The joints of the arms and legs hurt.What to do, which doctor to see?Causes, symptoms, treatment

Painful sensations in the joint area are a common reason to visit the doctor.What to do if your arm and leg joints hurt depends on the cause of the problem.

Various causes of joint pain

The most common causes of joint pain are associated with the following conditions:

• arthritis (infectious and rheumatic);
• gout;
• osteoarthritis;
• psoriasis (psoriatic arthritis);
• osteomyelitis;
• osteophytes;
• bursitis;
• flat feet;
• injury.

Pain can also be caused by nerve diseases and vascular disorders.

Joint pain

Arthritis is a common disease that often leads to disability.If previously such a diagnosis was given only to those over 30 years old, today relatively young people also face it.

The most typical symptoms of arthritis include severe pain in the joint area, which at first only appears at night, then becomes constant.If arthritis affects the joints of the feet, walking becomes uncomfortable and gait changes.The skin becomes red, the muscles begin to deteriorate, and the body temperature may rise slightly.

After sleep, a feeling of stiffness appears and the peak of pain occurs.

There are two forms of this disease:

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

When affected by arthritis, complete destruction of articular cartilage occurs, 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 by radiography.

The following methods of treating this disease are distinguished:

1. Antibiotics.It is prescribed when identifying infectious tissue lesions and helps restore joints.
2. Ointment and gelto relieve swelling, relieve pain and reduce redness.
3. Supplements.Used to stimulate connective tissue, they 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 significant 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 big toe.In this case, uric acid salts accumulate in the form of crystals.

This disease can be recognized by 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 a sharp, paroxysmal pain in the fingers.Often they appear at night, and become dull during the day.
2. There are intervals between exacerbations, sometimes very long.They can give the false impression that there is no health problem.
3. General deterioration.
4. Increased temperature in the affected joint area.
5. Swelling of various degrees of severity.
6. The appearance of tophi - "nodules" under the skin, consisting of veins.

The following factors can affect the occurrence of gout:

• overweight;
• regular use of coffee and strong alcohol;
• kidney disease;
• genetic predisposition;
• poor nutrition;
• high blood pressure;
• diabetes

To diagnose the disease, blood and urine tests are examined, and sometimes it is necessary to take a sample of synovial fluid.

The main treatment step is to follow a strict diet, which involves avoiding fish and fatty meat, offal, soups, canned food, sausages, salt and spices.The use of coffee, tea and cocoa is limited as much as possible, and alcoholic beverages are completely excluded.Without following the diet prescribed by the doctor, full recovery is not possible.

Drug therapy is selected individually, depending on the characteristics of the disease and the condition of the patient.The drugs used reduce the production of uric acid salts, speed up the removal process, and have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.Compresses, lotions and bandages are also used.

Osteoarthritis

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

In the early stages, it is difficult to recognize pain in small joints, so the most common complaint from patients is discomfort at the base of the fingers.If you try to bend it, the pain becomes stronger.In most cases, osteoarthritis affects several joints at once.The problem can be diagnosed using x-rays.

The following factors can affect the development of the disease:

• changes in hormone levels, which lead to fluid retention in the body;
• atherosclerosis in the legs;
• gout and other diseases related to metabolic disorders;
• diabetes mellitus;
• the influence of streptococci and staphylococcus;
• caries.

Arthrosis of the toe joint can develop against the background of incorrect foot placement, wearing bad shoes, excess weight, low mobility and other aggravating factors.

Joints of arms and legs ache;only a specialist can answer what to do with osteoarthritis.

But today it is almost impossible to cure this disease using conservative methods.Performing intra-articular injections is possible, but quite difficult and risky.Gels, ointments, compresses and lotions can provide anti-inflammatory effects and provide some pain relief.

Modern and classical manual therapy methods will help in this situation.Visible results can be achieved in just a few sessions, but achieving long-term remission is only possible at the stage of the disease when the destructive process has not yet affected the bones.

Psoriasis

Psoriasis of the joints, or psoriatic arthritis, sometimes affects people with psoriasis, a complex skin disease.It leads to pain and stiffness in the affected joint, which is chronic.

Psoriatic arthritis can start suddenly or develop gradually, so it's important to tell your doctor right away if symptoms appear.Currently, it is not known why psoriasis occurs, but doctors suggest that hereditary factors and negative environmental influences can influence its development.

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

Osteomyelitis

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

This disease affects a person with general body weakness, joint pain, and muscle pain.

Then a rapid increase in body temperature occurs, the pain is clearly localized in the affected area, getting stronger with every movement.Next, the purulent process begins to spread rapidly to the surrounding tissue, and sepsis can occur.It is necessary to take immediate measures with the slightest suspicion of the presence of this pathology, otherwise the patient cannot be saved.

Treatment is carried out using antibiotics, which are selected according to the bacteria detected.Surgical therapy is widely used.

Osteophytes

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

Their presence can be detected by the following signs:

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

Depending on the stage, treatment can be either conservative or involve surgical intervention.Drug therapy involves the prescription of NSAIDs, chondroprotectors, as well as agents that stimulate better tissue nutrition.

Intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid are often used.Physiotherapy procedures and massage sessions have a positive effect.

Bursitis

Bursitis is an inflammatory process of the mucous bursa located near the joint.It most often occurs in the shoulder joints, but also occurs in the knee, hip and elbow joints.The causative agent of this disease can be infection, injury, mechanical damage, but often it appears for no apparent reason.

Arm and leg joints hurt, what to do with bursitis:

• rest mode provided;
• antibiotics or corticosteroids are prescribed;
• compressing is done;
• Painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs are used.

In some cases, surgery is required.

Flat feet

Flat feet can cause pain in the foot joints.It may not manifest in any way for a long time, so it is very important to pay attention to its signs.

They are as follows:

• difficult to balance in heels;
• shoes worn only on one side;
• when walking and standing, your legs get tired quickly;
• at the end of the day, the legs swell and become heavy;
• leg cramps;
• back pain appears;
• old shoes become too small.

This disease can be diagnosed using x-rays.Treatment is directly determined by the stage of the disease, the patient's lifestyle, and the presence of concomitant diseases.In the initial stages, physical education, therapeutic massage, and physiotherapy are performed.If the problem is severe, special shoes are prescribed that model the correct arch of the foot.

Trauma

Joint injuries include ligament damage, dislocations, contusions, and intra-articular fractures.To clarify the diagnosis, several studies are used, including CT, radiography, MRI and ultrasound.The main symptoms are pain, swelling and restriction in movement.

Arm and leg joints hurt, what to do in case of injury:

• contact a specialist to determine the nature of the injury;
• provide damaged joints with proper rest;
• use a cooling compress.

Diet for arthritis

Poor nutrition can not only worsen the condition of the joints, but is also the main cause of many serious diseases.Therefore, in the process of treating any problem related to cartilage and connective tissue, it is recommended to follow a balanced diet.

Specific nutritional systems are prescribed according to specific diseases, but there are also general recommendations:

• limit the consumption of fast carbohydrates;
• reduce the amount of salt in the diet;
• leave spicy food, smoked meat and canned food;
• giving priority to baking and boiling, avoiding fried food.

Joint pain during pregnancy

What to do when the joints of the arms and legs hurt during pregnancy, only experts can answer.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 has a negative effect on the joints.In addition, increased body weight inevitably increases the load on the legs.

Joints are not always able to adapt quickly.The third trimester of pregnancy is characterized by swelling, which most often affects the legs and hands.In turn, this causes pain and 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 if there are no contraindications, special gymnastics or yoga for pregnant women will be very useful.A proper diet and drinking enough fluids will help you overcome discomfort in your joints.

To ease the situation, it is recommended to follow the following tips:

• eat foods rich in vitamin D and calcium;
• wear comfortable, high-quality shoes without heels;
• control weight gain and avoid sudden changes;
• spend more time outdoors;
• take a special complex for pregnant women (after consulting a specialist);
• give up boring physical work;
• doing yoga, gymnastics or swimming (if there are no contraindications);
• maintain a stable psycho-emotional state;
• Do a self-massage on your hands and knees with gentle rubbing and patting motions.

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, worsen it and accelerate the development of the disease.

Treatment methods at home

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

Of all the home treatment methods, the most popular are the following:

• heating compresses based on paraffin, salt, clay or potatoes;
• lotions and wipes with alcohol infusion;
• baths, lotions and compresses from plant decoctions;
• compress using honey.

Depending on your goals, you can use the following procedures:

1. To relieve pain, the most useful remedies are those based on honey, alcohol, turpentine, and beekeeping products.Even one application of the compress can significantly reduce the condition if the pain is moderate.

2. Potato compresses are widely used to warm joints.Warm mashed potatoes are applied to the joint area, covered with film and wrapped with a scarf.The compress is stored until the potatoes are completely cool.
3. Alcohol-based products have good anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.To prepare the easiest, just soak a gauze in vodka and apply it as a compress overnight.
4. To relieve swelling, it is recommended to drink lingonberry and cranberry fruit drinks, decoction of bay leaves and lingonberry leaves, as well as pharmaceutical diuretics.

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

• bath feet and hands with birch leaves or pine needles;
• compress honey and salt;
• using internal fat in the form of ointment on the joints of the legs;
• lotion made from pine buds with sugar.

Prevention of joint disease

With age, the risk of joint pain increases, so it is recommended to start prevention at a young age.

To prevent arthritis is recommended:

• lift weights correctly, avoiding unnecessary stress on the joints;
• avoid unhealthy weight gain;
• eat as balanced a diet as possible, providing the body with sufficient amounts of calcium, magnesium, collagen, fatty acids;
• do not neglect physical activity, because a strong muscle corset significantly reduces the load on the joints;
• maintain proper posture;
• reduce the amount of sugar used;
• if possible, get rid of bad habits (smoking and drinking alcohol);
• take the time to properly arrange the workplace, where you do not have to strain your back and neck, throw your head back or lean forward;
• taking timely breaks during professional activities, if it involves long static positions, and doing warm-ups.

The common myth that only the elderly can hurt joints causes many people to ignore the first symptoms of a serious illness, turning to a specialist only as a last resort.In fact, many diseases can attack young people.

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

What to do when the joints of the legs and arms hurt, in every situation only a doctor can tell you, who will quickly make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe adequate treatment.When painful sensations appear, it is not recommended to immediately use self-medication and traditional methods, because we are talking about a serious degenerative process, which is often irreversible and leads to complications.