The appearance of joint pain - arthralgia - can be observed against the background of general well-being.Painful sensations usually appear after excessive physical exertion and can be observed in pregnant women.Recently, complaints about joint pain in children, caused by the rapid development of the osteoarticular system, have become more frequent.
In other cases, joint pain is a symptom of some pathology, a signal of an inflammatory or destructive process, or an autoimmune disease.For complete treatment of joints, it is important to determine the root cause of pain.
Symptoms of joint pain
Painful sensations in the joints can be of various 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 characteristics of origin, clinical nuances, 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 subject 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 may be:
- Minor joint injuries with bleeding into soft tissues.A knee joint injury causes swelling, pain, and limited movement.In severe cases, the local temperature rises, but relief does not occur over time.
- Meniscus injuries.The most common are tears and compression of the meniscus.During sharp flexion or extension, a loud click and sharp pain appears.Piercing painful sensations often cause immobility of the leg.
- A knee ligament rupture is a serious injury that can be combined with a fracture.The joint is in an unnatural position.
- Inflammatory diseases - arthritis, synovitis, bursitis.The process may involve 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 night 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 do not depend on the gender or age of the patient.The normal functioning of the joint is ensured by the interconnected work of bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, blood and lymphatic 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.During the course of the disease, the roots of the spinal nerves innervating the girdle of the upper extremities are pinched.The pain is diffuse and radiates throughout the arm.
- Arthrosis.Pain is the result of destruction of the cartilage of 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 over it turns red, and the local temperature increases.Bursitis almost always develops against the background of arthritis.Upon palpation, a dense formation with liquid contents is determined.
A certain pattern of pain in the elbow joint may indicate more serious causes.For example, a nagging or aching pain may indicate the development of bone tuberculosis or cancer.Sharp, piercing pain can be a consequence of injury to tendons, cartilage, and ligaments.Throbbing, shooting pain is a sign of pinched nerve fibers.
Pain in the elbow joint that has a burning character may indicate an attack of angina or myocardial infarction.
Hip pain
The appearance of pain in the hip joint is always frightening and prompts you to immediately consult a doctor.The hip joint is formed by the largest bones of the skeleton and is the most powerful joint.The osteochondral structure experiences the greatest load, holds the weight of the body, and evenly distributes pressure.
Women experience hip pain much more often than men.This is due to the peculiarities of the physiological structure, pregnancy and childbirth, and 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 others it can only alleviate the patient’s condition and slow down the development of pathology.It all depends on the causes of pain and the severity of the patient’s condition.
Most often, pain in the hip joint occurs with the following diseases:
- Injuries.If the articular 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 intense pain that worsens at night.The thigh swells, the inguinal fold smoothes out, and mobility is impaired.Rheumatoid arthritis inevitably leads to disability.
- Coxarthrosis.Deforming processes in the articular surface lead to pain during physical activity and walking.The pain is constant and intensifies with changes in body position.
- Chondromatosis.The disease occurs when there is a deficiency in the development of articular cartilage.The formation of compactions 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 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 your arms and legs hurt
Pain in the joints of the arms and legs may be the first symptom of serious illness.Feelings of aching, burning, limitation of motor functions of the arms and legs are complaints voiced by patients with the following diseases:
- rheumatoid arthritis;
- arthrosis;
- rheumatism;
- injuries;
- gout
Acute pain in the joints of the arms and legs requires prompt relief to alleviate the patient's condition.As first aid, it is recommended to perform the following actions:
- Provide rest to the limbs.
- Take one of the painkillers or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Contact a specialist to establish the correct diagnosis and determine the correct treatment tactics.
The use of folk remedies or any medications is prohibited without medical consultation.
Diagnostics
Establishing a correct diagnosis requires high professionalism and the use of laboratory and instrumental diagnostic methods.X-ray examination allows us to determine the destruction of cartilage, ligament ruptures, and deforming 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, bone marrow swelling, and pathological processes in soft periarticular tissues.
Laboratory blood tests show levels of specific inflammatory markers.Analysis of the effusion of the joint capsule makes it possible to establish the infectious nature of the disease.
At 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, and hip joints.A modern laboratory with the latest equipment allows you to examine biological fluids for elements of inflammation and infection.
Joint treatment methods
First of all, the root cause of the disease should be addressed.Medicinal and conservative methods are used to treat joints.The following medications are prescribed:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory substances.
- Immunomodulatory drugs to curb pathological processes, for example, in rheumatoid arthritis.
- Corticosteroid drugs.
- Vitamin complexes.
A good effect is achieved by injecting medications directly into the affected joint.Intra-articular injections should only be performed by a qualified physician.This is a technique that is used no more than 3-4 times during the year.
Conservative methods allow you to restore joint mobility, elasticity of ligaments, cartilage tissue, and alleviate the symptoms of inflammation.For therapeutic purposes, the patient is prescribed:
- physiotherapy sessions;
- physical therapy (physical therapy);
- massage;
- hydrotherapy;
- warm or cold treatment.
Important!All therapeutic methods without treating the underlying disease will give only temporary results and will briefly alleviate the patient’s condition.
To treat joints, the Center for Regenerative Medicine uses an exclusively comprehensive approach.The main task of specialists is to determine the root cause of the painful syndrome and eliminate it.
The physiotherapy department has all the necessary equipment to treat joint pain of any location.Experienced rehabilitation doctors select individual exercise therapy complexes that allow you to preserve all the functions of the joints.A qualified vertebrologist eliminates pain associated with spinal pathologies.
Don't forget that joint pain can signal a serious problem.