What to do when the joints of arms and legs hurt?

The most severe pain is believed to be toothache. Although the same can be said about earaches and headaches. Joint pain is no exception. It can make a person suffer, deprive him of sleep and appetite.

The pain is sharp or dull, stabbing, aching, at night or during the day - all these are symptoms of joint diseases.

Spread of joint pain

There is no clear pattern between the severity of joint pain and its prevalence. At the same time, the knee joint can be more painful than the shoulder, elbow and hand. Sensations in the spine may be painful with widespread osteochondrosis or ankylosing spondylitis. But more often people are worried about pain in the extremities.

Both arms and legs experience significant stress throughout life - weight, movement, injuries. Pain accompanying age-related changes in the musculoskeletal system, pain in the joints and their deformation are inevitable.

Mechanism of pain

Why do the joints hurt is a question that even a doctor has a hard time giving an unequivocal answer to.

The mechanism of pain when the musculoskeletal system is damaged is quite complex. Often these symptoms are caused by the following processes:

1. Inflammation of the joints or polyarthritis.Inflammation itself triggers the production of substances that can cause pain. In addition, they increase the sensitivity of pain receptors to repeated exposure. Therefore, a normal load on an inflamed joint causes a sharp pain reaction.
2. Swelling of the joint.An increase in its volume is similar to a joint tumor. Edema tissues mechanically exert pressure on joint structures, cause discomfort and increase the severity of the process.
3. Dystrophic changes.This can be called the wear and tear of bones and cartilage. Joint function deteriorates with age and constant stress. The production of synovial fluid is disturbed, the sliding of articular surfaces becomes difficult. Their constant irritation with friction stimulates the growth of subchondral bone. Such marginal bone growths are called osteophytes and can cause real suffering. They look like bumps on the joints. Osteophytes are often injured, which causes their inflammation, completing the pathological circle.
4. Trauma and post-traumatic complications.Serious injuries: bruises, sprains, fractures do not pass without leaving a trace. Even if the damage heals, joint pain and stiffness may remain for the rest of your life. Doctors often encounter complaints of painful pain in the injured joints. They usually get worse when the weather changes or at night.
5. Exchange disorders.Due to metabolic disorders, calcifications accumulate in tendons and ligaments. Their violation causes acute pain syndrome.

These pathological processes in the joints develop in diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

Diseases of the musculoskeletal system

The number of co-morbidities is high. There are rare forms - there are those that are isolated all over the world and those that are found in most people. The prevalence of these diseases explains the fact that every person has joint pain at least once in a while.

It is important to know the main diseases of the musculoskeletal system in order not to ignore dangerous symptoms, but to start treating and treating the disease in time.

Osteoarthritis

Doctors constantly hear from elderly patients about pain in the joints of the arms and legs, back and neck. In addition to pain, they complain of deformation of the joints, difficulty in walking, inability to do homework.

These symptoms are characteristic of arthrosis of the joints. In the case of deformation of bones and cartilage, it is called deforming osteoarthritis. Deformation of severe osteoarthritis can make a person completely disabled.

Osteoarthritis affects any joint - large and small. It is only important that they experience enough stress.

If you overload the joints, osteoarthritis will develop several years earlier, especially if there are predisposing factors. These include:

• Constant load. It can be redundant or monotonous. Static loads play an important role in the development of arthrosis changes.
• Hypothermia or overheating.
• Injuries - bruises and fractures, subluxations and dislocations.
• Excessive weight. Obesity is one of the most important risk factors for the development of deforming osteoarthritis.
• Poor nutrition.
• Lack of movement.
• Infections and subsequent inflammation of the joints is polyarthritis.

Degenerative diseases of the shoulder girdle

The shoulder joint is the most mobile joint in the body and has the maximum range of motion. It carries dynamic loads, so degenerative changes in the structures of the shoulder girdle are rare.

They usually develop in old age. Marginal bone growths and articular cartilage atrophy are seen. If degenerative changes in the shoulder joint are pronounced, the cause should be sought. This is usually due to a fracture or osteochondromatosis.

Pain in the shoulder joints is painful and constant; stiffness is often associated with degenerative changes in adjacent structures:

1. Deposition of calcifications in the supraspinatus tendon resulting in painful abduction arch syndrome. With this pathology, pain occurs in the joints when the shoulder tries to move along a certain arc. If you change the angle of inclination, the pain disappears.
2. Frozen shoulder syndrome. This condition is characterized by severe stiffness of the shoulder girdle. It occurs as a result of long-term immobilization of the shoulder - when applying a bandage that provides arm rest with thoracic radiculitis.

There is no obvious deformation of the elements of the shoulder girdle. Symptoms and complaints related to damage to adjacent structures, rather than the deformity of osteoarthritis of the shoulder, usually come first.

Osteoarthritis of the elbow joint

Degenerative changes in the elbow joint are less likely to develop. It increases in old age and people engaged in certain professions. Monotonous physical activity, especially when subjected to vibration, has a negative effect on joint processes.

Deforming arthrosis of the elbow is common in tennis players, masons, and miners, blacksmiths, and foundry workers.

Joint pain is usually dull, aching, and worsens with exercise. No significant deformation of joints is observed. Sometimes, under the influence of provoking factors, inflammation of the joints joins osteoarthritis, a painful swelling occurs in the elbow area, and the pain bothers you even at rest.

Deforming osteoarthritis of the joints of the hands and fingers

In recent years, the diagnosis of arthrosis of the hands has become an answer to the question of why finger joints hurt at a young age. This disease is rapidly rejuvenating. Already at the age of 30-35, with complaints of pain in the joints of the fingers, signs of first-degree deforming osteoarthritis can be seen on X-ray. The reasons for this are various:

1. The number of professions that put stress on the joints of the hands and fingers is increasing - programmers, typists and just active computer users. And mainly young people are involved in this work.
2. Working in hypothermic conditions. These are tram and trolleybus drivers, builders, and peasants in winter.
3. Absence of normal dynamic loads in finger joints. Few people try to do gymnastics, especially therapeutic exercises.
4. Accompanying diseases - inflammation of the joints.

The joints of the fingers and hands are deformed over time, and with the development of polyarthritis, an inflammatory tumor can be detected in the area of the phalanges. Movements in them become painful and difficult. Joint pain is intermittent at first, and then becomes constant, dull or aching.

Degenerative foot diseases

Leg joints are more susceptible to degeneration because their main load is static. Weight and static loads are the main reasons for the development of deforming arthrosis of the legs. In this area, it occurs in the following forms:

• Hip joint damage - coxarthrosis.
• Damage to the knees with the formation of gonarthrosis.
• Dystrophic diseases of the foot.

Coxarthrosis

Coxarthrosis is a common and dangerous disease. At first, a person pays attention to symptoms such as pain in the joints, creaking, clicking while walking. All this is temporary and does not affect the quality of life much. As the disease progresses, the stiffness worsens and there is difficulty when trying to abduct or pull the leg.

Joint pain can be excruciating, debilitating and bother you at any time of the day. In the mornings, my movements are tight, I have to do exercises for the hip joints to separate them from each other.

Gonarthrosis

Throughout life, the knees experience loads that significantly exceed the weight of a person. This inevitably leads to the development of degenerative processes in them. If a person suffers from at least first or second degree obesity, the deformation of the knees will occur faster. Osteoarthritis, which deforms in the third and fourth grades, develops more often at a young age.

Arthrosis of the knee joints has its own characteristics. Why does joint pain often occur in this area? Along with the proliferation of bone vertebrae and cartilage degeneration, calcium crystals are deposited in the joint space. A kind of calcification reservoir is formed. This disease is called precipitation of calcium pyrophosphate crystals.

At first, they can be found only in the thickness of the cartilage, then on its surface, joint cavity, tendons and even muscles.

Deposition of calcium crystals worsens the course of deforming osteoarthritis. The disease manifests itself as an aching pain, when the calcification is pressed, it can turn into a sharp pain. The mobility of the legs is significantly limited. In the knee area, deformed joint surfaces, bony growths are visible, tight joints can be palpated.

Dystrophic changes in the joints of the legs

The joints of the feet are less susceptible to deforming osteoarthritis. The exception is the metacarpophalangeal joint of the first finger. Its deformation occurs in almost every person after the age of 55-60. In women, it is deformed at an earlier age. The reasons for this are the abuse of narrow, uncomfortable shoes with heels.

In addition to the discomfort and unaesthetic appearance of the deformed finger, a person experiences severe pain in the joints. As the osteophytes grow, protruding bones form around the toe, making it difficult to wear even the widest shoes. Permanent damage to osteophytes leads to inflammation of the joints of the toes - polyarthritis develops. The situation can be complicated by the addition of infection.

Inflammatory diseases of the musculoskeletal system

Joint inflammation that affects several joint groups at the same time is called polyarthritis. If only one joint is inflamed, this form will be called monoarthritis. Symptoms will depend on the type of inflammation or infection causing it:

1. Joint pain.It is often acute - burning or burning. If the cause of arthritis is infection, the inflammation becomes purulent. In this case, the pain will be throbbing and very strong. Joint pain in chronic and subacute forms will resemble the variant with arthrosis.
2. Change of form.In an acute process, an inflammatory tumor appears in the articulation area, the skin changes color, and the temperature rises. If a bacterial infection occurs, general signs of intoxication appear - high fever, chills, health deteriorates sharply. It is difficult to tolerate the disease, especially in cases of polyarthritis.
3. Corrupt function.Movement in an inflamed joint is significantly limited due to pain and accumulation of fluid in the joint cavity. This swelling, like an inflammatory tumor, mechanically interferes with movement.

Causes of arthritis

The causes of arthritis are varied. These diseases are usually divided into main groups:

• Infectious.They develop when the joint is directly affected by an infection such as Lyme disease. The infection can be viral or bacterial, can penetrate from the outside or from the affected neighboring organ, bone. Arthritis caused by a bacterial infection is particularly severe.
• Reactive.In this case, the inflammatory process develops in response to a past or present infection. These include musculoskeletal injuries after flu, colds, urinary tract infections. An important symptom is the connection with infection.
• Autoimmune.Sometimes a person's immune system begins to destroy its own cells. Manifestations of such diseases are diverse, but articular syndrome is usually expressed most clearly. The most common autoimmune pathology is rheumatoid polyarthritis. It is characterized by severe deformation of the joints with constant pain.

Autoimmune polyarthritis cannot be cured, but it must be stopped to keep the disease at an early stage.

Treatment of joint diseases

What to do if a joint disease is diagnosed? Should I take medicine, antibiotics, or can I limit myself to folk remedies? Only a doctor can answer all questions correctly and he will prescribe the appropriate treatment.

ethnoscience

Folk remedies have been prescribed for a long time - both by healers and modern doctors. They are quite capable of eliminating inflammation and relieving pain, reducing swelling in the affected area.

Cabbage leaf is considered the undisputed leader among folk remedies. Applying a compress with cold or honey to a painful joint can eliminate inflammatory manifestations and alleviate the condition. Plantain leaves, chopped mushrooms, and vodka liqueurs are also used.

The arsenal of folk remedies is diverse, but it should be remembered that they can only treat mild forms of diseases and are always under the supervision of a doctor.

Medicines

Medicines used in the treatment of joint diseases are aimed at all parts of the pathological process. Main drug groups:

1. Analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs.Usually these are drugs from the same group. Since the main symptom of joint diseases is pain, the doctor's first task is to eliminate it. A good effect is achieved when using local means.
2. Steroid hormones and cytostatics.It is strictly forbidden to take these medicines without a doctor's prescription. They are used for all serious autoimmune processes and are designed to eliminate specific inflammation in the body. Without hormonal drugs, it is impossible to get rid of pain and inflammatory swelling in rheumatoid polyarthritis. They also prevent joint deformities.
3. Antibiotics.If the cause of arthritis is a bacterial infection, they are prescribed. Broad-spectrum antibiotics that penetrate well into bone tissue are used. Sometimes, if the pathogen is resistant, the doctor can treat the infection using several groups of antibiotics. This is also justified if the disease is caused by a mixed infection. It should be remembered that antibiotics are strong drugs with individual side effects, and during the treatment process it is necessary to strictly follow the doctor's instructions.
4. Preparations that protect and restore cartilage.Chronic polyarthritis and deforming arthrosis cannot be treated without chondroprotectors. For this purpose, both single drugs - chondroitin or glucosamine - and combined drugs are used. There is an extensive evidence base for the use of chondroprotectors based on many clinical trials.
5. Intra-articular injections.This is the best way to deliver the drug directly to the site of the disease. Typically, hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs are injected into the joint space. In recent years, hyaluronic acid is also used for intra-articular injection.

Physiotherapy

Joint diseases should not be treated only with drugs. Complex use of physiotherapeutic methods (magnetotherapy, electrophoresis) and physical therapy significantly increases the chance of recovery.

Orthotic devices are also used to limit movement in the affected joints. These include orthoses and splints. The purpose of these devices is to reduce the load on the diseased joint.

Surgical treatment

Radical treatment for advanced osteoarthritis is endoprosthetic. Only this method is able to replace the destroyed joint with a synthetic one, to restore its full range of motion.

In cases where conservative therapy is ineffective, endoprosthesis replacement is a treatment option.