Joint pain is a specific unpleasant sensation that indicates a pathological process in the area of the joint itself or the tissues around it.According to statistics, about 55% of people over 45 go to a doctor with similar complaints.And after 70 years, this symptom occurs in 90% of patients.Why do unpleasant sensations arise?What to do if your joints hurt a lot?Which specialist should I turn to for help?
Why can joints hurt?
Painful sensations in the joints are the result of irritation of the nerve endings coming out of the joint capsule.Thanks to a fairly developed network of blood vessels and good innervation, the joint is able to respond to painful reactions to various irritating factors (including toxins, salt crystals).
The main causes of joint pain:
- mechanical damage (as a result of injury or operation);
- soft tissue diseases (adhesive capsulitis, myalgia, tendinopathy);
- osteoarthritis;
- arthritis (post-traumatic, gouty, psoriatic);
- autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis);
- benign and malignant tumors;
- nerve trunk damage.
Many people associate joint pain with changing weather conditions.However, in 2016, scientists from the University of Collings in Australia published an article that completely refutes this claim.Over three hundred volunteers took part in the study: each of them recorded pain for 3-4 months.It turned out that neither the onset of pain nor its intensity was related to changes in atmospheric pressure or temperature changes.
Which doctor should I contact for help?
When your joints hurt badly, you should seek professional help as soon as possible.If the cause of the discomfort is related to an injury (bruise, dislocation or fracture of varying degrees), you should visit an orthopedic traumatologist.In other cases, you should seek help from a rheumatologist.In order to accurately determine the cause of the pain and prescribe treatment, diagnostic procedures will be required:
- radiography of the joint;
- ultrasound examination;
- MRI or CT (only if indicated);
- puncture of the joint (if there is an accumulation of fluid inside the joint);
- arthroscopy.
How to reduce joint pain?
To get rid of joint discomfort, you can use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.They reduce the intensity of pain and relieve swelling.Anti-inflammatory ointments, creams and gels that are applied to the affected joint have the same effect.
In degenerative joint diseases (osteoarthrosis), chondroprotectors are indicated, which slow down the process of cartilage tissue destruction.They are also available in the form of capsules, ointments and gels, tablets and intra-articular injections.
Regular therapeutic exercises also have a good effect.Properly selected exercises can help you get rid of pain and stiffness, as well as restore joint mobility.Physiotherapy procedures can be used as additional treatment methods: massage, magnetotherapy, electrophoresis with various drugs.