Do your joints hurt? There is a risk of developing a disease such as arthralgia.
Arthralgia
– this is a set of painful sensations that arise due to predominantly organic damage to the joints. The presence of pain syndromes can be a harbinger of joint diseases, including the initial stages of arthrosis and arthritis.
Arthralgia is characterized by pain in the joints
Arthralgia syndrome - what is it?
Arthralgia
– these are pain sensations that can occur in one or several joints of the human musculoskeletal system. The disease is secondary and can be observed in diseases of infectious or autoimmune origin, as well as in the presence of excess body weight.
Joint pain is predominantly “volatile” in nature and usually appears unexpectedly and suddenly.
Painful sensations during arthralgia can occur without the influence of external irritating factors, which usually include increased loads and stress.
An attack of pain can last several minutes, or can last up to several hours. Everything is individual and depends solely on the area of progression of organic damage to the joint, as well as the pain threshold and, of course, the general health of the patient.
Often the pain goes away without the use of medications, however, there are cases when the use of analgesics is required.
The manifestation of the syndrome is distinguished according to factors such as:
- location;
- number of lesions;
- intensity and nature of pain;
- duration of pain;
- rhythmicity of discomfort.
Prevention
No one is one hundred percent protected, so prevention will not be unnecessary for anyone. It is important to always keep your body in good shape and give it moderate physical activity - do morning exercises, take breaks at work, try to walk more in the fresh air, spend less time sitting.
When walking, you not only warm up most of the muscles in the body, but also saturate it with oxygen, which is necessary for normal blood circulation and absorption of substances in the body. If possible, go swimming, jogging, and take mineral and mud baths. In summer, spend more time by the sea, go to a sanatorium.
Pay attention to your diet. Eliminate all foods harmful to the body, add vitamins and minerals. Eat healthy, easy-to-digest foods. It is very important for bones and joints to fill the body with calcium, so consume more dairy products.
Elena Belenko in the program “Doctor I” on TVC. Myalgia
Classification of arthralgia
Key challenge in the treatment of arthralgia
lies in the difficulties of diagnosing it, which is due to the large number of variations in its manifestation and clinical picture.
According to known data, arthralgia is divided into several classifications:
- infectious type
– the occurrence is provoked by general intoxication;
- intermittent
– accompanied by acute and recurrent arthritis;
- long lasting
– characteristic of exceptionally large joints (arthralgia of the knee or hip joint);
- oligo- or polyarthralgia
– the causes are inflammation of the joint, as well as destruction of cartilage tissue;
- post-traumatic
– appears as a residual manifestation of inflammation;
- false
.
It is important to note that each type is accompanied by a certain type of pain.
Features of childhood arthralgia
Diagnosis of arthralgia in childhood
due to the presence of an acute infectious process. In such a situation, pain localized in the articular and periarticular tissues gradually increases and is aggravated by a feverish state, as well as general intoxication of the body.
Arthralgia in children requires special attention and treatment approach.
There are cases of multiple childhood arthralgia, which is accompanied by changes in the shape of the nail and finger phalanges, which may indicate the presence of serious malfunctions in the functioning of the heart, lungs or other internal organs.
It is important that a pathology of this kind that occurs in childhood requires a particularly careful approach, because if the diagnosis is incorrect or the existing symptoms are ignored, the pathology can become irreversible.
Causes of glenohumeral periarthritis
Humeroscapular periarthritis can develop after a shoulder injury, sudden and excessive physical exertion, or forced long-term immobility. Typically, several days pass from the moment of injury or overload before pain and inflammation occur. An acute attack of pain lasts several weeks.
The following diseases can contribute to the development of the pathological process:
- Diabetes;
- Obesity,
- Pathology of internal organs.
In some diseases of the cardiovascular system (myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease, peripheral vascular pathology), blood circulation deteriorates, especially in the left shoulder area, and glenohumeral periarthritis occurs. A common cause of the disease is osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, intervertebral hernia. Damaged vertebral discs wear out over time and lose their elastic properties. The distance between them decreases, the vertebrae come closer and pinch the nerve endings. When nerves are pinched, a reflex spasm of blood vessels occurs and blood circulation is disrupted. Inflammation of the shoulder tendons causes pain.
There are several theories that explain the mechanism of development of glenohumeral periarthritis. Muscle overstrain, professional overload, macrotrauma and microtrauma cause reactive inflammation in the tissues located around the joint, and reflex muscle-tonic reactions in the muscles that fix it contribute to the development of the degenerative process. In tissues with poor blood supply, as a result of constant tension and microtrauma, ruptures of individual fibrils are observed, foci of necrosis, hyalinization and calcification of collagen fibers are formed. Local damage to the periarticular tissues in the shoulder area is caused by the fact that the short rotators of the shoulder and the biceps tendon are constantly exposed to high functional load, often under conditions of compression, since the tendons are located in a narrow space.
Causes of arthralgia
Timely and competent identification of the causes of the disease is the basis for differential diagnosis of an existing health problem.
With the development of arthralgia it is quite difficult, one might say that it is almost impossible to notice visible changes on X-ray images. In addition, there are no symptoms of joint disease as such, including: swelling and crunching when moving.
Symptoms of arthralgia
is caused solely by irritation of the neuroreceptors of the joint capsule, which can be caused by such reasons as:
- joint damage of organic origin;
- development of the initial stage of arthrosis/arthritis;
- weakening of the immune system;
- severe allergic reaction;
- infectious lesion;
- tumor formations.
Reasons for the development of pathology
Knee arthralgia is a syndrome characterized by severe pain in the area. The main reasons for its development include:
- Injuries. The main reason for the development of pathology. Arthralgia occurs due to complete and incomplete fractures, sprains, and bruises.
- Arthritis. Also, knee arthralgia often occurs against the background of arthritis, which can have an infectious, rheumatoid, psoriatic and gouty form.
- Autoimmune diseases. Arthralgia can occur against the background of various autoimmune diseases, which lead to the person’s immune system attacking its own cells.
- Periarthritis. A disease that causes inflammation of the periarticular tissues.
- Neoplasms. Painful sensations can be caused by both malignant and benign neoplasms.
- Arthrosis. Degenerative joint damage caused by internal causes.
- Age. Over the years, each person's joints gradually wear out, so arthralgia may be associated with age-related changes in the tissues of the joints.
- Myalgia. It is an inflammation of the muscles that surround the knee joint.
- Excess weight. Causes additional stress on joints.
- Inflammation of the lymph nodes. May cause radiating pain in the knee.
- Gonarthrosis. Often causes not only arthralgia, but also subsequent disability.
And this is not a complete list of reasons that cause arthralgia of the knee joint, so for an accurate diagnosis you should consult a specialist.
Symptoms of arthralgia
The disease belongs to a category whose course is almost impossible to predict. Each case is individual and requires certain measures.
The disease is extremely variable. The main symptom of arthralgia is pain
, which can be fixed in a specific place or dynamically move. At the same time, it is important to note that the pain sensation can be of a different nature:
- aching/throbbing;
- sharp/blunt;
- intense/weak.
Treatment of the disease
Arthralgia is a disease that requires serious diagnosis and a long course of treatment. If the first syndromes do not go away within three days from the moment of the first manifestation, you should immediately contact a rheumatologist.
Drug therapy
The goal of drug treatment is to eliminate or correct the symptoms of arthralgia that were detected as a result of diagnosis. For these purposes, analgesic and anti-inflammatory medications such as Paracetamol or Aspirin are used.
In some cases, physical therapy may have to be used. It may include magnetic therapy, laser therapy, and heat treatment. In addition, compresses and ointments are used (Ketonal, Neuralgin, Finalgon, etc.).
Arthralgia in children has a slightly different character. Most of the drugs are contraindicated for children, so therapy is prescribed individually depending on the age and degree of the disease. Most often this is physical therapy, as well as simple normalization of the daily routine and an appropriate diet. However, in more acute forms, anti-inflammatory drugs are used only in extreme cases. If you start treatment on time, you can rid your child of the disease within 2-3 weeks.
ethnoscience
The first thing worth noting is that folk remedies are not aimed at eliminating arthralgia, but only at combating its symptoms and generally strengthening the body. Therefore, first of all, you need to consult a doctor and, with his permission, resort to using traditional methods.
One of the famous recipes is tincture of birch buds. For half a liter of boiling water you need to add two tablespoons of birch buds and let it brew for at least two hours. You should take this tincture half a glass twice a day.
Remember that it is not recommended to self-medicate without consulting a doctor, so as not to aggravate your condition and prevent the disease from developing quietly. This is especially important if we are talking about a child; you should not put him in danger - carry out treatment only as directed by a doctor.
Diagnosis of arthralgia
If you experience systematic pain localized in any area of the musculoskeletal system, you should immediately seek medical help, the first stage of which is diagnosis.
Primary diagnosis is performed by a wide-spectrum specialist - a therapist, who determines the intensity of symptoms, collects the patient's medical history and refers to a specialized specialist.
The next stages of diagnostic examination are carried out by a rheumatologist. A set of certain knowledge, experience, as well as the availability of specialized equipment and the availability of various types of diagnostic methods allows you to accurately make a diagnosis, prescribe the correct treatment and monitor the effectiveness of the treatment method.
To differentiate the etiology of the disease, a number of objective studies are required, which include laboratory diagnostics (blood tests, biochemical tests). In addition, the following methods are used as clarifying methods:
- CT/MRI;
- research using ultrasound therapy.
Treatment of arthralgia
The entire process of treating arthralgia comes down to eliminating the disease that provokes the development of arthralgia syndrome. The treatment plan depends entirely on the existing concomitant diseases.
In the treatment of arthralgia, various methods can be used, in particular, medicinal and non-medicinal. Let's look at each of them in more detail.
Treatment of arthralgia is carried out using different methods
Treatment of arthralgia with medication
The treatment process is closely related to the severity of the symptoms of the disease.
So, in a situation where mild but sharp pain occurs, specialists choose treatment with medications and the use of various forms of drugs, a special place among which is occupied by analgesics.
Pronounced and at the same time long-lasting pain requires more serious measures and is eliminated exclusively by the injection method, using painkillers.
By studying the degree of effectiveness of the medications used, we can identify several groups of medications with the greatest therapeutic effectiveness. Among them:
- NSAIDs
– non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in tablets or rectal suppositories;
- applications and compresses
;
- ointments with local anesthetic or warming effect
.
In addition, chondroprotectors are an excellent assistant in the regeneration of damaged tissues, among which the drug “Artracam”
.
Non-drug treatment for arthralgia
Physiotherapeutic procedures are considered one of the most popular non-drug treatment methods.
. Despite the fact that the use of methods of this kind is not justified in all cases, under the careful supervision of the attending physician, measures can be beneficial with an integrated approach to the treatment of diverse diseases.
Physiotherapeutic measures are prescribed taking into account the medical history of each individual patient and are regulated by an established treatment plan. It is important to note that physiotherapy is contraindicated in autoimmune pathologies, but in a situation where dystrophic processes are observed (especially caused by dystrophic processes), treatment should be started as soon as possible.
Among the most effective methods of physiotherapeutic treatment
highlight:
- electrophoresis;
- exposure to a magnetic field;
- UHF therapy;
- laser exposure;
- balneological treatment;
- paraffin therapy;
- use of therapeutic mud.
Surgical intervention
Joint pain may be an indication for various types of surgery. The basis for surgical intervention may be previous injuries or the presence of chronic diseases.
Operations can be carried out using two methods:
- open;
- using endoscopic equipment.
- Taking into account the existing symptoms, as well as the causes of pain, the following operations can be performed:
- arthroplasty, plastic surgery of the ligaments of the joint;
- removal of pathological formations;
- joint endoprosthetics.
Treatment of glenohumeral periarthritis
How to treat glenohumeral periarthritis? Conservative treatment of glenohumeral periarthritis begins with measures aimed at stopping the influence of provoking factors. First of all, limit the load on the affected joint. The patient is allowed movements that do not cause increased pain. In case of very severe pain, provide rest and immobilization of the affected limb for several hours a day (wearing the arm in a scarf). When pain decreases, physical therapy is prescribed. It is aimed at strengthening the muscles of the shoulder girdle, preventing future exacerbations. Gymnastics for glenohumeral periarthritis for the muscles of the shoulder girdle includes internal and external rotation, abduction.
Rehabilitation specialists use various methods of reflex therapy (physiotherapeutic procedures, acupuncture, segmental acupressure). The severity of pain is reduced by the use of electrophoresis of 0.5% or 2% novocaine solution. Sinusoidal simulated currents, including SMT phoresis of drugs, have a good therapeutic effect in scapulohumeral periarthritis. Subsequently, patients undergo mud applications and general sulfide baths. Good results are described with the combined use of ultrasound (US) therapy and SMT. For pain in the shoulder girdle, the following physiotherapeutic procedures are used in combination:
- Decimeter waves;
- Electrical stimulation;
- Electrophoresis of medicinal substances;
- Magnetotherapy.
Good results are achieved by combining microwave therapy with interference currents.
Drug treatment for glenohumeral periarthritis is aimed at reducing the severity of pain and tissue swelling, relieving muscle spasm and increasing the functional state of the shoulder joint. The degeneration process is affected with the help of chondroprotectors. To relieve pain, local blockade of trigger and painful points is performed with a 1–2% lidocaine solution or a 0.5%–2% procaine solution. Hydrocortisone and vitamin B12 are added to the local anesthetic solution. For lesions located near the shoulder joint, local treatment with glucocorticosteroids is performed.
Simple analgesics (paracetamol), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and muscle relaxants are widely used to reduce and relieve pain. In cases of severe pain, in some cases they resort to the use of narcotic analgesics - tramadol or a combination thereof.
In the complex treatment of glenohumeral periarthritis, pharmacological agents are used that stimulate the production of components of connective and cartilaginous tissue (including spinal structures), slow down their destruction, and thereby prevent the progression of degenerative changes. These include chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine.