Symptoms of joint diseases are always unpleasant and cause great discomfort to the patient. And if treatment was not started on time and the disease progressed to a serious stage, severe pain occurs even at rest.
If we consider diseases of the leg joints, the most common are arthrosis and arthritis.
Patients often confuse these two diseases because their symptoms are similar. With both arthritis and arthrosis, initially only periodic pain appears in the joints, usually after physical exertion. Swelling, changes in the shape of the joints, and their increase in size are also observed. Then the pain becomes stronger and more frequent, and limited mobility is added to it.
Stiffness and pain are closely related - often because of severe pain, the patient is afraid to disturb the affected joint, and tries not to step on the sore leg or not to move the foot.
The difference between these two pathologies is in the causes of their occurrence. Arthritis is a disease in which the joint tissues become inflamed. With arthrosis, irreversible degenerative changes occur in the joint, it collapses and changes its structure.
But in both the first and second cases, if treatment is not started as early as possible, the joint eventually becomes completely immobile, the person cannot move independently and loses his ability to work. Many patients ignore symptoms at the initial stage, while they are mild, and consult a doctor only when the pain becomes unbearable.
This is fundamentally wrong. Treatment should begin as soon as the first alarming symptoms appear, even if they disappear after some time on their own. All joint diseases can be successfully treated without surgery in the early stages. In advanced forms, they often lead to disability.
One thing to remember: joint diseases never go away on their own, this is not a cold.
Herbal infusions, decoctions, rubbing and compresses can temporarily stop the development of the disease, relieve inflammation, but not cure it. And sooner or later you will still have to see a doctor.
Arthritis is an inflammation of joint tissue, which can be caused by a variety of factors. These include:
In arthritis, the synovium first becomes inflamed. From there, inflammation spreads to other joint elements. The joint becomes swollen and its mobility decreases.
Pain appears and intensifies as the disease progresses. If treatment is not carried out, the disease can become chronic.
Arthrosis is essentially premature wear of the cartilage of the joints, leading to their destruction. The course of the disease is long. Sometimes the disease passes from one stage to another over many years.
The main causes of the disease: too much stress on the joint or prolonged performance of the same movements. The loads are insignificant, but due to the fact that the joint does not have time to rest and recover, its destruction begins. Other causes of arthrosis:
Treatment of arthrosis should be comprehensive; at the same time, both the root cause of the disease and its complication in the form of arthrosis are eliminated.
In the early stages, patients often attribute the first signs of pathology to physical fatigue, a cold, or overwork. But each disease has its own characteristic symptoms, and if you notice them, you should make an appointment with a doctor as soon as possible.
With arthritis, the following are always noted:
With rheumatoid arthritis, the main symptoms of joint inflammation are usually accompanied by extra-articular symptoms - cough, swollen lymph nodes, headaches, shortness of breath. Often, especially in children, the disease is mistaken for a form of flu or sore throat.
The symptoms of psoriatic arthritis cannot be ignored. The affected joint swells very much, as if it is inflated. The skin becomes tense and very hot in the area of the affected joint, its color changes to purple or bluish.
With gouty arthritis, the joints also become very swollen and red, and the pain during an exacerbation is so severe that the patient himself cannot put on shoes and stand on his feet.
With arthrosis, the most characteristic symptom, which often serves as a reason to consult a doctor, is an unpleasant, distinct cracking and crunching sound in the joints during the most ordinary movements.
In this case, the patient feels a sharp pain, which never happens with physiological crunching of the joints.
Self-diagnosis is no less dangerous than self-medication; it is impossible to determine at home exactly whether arthrosis or arthritis is developing, in what form and how best to treat it, it is impossible.
The doctor will first question the patient, listen carefully to all complaints - it is important not to hide anything, but also not to exaggerate.
An experienced doctor just needs to look at the patient’s gait, ask him a few questions and conduct 1-2 tests to make a diagnosis.
MRI, CT, ultrasound or radiography are done primarily to determine the stage of the disease and select effective treatment.
Treatment is aimed at relieving inflammation, eliminating the root cause of the disease and restoring joint function. For this purpose, medications of various effects are used, including steroids and antibiotics as needed, physiotherapy, physical therapy and traditional medicine methods.
An important role is played by the patient’s nutrition, adjusting his weight, changing his daily routine and lifestyle in general. Only in extreme cases is surgery prescribed to restore or replace the joint.
Arthritis of the toes is an inflammatory disease that affects the metatarsophalangeal joints of the feet of the lower extremities. Arthritis is characterized by systemic damage that can spread not only to the joints, but also to the periarticular soft tissues and internal organs, such as the heart, liver, and kidneys.
The following age groups most often suffer from arthritis of the toes:
Arthritis in medicine is an inflammatory pathological process localized in the joints of the musculoskeletal system. A person’s feet bear the maximum load when moving, so their structure must be strong.
The foot consists of 30 bones connected to each other by 28 joints. The development of an inflammatory process in one of these joints can deprive a person of the ability to move, which will significantly reduce his quality of life.
The defeat process affects the following fragments:
You can see the characteristic changes that arthritis of the toes leads to in the photo.
The following factors can cause the formation of arthritis of the toes:
As is known, there are more than 100 different types of arthritic lesions that develop against the background of multiple pathological changes in the human body. Nevertheless, regardless of the type or cause of the formation of a similar disease, the symptoms are usually typical in each case.
Experts identify the main symptoms of all arthritis of the toes:
The following specific signs are also identified that are characteristic of a certain type of arthritis of the toes:
The diagnosis of arthritis of the toes, symptoms and treatment is determined by the attending physician. Remember that by self-medicating, you can relieve acute symptoms of the disease, but not eliminate the disease itself and its causes.
The diagnosis is made by a rheumatologist. To do this, he conducts a number of laboratory and clinical studies.
Diagnosis of arthritis involves the use of the following research methods:
Let's look at how to treat arthritis in the toes using traditional and folk methods of therapy.
Treatment of arthritis of the toes involves the use of the following techniques:
Experts say that there is no better therapy than treating leg arthritis with medications.
These medications will help cure arthritis in the legs:
Folk remedies will help reduce the intensity of arthritic pain during an attack. You can prepare the medicine at home using medicinal plants and products of daily use.
Traditional healers recommend the following remedies:
With a certain type of arthritic lesion, for example, with rheumatoid and gouty arthritis, the patient is recommended to adhere to a special diet that involves avoiding certain types of foods.
The dietary intake for rheumatoid arthritis is based on these recommendations:
For gouty type of lesion, dietary table No. 6 is used:
The complex of therapeutic exercises helps restore lost motor functions of the toe joints, as well as slow down the progression of arthritis.
Physiotherapists recommend doing the following exercises for your toes:
You can learn about methods of treating arthritis of the toes from the video provided:
Arthritis is an inflammation of the synovium of the joints, accompanied by pain and discomfort. What are the causes of the disease and full symptoms? How to determine its presence? And how is foot arthritis treated at home?
Danger. This disease is caused by a whole range of different reasons and is dangerous because it leads to the gradual destruction of joints. Arthritis affects joints regardless of a person’s gender and age: previously, mainly older people complained, but now the disease is diagnosed in young people over 35 years of age. If pain due to foot arthritis is not relieved in a timely manner and the progression of the disease is not stopped, the patient may lose the ability to move independently.
In the photo, leg arthritis looks like this.
Before you decide what to do about foot arthritis, you need to determine its type.
Gouty arthritis. The inflammation is first localized in the joint of the thumb, and then (if untreated) it spreads to the other joints.
Osteoarthritis. This disease has a destructive effect on the joints and provokes the appearance of growths. As a result, foot deformation may occur.
Reactive arthritis. Arthritis of the foot joints of this type is caused subsequently by certain diseases. The causes may be intestinal infections, syphilis, tuberculosis and so on.
Rheumatoid arthritis. Very common among young patients. Caused by pathology of the joints of the foot. Due to the existing pathology, the joints become denser and deformed.
The appearance and development of the disease is caused by many factors. The following reasons can provoke the disease.
Patients come with the following complaints:
With a progressive disease and advanced inflammatory process, signs of foot arthritis are observed, such as:
Based on the established symptoms, the specialist chooses a strategy for restoring the joint and writes out recommendations on how and with what to treat foot arthritis.
Diagnosing arthritis can be difficult because its symptoms are quite variable. Thus, the development of the disease with gout is likely after drinking alcoholic beverages, psoriatic arthritis is accompanied by swelling of the limbs with a purple-bluish tint, and so on. In severe stages of the disease, medical tests reveal a shift in the leukocyte formula, an increase in ESR and C-reactive protein. In addition, if inflammation penetrates deep into the joint, then damage to the articular cartilage as a whole is observed, and not just to the joint.
Many amateur poultry farmers raise chickens on their plots. This most popular poultry is unpretentious, tenacious and very useful on the farm. However, even chickens are susceptible to various diseases.
This article will discuss the symptoms of diseases that affect the musculoskeletal system of birds, including the legs, and we will also learn how to quickly identify a particular disease and quickly respond to
Among the reasons contributing to the occurrence of various leg diseases in chickens, three main factors can be listed:
In crowded, cramped conditions, the likelihood of developing limb pathologies greatly increases in both chickens and adult birds. Chickens are very active birds, moving mainly on their feet. During the daytime, birds constantly need to move and “stretch” their paws, otherwise the risk of joint problems increases.
Failure to maintain cleanliness in the chicken coop and on the run, clogging the surface with dirty litter and various debris contributes to the development of infectious diseases (such as scabies) and traumatic pathologies. It should be remembered that chicken feet are quite easily injured by various hard debris and threads.
Insufficient levels of B vitamins, vitamins A, D and E can either become an independent cause of disease development or aggravate the effects of other factors. Vitamin deficiencies are especially dangerous because they always affect not only the musculoskeletal system, but also other organ systems. This significantly affects the quality of life of chickens.
Gout is a disease that occurs as a result of metabolic disorders, or more precisely, protein metabolism. A characteristic pathology is the accumulation of uric acid salts in joints and muscles.
Often the cause of the disease is poor nutrition, low mobility of the chicken, as well as the presence of mineral fertilizers for plants in the feed.
Symptoms of gout in chickens include:
The basis of treating poultry for gout is to normalize metabolism and remove uric acid salts from the body. It is necessary to reduce the protein diet and conduct a course of treatment with the drug "Atophan".
It is also recommended to give the bird baking soda for two weeks, based on 10 grams per bird.
Under this name lies a whole complex of various pathologies, the main symptom of which is the lameness of a sick chicken. Birds can limp for various reasons, including:
In addition, a chicken may limp due to some kind of kidney disease.
Symptoms of chicken lameness may appear suddenly and completely, or they may gradually intensify. Most often, this pathology manifests itself in the restless behavior of the chicken:
Upon examination, enlarged swollen joints, wounds, suppuration, etc. may be detected.
The first step is to catch a sick chicken and isolate it from other birds. Chickens are very aggressive towards sick or weakened relatives. A limping bird may be attacked by other chickens.
However, you should provide the bird with visual contact with the flock - this will make it feel calmer.
If, during an external examination, cuts and wounds were found on the chicken’s legs, they should be treated with a solution of brilliant green to avoid infection and the spread of infection.
Further treatment consists of balanced, complete food with vitamin supplements.
If there are no external injuries on the bird’s legs, you should show the chicken to a veterinarian. Perhaps the lameness is due to an internal disease , in which case professional help is indispensable.
These two diseases are common lesions of the joints and ligaments. Arthritis is an inflammation of the joints, most often occurring in broiler chickens due to their high muscle mass and low mobility. Tenosynovitis is an inflammation of the ligaments and is more common in older birds.
The causes of arthritis and tenosynovitis in chickens and roosters are usually mechanical injuries to the legs and the entry of pathogenic bacteria into the wounds. Exacerbating factors include high stocking densities, dirty bedding and poor bird care.
Symptoms of arthritis and tenosynovitis include:
It is extremely difficult for a chicken with affected joints and ligaments not only to move, but also to simply sit on a perch, as a result of which its general well-being sharply deteriorates.
At the first signs of arthritis or tenosynovitis, a sick chicken should be isolated from its relatives and be sure to be shown to a veterinarian. Most often, for these diseases, a course of antibiotics such as sulfadimethoxine and ampicillin is prescribed.
This is another foot disease associated with damage to the ligaments in the legs of chickens. It occurs most often in chicks of fast-growing breeds, for example, broilers. The occurrence of perosis is associated with:
As a result of the displacement of the tendons, birds acquire curved, unnaturally inverted joints between the lower leg and the tarsus. As the disease progresses, the chicken loses the ability to stand on its feet, move and fully conduct its life activities, including eating and drinking.
Perosis is treatable if it is detected early. The sick bird is isolated and transferred to a balanced feed ration with a high content of manganese and B vitamins. In the case of severe damage to the limbs, there is no choice but to slaughter the sick chicken.
This disease, also called chicken scabies, occurs as a result of damage to the skin of a chicken by a specific type of scabies mites. Although knemidocoptic mange is not transmitted to humans, even if just one bird is infected, there is a high probability of infection spreading within the chicken flock.
Knemidocoptic mange occurs due to poor living conditions for the birds, namely due to dirt in the chicken coop. The most favorable environment for tick development is moist, warm litter. In a chicken coop, birds are constantly in contact with the litter, which can result in massive infection of the flock with chicken scabies.
External manifestations of knemidocoptosis are quite easy to notice. Various growths appear on the bird’s legs, the skin scales on the affected areas become covered with a white coating and gradually peel off. Thanks to this symptom, chicken scabies is popularly called “lime foot” or “lime disease.”
The life activity of scabies mites takes place in the skin of the bird. Ticks and their larvae gnaw passages in the keratinized layers of the skin, as a result of which the chicken experiences severe itching.
Often pecked wounds can be found on the legs of sick birds. In addition, the uncomfortable state of constant itching negatively affects the behavior of the bird - the chicken begins to behave very restlessly.
Knemidocoptosis is quite easy to treat. The main therapy consists of soap baths: a chicken is caught and its legs are placed in a soap solution for half an hour. After this procedure, the affected areas can be lubricated with a solution of creolin or birch tar. Treatment should be continued until symptoms disappear.
In the absence of adequate treatment, the disease can progress to a chronic stage, and due to the high contagiousness of the disease, most chickens may be affected by scabies mites.
Let's watch an interesting video about Knemidocoptosis:
Toe lesions are also a common problem encountered in chicken farming.
Curvature of the fingers refers to the distorted shape of the fingers, in which they bend to the side. The bird seems to walk on the side surfaces of its legs. The causes of the pathology are usually associated with disturbances in the maintenance of newborn chickens, as well as with heredity.
Fingers may become crooked due to unbalanced feed, improper incubation conditions, unsuitable substrate (mesh surface) and low ambient temperature.
Curly toe refers to paralysis of the toes of chickens. The toes seem to be bent under the foot. Birds with this disorder move poorly; most often, chickens die at an early age.
Unfortunately, these pathologies are quite difficult to treat, and improvement of the condition is only possible if the disease is detected at an early stage.
In case of crooked fingers, the chick is separated from its relatives, provided with nutritious food and additionally added vitamins to the food.
If the fingers are curled, the sick chicken is also separated from the rest and transferred to a diet with a high content of riboflavin.
As you know, any disease is much easier to prevent than to cure. Therefore, when breeding poultry, you should pay special attention to the prevention of various diseases, including leg lesions:
The bedding in the chicken coop should always be fresh, clean and dry, and there should be no sharp objects or threads on the run - these are the ones that most often injure chicken feet.
Leg diseases can greatly undermine the health of a chicken and cause serious damage to the entire flock. This is especially true for infectious diseases. Therefore, try to prevent the occurrence of leg diseases in your domestic chickens, because care and prevention measures are much less troublesome than treatment.
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Modern medicine has a sufficient amount of knowledge and methods of treating diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
There are so many pathological processes occurring in the bone tissues of the skeleton that each disease has its own characteristics of therapeutic measures. One of the most well-known pathologies affecting the joints and bone tissue of the skeleton is arthritis.
Arthritis of the toes causes particular discomfort to a person. Quite often it is accompanied by abnormal changes in internal organs exposed to microorganisms of an infectious nature and can lead to disability. Therefore, it is very important to diagnose the disease in a timely manner and find the optimal treatment option.
Forms of arthritis of the fingers have various manifestations of pathology. One thing is for sure, all pathological processes are associated with inflammation of the bone structure of the human skeleton, caused by some unfavorable factors. Most often, a person is affected by rheumatoid, post-traumatic, gouty and infectious forms of the disease. Moreover, arthritis, in most cases, cannot be called an independent disease; it is acquired during life. The disease is a secondary symptom of lupus, hepatitis, granulomatosis and other diseases.
The specifics of the mechanical development of arthritis have a variety of approaches and options. The accumulation of nerve endings and optimal blood supply in the area of the fingers and joints have the ability to quickly respond to external irritating factors. For example, the development of rheumatoid arthritis directly depends on pathological processes occurring in the autoimmune system associated with impaired synthesis of rheumatoid factor. This is especially noticeable in the first stage of the disease.
As a result of immune complex abnormalities, signs of sinusitis begin to form. Characteristic signs - deformation of the bones on the leg, the formation of calluses, are caused by the granulation form of proliferation of the fibers of the synovial membrane of the joints affected by the pathology. After some time, the cartilaginous structure of the joint undergoes destruction, leading to sclerotic changes.
Based on the type of arthritis development, the following atypical conditions can be named as the reasons for its formation:
An inevitable factor influencing the formation of finger arthritis is a person’s prolonged exposure to stressful situations, frequent hypothermia, and traumatic damage to joints and tendons. The most susceptible to developing the disease are ballet dancers, acrobats, and people working in extremely difficult working conditions and in low climatic temperature conditions.
All these factors can lead to the development of gout and arthritis of the toes.
Symptoms and treatment of toe arthritis largely depend on the clinical presentation. Depending on the forms of development of the pathology, they can be of a different nature. The most common forms of pathology are characterized by the following features:
Regardless of how arthrosis develops or the symptoms of the disease, it is necessary to diagnose it in a timely manner in order to apply appropriate treatment tactics in the future.
How to treat leg arthritis
Complaints of joint pain in the lower extremities must be diagnosed. An experienced doctor (rheumatologist, arthrologist) can determine the presence of pathology.
Diagnostic measures are as follows:
Synovial fluid of the joint is of particular importance in the study. The puncture is performed by percutaneous aspiration under ultrasound control.
Arthritis of the toes should be treated by using complex medications using the following methods:
In cases where antibiotics are needed, the doctor makes a decision based on the overall clinical picture.
Despite the fact that modern medicine has a large number of techniques, medications for the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, and the use of different treatment regimens, there are also folk remedies for the treatment of arthritis of the fingers that cope with the problem quite effectively, for example, the use of compresses at night.
The most popular recipes:
General preventive measures are prescribed only by a doctor and depend on the individual characteristics of the patient. In order to prevent further development of the disease, possible complications associated with the nature of the pathology, at the slightest sign of unfavorable symptoms, you should immediately seek medical advice.
This will alleviate your general condition and return to your normal lifestyle.
If your toes literally don’t fit into your shoes, they burn and swell, this could be a sign of arthritis. In some types of foot arthritis, the inflammatory processes that form around the joints can spread to the internal organs and ultimately cause disability. To avoid serious consequences, you need to know the enemy by sight. We will talk about the symptoms, causes and treatment of arthritis of the toes in this article.
Noticing the signs of arthritis in the legs at the first stage of the disease and taking the necessary measures is a sure way to a quick cure.
Symptoms of arthritis of the toes:
The most common is arthritis of the big toe, which can result in a bunion on the big toe. Most often, the pathology occurs in people after 40 years of age, as the joints wear out, metabolism is disrupted, and blood circulation deteriorates.
Gradually, the pain from the big toe spreads to the entire foot and causes a lot of trouble: you have to change shoes, not to mention the discomfort when walking. The pain intensifies at night and continues until the morning.
If you notice several of the above symptoms, this is only part of the diagnosis of arthritis of the toe joints. It remains to determine the type of arthritis and find its cause, and only then the doctor decides on treatment methods. For this, in addition to examining and listening to the patient’s complaints, data from a biochemical and general blood test, laboratory urine analysis (if there is a suspicion of gout), X-rays, densitometry and immunological studies are used (if autoimmune processes begin: when the body attacks itself).
Osteoarthritis (osteoarthritis) of the toes is a lesion of the joint structure, changes in the tissues of the periarticular bursa and cartilage. In this case, pits appear on the surface of the cartilage, the tissue softens and becomes thinner, until the joint is completely destroyed. Bone outgrowths that appear at the joints are the cause of finger deformities. Despite the fact that osteoarthritis rarely affects small joints, the disease is dangerous and progresses quite quickly without quality treatment.
Gouty arthritis of the toes is an inflammation caused by the accumulation of molic acid crystals around the joints. As a result, hyaline cartilage and periarticular tissue are destroyed. Gouty arthritis takes a long time to treat and can recur. Most often, the disease occurs in mature men and is a concomitant disease of kidney problems (nephritis and stone disease).
Rheumatoid arthritis of the toes is a dubious privilege for women, since, unlike gout, this type of arthritis occurs more often in them than in men. Inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis is very persistent, can occur at any age and does not go away for years. Symmetrical connective tissue lesions result in both legs being affected simultaneously and the ability to walk may be lost.
There can be several causes of arthritis in the toes, but sometimes one is enough.
Genetic predisposition plays an important role: especially when it comes to gouty and psoriatic arthritis. Excessive stress on the legs due to professional activities and, in general, a person’s lifestyle, habits and nutrition are also considered decisive factors.
Infectious diseases can significantly affect the development of arthritis: sexually transmitted infections, acute and chronic tonsillitis, influenza and even common acute respiratory infections.
Some causes of toe arthritis may not be recent. For example, injuries sustained in the past can resurface decades later.
Not the most obvious are also flat feet, uncomfortable shoes, obesity and stress. The latter, with concomitant infectious diseases, quite often provokes psoriatic and rheumatoid arthritis. Gouty arthritis can be caused by frequent feasts and feasts, abuse of meat and alcohol (it’s not for nothing that gout is called the “disease of kings”).
Recently, arthritis of the toes has become much younger, and therefore the age factor is gradually moving away from the first positions in the ranking of the causes of the disease.
After preliminary tests and an accurate diagnosis of the type of arthritis of the toes, the immediate process of its treatment begins. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used for this; they relieve pain and relieve inflammation. In order for the joints to recover faster, the doctor will add the use of a chondroprotector to the therapy complex.
Local preparations - ointments and compresses - are also used for external use. In order for the joints to maintain mobility, a person cannot remain immobilized; these are the means that help him relieve pain when walking.
In addition, it is worth reviewing your diet, depending on the type of arthritis. Read more about this in the article Diet and proper nutrition for arthritis.
Unfortunately, arthritis can sometimes get worse, such as during seasonal changes. At such moments, you need to pay special attention to your lifestyle: do not overwork your legs, get enough sleep, strictly follow a diet and follow the doctor’s instructions.
During remission, in some cases, physiotherapy, therapeutic exercises and massage are recommended.
As an addition to the main treatment for foot arthritis, you can use folk remedies to combat toe arthritis at home. Horseradish and wheatgrass roots can become the basis for compresses and ointments.
Compress for arthritis of toes
The horseradish rhizome is grated and applied to the sore joint, wrapped with cloth or cling film. After half an hour, the compress can be removed, usually the painful sensations are significantly reduced or disappear completely. But this is not healing - it will require full-fledged therapy.
Healing ointment for arthritis of toes
The roots of creeping wheatgrass, juniper needles, calendula flowers and lovage are poured with boiling water in equal proportions. After 20 minutes, the tincture is mixed with vegetable oil and pork fat. The product is ready for use: the ointment is rubbed into the sore toes and left overnight. To improve the effect, you can wear cotton or wool socks.
Many people are familiar with painful sensations in the joints that worsen in cold and damp weather. We often forget about them as soon as the illness passes. However, it would be worth paying more attention to your health.
The occurrence of pain in the knees and feet can be caused by such a serious disease as polyarthritis of the legs. This is an inflammation of the joints, affecting not one joint, as in arthritis, but several (from the ancient Greek: poly - many, artron - joint).
Polyarthritis of the joints of the legs occurs most often - after all, the lower extremities bear the greatest functional load. One form of this disease is a disorder of the joints of the fingers, in particular the big toe. Those at risk include those who suffer from flat feet or have a hereditary predisposition. Polyarthritis of the feet is often a consequence of long hours of working on your feet. In the initial stages, the disease affects only the cartilage, thinning it. Later, the destruction spreads to the entire joint, leading to its deformation.
The gradual destruction of articular cartilage causes severe pain, especially at night and in the morning. Increasing discomfort in the joints is accompanied by swelling, increased temperature and dysfunction. The development of the disease sometimes leads to the most unpleasant consequences. These include joint deformities, muscle atrophy, and even partial or complete limitation of mobility. Women are more affected by this disease. First of all, it is genetically transmitted only through the female line. In addition, the hormonal changes that the fairer sex undergoes throughout their lives increase inflammatory processes.
This disease is dangerous because if treatment is not started on time, it is fraught with serious complications, irreversible changes in the knee, hip and small joints of the feet and fingers, and even disability. A feature of polyarthritis is that periods of exacerbation are followed by periods of remission, making you think that the disease has receded. However, this disease is chronic and does not go away on its own. If you notice symptoms of polyarthritis, do not try to fight them yourself with warming ointments and massage, but make an appointment with a specialist for an examination and do not delay treatment.
Symptoms of polyarthritis may vary depending on the causes of the disease. You should immediately consult a doctor if you observe the following signs:
In addition to the above, malaise, weakness, increased fatigue, poor appetite and weight loss are possible.
All these are common symptoms of inflammatory processes in the joints of the lower extremities. They do not always appear at the same time, but even the occurrence of one of them is a cause for concern and a visit to the doctor.
There are also specific features that characterize different forms of polyarthritis. The clinical picture may differ in the nature of the pain, the localization of inflammation (both lesions of large joints and polyarthritis of the fingers are found), and the speed of changes occurring in the joints. A variety of processes occurring in the body can trigger the development of arthritis. Sometimes this disease manifests itself against the background of chronic connective tissue diseases. Weakened immunity as a result of infections or allergies is also a risk factor. Joint damage can also occur due to injuries or overload of the limbs. And sometimes genetic predisposition is to blame.
Different pathogens of polyarthritis give different symptoms and course of the disease. Therefore, it is extremely important to identify all the signs in order to correctly determine the causes of the disease and prescribe adequate treatment.
For the final diagnosis of polyarthritis, a comprehensive examination is necessary. In addition to a complete patient history, it includes laboratory blood tests (clinical and biochemical analysis), radiography, arthroscopy or MRI of the joints, immunological studies, and in some cases, analysis of joint fluid. If arthritis is accompanied by diseases of other internal organs, then taking an anamnesis should include examination by appropriate specialists.
There are many types of polyarthritis. They are classified depending on the causes of the disease.
The most common form is rheumatic arthritis. It most often develops against the background of systemic connective tissue diseases (for example, rheumatism) as a result of hypothermia of the extremities or impaired metabolic processes. Rheumatic arthritis progresses quickly, with fever and “floating” pain in the joints. In this case, small joints are more often affected - for example, the joints of the fingers. This disease is completely reversible, provided that you start treating it in a timely manner. Otherwise, it can lead to damage to the heart valves and heart defects.
The rheumatic origin of the disease should not be confused with rheumatoid origin. The causes of rheumatoid polyarthritis are still not fully understood. It affects the small joints of the fingers, gradually spreading to the knees and hips. In this case, their deformation is observed, which usually does not happen with rheumatoid arthritis. The course of the disease is sluggish, the symptoms are not pronounced, because of this, many do not begin treatment for polyarthritis until it reaches a serious stage.
Past infections sometimes lead to infectious polyarthritis. Even a common cold can cause joint damage. In this case, the temperature rises sharply to 39 degrees, aches in the limbs occur, joints swell and become hot. As a rule, large joints are affected - knees, hips, ankles. If infectious polyarthritis is not cured in time, its symptoms will become more severe with each virus, gradually destroying the joints until they become completely immobile.
Reactive polyarthritis is also caused by infections, but in this case we are talking about lesions of other organs. The immune system reacts to inflammation of the kidneys, lungs, and bladder and destroys not only harmful organisms, but also the connective tissue of the joints.
The resulting injuries can cause post-traumatic polyarthritis. Sprains, tendon injuries and limb fractures disrupt blood circulation, which can lead to swelling and inflammation of the joint. Some occupational diseases can lead to the same consequences.
Polyarthritis is dangerous not only due to possible deformation of the joints, but also damage to other organs. From the cardiovascular system, complications can manifest as pericarditis (inflammation of the heart lining) and vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels). In rare cases, Felty's syndrome occurs, in which the spleen enlarges and the number of white blood cells decreases, which is fraught with tumors and lymphomas. With skin diseases, rheumatoid nodules appear in the heels, fingers, forearms, heart and lungs, as well as ulcers and rashes. Sometimes lupus develops, a serious systemic disease of connective tissue.
Often, against the background of polyarthritis, patients suffer from anemia or other blood diseases. Anemia is accompanied by weakness, dizziness, shortness of breath and rapid heartbeat. Inflammation can affect the composition of the blood, increasing the number of platelets and the rate of clotting. Taking immunosuppressants can, on the contrary, reduce their amount, thereby reducing the ability of the blood to clot. Often accompanied by joint damage is inflammation of the lining of the lungs - pleurisy. There is a high risk of developing eye diseases - in particular, inflammatory processes in the episclera (the membrane of the eye) and conjunctivitis.
People suffering from arthritis are more susceptible to infections and suffer more severely from them. The disease also affects the mental state, because constant joint pain can easily lead to depressive disorders. This is why it is so important to treat polyarthritis.
First of all, at the first signs of polyarthritis of the legs, you should consult a doctor. Timely comprehensive diagnosis will help identify and eliminate not only the symptoms, but also the true causes of the disease, as well as prevent unpleasant consequences. You need to start treating polyarthritis as soon as the diagnosis is made.
Treatment is prescribed depending on what triggered the development of polyarthritis. These can be antihistamines, antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, painkillers and even immunosuppressants. In addition to stopping the inflammatory process and painful sensations, it is important to strengthen the immune system, establish blood supply to damaged joints, ensure proper metabolism and tissue regeneration.
Physical therapy is often used in addition to medication. It helps relieve inflammation and reduce pain, restore blood flow, improve metabolic processes and stop bone loss. Infectious polyarthritis of the lower extremities requires intravenous and intramuscular injections of antibiotics. A puncture may also be required to remove pus from the joint.
One of the prerequisites for treating inflammation of the leg joints is reducing the load on the musculoskeletal system. If there is excess weight that aggravates this load, it is necessary to combat it with nutritional correction and well-chosen exercises. Therapeutic exercise will also help in increasing joint mobility, strengthening muscle mass and ligaments, stimulating blood circulation and raising general tone. During the period of remission, sanatorium-resort treatment is indicated to consolidate the result.
Prevention of polyarthritis includes adherence to diet and work and rest regime, hardening and sports. It is equally important to monitor your posture and the comfort of your workplace, avoid dampness and drafts, do not allow yourself too much physical activity and give up bad habits (smoking, alcohol).
Polyarthritis of the joints of the legs is a very serious disease. It constantly progresses and significantly reduces the quality of life, and ultimately can lead to irreversible deformation of the joints. Arthritis is most easily curable when the symptoms have just appeared and the course of the disease has not affected the structure and function of the joints. Take care of yourself!