Contents
What is joint inflammation
Inflammation of the joints (arthritis) is the general name for various joint diseases that can affect one or more joints (polyarthritis).
Symptoms of inflammation of the joints in adults
What will be discussed in the article is called arthritis. This term is known not only by doctors and people who had to deal with such a diagnosis, but, probably, by everyone. This disease is so “popular”.
“Arthritis is an inflammation in the joint characterized by pain and excessive accumulation of synovial fluid in the joint,” says Anna Misiyuk, rheumatologist. – When inflammation occurs in a joint, a person experiences pain in the joint, stiffness (stiffness), swelling appears around the joint, the skin over the joint becomes warmer due to inflammation and the joint seems hotter, its functions are impaired.
It happens that the symptomatology is not limited to this. According to our expert, sometimes common symptoms also appear: weakness, fever, unmotivated weight loss.
“It is not necessary to have all the symptoms — sometimes one or more signs are noted, and sometimes the whole set is found,” emphasizes Dr. Misiyuk.
What you need to know about joint inflammation
| Age of patients with arthritis | young, middle-aged and old |
| Course of the disease | any joints are affected, but more often small ones |
| Symptoms | pain, swelling, redness |
| Which doctor treats | therapist, rheumatologist |
| Treatment | drug therapy |
Causes of joint inflammation in adults
As we have said, there can be many reasons. And, as a rule, inflammation of the joints in adults accompanies some other diseases.
“Inflammation in the joints develops in a number of rheumatic autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout, psoriatic arthritis, spondyloarthritis,” notes Anna Misiyuk. – May occur as a manifestation in systemic connective tissue diseases (such as systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic vasculitis, Sjögren’s disease, etc.). Inflammation in the joints can be observed with osteoarthritis, with joint injuries, as part of a reactive process against the background of acute or chronic infectious diseases.
In addition, arthritis can be a symptom of other diseases, such as hematological or oncological ones. And therefore, according to our expert, patients with inflammation of the joints undergo an extended medical examination.
Treatment of inflammation of the joints in adults
A variety of advertisements for remedies that “rescue” inflammation of the joints focuses on eliminating pain and increasing mobility. But is this enough?
“Depending on the diagnosis, different approaches to therapy are used,” says Dr. Misiyuk. That is why the initial diagnosis is so important. It is necessary not only to treat the symptoms, but also to try to influence the root cause of the disease. The most basic rule is to start therapy on time under the control of tolerability and effectiveness.
Diagnostics
As with any other disease, diagnosis in this case begins with an examination of the patient and a study of the medical history. But in order to make a correct diagnosis and not miss anything important, it is also necessary to use laboratory and instrumental diagnostic methods.
Laboratory studies (standard):
- General blood analysis,
- Detailed standard biochemical blood test,
- General urine analysis.
— These studies are mandatory in the diagnostic search. Since the cause of many diseases can be hidden under the mask of arthritis, an overall picture of the state of health is necessary, explains the rheumatologist.
specific analyses.
“In addition to the standard studies mentioned above, rheumatologists also use specific tests,” says Anna Misiyuk. – If we assume the development of rheumatoid arthritis, then first of all, immunological tests are examined: C-reactive protein (CRP), rheumatoid factor (RF), antibodies to cyclic citrullinated protein (ACCP). If we think about gout, then a study of uric acid in the blood is mandatory. When it comes to diseases from the group of spondyloarthritis, a genetic blood test is examined. In systemic diseases, immunological tests are performed. Depending on the disease, the range of studies varies, but one of the primary ones is the analysis of antinuclear factor or antinuclear antibodies.
In addition to taking blood and urine, it is not uncommon for patients with suspected arthritis to do an analysis of synovial fluid (fills the joint cavity). The study of synovial fluid is one of the criteria for the diagnosis of gout and other microcrystalline arthritis.
“This manipulation requires a qualified doctor and a treatment room equipped according to standards,” says our expert. – The collected synovial fluid can be sent for a specific immunological, biochemical or bacteriological study.
Instrumental research:
“In addition to laboratory tests, instrumental studies help us a lot: ultrasound of the joints, X-ray examination, MRI diagnostics, and in some cases CT,” Dr. Misiyuk lists. – It is worth noting that sometimes an instrumental examination of other parts of the skeletal system is required to make a diagnosis, which patients do not complain about, but in which a pathological process can develop, and thus this or that diagnosis is confirmed, because the same joint can be affected by various diseases.
Modern treatments
Therapy, according to our expert, can be divided into the following groups:
1. Symptomatic therapy: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), local injections of hormonal drugs.
2. Basic therapy – is prescribed for chronic autoimmune diseases. Cytostatic, sulfanilamide, aminoquinoline drugs are used, which are taken for a long time.
3. Genetically engineered biological preparations.
“In the past 15 years, genetically engineered biological drugs have been used to treat arthritis in chronic autoimmune diseases; in recent years, new synthetic targeted drugs have appeared,” says Anna Misiyuk. – These drugs are effective, but, alas, they have one drawback – this is the high cost of therapy. Nevertheless, all types of therapy are available in our country, most of the patients receive treatment from the CHI fund.
4. Physiotherapy, gymnastics – which will be a good bonus to drug therapy.
Prevention of inflammation of the joints in adults at home
It is unlikely that we will now reveal something new to you. But it is precisely the observance of these rules that will help to avoid problems with the joints, in particular, inflammation of the joints in adults:
“First of all, it is the observance of a healthy lifestyle, the normalization of the daily routine and nutrition, the reduction of stress in everyday life,” says Dr. Misiyuk. – also preventive measures include the treatment of chronic diseases, the rehabilitation of the mouth and teeth, the rejection of bad habits.
Popular questions and answers
What are the consequences of ignoring inflammation of the joints?
“Fortunately, at present, the availability of medical information and medical care has improved significantly, and patients have become less likely to apply for advanced forms of the disease,” says Anna Misiyuk. “However, there are still patients with severe joint damage, and more often such patients did not take therapy for one reason or another. The lack of proper treatment leads to disability of patients, loss of joint function, and a significant decrease in the quality of life. With a prolonged inflammatory process, damage to internal organs can occur: most often, arthritis affects the kidneys, heart, eyes, blood vessels and other organs. Therefore, it is so important to consult a doctor when the first symptoms appear and not to wait for complications.