Joint pain and swelling

Causes of tumors

Static and dynamic loads place extreme stress on the lower limbs. When moving carelessly or performing twisting movements in the gym, dislocations often occur. The problem can also be caused by a compression fracture of the calcaneus, metatarsal or tarsal bones when falling from a height or having a strong impact. Displacement of the plantar bones, rupture of the joint capsule, ligaments lead to:

• to foot deformation;
• hemorrhage and hematoma;
• disruption of fluid outflow;
• increasing volume in the ankle area.

Achilles tendonitis

The disease appears due to inflammation of the synovial tendon sheaths and tissue degeneration after chronic overload of the calf muscles. Constant overexertion of the legs leads to severe swelling at the site of attachment of the tendon to the bone. The phenomenon is typical for professional athletes whose muscles are always in good shape.

In people 40-60 years old, this happens due to prolonged exposure to an uncomfortable position and physical inactivity. Due to the reduced range of motion, tendon rigidity, partial atrophy, and reduced mobility develop. In beginner athletes, when running or doing fitness, axial load injures the ligamentous apparatus.

Plantar fasciitis

If the joint is swollen, the problem is caused by inflammatory-degenerative changes in the fibrous tissue of the lower part of the foot. It is formed due to excessive external pressure when running on asphalt and pronation of the sole. Less commonly, a heel spur develops after traumatization by bone growths. The phenomenon is typical for obese people, in whom the anatomy of the tarsus and metatarsus changes under the weight of weight.

Orthopedic surgeon Andrey Yurievich Sidenkov comments:

Constantly wearing uncomfortable shoes and curvature of the outer arch also leads to tumors on both legs in women. Due to the increased load on the muscles, fluid does not have time to leave the intercellular space, which creates a local volume in the ankle area.

Gout

In 50% of cases, ankle problems arise due to specific diseases. Along with sprains and injuries, metabolic pathologies lead to problems with fluid removal. Inflammation of the big toe can be caused by a high concentration of uric acid in the blood. Instead of leaving with urine, it transforms into crystals and is deposited on the cartilage, causing swelling.

Arthritis

The disease is accompanied by a catarrhal process throughout the body, caused by infections, abnormalities in the immune system or metabolic disorders. With rare exceptions, arthritis of various etiologies develops in people of pre-retirement age.

• The cause may be psoriatic arthritis. It affects the fingers and toes; due to excess fluid in the tissues, it provokes an increase in volume.
• Septic is caused by the ingress of etiological agents - Staphylococcus aureus, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, gram-negative and positive aerobes, fungi.
• Swelling and long-term catarrhal process provoke rheumatoid arthritis. This is an autoimmune disease when healthy cells are affected due to failures in the defense system.

Anomalies of this kind include ankylosing spondylitis and systemic scleroderma. They are accompanied by specific symptoms inherent in each of them.

Joint pain and swelling

Causes of pain and swelling of joints

Pain and swelling in the joints occur due to congenital anomalies, various injuries, inflammatory processes, and degenerative changes (age-related).

In this regard, in medicine the following main joint diseases are distinguished:

— arthrosis

(wear and destruction of the joint due to age-related changes);
- arthritis
(inflammation of the joint) due to rheumatic changes or caused by infection;
- secondary arthrosis
as a consequence of injury;
- abnormal joint structure, dysplasia
(congenital malformations of joints)
. 1. Arthrosis (degenerative changes in the joints)
often occurs with age and is associated with wear and tear of the articular cartilage. Mainly affected are the knee and hip joints (gonarthrosis, coxarthrosis). Overweight people and athletes are susceptible to arthrosis due to increased stress on the joints. Wearing tight shoes can also lead to changes in the joints (valgus, claw toes).

Post-traumatic arthrosis

Football players and skiers are more susceptible. Most often, this group of athletes suffers from the knee joint. Injury to the shoulder joint can occur during a fall on your hands, which can result in dislocations, ruptures of the capsule, muscles, tendons, and nerve damage.

Arthrosis is the most common joint disease worldwide. It ranks third after oncology and cardiovascular pathology. More than 80% of people around the world suffer from this disease to one degree or another. Arthrosis affects both men and women equally. With age, the likelihood of developing the disease increases.

Arthrosis

is a disease associated with the slow destruction of cartilage inside the joint. A metabolic disorder occurs in the body, the joint is less well supplied with blood, which leads to a loss of elasticity of the cartilage.

reasons may influence the occurrence and development of arthrosis:

:

• Injuries suffered.
• Metabolic disorders.
• Excess body weight.
• The inflammatory process in the joints is arthritis.
• Elderly age.
• Low quality food.
• Hypothermia.
• Autoimmune diseases - lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis.
• General intoxication of the body.
• Frequent colds.
• Specific inflammations - syphilis, tuberculosis, gonorrhea, etc.
• Problems with the thyroid gland.
• Bleeding disorder (hemophilia).

Symptoms of arthrosis

• Pain. Sharp pain that occurs during joint movement. As soon as the movement stops, the pain subsides. At the stage of arthrosis progression, the pain begins to manifest itself more intensely - it may appear in a dream closer to the morning, a person increasingly has to be at rest and not disturb the diseased joint. In the future, if the disease is neglected, the pain will constantly torment the person, turning the person into a disabled person.
• Crunch. The crunch is due to the fact that the bones in the joint, not protected by cartilage tissue, begin to rub against each other, producing a characteristic sound. The sound is “dry” and manifests itself more clearly the more the disease makes itself felt. The crunch in this case is always combined with pain.
• Decreased mobility in joints. The symptom appears in the later stages of the disease, because the germination of bone tumors leads to muscle spasms.
• Joint deformity. The symptom is also characteristic of the late stage. Deformation occurs due to the fact that osteophytes grow on the surface of the bones and synovial fluid arrives.

Degree of development of arthrosis

• The first stage of arthrosis is almost asymptomatic. Sometimes minor pain may appear when moving and putting stress on the joint. At this time, pathological changes occur in the synovium and fluid, the composition of which changes. The muscles are weakened, but not modified.
• The second stage of arthrosis is more noticeable in terms of the presence of symptoms. At this stage, the joint begins to deteriorate and the first osteophytes appear. The pain becomes more acute, accompanied by a distinct crunching sound in the affected joints. There is a violation of muscle functions.

• The third stage of arthrosis is the most severe; significant destruction of hyaline cartilage occurs. The joint becomes immobile. Pain and inflammation are chronic. At the end of the third stage of arthrosis, complete destruction of the joint occurs. If the situation has reached this stage, doctors raise the question of endoprosthetics of the damaged joint.

Methods and methods for treating arthrosis
Arthrosis is treated by a rheumatologist, a traumatologist-orthopedist.

Like any disease, it is better to treat arthrosis at an early stage. Treatment is aimed at eliminating the causes of the disease, relieving inflammation and restoring lost functions.

Arthrosis is treated with medications (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, hormonal corticosteroids, chondroprotectors, hyaluronic acid preparations), physiotherapy, and intra-articular injections. Effective results are obtained from sanatorium-resort treatment using mud, mineral baths, etc. During illness, joints need to be given rest and relieved of excessive stress. Instead, it is better to do physical therapy. In general, you should pay attention to proper nutrition, especially if you are overweight, which puts additional stress on your joints. It is recommended to eat jellied meat and cartilage - this food is rich in collagen - the building material of cartilage tissue. It is important to consume vitamins B and C.

Treatment of arthrosis should be comprehensive. You should not stop treatment when the first improvements appear.

2. Arthritis

are divided into joint diseases of an autoimmune-inflammatory nature (
rheumatoid arthritis
) and inflammatory diseases of an infectious nature.

2.1.

Today, one of the most common and severe diseases affecting the joints is
rheumatoid arthritis
(chronic inflammation of the joints). As a rule, the ankle joints, ankle joints, knees and hands are affected. Rheumatoid arthritis affects people of all ages, but most often those over 30. The disease most often affects women.

Medicine has not yet been able to fully understand why a person’s joints suddenly begin to become inflamed. What is known for sure is that the impetus for the onset of the disease is a failure in the immune system. Prerequisites for the disease can be hypothermia, stress, infections and joint injuries. ARVI, influenza, and tonsillitis can cause complications on the joints and trigger the development of rheumatoid arthritis. Antibodies to the Epstein-Barry virus are detected in 80% of patients with this disease.

The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are difficult to confuse with other joint diseases. The disease begins with swelling and pain in the joints. A distinctive feature of rheumatoid arthritis is that the joints are affected symmetrically. That is, if the joint on the right hand is inflamed, then it is more likely that there is inflammation on the left hand.

In addition, the inflammation is persistent - swelling and pain can last from several months to several years.

Pain with rheumatoid arthritis intensifies in the second half of the night and in the morning. By evening the pain subsides or goes away completely. In the morning, at the initial stage of the disease, the pain may go away after warming up the joint, unlike, for example, arthrosis, when the pain only intensifies with any load.

Many patients develop rheumatoid nodules the size of a pea, dense to the touch.

The symptoms listed above in patients with rheumatoid arthritis may be accompanied by a feeling of weakness, deterioration of sleep and appetite, a moderate increase in temperature (up to 37.2-38°C), and chills. Sometimes patients lose weight, and significantly.

As the disease progresses, permanent deformation of the fingers and hands occurs. The mobility of the wrist joints sharply decreases, the arms have difficulty bending and unbending at the wrists. These symptoms increase as disease activity increases.

Gradually, the disease affects more and more joints. Knees, elbows, ankle and shoulder joints often become inflamed. The situation is especially difficult with the knee joints. A large amount of pathological fluid begins to accumulate in the knee joint, stretching the joint capsule (Baker's cyst), which can rupture.

In addition to joint inflammation, vertebral joints are sometimes involved in the pathological process. More often the cervical spine becomes inflamed. The patient experiences pain in the neck and under the back of the head. It is a serious mistake to treat such patients with massage, manual therapy or heating. All this only leads to an exacerbation of the disease.

A rheumatologist treats rheumatoid arthritis.

. Only he will be able to distinguish rheumatoid arthritis from other joint diseases. A visit to the doctor should not be postponed under any circumstances. The doctor will order you to take blood tests, x-rays, ultrasound or MRI of the joints.

Unfortunately, there are no pills that can relieve patients from rheumatoid arthritis forever. But, in any case, the disease can and should be treated.

Modern drugs slow down the development of the disease, relieve unpleasant symptoms and prevent complications. They come in two types: anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory. The former relieve inflammation and reduce pain. The latter suppress immune reactions and thereby fight the disease itself. You will have to take all these drugs for a very long time, perhaps even your whole life.

Proper treatment can lead to long-term remissions, and sometimes even to complete recovery.

2.2. Arthritis of infectious nature

occurs through other mechanisms. The disease is caused by viruses, fungi or bacteria.

Infectious (septic) arthritis is inflammation of the joint caused by microorganisms that enter directly into the joint cavity through the blood (or lymph) from the source of infection within the body or from the external environment during open trauma to the joint and medical interventions on it (puncture, arthrotomy).

The disease affects people of all ages, including newborns. Usually one large joint of the lower or upper limb is affected.

The main pathogens of the disease

are: - Gonococcus (gonococcal arthritis); — Staphylococcus aureus; — Streptococcus; — Pseudomonas aeruginosa; — Haemophilus influenzae; — Various fungi are rare pathogens.

Symptoms of acute arthritis

, despite different localization, are identical:

— Increased body temperature (up to 39°C) — Severe pain syndrome. Intensifies with movement. — Changes in the joint with dysfunction. Swelling, redness of the skin, the joint feels hot to the touch. — Signs of general intoxication (headache, loss of appetite, nausea, lethargy, apathy).

Sometimes
infectious arthritis becomes chronic
, then its symptoms will be different from the acute period:

— Low-grade body temperature (37.5°C), unstable. - Pain of low intensity. — The swelling is weak, almost unnoticeable. — The function of the joint is partially preserved, movements are possible in a limited manner. — Intoxication is expressed by weakness, sweating, loss of appetite.

Treatment of infectious arthritis should begin as early as possible to avoid complications and serious changes to the joint. Treatment is medicinal (antibiotics, antiviral drugs, antifungal drugs - depending on the type of pathogen). Antipyretic, painkillers, and anti-inflammatory drugs are also prescribed.

Sometimes surgical treatment may be required.

To diagnose changes in the joints, a specialist doctor may prescribe an MRI of the joint.

, because
Magnetic resonance imaging is the most informative method for studying all elements and tissues of articular joints. The uniqueness of the procedure lies in obtaining a detailed image of ligaments, tendons, cartilage, adipose tissue, bone marrow, blood vessels, etc. On MRI you can see
:

- shoulder joint, - hip joint, - knee joint, - elbow joint, - wrist joint, - temporomandibular joint, - ankle joint.

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Arthrosis

Degenerative-dystrophic pathology occurs due to wear and tear of cartilage. Excessive loads lead to tissue destruction and inflammation, joint hypermobility syndrome. The anomaly occurs more often in young people:

• after injuries;
• accidents;
• with polyneuropathy or nerve damage;
• metabolic diseases.

Only 8% of all primary arthrosis develops for no apparent reason. When rising from a chair, a person feels pain, which disappears with movement. At the same time, the joints become swollen and lose stability and maneuverability. A person's gait changes, and a crunching sound is heard during movements.

Damage to venous valves and varicose veins

When movements occur in the vessels, negative pressure is created. With normal drainage, the blood flows downwards; if the valves are damaged, it goes into the superficial layers and sac-like dilates the vessels. Increased pressure in the veins weakens the tone of the walls, squeezes water into the soft tissues, which leads to fluid stagnation. Signs of venous disorders are heaviness in the limbs, discoloration of the skin, night cramps. Due to the dilation of the arteries, aching pain appears in the ankles.

Lymphostasis

Swelling in one or both legs causes disturbances in the outflow of lymph from the capillaries and peripheral nodes to the main collectors. It usually accumulates after traumatic occlusions, operations, or metastatic block of lymphatic vessels. Infections are often associated with the disease. In addition, there is a leakage of lymph through skin cracks and the appearance of tropical ulcers. Sometimes the disease is idiopathic in nature, and its origin cannot be determined.

There are other pathological factors that lead to tissue swelling in the ankle area. They are caused by abnormalities in the excretory, cardiovascular and endocrine systems. Problems arise due to liver pathologies, heart failure, hypothyroidism. If the cause is determined in time and ankle treatment is started, it is likely:

• stop the inflammatory process;
• destruction of bone tissue;
• maintain joint mobility;
• bring uric acid levels back to normal and restore purine metabolism.

When to contact specialists at Stoparthrosis Blades

The injury can be treated at home without pain. For more serious injuries, accompanied by acute pain and hyperemia, urgent medical care and diagnosis are necessary. If swelling and pain do not go away within 12 days after an injury, an examination by a specialized specialist is also necessary. If you contact an orthopedist and surgeon early, you have a better chance of a full recovery.

Our clinic employs vertebrologists, arthrologists, and traumatologists with 15 years of experience. They are ready to offer patients about 20 effective methods of non-surgical treatment of swelling of the ankle joints of various origins. Depending on the problem, patients are prescribed

• conservative schemes;
• hardware techniques;
• taping of ligaments;
• physiotherapy.

On the day of treatment, after the initial examination, doctors relieve acute sensations and prescribe instrumental diagnostics. To eliminate problems in older and younger people, in each case, specialists draw up an individual treatment plan.

TMJ diseases

Diseases of the TMJ (temporomandibular joint) are characterized by a common symptom - dysfunction of the masticatory apparatus - and are the competence of orthopedic dentistry.

Arthrosis of the TMJ

Arthrosis of the TMJ is a disease that occurs as a result of uneven load on the joint: on the one hand, compression, and on the other, stretching. Increased loads can occur due to malocclusion, occlusion and articulation, as well as if incorrect prosthetics were performed (insufficient examination, poorly fixed fixed prosthesis, incorrectly sized bridge, excessive grinding of the tooth for a crown).

Symptoms of TMJ arthrosis:

1. Pain in the joint in a calm state, inactivity;
2. Clicking and crunching in the joint;
3. Stiffness in the lower jaw after a night's sleep or after prolonged exercise (long conversation, chewing food);
4. Limited mouth opening;
5. Moving the jaw to the side when opening the mouth.

Treatment

The treatment of arthrosis of the TMJ requires an integrated approach from a group of doctors:

• Orthopedic treatment – ​​corrects malocclusion – straightens the shape of the teeth, corrects the relationship of the dentition, installs or replaces previous dentures;
• Therapeutic treatment – ​​partial grinding of teeth that interfere with the normal closure of the jaws;
• Physiotherapeutic methods – galvanization, massage, electrophoresis.

Arthritis of the TMJ

TMJ arthritis is inflammation of the temporomandibular joint of infectious or non-infectious origin. Initially, it spreads only to the joint capsule, then it can reach areas of the bone, accompanied by the melting of cartilage and the appearance of connective tissue in the joint cavity.

There are two stages of the disease: acute and chronic. When acute pain becomes severe, visible deformation of the face and swelling are observed. The joint is constantly stiff. In the chronic stage, painful sensations increase with movement, and in an immobilized state they are moderate or weakly noticeable. The joint is stiff in the morning.

Symptoms of the disease:

1. Acute throbbing pain when moving the joint (talking, chewing), radiating to the temple, back of the head;
2. Pain on palpation of the lower jaw;
3. Redness of soft tissues and their swelling;
4. Feeling of fullness in the jaw.

Treatment

1. Immobilization of the diseased joint by applying a sling-shaped bandage to the lower jaw or other methods;
2. A diet that excludes chewing food for 3 days;
3. Using analgesics and cold compresses for pain relief;
4. Taking antibiotics, injections of chondroprotectors and corticosteroids into the joint;
5. Physiotherapeutic measures – mud therapy, ultraphonophoresis.

Ankylosis of the TMJ

Ankylosis of the TMJ is a partial or complete loss of mobility of the lower jaw, which is caused by fibrous or bony fusion of the joint surfaces. The danger of this disease is that it can occur for many years without symptoms until the cartilage completely dies. Bone ankylosis develops in childhood, while fibrous ankylosis occurs in adults.

Symptoms of the disease:

1. Limitation in opening the mouth;
2. Impaired breathing (night apnea and snoring), speech, chewing;
3. Distortion of the face to the side;
4. Shortened and underdeveloped lower jaw;
5. Increased formation of plaque and tartar.

Treatment

The treatment has two goals: restoring joint mobility and facial aesthetics.

In the first stages, treatment may be limited to physiotherapeutic measures in the form of ultraphonoresis, hyaluronodase, as well as hydrocortisone injections into the joint. Sometimes they resort to mechanical expansion of the jaws under anesthesia or surgical dissection of the adhesions.

Persistent deformities and adhesions in late stages of development can only be eliminated surgically. The complexity of the operation should be taken into account due to difficulty breathing in patients with this disease. In some cases, a tracheotomy is required.

Ankylosis can be prevented by timely treatment of diseases of the facial joints and birth injuries in children.

Musculo-articular dysfunction of the TMJ

Impaired coordination of the muscles of the lower jaw and the joint, as well as the placement of the head and disc of the joint relative to the tubercle. Factors that contribute to the development of this disease may be incorrect orthodontic treatment, unprofessional implantation, bone grafting of teeth, sinus lifting, as well as endocrine, articular and other diseases.

Symptoms:

1. Painful sensations in the jaw, increasing at night and with movement (in another form, painful sensations may be absent);
2. Clicking sounds when moving the jaw;
3. Temporary stiffness in jaw movement;
4. Tension of the facial muscles, most often one-sided;
5. Sleep disturbance.

Treatment

The main task is to create the correct bite for the patient and restore normal jaw closure. These tasks are carried out by grinding protruding contacts on the surface of the teeth, which interfere with the normal closure of the jaws. Advanced stages can only be treated surgically - dissection of adhesions, straightening and installation of the disc in place.

TMJ dislocation

TMJ dislocation is a displacement of the head of the joint beyond its normal location, in which the function of the lower jaw is completely disrupted. There are 2 types:

• traumatic – resulting from a blow to the jaw, yawning or screaming;
• habitual - which develop as a result of stretching of the joint capsule and ligaments.

Symptoms:

1. The lower jaw is displaced downwards, the mouth does not close on its own;
2. Excessive salivation;
3. The appearance of depressions in the area of ​​the tragus of the ear and protruding heads of the joint in the area of ​​the cheekbones;
4. Strong pain.

Treatment

1. Reduction of the joint;
2. Immobilization of the TMJ.