How are joints arranged? Why do they hurt with ARVI and influenza? If you find arthritis or arthrosis – that’s it, no sports?

The first part in a series about joints.

Pain and discomfort in the joints affect neither professional athletes nor ordinary people. Many people still remember the unexpected end of the career of Zenit midfielder Viktor Faizulin, who was never able to return to form after numerous operations on the cartilage of the knee joint. A year ago, Luis Suarez was out of action for a long period due to knee surgery - which ultimately allowed the athlete to recover, but quite possibly was one of the reasons for leaving Barcelona.

According to doctors, joint pain and impaired mobility are one of the most common reasons for seeking medical help. Joints can get sick after injuries, infectious and viral diseases, diabetes, thyroid diseases, oncology...

Joints are a very multifaceted topic that cannot be covered in one article, so we will release a series. In this article we tell you which joint pains and diseases are the most common and why they occur. Helping us is Sergey Yurievich Daletsky, a practicing specialist in rehabilitation massage with 20 years of experience.

Attention, the text will contain a lot of complex information about the structure of the joint. If you don’t want to deal with this, you can move on to the next article with an analysis of problems in practice - problems with the joints of the upper body .

What is a joint and why do joints have different structures?

Joints in our body serve to movably connect the ends of bones; they are surrounded by a capsule of fibrous connective tissue and strengthened by ligaments.

The end surfaces of the bones that connect the joint are covered with elastic cartilage tissue - articular cartilage. One of the surfaces is convex (the articular head), and the other is concave (called the glenoid fossa). What is interesting and important is that articular cartilage is completely devoid of blood vessels and nerves, so it cannot hurt.

The ends of the bones are surrounded by an articular capsule, which envelops them like a sealed coupling consisting of collagen and elastic fibers and loose connective tissue. It has many blood and lymphatic vessels, and there are nerve branches. Sometimes a vascular network of several arteries is formed on the surface of the joint - such arterial networks are found in the elbow and knee joints.

The inside of the joint capsule is lined with a special layer of cells - this is a synovial membrane that secretes sticky transparent synovial fluid (synovium). It is the synovium that acts as a lubricant for the joint, allowing the cartilage to slide without interfering with each other. It moisturizes cartilage tissue, reduces friction and strengthens the joint due to the adhesion of surfaces. There is a cavity inside the joint - this is a very narrow gap, which contains no more than 2-4 ml of synovial fluid.

In addition, there are ligaments (capsular and extracapsular). Ligaments in combination with tendons and muscles make up the strengthening apparatus of the joint, so violations of the strength of the ligaments always inevitably lead to problems with the joint itself.

In addition to the main anatomical structures of the joint, it may also contain additional elements, since the anatomical features of a particular joint depend on its purpose.

As humans evolved, the loads on some joints became more complex and increased. This is how articular discs and menisci (fibrous cartilage located in the joint cavity), articular lip (cartilaginous rim), synovial bursae (capsules filled with synovium around tendons or under muscles lying near the joint) and other elements appeared. They are needed to better resist shocks and promote movement. For example, the menisci (crescent-shaped intra-articular cartilages) play the role of buffers and protect the knee cartilage from damage during impacts, and protect the joint capsule from pinching during stretching. And the synovial bursae reduce friction of tendons and muscles during movements.

Functional and psychosomatic pain

Sometimes joint pain has functional causes, that is, it is associated with the normal functioning of the body. This can be pain after heavy physical activity, pain during pregnancy, and in children and adolescents - the so-called “growing pains”. All of these are temporary disturbances that are caused by the normal functioning of the joint.

In some cases, pain can be of a psychological nature (so-called psychosomatic pain). They have an indefinite rhythm, varying intensity, often disappear during sleep and intensify with emotional stress, accompanied by a burning sensation, tingling, and goosebumps.

With the use of painkillers and physical therapy, functional pain does not disappear, but only slightly decreases. However, with a change in working and living conditions, they can completely go away. The use of sedatives also helps.

Joint pain due to ARVI and influenza

In acute respiratory viral infections, arthralgia is not so common and is mildly expressed, with the exception of acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). The muscles hurt very badly and the pain radiates to the joints also with the flu, and the process affects several joints at once. Arthralgia is accompanied by aches throughout the body, radiating to the leg or arm, accompanied by pain in the eye sockets and severe headache. In this case, there are specific symptoms of a respiratory disease: fever, cough, etc.

Typically, such joint pain goes away as the underlying disease recedes. If the process is delayed, then inflammation of the ligamentous apparatus occurs, and as a result, the ligaments must be treated. If this is not done on time, the inflammation will become chronic. In this case, there will be no painful sensations, but the problem will remain and will worsen. This situation is a real vicious circle, which can only be broken with the help of long-term complex treatment.

Treatment for ARVI or influenza is prescribed in accordance with the symptoms of the underlying disease. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used to relieve pain. It is important to maintain bed rest - this is necessary to relieve stress on the joints, which can cause complications, such as arthritis.

Flu pain

The symptoms of influenza are extremely varied: once it enters the body, this virus begins to multiply with terrible force, affects all human systems one after another and causes pain throughout the body. The symptoms of influenza are:

• head;
• In eyes;
• in muscles;
• in the nasopharynx;
• in a stomach.

The flu can keep you out of action for a long time. The Private Practice clinic will help you cope with this serious illness and quickly return you to normal life. Our doctors have accumulated extensive experience in the treatment of acute viral infections.

Headache due to flu

This is one of the most common complaints when infected with a virus: most people complain of a headache when they have the flu. This is also one of the very first symptoms of the flu. Headache occurs as a result of damage to the circulatory system and general intoxication of the body. You may experience pain of varying intensity, a feeling of tightness, or monotonous pain. As the temperature rises, the pain intensifies.

With proper treatment prescribed by a doctor, the pain syndrome quickly goes away. To relieve flu headaches, our doctors recommend:

• drinking plenty of fluids (helps remove toxins from the body);
• taking antiviral drugs;
• the use of drugs that activate the immune system;
• use of painkillers or antipyretics.

Sore throat

This is also one of the common flu symptoms. The virus spreads by settling on the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx, so dryness and sore throat or hoarseness occur quite often in patients. If you have a sore throat due to the flu, you should see a doctor. As a rule, pain goes away when taking medications that fight the virus, as well as prescribing symptomatic treatment: sprays, lozenges or tablets.

Pain in the eyes

The eyes are also targeted by the virus. General intoxication of the body causes watery eyes, pain, a feeling of heaviness and the inability to lift the eyelids. Don't be alarmed if your eyes hurt with the flu - when the toxins caused by the virus are completely eliminated from the body, everything will return to normal. Do not prescribe drops in your eyes without consulting a doctor - you can only harm their health.

Muscle pain with flu

Complaints of back pain with the flu are also very common. Muscle pain is one of the symptoms of the flu, which often helps to distinguish it from other colds. Pain may occur in the lower back or closer to the cervical region. This is due to decreased blood circulation and slower metabolism.

You should definitely report a symptom such as back pain to your doctor. Only he can choose the right treatment.

In addition to the main treatment regimen, our doctors recommend:

• rubbing with anti-inflammatory ointments or balms;
• massage (prescribed strictly after consultation with a specialist).

Abdominal pain

Intoxication due to the virus also affects the human digestive system, so you should not be surprised when your stomach hurts or there is nausea and diarrhea with the flu. A change in the tone of the autonomic system leads to spasm of the intestinal muscles, which can cause pain. If they are accompanied by vomiting or diarrhea, then this is a reason to immediately consult a doctor, since there is a high risk of dehydration.

Pain from the flu can unsettle you for a long time and deprive you of your usual activity. Our specialists know how important it is for you to stay in the established rhythm of life, so they will do everything possible to ensure that you get better as soon as possible. Our clinic is equipped with the latest technology and uses the latest advances in medicine.

You can make an appointment with a doctor by calling
+7+7 (495) 980-13-16

Joint pain due to injury

The ligamentous apparatus of a joint can be damaged by an unsuccessful fall, sudden movement, not to mention serious sports activities or an accident. Even uncomfortable shoes can cause damage: too high a heel or an unstable sole. You can twist your leg or stumble, for example, on a slippery surface, injure your forearm or hand when falling on an outstretched arm, bent elbow, etc.

A bruise is a closed soft tissue injury that occurs as a result of a blow or fall. In joints, the synovial membrane and the muscles, blood vessels and nerve tissues surrounding the joint capsule are especially sensitive to bruises. When a bruise occurs, pain, swelling, bruising appears, and joint function is impaired.

Dislocation is a displacement of the ends of the articular bones, causing disruption of the joint. The risk of dislocation depends on the extent of the displacement. Traumatic dislocations are accompanied by rupture of the joint capsule, damage to ligaments (partial tears, sprains and other minor injuries), nerves and blood vessels (with hemorrhage inside the joint). Symptoms depend on the degree of damage - but at the time of injury there is always a sharp pain, which then accompanies all attempts to move the joint. It loses its normal shape and sinks inward (the lower bone in the joint looks like it has collapsed). An x-ray is taken to confirm the dislocation and assess the extent of the damage.

Another possible cause of pain is a sprain or partial rupture of the ligaments: distortion. We can talk about either stretching with partial rupture of the fibers or complete rupture. The surrounding muscles, blood vessels and nerves are also injured. In the most severe cases, separation from the bone tissue at the site of attachment of the ligament is possible. The pain is maximum in the area of ​​the injured ligament, especially severe during movement and when palpating. The joint itself looks swollen and too mobile.

Fractures of the bones that make up a joint can be either extra-articular or intra-articular. These are severe injuries that are accompanied by injuries to the surrounding soft tissues (ruptures of muscles, ligaments, blood vessels, etc.). They cause unbearable pain, and if bone fragments appear, a crunching sound is heard. Bruises form in the joint area, its volume increases, the joint behaves unnaturally - it is excessively mobile and deformed.

Joint pain can also be caused by damage to additional anatomical structures. The most dangerous are ruptures of the menisci of the knee joint.

Treatment should not be neglected in case of joint injury. Problems with ligaments are especially dangerous; they can lead to chronic joint diseases.

Victoria Sinitsina, paired with Nikita Katsalapov, became European champions in ice dancing in 2021, but this season the couple was forced to withdraw right during the free dance at the second stage of the Russian Cup. The reason for this is the partner’s knee injury. Although after some time the athletes took to the ice - and won the Moscow stage of the Grand Prix - they still decided to skip the Russian Championship.

Doctors recommended that Victoria avoid stress until the knee goes away completely. But she only stayed at home for a week and a half: “I tried to combine rehabilitation with preparation, we really wanted to get ready for the competition. It hasn’t completely gone away – sometimes I skate with a knee brace, I’m sure we’ll be able to approach future competitions in better shape.”

The situation was further complicated by the fact that both athletes suffered from a severe cold. As a result, the team doctors allowed the couple only light activities, for example, participation in ice shows.

How to prevent armpit pain

• do not use antiperspirants and deodorants (what is the difference - we explained in this article) with aluminum and zinc, they clog pores, and also with triclosan - this is an antibacterial agent, entering the body through the pores, it can cause disruption of the functioning of the reproductive and endocrine systems;
• Shower regularly. Be careful when shaving so as not to injure sensitive skin;
• wear only clean clothes and wash T-shirts on time, especially in summer;
• Feel your armpits for any lumps or pain. This way you can detect the problem in time and contact a specialist;
• Do a warm-up before training. Start with low-amplitude swings of your arms, warm up your shoulders and elbow joints. It is especially important to warm up the shoulder girdle before doing pull-ups, climbing walls and other activities that involve stretching the muscles;
• be careful during sex. Some poses, such as doggy style with your arms extended forward, can lead to armpit pain. It's all about the slight stretch that the muscles undergo;
• Get regular checkups and monitor your health. This is easier and cheaper than treating an advanced disease later.

The most common joint diseases: arthritis and arthrosis

There are many diseases of the joint system: arthritis, arthrosis, periarthritis (inflammation of periarticular tissues - tendons, ligaments, muscles, joint capsule), osteochondrosis, etc. All of them are accompanied by pain in the joints. To accurately name a disease in medicine, terms denoting the diagnosis and location of the lesion are combined. For example, gonarthrosis is made up of 2 Greek words: gony (knee) + árthrosi (joint).

In 2021, a survey was conducted of 846 Russian doctors of various specialties, whose work is related to the treatment of musculoskeletal pain. Judging by the results, most often patients come to see doctors with osteoarthritis of the knee, hip joints and hands. And these are not always elderly people.

Arthritis

If a joint hurts for no apparent reason and during prolonged immobility - late at night, in the morning, and the patient has to move to relieve the condition - then doctors talk about inflammatory pain. Such pain is constant, intense and long-lasting (more than 24 hours), and is characteristic of arthritis and periarthritis.

The cause of inflammation in the joint (or periarticular tissues) can be a local or general infection, allergy, autoallergy, injury, etc. The development of arthritis is promoted by hypothermia and physical overload. All elements of the joint, including bones and cartilage, can be involved in the inflammatory process. When inflammation spreads to the ends of the articular bones (epiphyses), the disease is called osteoarthritis.

The peculiarity of the structure of soft articular tissues - namely, the fact that their synovial membrane is abundantly “stitched” with blood vessels and nerve endings - explains the ability of joints to quickly become inflamed. Typically, the causative agent of the disease is introduced into the joint cavity through the blood or lymph flow, after which it remains in the synovium. A striking example is tuberculous, septic, and viral arthritis.

In rheumatoid arthritis, the inflammation pattern is much more complex: this disease is caused by an immune shift, which leads to the pathological formation of a special antibody in the joint capsule - rheumatoid factor, which provokes an inflammatory reaction.

What changes occur in a joint with advanced arthritis? Death of cartilage, deformation and proliferation of bones. The joint space narrows to a minimum, and pathological growths form along the edges of the joints. All this occurs against the background of accumulation of pus, blood and lymph in the joint capsule, and inflammation spreads to the surrounding tissues.

Arthrosis

If the pain is intermittent, occurs with any movement, intensifies in cold and damp weather, after exercise (for example, at the end of the working day) and disappears at night or at rest - this is the so-called mechanical type of pain. Mechanical pain is usually dull, accompanied by a feeling of stiffness, rapid fatigue, stiff joint mobility, and deformation. A characteristic symptom is the appearance of crunching, cracking or creaking in the knees.

Typically, joints behave this way with arthrosis, which can be caused by loads exceeding the functional capabilities of the joint, microtrauma, and endocrine disorders (including obesity). Infectious, allergic and toxic factors also influence, but in this case there is no inflammation.

What happens in a joint with arthrosis? Overgrowth of bone cartilage is observed, the alignment of the articular surfaces - the articular head and the articular fossa - is disrupted, and the joint space narrows. Particles of destroyed cartilage tissue (osteophytes) can break off and remain inside, covered with a sheath of connective tissue.

Since the cartilage tissue of the joint is devoid of nerves, there is no pain when it is damaged. Pain occurs when the pathological process moves from cartilage to the joint capsule, synovial membrane, ligaments and soft tissues. Changes also occur in them - thickening, deposits of calcium salts, and the growth of dense connective tissue occur. The addition of an inflammatory component is indicated by the appearance of night pain: in this case, they speak of an advanced stage of the disease and the development of the disease into arthritis.

With senile arthrosis, there may be no pain at all - only aches and a feeling of stiffness in the joints. The disease does not spread beyond the joint, with the exception of cases complicated by arthritis.

Gonarthrosis - arthrosis of the knee joint - became the reason for Viktor Faizulin’s retirement from sports. The footballer says that his problems with the knee joint began with a cruciate ligament rupture: “It’s good that I lasted ten years. After surgery, the joint always begins to work differently - not like a healthy one. Somewhere the ligament was overstretched, somewhere it was not stretched - hence the problems... Of course, there are successful operations... But think about those who ended their careers a few years after changing the ligament. There are many of them, we just don’t know about them.”

Often, a cruciate ligament rupture occurs when the tibia deviates outward, when the load on the anterior cruciate ligament increases, causing it to tear. This is one of the most common injuries in football, which is caused by a fall with subsequent dislocation and hyperextension of the lower leg (can occur during a strong side collision with an opponent, sudden braking or change of direction at high speed, unsuccessful landing after a jump or after hitting an opponent's knee).

If your joints hurt after the flu

Although the exact nature of rheumatoid arthritis is still unknown, it is often considered a complication of illness. As a rule, the provocation of the development of this disease is an infectious disease (acute respiratory infections, tonsillitis, acute respiratory viral infections, etc., the treatment of which uses antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and hormonal drugs). Unfortunately, as practice shows, such an approach to the treatment of acute respiratory viral infections disrupts the body’s self-regulation system, and the immune system, producing protective factors, begins to work against the body. Doctors call this reaction of immune system disorders - auto-aggression, i.e. The immune system, instead of protecting its body, begins to attack it. And it begins to attack primarily the cartilaginous surfaces of the joints. Why does the immune system fight against healthy cells? Why does this happen? The fact is that the main feature of the human circulatory system is movement in a circle (large and small circles of blood circulation). Lymphatic vessels accompany human blood vessels. If we compare the circulatory system with the railway system, then both have one thing in common - junction stations. Only in the circulatory system such stations are human joints, where lymph nodes, rather than carriages, accumulate. If regulation in these places (stations) is established, then the trains move on without creating traffic jams at these stations. If regulation is disrupted, then so-called traffic jams occur. In the body, these are swellings where lymphatic cells collect, which normally should destroy infectious cells. But because During illness, even with a high temperature, additional chemical elements are very often used, they misinform the body’s self-regulation system - the immune system, taking on the function of destroying the infection. Immune cells are at a loss, because any infection in any case causes an immunological reaction of the body, i.e. self-defense reaction. All this goes through the lymphatic vessels and collects in the joints, because... here in any case there is a delay in movement. But does the immune system need to fight with someone? And they begin to “attack” both pathogenic microbes and semi-healthy cells that resemble pathogens. And they get carried away. After all, half-sick cells are more “tasty”, and healthy ones are even tastier, because they are more active. After some time, when an infectious or viral disease recurs, and again with drug treatment, lymphatic and immune cells immediately begin to “work” with healthy cells. This is called an autoimmune reaction or a self-destruction reaction due to a violation of self-regulation. This system develops especially quickly with hormonal therapy, and you can already see crooked fingers, poorly rotating joints, contractures in children, i.e. inability to bend and straighten knees, fingers, shoulders... And early disability. It is necessary to create normal conditions. The principle of kinesitherapy in the treatment of joints affected by rheumatoid polyarthritis is that we create conditions for the normal existence of these joints. And a normal existence is when a joint can rotate, and for this the muscles and ligaments of this joint must work, so that these muscles can relax and contract, then they renew the joint fluid, and the joint comes to life. It is difficult, long, but RELIABLE, because... Continuing treatment with antibiotics and hormones leads to a dead end. But where to start if it hurts? You must remember that if the body lives in bad conditions, which is a chemical attack by drugs on this joint, then why won’t it live if we create natural conditions for it. Let's start creating them! And the best exercise is to stretch the muscles and ligaments of the shoulder joint. 1. Attach the rubber shock absorber so that it is stretched between the wall and your hand, and pull with your sore hand, first from below, then at the middle level, then from above. Imagine you are cutting wood. Perform exercises with maximum amplitude. The stronger the resistance of the rubber shock absorber, the more effectively the contractures of the joints (shoulder, elbow, wrist) are stretched. 2. The opposite of this exercise is push-ups (from a wall, chair, floor). IMPORTANT! Both rows and push-ups, perform 10-20 repetitions through the pain. Do these exercises at least three times a week. The number of series per lesson is at least three (for example, one-arm rows 30-40 per lesson). 3. For knee joints - walking on your knees in knee pads around the apartment. Count your steps - up to a hundred steps with each foot. After walking, try to lower your pelvis onto your heels. 4. For the ankle joints - squats, holding onto a stationary support. It is advisable to place a thick book under your heels (from 10 to 100 squats). 5. For the spine: lying on your back, arms to the sides, legs slightly bent at the knees, try to raise your legs, lifting your pelvis from the floor, and with each movement your legs rise to your head and gradually lower behind your head. IMPORTANT! A mandatory condition: do each movement (lifts, squats, raising legs with stretching of the spine) while exhaling XXAAA, opening your mouth wide. This exhalation allows you to relieve pain and perform the exercise in full. BTW Continue through the pain! You should know and remember that any strength exercises performed after a long break, especially if there is inflammation in these joints, will cause an adaptive response, i.e. addiction reaction. The next day after classes, swelling and pain may increase. But don't stop practicing! Any recovery from any disease has a gestation period; for us this period is at least a month. But in order for the adaptation reaction, i.e. adaptation, was less painful, I recommend that after each session, cover the joints with cold compresses or specially prepared cold compresses (moistened towel, maybe with mint solution, and frozen in the refrigerator). Apply to the sore joint after exercise until warmed up (cold increases blood circulation, so after a few seconds you will feel warmth in the joint). These rules apply to the treatment of all joints.

Pain in one of the joints began to bother me. What to do?

You need to go to the doctor, but until you get an appointment, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Nikolai Zagorodniy recommends choosing a body position in which pain does not appear or decreases. It is necessary to exclude all movements that worsen your well-being.

For example, with osteoarthritis, these are jumping, deep squats, prolonged squatting, running, fast and long walking, especially on stairs or uneven terrain when you have to overcome ups and downs.

If you suspect osteoarthritis, it is not advisable to lift and carry heavy objects. Comfortable shoes are very important, which can absorb shocks that occur in the limb when the heel touches the ground. These are shoes with low (no more than 4 cm) wide heels, equipped with a soft elastic sole.

If there is longitudinal or transverse flatfoot, in order to reduce the load on the joints, it is advisable to use insoles-instep supports, and in case of heavy loads and long walking, use orthoses. In many cases, you need to lose excess weight.

What symptoms should you look out for?

In the event of an injury accompanied by severe pain, you should see a doctor immediately. But, if the joint bothers you only from time to time, none of us rush to the hospital. Sometimes the pain is really a consequence of a bruise or minor sprain, which goes away after applying an anesthetic cream. You need to be wary in cases where pain is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• A swelling that develops with tissue swelling that accompanies inflammation.
• Violation of joint stability - in other words, its excessive mobility.
• Persistent joint deformation (hard, uneven thickenings).
• Atrophy (decrease in volume) of the periarticular muscles.
• An increase in the local temperature of the joint and changes in the skin above it (reddened, moist or excessively dry skin).
• Pain with pressure and movement.
• Inability to perform certain movements and discomfort when moving.
• A crunching sound in the joint, which is sometimes heard, and sometimes can be felt by placing your palm on the joint and at the same time making passive movements in it.

Which specialists treat joints?

Pain in ligaments and joints is treated by specialized specialists: neurologists, rheumatologists and surgeons specializing in joint diseases. You can contact either the clinic at your place of residence or a paid clinic.

Another option is to go to a medical and physical education clinic. Such medical institutions are present at sports complexes and accept not only professional athletes, but also everyone. There are rehabilitation doctors who specialize in sports medicine and deal with the restoration of joints after injuries and disorders associated with physical activity.

Often a visual examination is sufficient for an experienced doctor, but sometimes an x-ray, ultrasound or MRI is required. Although MRI is a very effective diagnostic method, the use of tomography is not practiced in every doubtful case: X-rays are usually sufficient. If problems with ligaments are suspected, ultrasound is effective, which clearly shows the condition of the ligamentous apparatus. If its thickening is noticed, this is enough to diagnose the inflammatory process.

First of all, you need to find out what exactly hurts. Perhaps this is not a joint at all, but we are talking about inflammation of the place of attachment of tendons, ligaments, capsules to the bones (enthesitis). This could be dactylitis - inflammation of the phalanges of the fingers. In the joint itself, inflammation of the synovial membrane is possible - synovitis. And that's not all. It is important not to waste time and start effective treatment as quickly as possible. At an appointment with a specialist, you need to ask all the questions you are interested in - to do this, it is recommended to make a list in advance of what you would like to ask.

In the following articles, we will tell you in more detail in what situations related to an active lifestyle, pain in the ligaments and joints most often appears. Let's consider questions about the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, the effectiveness of chondroprotectors, bandages, the features of therapeutic exercises, massage, physiotherapy and, ultimately, endoprosthetics.

When to Seek Medical Help

It is necessary to consult a specialist in these cases:

• the pain is severe and interferes with normal life;
• you have lost weight for no apparent reason;
• your hands go numb, you have difficulty swallowing and breathing;
• lymph nodes are enlarged for more than a week or in different parts of the body (for example, not only in the armpit, but also in the groin, neck);
• you have a fever and sweat a lot at night;
• you feel dizzy and your breathing is uneven.

Sometimes you want to take a painkiller to continue leading your normal life, but a pill will only relieve the symptoms. It is necessary to consult a doctor who will diagnose and prescribe treatment.