Joint pain is a specific unpleasant sensation that indicates a pathological process in the area of the joint itself or the tissues surrounding it.According to statistics, around 55% of people over 45 years of age go to the doctor with this type of discomfort.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 contact 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 and salt crystals).
The main causes of joint pain:
- mechanical damage (as a result of injury or surgery);
- soft tissue diseases (adhesive capsulitis, myalgia, tendinopathy);
- 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 at Colling University in Australia published a paper that completely refuted this claim.More than three hundred volunteers participated in the study: each of them recorded their pain for 3 or 4 months.It turned out that neither the appearance 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 should seek help from a specialist as soon as possible.If the cause of the discomfort is associated with an injury (hematoma, dislocation or fracture of various degrees), it is necessary to go to 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 required:
- joint x-ray;
- ultrasound examination;
- MRI or CT (only if indicated);
- joint puncture (if there is fluid accumulation 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 applied to the affected joint have the same effect.
In 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.Correctly selected exercises can help you get rid of pain and stiffness, as well as restore the mobility of your joints.Physiotherapeutic procedures can be used as additional treatment methods: massage, magnetic therapy, electrophoresis with various drugs.