Joint pain is a specific unpleasant sensation that indicates a pathological process in the area of the joint itself or in the tissues surrounding it.According to statistics, about 55% of people over the age of 45 turn to the doctor with such ailments.And after 70 years, this symptom manifests itself in 90% of patients.Why do unpleasant sensations arise?What to do if the 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 extending from 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 (following injury or surgery);
- soft tissue diseases (adhesive capsulitis, myalgia, tendinopathies);
- osteoarthritis;
- arthritis (post-traumatic, gouty, psoriatic);
- autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis);
- benign and malignant tumors;
- damage to nerve trunks.
Many people associate joint pain with changing weather conditions.However, in 2016, scientists from Colling University in Australia published a paper that completely refuted 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 associated with changes in atmospheric pressure or changes in temperature.
Which doctor should I contact for help?
When your joints hurt a lot, you need to seek help from a specialist as soon as possible.If the cause of discomfort is associated with an injury (contusion, dislocation or fracture of various degrees), it is necessary to visit an orthopedic traumatologist.In other cases, it is necessary to seek help from a rheumatologist.To accurately identify the cause of pain and prescribe treatment, diagnostic procedures will be needed:
- x-ray of the joint;
- ultrasound examination;
- MRI or CT (only if indicated);
- joint puncture (if there is an accumulation of fluid inside the joint);
- arthroscopy.
How to reduce joint pain?
To eliminate discomfort in the joints, you can use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.They reduce the severity of pain and relieve swelling.Anti-inflammatory ointments, creams and gels applied to the affected joint have the same effect.
For degenerative joint diseases (osteoarthritis), chondroprotectors are indicated which slow down the process of destruction of cartilage tissue.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 mobility in the joints.As additional treatment methods, physiotherapeutic procedures can be used: massage, magnetic therapy, electrophoresis with various drugs.