The appearance of joint pain - joint pain - can be observed against the background of general health.Pain often occurs after overexertion and can occur in pregnant women.Recently, complaints of joint pain in children due to the rapid development of the musculoskeletal system have become more frequent.
In other cases, joint pain is a symptom of certain pathologies, a signal of an inflammatory or destructive process or an autoimmune disease.To completely treat pain, it is important to determine the root cause of the pain.
Symptoms of joint pain
Pain in the joints can be of different types:
- temporary or permanent;
- at rest or in motion;
- with an increase in body temperature;
- in large or small joints;
- only in the upper or lower limbs.
Each type of pain has its own characteristics in terms of origin, clinical nuances, diagnostic and treatment methods.
Knee pain
The knee is one of the largest and most complex joints in the human skeleton.The knee joint is under almost constant pressure.Pain can be observed both at rest and during flexion and extension movements.
Causes of knee pain can be:
- Minor joint injuries cause bleeding into the soft tissues.Knee injuries cause swelling, pain and limited movement.In severe cases, local temperature increases, but remission does not occur over time.
- Meniscus injury.The most common are tears and compression of the meniscus.During sudden bending or stretching, a loud snap and sharp pain appear.The piercing pain often causes immobility in the legs.
- A knee ligament tear is a serious injury that can be associated with bone fractures.Joints in unnatural positions.
- Inflammatory diseases - arthritis, synovitis, bursitis.This process may involve not only joints but also tendons, synovial membranes, and soft tissues.
- Osteoporosis is a disease that increases bone fragility.The disease is accompanied by night cramps and spinal pain.
- Osteomyelitis is a purulent necrosis of bacterial origin.Patients complain of general malaise, high fever, redness and swelling of the joints.
Causes of elbow pain
Complaints of pain in the elbow joint do not depend on the patient's gender or age.The normal functioning of joints is ensured by the interconnected activity of bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, blood and lymph vessels.If your elbow joint hurts, you should think about the following causes:
- Internal or external epigastric inflammation is a disease that develops with regular significant physical activity.
- Intervertebral hernia in the thoracic spine.During the disease process, the spinal nerve roots that supply the girdle of the upper limb are compressed.The pain radiates and spreads throughout the arm.
- Arthritis.Pain is the result of cartilage destruction in the elbow joint.The patient complains of a crunching sound when bending or extending the arm.
- Arthritis is an inflammatory disease characterized by constant pain.The joint increases in size, the skin on it turns red, and the local temperature increases.Bursitis almost always develops on a background of arthritis.On palpation, a dense formation with fluid content is determined.
A certain type of pain in the elbow joint may indicate more serious causes.For example, a persistent or aching pain may indicate the development of bone tuberculosis or cancer.Sharp, piercing pain can be the result of injuries to tendons, cartilage, and ligaments.Sharp, throbbing pain is a sign of nerve fibers being compressed.
Pain in the elbow joint with a burning sensation can be a sign of angina or myocardial infarction.
Hip pain
Pain in the hip joint always makes you afraid and makes you see a doctor immediately.The hip joint is formed by the largest bone of the skeleton and is the strongest joint.The bone-cartilage structure bears the greatest load, holds the body's weight and distributes pressure evenly.
Women experience hip pain more often than men.This is due to the peculiarities of the physiological structure, pregnancy and childbirth, as well as the female body's predisposition to rheumatism.
In some cases, the pain and the cause of the disease can be cured once and for all, in others it can only alleviate the patient's condition and slow down the progression of the pathology.It all depends on the cause of pain and the severity of the patient's condition.
Usually, hip pain occurs with the following diseases:
- Injury.If the joint components are damaged, moving the hip sideways becomes difficult.The patient cannot lie on the injured side.Very often, an expanding hematoma forms on the joint.
- Hip arthritis is characterized by severe pain that is worse at night.The thighs swell, the inguinal folds smooth out, and mobility is impaired.Rheumatoid arthritis will certainly lead to disability.
- Coxarthrosis.Deformative processes at the joint surfaces lead to pain during physical activity and walking.The pain is continuous and gradually increases when changing body position.
- Chondromatosis.The disease occurs when there is a deficiency in the development of joint cartilage.The formation of masses and nodules is accompanied by severe pain and limited mobility.There are known cases of degeneration of enchondroma into malignant masses.
Severe pain in one or both hip joints can signal the development of diabetic arthropathy, hydrarthrosis and pseudogout.These diseases significantly affect the patient's quality of life and in severe cases can lead to disability.
What to do if the joints of the arms and legs hurt
Pain in the joints of the arms and legs can be the first symptom of a serious illness.Pain, burning sensation, and limited motor function of the limbs are complaints of patients with the following diseases:
- rheumatoid arthritis;
- arthritis;
- rheumatism;
- injury;
- gout
Acute pain in the joints of the arms and legs requires timely treatment to alleviate the patient's condition.When providing first aid, the following actions should be taken:
- Provides rest for the limbs.
- Take one of the pain relievers or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Contact a specialist to determine the exact diagnosis and determine the correct treatment tactic.
The use of folk remedies or any medications is prohibited without medical advice.
Diagnose
Establishing an accurate diagnosis requires high professionalism and the use of laboratory and instrumental diagnostic methods.X-ray examination allows determining cartilage destruction, ligament rupture, and deformity processes.In some cases, an MRI should be performed.MRI images allow you to visualize changes in the structure of the synovial membrane, swelling of the bone marrow and pathological processes in the soft tissues around the joints.
Lab blood tests show levels of specific inflammatory markers.Analysis of joint capsule effusion helps determine the infectious nature of the disease.
At the Center for Rehabilitation Medicine, orthopedic and traumatologists conduct comprehensive examinations of complaints of pain in large and small joints of the upper extremities, lower extremities and hip joints.Modern laboratories with the latest equipment allow you to test biological fluids for inflammatory and infectious factors.
Joint treatment methods
First of all, it is necessary to solve the root cause of the disease.Medicinal and conservative methods are used to treat joints.The following medications are prescribed:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent.
- Immunomodulators to limit pathological processes, for example in rheumatoid arthritis.
- Corticosteroid medications.
- Vitamin complex.
Good effects are achieved by injecting the drug directly into the affected joint.Intra-articular injections should only be performed by a qualified physician.This is a technique used no more than 3-4 times a year.
Conservative methods allow you to restore joint mobility, elasticity of ligaments, cartilage tissue and relieve inflammatory symptoms.For treatment purposes, patients are prescribed:
- physical therapy session;
- physiotherapy (physical therapy);
- massage;
- hydrotherapy;
- Warm or cold treatment.
Important!All treatments that do not treat the underlying disease will bring only temporary results and will alleviate the patient's condition in the short term.
To treat joints, the Center for Regenerative Medicine uses a comprehensive approach.The main task of specialists is to determine the root cause of the pain syndrome and eliminate it.
The physical therapy department has all the necessary equipment to treat joint pain in any location.Experienced rehabilitation physicians select individual combinations of exercise therapy that allow you to preserve all joint functions.A qualified spine specialist will eliminate the pain associated with spinal pathology.
Don't forget that joint pain can signal a serious problem.