodules under the skin, changes in skin temperature and humidity, the location of the pain and the state of the joint capsule.
Analytics
Blood and urine laboratory tests can reveal several factors that indicate the presence of the disease. When carrying out a biochemical blood test, attention is paid to the content of C-reactive protein and rheumatoid factor.
An elevated ESR level will indicate the presence of an inflammatory process; an elevated level of uric acid manifests itself in arthritis and other joint pathologies.
Deviations from the norm in urine tests are detected only in severe forms of the disease.
X-ray and MRI
X-rays are often used to rule out bone damage due to injury, as well as to evaluate the condition of the joint in degenerative diseases.. In these cases, the symmetry of joint damage, the presence of deformation and the size of the interarticular space are determined.
Magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography are performed if a detailed analysis of bones and soft tissues is required.With it, the doctor will be able to determine the compressed nerve fibers, the condition of the blood vessels and the nature of damage to the cartilage and bone tissue.
When to see a doctor
You need to see a doctor if:
- after injury, severe pain is felt, the joint becomes swollen and its contours change; this may indicate dislocation or fracture; in this case, an orthopedic surgeon or surgeon will help;
- joint pain, with an increase in body temperature, rash or conjunctivitis, stomatitis;
- severe pain does not disappear after taking painkillers;
- your joints hurt for more than a week for reasons unknown to you.
Treatment
How to treat a painful joint? Anyone who has been injured or suffered from joint pathology has faced this question.
Joint treatment directly depends on the cause of the damage.To reduce symptoms, modern non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used.
In combination with them, vitamins and tissue restoring agents are prescribed.Physiotherapy and manual therapy methods speed up the healing process. How to get rid of joint pain and fever will be described below.
Medication
Drug treatment depends on the clinical picture and condition of the patient.
To relieve pain and inflammation, complex drugs from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used.They relieve symptoms quickly and effectively and act in several directions at the same time: pain, swelling and inflammatory processes. But it must be remembered that excessive consumption leads to intoxication, damage to internal organs (liver, kidneys, stomach) or other disorders, which is why they should only be taken as prescribed by a doctor.
Attention!If there is no urgent need to take pills, these same products can be used in the form of gels and ointments.
To improve blood supply, venotonics are prescribed.They restore blood supply, help reduce swelling due to lymphatic flow, remove toxins and improve tissue nutrition.
Muscle relaxants are used to relieve severe muscle spasms.This is necessary if the compression of the nerve endings causes severe tension in the adjacent muscles, which reduces the mobility of the joint and causes persistent sharp pain.
Vitamins and chondroprotectors– an integral part of any joint therapy. They restore tissues and prevent their further destruction. This is especially important if you are diagnosed with a degenerative disease, the development of which can be stopped but not completely eliminated. Preparations containing glucosamine and chondroitin are involved in the regeneration of cartilage and connective tissue in the joints and prevent their destruction.
Vitamins with calcium improve the condition of bone tissue, increase its density and prevent its destruction.
Vitamin D is necessary for the synthesis of calcium in the body, regulates the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus, participates in the formation of the bone skeleton and improves the absorption of calcium in the intestine.
Zinc is necessary to maintain the reproductive system and the synthesis of sex hormones. When they are deficient, bone tissue is destroyed.
Copper is important for the formation of elastin and collagen, which are part of the connective tissue of the joint.
If an infection is detected during diagnosis, antibiotic therapy is performed.The type and duration of the course depend on the form of the pathogen.
Hormonal medications are prescribed in severe cases when NSAIDs do not produce positive results.These are potent drugs and used as a last resort. They quickly relieve severe pain and restore joint mobility. To do this, they are most often used in the form of injections and injected directly into the joint.
Immunosuppressants are also powerful drugs used in extreme cases. They are prescribed for autoimmune pathologies and are taken only under the supervision of a doctor.
Folk remedies
Traditional medicine offers many ways to treat joints. Before using them, consult your doctor and discuss whether there are any contraindications or risk of allergies.
Joint treatment with folk remedies at home can only be used as an auxiliary method. You should not put this in the first place and neglect your doctor's recommendations.
- Bay leaf tincture.Pour 20 bay leaves with 0. 5 liters of boiling water in a thermos and leave to infuse for a day. The decoction can be taken in small sips throughout the day, the duration of treatment is 2 months.
- Gelatin compress.Sprinkle gelatin (1 sachet - 15-50 g) on the joint and cover with a cloth or gauze soaked in hot water, then wrap with film and a warm, dry cloth. Leave the compress on all night and repeat for two weeks.
- Curl.For wrapping, take cabbage, coltsfoot or burdock leaves, tie to the joint and leave overnight, wrapped in a warm bandage.
- Chestnut tincture.200 g of chestnut flowers are poured into 1 liter of vodka and left to infuse for 2 weeks, stirring the mixture periodically. After that, the tincture can be used to rub sore joints.
- Rub lard.A small piece of lard is rubbed in a circular motion over the sore spot until it is completely dissolved.
- Honey and salt compress. Mix honey and fine salt in equal parts, apply to the joint, cover with plastic wrap and wrap very warm, leave overnight.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is performed to:
- restoration of metabolism in joint tissues;
- improving microcirculation and lymphatic drainage;
- reducing pain, swelling and inflammation;
- deeper penetration of the drug into the tissue (electrophoresis with medicinal ointments);
- activation of natural regeneration processes.
Methods such as phonophoresis, electrophoresis, magnetic therapy, laser therapy, cryotherapy and shock wave therapy are used.
Physiotherapy has several benefits. It is suitable for most patients, does not cause allergies and has a minimum of contraindications (acute phase of infectious diseases, pacemaker, neoplasms, epilepsy, pregnancy).
Massage and manual therapy have a beneficial effect on the elasticity of muscles and joint ligaments. They can be used both as prevention and treatment.
Fitness
During the rehabilitation period, a course of physiotherapy (physiotherapy) is carried out to restore mobility and prevent stagnation.It is prescribed by the attending physician, orthopedist or physiotherapist.
Initially, the exercises are best done under the supervision of a doctor, who will explain how to correctly perform this or that exercise and what it is for, how to breathe correctly and what not to do. Then the course can be repeated at home.
Various types of gentle physical exercise and swimming pool visits are helpful in keeping joints healthy.
Surgical treatment
Surgical treatment is carried out in cases where conservative methods of treatment have been exhausted and do not give a positive result.
Joint puncture is used for diagnosis and treatment.A thin needle is inserted into the joint cavity, with the help of which the pathological fluid is removed or a medicine is administered.
Arthroscopy provides minimal intervention.All manipulations are carried out using small punctures with special endoscopic instruments.
It is performed to remove dead tissue, plastic ligaments, replace cartilaginous defects, remove chondromal bodies and clean the joint with deforming osteoarthritis.
Periarticular osteotomy is performed on the lower extremities to restore support and improve mobility.During the operation, the bone located near the affected joint is sawn and fused at a new angle. As a result, the load is redistributed, pain is reduced and the development of the pathological process is prevented.
Endoprosthesis replacement is performed to completely replace a joint while maintaining its mobility.
Prevention
To maintain healthy joints or maintain a long-term state of remission, you need to follow simple recommendations.
If you have chronic joint diseases, first of all, follow your doctor's recommendations carefully and, if necessary, have periodic exams.
To provide nutrition to the joint and the body as a whole, include a variety of foods in your diet.These are fresh vegetables and fruits, nuts, minimally processed cereals (rice, buckwheat, corn, pearl barley), fresh lean meat, eggs, seafood and fresh fish, dishes containing gelatin (jelled meat or jellied meat), wholemeal bread and pasta durum wheat varieties.
At the same time, avoid excessively salty, pickled and smoked foods, fatty meats and sweets. To learn how to create a balanced menu and form correct eating habits, you can seek help from a nutritionist.
If necessary, use vitamin and mineral complexes.Glucosamine, chondroitin, vitamins B and D, calcium and polyunsaturated fatty acids are beneficial for joints.To obtain positive results, they must be carried out in courses over a long period of time. To find out the best way to take your vitamins, consult your doctor.
If you are overweight, you need to understand that this puts a lot of stress on your joints and strive to reduce it.
To maintain mobility, you need to exercise and participate in training that suits your physical capabilities.To maintain good physical conditioning, they must be regular and not cause overload and discomfort. There are many types of exercises designed specifically for problem joints and spine. These are kinesis, Pilates, yoga, TRX, water aerobics and other varieties.
Use special sports and orthopedic devices - accessories for arms, legs and body that provide shock-absorbing and protective functions: knee pads, corsets, elbow pads, sportswear with compression effect, shields and much more.
Avoid intense physical activity and stress.
Conclusion
With the modern development of medicine, we have gained great opportunities for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of many diseases. Modern treatment methods, advances in pharmacology and surgery allow us to preserve the health of our joints for a long time, maintain mobility and maintain a high quality of life.