Diseases of the joints are one of the most common manifestations of disorders of the musculoskeletal system. They develop in the presence of inflammatory, degenerative-dystrophic, infectious processes in the body, as well as as a result of trauma and congenital anomalies.
Doctors distinguish dozens of different joint diseases that have quite similar symptoms (pain, crunch, restriction of movement). This complicates the diagnosis and prevents timely treatment. Therefore, in this article experts will tell you about the manifestations and peculiarities of the development of the most common joint pathologies.
Characteristics of the joints and the causes of their diseases
It is any connection of two or more bones. There are 38 pairs of joints in the human body (76 joints in total). They provide mobility and flexibility to our body. Exercise is a vital function and if the disease limits it, quality and life expectancy decrease.
Each joint has articular surfaces - these are the surfaces of the bones that enter it, covered with a special, hyaline cartilage. It is dense, elastic and is needed to prevent the bones from rubbing when moving. It also ensures that they match perfectly with each other. It is the wear and tear of cartilage that becomes a common cause of pain, crunch, stiffness and other signs of joint disease.
The joints are characterized by a complex structure. Joint surfaces, capsule, fissure, synovium, periarticular muscles and ligaments - all these structures provide motor and supporting functions of the joint. Their damage can provoke the development of the disease.
Causes of diseases
Many people mistakenly believe that only the elderly suffer from joint disease due to age changes and weakness of the body. But this is not the case!
Diseases of the joints can develop as a result of:
- injuries;
- Overweight;
- physical activity;
- improper posture;
- flat steps;
- hereditary predisposition;
- food with insufficient content of microelements;
- diseases of the internal organs;
- metabolic disorders;
- transferred operations;
- infections.
People of absolutely any age and even those in relatively good health (eg men and women of working age, adolescents, children, athletes, etc. ) can face the effects of these factors.
As a result, this group of diseases is becoming younger - the frequency of occurrence and disability is second only to cardiovascular and endocrinological diseases, and their treatment is associated with high financial costs.
The mechanism of development and types of diseases
In the pathogenesis of joint damage, doctors distinguish 4 possible pathways:
First: the presence of inflammation in the body
This type of lesion is characterized by a sudden onset, with a rapid increase in symptoms of inflammation: swelling, pain, redness, fever. It occurs in infections, allergies, autoimmune processes in children and adults.
Juvenile arthritis
It is characterized by an autoimmune process (ie the body self-destructs), the cause of which is unknown. Transmitted infections, even in mild form (eg vaccinations), are often provocative.
The disease affects a large joint (knee, elbow) in children and adolescents, adversely affects their growth and development. Joint pain is accompanied by severe swelling, redness of the skin and fever.
Rheumatoid arthritis
Also caused by an autoimmune process for no apparent reason. Women are more often ill, the average age is 45-50 years. Up to 70% of patients become disabled.
It affects a small joint (or several), such as the wrists, fingers. This affects patients' ability to work and even self-care. They complain of severe pain, swelling, changes in the shape of the joints and morning stiffness in them.
Psoriatic arthritis
In almost half of patients diagnosed with psoriasis, the inflammatory process develops in the small joints of the arms, legs and spine. The cause of arthritis, as well as the cause of the underlying disease, is unknown.
Psoriatic arthritis can affect the interdigital and large (elbow, knee), one or more joints, symmetrically or not.
The main manifestation is the presence of pain that extends to the ligaments and tendons, swelling and blue skin on the fingers, limiting mobility.
Gouty arthritis
It develops against the background of gout, as a result of the deposition of uric acid salts in the joints. Men suffer more often than women, age - respectively 40-50 years and over 60 years.
A characteristic feature is the defeat of a joint, which begins suddenly, lasts several weeks, is accompanied by severe pain and swelling, with the formation of uric acid nodes (tofus).
Spondyloarthritis with ankylosing spondylitis
Chronic lesion in which the spine, paravertebral muscles and sacroiliac joint of the pelvis are affected.
Men are more likely to suffer from the disease than women, and it develops at the age of 20-30 years. Their main complaint is pain in the lower back, in the sacrum, in the hip joints; stiffness of movements after a period of rest (especially in the morning, after sleep).
Even with relief of symptoms and relative well-being without eliminating the root cause, the inflammation continues to develop and will cause a new exacerbation over time. Therefore, joint pathology often becomes chronic and leads to disability.
Second: the presence of a degenerative-dystrophic process
In this type of lesion, the joint is destroyed by physical factors. Injuries and microtraumas, constant physical activity above the norm, the harmful effects of the environment (hypothermia, vibrations) - all these pathological factors cause the destruction of cartilage and narrowing of the joint space.
Deforming osteoarthritis
It develops as a result of damage and destruction of articular cartilage. Its joint surfaces become rough and sensitive to friction. Over time, the process of destruction goes to the bones, capsule, synovium, ligaments and muscles. Chronic inflammation and changes in the shape of the joint occur.
Osteoarthritis is the most common joint pathology. It reduces the quality of life of patients, causes disability and is difficult to treat. In youth, men get sick more often, in old age - women.
Clinically, osteoarthritis presents with severe pain and limited mobility, which increase with exercise. In the later stages, even rest and tranquility do not bring relief.
Osteochondrosis
It affects the spine and is caused by degenerative processes in the intervertebral discs. Under the influence of negative factors, the nutrition of the discs is disrupted, which leads to loss of their shape (to the formation of protrusions and hernias), aging and destruction.
As a result, the spine loses its mobility, there is pain, numbness, stiffness, muscle weakness, difficulty urinating and bowel movements, headache, dizziness. The symptoms depend on the part of the spine in which osteochondrosis has developed and can be very different.
Deforming spondylarthrosis
This condition is also called "facet syndrome". In this case, the process of destruction affects the structures of the intervertebral joints (capsule, ligaments, veneers).
It most often occurs in the most "congested" part of the spine - the lumbar. It manifests itself as pain that radiates to the legs and intensifies with prolonged walking or standing.
Osteochondropathy
Caused by aseptic (non-infectious) bone necrosis, for example, due to impaired blood supply. As a result, the bones entering the joint are prone to frequent fractures. In advanced cases, patients can be seriously injured even while sleeping.
In the early stages, the disease does not manifest itself in any way. Many of the patients are athletes and people who lead a "healthy" lifestyle. The former are subjected to excessive stress, the latter deliberately limit their diet and deprive the body of the necessary substances.
In order to destroy the dense and elastic cartilage, the pathogenic factor must act on the joint for years, which is why degenerative-dystrophic changes are more common in old age. Or he has to act with superpowers, as in sports.
Many professional athletes become disabled in their youth.
Third: congenital joint pathologies
This type of lesion causes abnormalities in the structure and development of the joints as a result of infections and injuries of the mother, concomitant pathology, late toxicosis and genetic diseases.
Common manifestations of congenital anomalies are birth trauma, such as hip dislocation or clavicle fracture.
Congenital dysplasia of the hip joints
It develops as a result of a violation of the formation of all joint structures in the prenatal and postnatal period. Predisposing factors are heredity and tight swaddling. Girls are more susceptible to this pathology than boys - the incidence is 80% and 20%, respectively.
In dysplasia, the shape of the joint changes and its connections are very elastic. This causes displacement of the femur and impedes the mobility of the hip joint, which can lead to disability.
Congenital strabismus
Deformity in which due to the defeat of the ankle joint the foot deviates inwards towards the lower leg.
The clubfoot often affects boys and in half of the cases is bilateral. If the defect is not removed in time, the child will not be able to walk normally and will remain disabled.
Marfan syndrome
Genetic pathology in which the patient has elongated bones of the arms and legs, as well as hypermobility (excessive mobility) of the joints.
In the early stages, many congenital joint pathologies can be completely eliminated or development slowed down with the help of conservative methods. Late diagnosis and treatment can lead to maintenance and movement disorders, up to and including disability.
Fourth: diseases of the muscles and joints
Pathologies in this group often develop as a result of increased physical activity and hypothermia.
Tendinitis
Inflammation and destruction of the tendon. It is accompanied by his tension and painful sensations, especially in time.
myositis
Development of inflammation in the periarticular muscles. It is accompanied by pain when touching the affected area, which increases with movement.
bursitis
The inflammatory process is localized in the joint capsule. It often affects professional athletes (wrestlers, runners, weightlifters).
synovitis
Damage to the synovial membrane with accumulation of fluid in the joint cavity. Accompanied by pain, swelling, stiffness of movements.
The relationship between the disease and the type of joints
There is a certain pattern in which the joint is affected by which pathology. Some of them even have their own specific names.
For example,knee jointcan be affected at any age, regardless of the patient's gender and occupation. But lesions of the meniscus and cruciate ligaments are more common in athletes. Gonarthrosis - in the elderly. Arthritis of infectious origin - in children.
Soreness inshoulder jointcan be caused by shoulder-scapular periarthritis, cervical osteochondrosis, osteoarthritis.
Forelbow jointtypical damage to periarticular tissues - epicondylitis or "tennis elbow", "golfer's elbow".
The hip joint is more commonly affected in the elderly. As a result of osteoporosis and coxarthrosis, they are at risk of a fracture of the femoral neck.
Soreness insmall jointsarms and legs is observed in rheumatoid, psoriatic, gouty arthritis.
But despite the specific manifestations, the diagnosis of joint pathology often causes difficulties, which is fraught with late initiation of treatment and risk of complications.
Symptoms and diagnosis
Among the complaints that concern patients with joint pathology are:
- Soreness;
- Swelling and puffiness;
- Change of shape;
- Stiffness of movement;
- Impossibility to perform normal range of motion.
Doctors call them joint syndrome. Doctors call them joint syndrome. Reddening of the skin, rashes on it and dense nodules are also possible. Of the general symptoms, patients often complain of fever in the area of the lesion or the whole body, increased fatigue.
Reading the previous section, you may have noticed that all these symptoms occur in almost every joint pathology. Therefore, it is impossible to make a clear diagnosis based only on your complaints - you need an examination and consultation with a doctor.
During the examination of the patient, the doctor not only pays attention to his complaints. In order to make an accurate diagnosis, it is important to know the time of their occurrence, which joint is affected, one or more of them, whether this damage is symmetrical and other factors.
Let's take a closer look at each symptom:
soreness:
It occurs in almost every pathology. Doctors distinguish several types:
- Inflammatory- increases in the morning, after a period of rest. Characteristic of rheumatoid, juvenile, gouty arthritis, spondyloarthritis.
- Mechanical- appears during exercise or change in body position, often in the late afternoon, disappears after rest. Characteristic of osteoarthritis, arthrosis, osteochondrosis, pathology of periarticular tissues.
- "Start"- occurs in the first 15-20 minutes of physical activity after a period of rest. Characteristic of osteoarthritis.
- "blockade"- caused by pinching in the joint space of a cartilage fragment, as a result of which the joint becomes "wedges". May be accompanied by a creaking sound. Occurs in osteoarthritis.
- Constant- continues, regardless of the load and time of day, may increase at night. Characteristic of osteochondropathy, osteomyelitis, tumors and tuberculosis of the bones.
Number of joints affected:
- One (monoarthritis): with juvenile, gouty, psoriatic arthritis.
- Two or four (oligoarthritis): with rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthritis.
- More than four (polyarthritis): with rheumatoid, gouty arthritis.
Symmetry of the lesion:
- Symmetrically: for rheumatoid arthritis.
- Asymmetric: in spondyloarthritis, gout, osteoarthritis.
- "Migrating": with gout.
Morning joint stiffness:
It is felt by the patient as an inability and tension of movement. This happens in the morning and involves the accumulation of fluid in the joint cavity overnight. Characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthritis.
The doctor also pays attention to the general complaints:
- Fever;
- Redness of the skin, the presence of a rash on it;
- Defeat of internal organs.
In order to make an accurate diagnosis, laboratory (analysis of blood, joint fluid) and instrumental tests (X-ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound) are needed.
Conclusion
Joint pain and dysfunction can be caused by a variety of reasons. There are pathologies that cannot be treated, but many of them, with adequate and timely treatment, allow a person to live a full life. Therefore, if you have at least one of the listed symptoms, contact your doctor - do not diagnose, do not prescribe treatment and even more so do not tolerate pain.
We use a holistic approach to the treatment of joint pain, thanks to which many of our patients have regained the joy of movement.