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The joints of the arms and legs hurt.What should be done, which doctor should be consulted?Causes, symptoms, treatment

Painful sensations in the joint area are common reasons for visiting the doctor.What to do when your arms and legs hurt depends on the underlying cause of the problem.

Different causes of joint pain

The most common causes of joint pain are related to the following conditions:

  • arthritis (infectious and rheumatic);
  • gout;
  • osteoarthritis;
  • psoriasis (psoriatic arthritis);
  • osteomyelitis;
  • osteophytes;
  • bursitis;
  • flat feet;
  • injury.
Pain in the joints of the hands

The pain can also be caused by nervous system diseases and vascular disorders.

Arthritis

Arthritis is a common disease that often leads to disability.If previously only people over the age of 30 received such a diagnosis, today even very young people are faced with it.

The most characteristic symptoms of arthritis include severe joint pain, which initially occurs only at night and then becomes permanent.When arthritis affects the joints of the legs, walking becomes uncomfortable and gait changes.The skin turns red, the muscles break down, and the body temperature may rise slightly.

After sleeping, a feeling of stiffness appears and the pain peaks.

There are two forms of this disease:

  1. Rheumatoid arthritis.It can occur as a result of age-related changes, severe hypothermia, injuries, and hereditary factors.
  2. Infectious arthritis.It develops against the background of various infectious diseases.

If it is affected by arthritis, the complete destruction of the articular cartilage is accompanied by severe pain.Pain in the toes may radiate to the kneecap or groin area.The most reliable way to diagnose any form of arthritis is radiography.

The following methods are used to treat the disease:

  1. Antibiotics.It is prescribed when infectious tissue lesions are identified and helps restore joints.
  2. Ointments and gelsrelieves swelling, relieves pain and reduces redness.
  3. Dietary supplements.They are used to stimulate the connective tissue and are useful in the early stages of the disease, as they can prevent the need for more serious treatment.
  4. Corticosteroids.They are injected into the most affected joints and can be used for several months if a pronounced positive effect is observed.

Drug treatment is effectively combined with physical therapy, physiotherapy and massage.

Gout

Gout most often affects the joints of the fingers and toes, especially the thumb.In this case, uric acid salts accumulate in crystalline form.

The disease can be recognized based on the following signs:

  1. The joints of the arms and legs hurt.Only a specialist can tell you what to do in this case, but a clear sign of gout is sharp, paroxysmal pain in the fingers.They appear most often at night and become boring during the day.
  2. There are intervals between exacerbations, sometimes very long.They can give the false impression that there are no health problems.
  3. Deterioration of the general condition.
  4. Increased temperature in the area of the affected joint.
  5. Swelling of varying severity.
  6. The appearance of tophi - "nodules" under the skin, consisting of urates.

The following factors can influence the development of gout:

  • overweight;
  • regular consumption of strong coffee and alcohol;
  • kidney disease;
  • genetic predisposition;
  • poor nutrition;
  • hypertension;
  • diabetes mellitus

To diagnose the disease, blood and urine tests are performed, and in some cases a sample of synovial fluid must also be taken.

The main treatment measure is adherence to a strict diet, which includes avoiding fatty fish and meat, offal, broths, canned goods, sausages, salt and spices.The consumption of coffee, tea and cocoa is limited as much as possible, and alcoholic beverages are completely excluded.Complete recovery is not possible without following the diet prescribed by the doctor.

Drug treatment is selected individually, depending on the characteristics of the disease and the patient's condition.The drugs used reduce the formation of uric acid salts, accelerate their excretion, and have anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects.They are also used as compresses, lotions and wraps.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a serious condition that causes inflammation and swelling.As it progresses, it leads to severe impairment of mobility and irreversible degradation of the joint.The first signs of the disease are manifested by numbness in the fingers and a feeling of unusual, strong fatigue.

In the early stages, it is difficult to recognize pain in small joints, so the most common complaint of patients is discomfort at the base of the fingers.If you try to bend them, the pain will be even worse.In most cases, osteoarthritis affects several joints at the same time.The problem can be diagnosed using X-rays.

The following factors can influence the development of the disease:

  • changes in hormonal levels that lead to fluid retention in the body;
  • atherosclerosis of the extremities;
  • gout and other metabolic disorders;
  • diabetes mellitus;
  • effect of streptococci and staphylococci;
  • tooth decay.

Arthrosis of the joints of the toes can develop due to incorrect foot posture, wearing the wrong shoes, overweight, low mobility and other aggravating factors.

The joints of the arms and legs ache;only a specialist can answer what to do in case of osteoarthritis.

But today it is almost impossible to cure this disease with conservative methods.It is possible to perform intra-articular injections, but it is quite difficult and risky.Gels, ointments, poultices and lotions have an anti-inflammatory effect and slightly relieve pain.

Manual therapy for joint pain caused by osteoarthritis

Modern and classical manual therapy methods help in this situation.Visible results can be achieved in a few sessions, but long-term remission can only be achieved in those stages of the disease when the destructive processes have not yet affected the bone.

Psoriasis

Psoriatic arthritis, or psoriatic arthritis, sometimes affects people who have psoriasis, a complex skin condition.It leads to pain and stiffness in the affected joints, which is chronic.

Psoriatic arthritis can start suddenly or develop gradually, so it's important to tell your doctor right away if you develop symptoms.It is currently unknown why psoriasis occurs, but doctors suggest that hereditary factors and negative environmental influences may influence its development.

People with psoriasis are prone to arthritis

There is no specific treatment for this disease, therefore, in most cases, the goal of therapy is to reduce the inflammatory process, prevent pain and loss of joint functions.In rare cases, surgical intervention is used.

Osteomyelitis

Osteomyelitis is a purulent-inflammatory process in the bone marrow, periosteum and bone.Its formation is most often caused by microorganisms such as E. coli, salmonella, streptococcus and staphylococcus.In rarer cases, it turns out to be a complication of other diseases.

The disease affects a person who suffers from general weakness, joint pain and muscle pain.

After that, there is a rapid increase in body temperature, the pain is clearly localized in the affected area, and increases with every movement.Then the purulent process very quickly begins to spread to the surrounding tissues, and sepsis can occur.Urgent measures must be taken at the slightest suspicion of the presence of pathology, otherwise the patient cannot be saved.

Treatment is carried out with antibiotics, which are selected based on the bacteria detected.Surgical therapy is widely used.

Osteophytes

Osteophytes are growths that develop when the supply of nutrients to the articular cartilage is interrupted.

Their presence can be detected by the following signs:

  • crackling in the joints;
  • discomfort in the joints when the weather changes;
  • difficulty straightening your legs or arms after a night's sleep;
  • painful feelings.

Depending on the stage, treatment may include conservative or surgical intervention.Drug therapy includes the prescription of NSAIDs, chondroprotectors, and agents that stimulate better tissue nutrition.

Intra-articular injection of hyaluronic acid is often used.Physiotherapy procedures and massages have a positive effect.

Bursitis

Bursitis is an inflammatory process of the mucous membrane located near the joints.It occurs most often in the shoulder joints, but also occurs in the knee, hip and elbow joints.The disease can be caused by infection, injury, or mechanical damage, but it often appears without an obvious reason.

The joints of the arms and legs hurt, what to do with bursitis:

  • rest mode provided;
  • antibiotics or corticosteroids are prescribed;
  • poultices are performed;
  • pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs are used.

In some cases, surgery is required.

Flat feet

Flat feet can cause pain in the joints of the feet.It may not appear in any form for a long time, so it is especially important to pay attention to its signs.

These are:

  • difficulty balancing in heels;
  • the shoe only wears on one side;
  • legs get tired quickly when walking and standing;
  • by the end of the day, the legs are swollen and heavy;
  • leg cramps;
  • back pain appears;
  • the old shoes will be too small.

The disease can be diagnosed by X-ray examination.The treatment is directly determined by the stage of the disease, the patient's lifestyle and the presence of concomitant diseases.In the early stages, physical education, therapeutic massage and physiotherapy are carried out.If the problem is severe, special shoes are prescribed that model the proper arch of the foot.

Trauma

Joint injuries include ligament injuries, dislocations, contusions, and intra-articular fractures.To clarify the diagnosis, a number of tests are used, including CT, radiography, MRI and ultrasound.The main symptoms are pain, swelling and limitation of movement.

Physiotherapy can help relieve pain in the leg joints after an injury.

The joints of the arms and legs hurt, what to do in case of injury:

  • contact a specialist to determine the nature of the injury;
  • ensure proper rest of the injured joint;
  • use a cooling compress.

Diet for joint diseases

Poor nutrition can not only aggravate the condition of the joints, but can also be the main cause of many serious diseases.Therefore, it is recommended to follow a balanced diet when treating cartilage and connective tissue problems.

A specific nutritional system is prescribed according to a specific disease, but there are also general recommendations:

  • limit the consumption of fast carbohydrates;
  • reduce the amount of salt in the diet;
  • give up spicy food, smoked meats and canned goods;
  • give preference to baking and steaming, avoid fried foods.

Joint pain during pregnancy

What to do if the joints of the arms and legs hurt during pregnancy, only a specialist can answer that.The fact is that we can talk about either one of the pathological conditions or a variant of the norm.When carrying a child, a woman's hormonal background changes, which often negatively affects the joints.In addition, body weight increases, inevitably increasing the load on the legs.

During pregnancy, women experience pain in the joints of the legs and arms

The joints cannot always adapt to this quickly.The third trimester of pregnancy is characterized by swelling, which most often affects the legs and hands.This, in turn, causes pain and a feeling of stiffness.In the first trimester, it is recommended to spend more time resting so that the body can more easily adapt to the changes.

After consulting a doctor and in the absence of contraindications, special gymnastics or yoga will be very useful for pregnant women.Eating the right diet and drinking enough fluids will help you cope with joint discomfort.

To alleviate the condition, we recommend that you follow the following tips:

  • eat foods rich in vitamin D and calcium;
  • wear comfortable, high-quality shoes without heels;
  • control of weight gain and prevention of sudden changes;
  • spend more time outdoors;
  • take special complexes for pregnant women (after consultation with a specialist);
  • stop monotonous physical work;
  • yoga, gymnastics or swimming (in the absence of contraindications);
  • maintaining a stable psycho-emotional state;
  • Self-massage your hands and knees with gentle rubbing and stroking movements.
Knee self-massage for joint pain during pregnancy

During pregnancy, it is very important to immediately pay attention to any pain, including in the joint area.Carrying a child can negatively affect the course of any pathological process, aggravate and accelerate the development of the disease.

Home treatment methods

The use of folk remedies is one of the good ways to speed up the treatment of joint diseases, relieve the symptoms and alleviate the patient's condition.

Among all home treatment methods, the most popular are:

  • warming compresses based on paraffin, salt, clay or potatoes;
  • lotions and rubbing with alcoholic infusions;
  • baths, lotions and poultices from herbal decoctions;
  • compressed with honey.

Depending on your goals, you can resort to the following procedures:

  1. The most useful remedies for pain relief are based on honey, alcohol, turpentine and bee products.Even a single use of the poultice significantly alleviates the condition if the pain is moderate.
    2. Therapeutic poultice on the knee joint to relieve pain
  2. Potato poultices are widely used to warm the joints.Warm mashed potatoes are applied to the joint area, covered with foil and wrapped in a scarf.Keep the poultice on until the potatoes cool down completely.
  3. Alcohol-based products have good anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties.To make the simplest one, just soak gauze in vodka and apply it as a poultice overnight.
  4. To reduce swelling, it is recommended to drink cranberry and cranberry fruit drinks, bay leaf and cranberry leaf decoctions, as well as pharmaceutical diuretics.

The following recipes are the safest (even during pregnancy):

  • foot and hand baths with birch leaves or pine needles;
  • poultice of honey and salt;
  • application of internal fat in the form of an ointment to the joints of the legs;
  • pine bud creams with sugar.

Prevention of joint diseases

The risk of joint pain increases with age, so prevention should be started at a young age.

It is recommended to prevent joint diseases:

  • lift weights correctly, avoiding unnecessary strain on the joints;
  • avoid unhealthy weight gain;
  • eat as balanced a diet as possible, providing the body with sufficient amounts of calcium, magnesium, collagen, and fatty acids;
  • do not neglect physical activity, as a strong muscle ligament significantly reduces the load on the joints;
  • maintaining correct posture;
  • reduce the amount of sugar consumed;
  • if possible, get rid of bad habits (smoking and alcohol consumption);
  • take the time to properly organize the workplace, where you do not have to strain your back and neck, tilt your head back or bend forward;
  • take timely breaks during professional activities, if they involve long static positions, and warm up.

The common myth that only the elderly can hurt the joints leads to the fact that many people ignore the first symptoms of serious diseases and consult a specialist only as a last resort.In fact, many diseases can affect very young people.

Even arthritis, which for many years was considered an age-related problem, is increasingly affecting men and women under thirty.

What to do if the joints of the legs and arms hurt, only a doctor can tell you in any situation, who will quickly make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe appropriate treatment.When painful sensations appear, it is not recommended to immediately resort to self-medication and traditional methods, since we are talking about serious degenerative processes that are often irreversible and lead to complications.