The appearance of joint pain - arthralgia - can be observed against the background of general well-being.Painful sensations usually occur after excessive physical exertion and can be observed in pregnant women.Recently, complaints of joint pain in children caused by the rapid development of the osteoarticular system have become more common.
In other cases, joint pain is a symptom of a pathology, a signal of an inflammatory or destructive process or an autoimmune disease.For complete treatment of joints, it is important to determine the cause of the pain.
Symptoms of joint pain
Painful sensations in the joints can be of different types:
- temporary or permanent;
- at rest or in motion;
- with an increase in body temperature;
- in massive or small joints;
- only in the upper or lower extremities.
Each type of pain has its own initial characteristics, clinical nuances, as well as its own diagnostic and therapeutic approach.
Knee pain
The knee is one of the largest and most complex joints in the human skeleton.The knee joint is exposed to almost constant stress.Painful sensations can be observed both at rest and during flexion and extension movements.
The cause of pain in the knee joint can be:
- Minor joint injuries with bleeding into soft tissues.A knee joint injury causes swelling, pain and limited mobility.In severe cases, the local temperature increases, but relief does not occur over time.
- Meniscus injuries.The most common are tears and compressions of the meniscus.When flexed or extended sharply, a loud clicking sound and severe pain occur.Stinging pain sensations often lead to immobility of the leg.
- A torn knee ligament is a serious injury that can result in a fracture.The joint is in an unnatural position.
- Inflammatory diseases – arthritis, synovitis, bursitis.The process can affect not only the joint, but also tendons, the membranes of the joint capsule and soft tissues.
- Osteoporosis is a disease that causes increased bone fragility.The disease is accompanied by nighttime cramps and pain in the spine.
- Osteomyelitis is a purulent-necrotic pathology of bacterial origin.Patients complain of general malaise, high fever, redness and swelling of the joint.
Causes of pain in the elbow joint
Complaints of pain in the elbow joint are independent of the gender or age of the patient.The normal function of the joint is ensured by the interconnected work of bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, blood and lymph vessels.If your elbow joint hurts, you should think about the following reasons:
- Internal or external epicondylitis is a disease that develops with regular significant physical activity.
- Intervertebral hernia in the thoracic spine.As the disease progresses, the roots of the spinal nerves that supply the girdle of the upper extremities become pinched.The pain is diffuse and radiates throughout the arm.
- Osteoarthritis.Pain occurs due to the destruction of the cartilage in the elbow joint.The patient complains of a grinding noise when bending or extending the arm.
- Arthritis is an inflammatory disease characterized by constant pain.The joint enlarges, the skin above it becomes red, and the local temperature rises.Bursitis almost always develops against the background of arthritis.When palpated, a dense formation with liquid content is detected.
A specific pattern of pain in the elbow joint may indicate more serious causes.For example, a sharp or aching pain may indicate the development of bone tuberculosis or cancer.Sharp, stabbing pain can be the result of injury to tendons, cartilage and ligaments.Throbbing, stabbing pain is a sign of pinched nerve fibers.
Pain in the elbow joint that has a burning character may indicate an attack of angina pectoris or myocardial infarction.
Hip pain
The appearance of pain in the hip joint is always frightening and prompts you to immediately seek medical attention.The hip joint consists of the largest bones in the skeleton and is the most powerful joint.The osteochondral structure experiences the greatest load, supporting body weight and evenly distributing pressure.
Women suffer from hip pain significantly more often than men.This is due to the peculiarities of the physiological structure, pregnancy and childbirth, as well as the predisposition of the female body to rheumatism.
In some cases, pain and the cause of the disease can be cured once and for all, in other cases it can only alleviate the patient's condition and slow down the development of the pathology.It all depends on the causes of pain and the severity of the patient's condition.
Pain in the hip joint most often occurs in the following diseases:
- Injuries.If the joint elements are damaged, it becomes difficult to move the hip to the side.The patient cannot lie on the injured side.Very often, an extensive hematoma forms over the joint.
- Arthritis of the hip joint is characterized by severe pain that worsens at night.The thigh swells, the groin fold flattens and mobility is impaired.Rheumatoid arthritis inevitably leads to disability.
- Coxarthrosis.Deforming processes on the joint surface lead to pain during physical activity and walking.The pain is constant and increases with changes in posture.
- Chondromatosis.The disease occurs when the development of articular cartilage is defective.The formation of densities and nodules is accompanied by severe pain and limited mobility.There are known cases of degeneration of chondromatosis into malignant formations.
Severe pain in one or both hip joints may indicate 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 your arms and legs hurt?
Pain in the joints of the arms and legs can be the first symptom of a serious illness.Pain, burning and limitations in the motor functions of the arms and legs are complaints of patients with the following diseases:
- rheumatoid arthritis;
- osteoarthritis;
- Rheumatism;
- injuries;
- gout
Acute pain in the joints of the arms and legs requires immediate relief to alleviate the patient's condition.As first aid, it is recommended to carry out the following measures:
- Give your limbs rest.
- Take one of the painkillers or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Consult a specialist to make the correct diagnosis and determine the correct treatment tactics.
The use of folk remedies or other medications is prohibited without medical advice.
diagnosis
Establishing a correct diagnosis requires high professionalism and the use of laboratory diagnostic and instrumental diagnostic methods.Through X-ray examination we can detect cartilage destruction, ligament tears and deformation processes.In some cases it is advisable to perform magnetic resonance imaging.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 periarticular tissue.
Laboratory blood tests show the concentration of specific inflammatory markers.Analysis of joint capsular effusion makes it possible to determine the infectious nature of the disease.
In the Center for Restorative Medicine, orthopedists and traumatologists conduct a comprehensive examination for complaints of pain in large and small joints of the upper and lower extremities, as well as in the hip joints.A modern laboratory with state-of-the-art equipment allows biological fluids to be examined for elements of inflammation and infection.
Common treatment methods
First, the cause of the disease should be addressed.Medicinal and conservative methods are used to treat joints.The following medications are prescribed:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory substances.
- Immunomodulatory drugs to curb pathological processes, for example in rheumatoid arthritis.
- Corticosteroid medications.
- Vitamin complexes.
A good effect is achieved by injecting medication directly into the affected joint.Intra-articular injections should only be performed by a qualified healthcare professional.This is a technique that is used no more than three to four times a year.
Conservative methods allow you to restore joint mobility, elasticity of ligaments and cartilage tissue, and relieve symptoms of inflammation.For therapeutic purposes, the patient is prescribed:
- physiotherapy sessions;
- physiotherapy (physiotherapy);
- Massage;
- hydrotherapy;
- warm or cold treatment.
Important!All methods of therapy without treating the underlying disease lead only to temporary results and briefly alleviate the patient's condition.
When treating joints, the Center for Regenerative Medicine takes an exclusively holistic approach.The main task of specialists is to identify the root cause of the pain syndrome and eliminate it.
The physiotherapy department has all the necessary equipment to treat joint pain of any localization.Experienced rehabilitation doctors select individual exercise therapy complexes that allow you to preserve all functions of the joints.A qualified vertebral doctor eliminates pain associated with spinal diseases.
Don't forget that joint pain can indicate a serious problem.