Joint pain is a specific unpleasant sensation that indicates a pathological process in the joint itself or in the tissues surrounding it.According to statistics, about 55% of people over 45 years old go to the doctor because of this kind of discomfort.And 70 years later, 90% of patients will have this symptom.Why do unpleasant feelings occur?What if your joints hurt?Which expert should I contact for help?
Why do joints hurt?
Joint pain is the result of irritation of the nerve endings extending from the joint capsule.Due to a fairly developed and well-innervated vascular network, the joints are capable of responding painfully to a variety of stimuli, including toxins and salt crystals.
Main causes of joint pain:
- mechanical damage (due to injury or surgery);
- Soft tissue disorders (adhesive capsulitis, myalgia, tendinopathy);
- Osteoarthritis;
- Arthritis (post-traumatic, gout, psoriasis);
- Autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis);
- benign and malignant tumors;
- Nerve trunk damage.
Many people associate joint pain with changes in weather conditions.However, in 2016, scientists from Australia's Collin University published a paper completely refuting this statement.More than 300 volunteers took part in the study: each of them recorded their pain for 3-4 months.It turns out that neither the onset of pain nor its intensity is related to changes in air pressure or temperature.
Which doctor should I contact for help?
When you have severe joint pain, you need to seek expert help as soon as possible.If the cause of discomfort is related to an injury (varying degrees of bruising, dislocation, or fractures), you need to see an orthopedic traumatologist.In other cases, you'll need to seek help from a rheumatologist.In order to accurately identify the cause of pain and develop a treatment plan, diagnostic procedures are required:
- joint radiography;
- Ultrasound examination;
- MRI or CT (only if needed);
- Arthrocentesis (if fluid builds up in the joint);
- Arthroscopy.
How to reduce joint pain?
To eliminate joint discomfort, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be used.They can reduce the severity of pain and relieve swelling.Anti-inflammatory ointments, creams and gels applied to the affected joints can also have the same effect.
For degenerative joint diseases (osteoarthrosis), chondroprotectants are required, which slow down the process of destruction of cartilage tissue.They also come in the form of capsules, ointments and gels, tablets, and intra-articular injections.
Regular therapeutic exercises also have great results.Properly chosen exercises can help you eliminate pain and stiffness and restore mobility to your joints.Physiotherapy procedures are available as additional treatments: massage, magnet therapy, electrophoresis with various drugs.