Pain in the joints of the hands and feet. What to do, which doctor to contact? causes, symptoms, treatment

Joint pain is a common reason for going to the doctor. What to do if there is a joint injury in the arms and legs depends on the root 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 neurological diseases and vascular disorders.

gout

Arthritis is a common disease, which often leads to disability.If earlier such a diagnosis was made mainly only for people over the age of 30, today quite a few young people also face it.

The most characteristic symptoms of arthritis include severe joint pain, which at first appears only at night, then becomes constant. If arthritis affects the joints of the feet, there is discomfort in walking, a change in gait. The skin turns red, the muscles begin to deteriorate, and the body temperature may rise slightly.

There is a feeling of stiffness after sleeping and the pain is extreme.

There are two forms of this disease:

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

Upon exposure to arthritis, the articular cartilage is completely destroyed, with severe pain. Pain in the toes may radiate to the knee or groin area. X The most reliable way to diagnose any form of arthritis-Ray it is.

There are the following methods of treatment of this disease:

1. Antibiotics.They are prescribed when infectious tissue lesions are detected and help restore the joints.
2. ointments and gelsTo relieve swelling, pain and reduce redness.
3. biologically active additives, Used to stimulate useful connective tissues in the early stages of the disease, as they may prevent the need for more serious treatment.
4. Corticosteroids, They are most commonly introduced into the affected joints, and can be used for several months if a clear positive effect is seen.

Drug treatment is effectively combined with physiotherapy exercises, physiotherapy, massage.

gout

Gout usually affects the joints of the fingers and toes, especially the thumb. The salts of uric acid accumulate in a crystalline form.

The disease can be recognized by the following symptoms:

1. Pain in the joints of the hands and feet. What to do in this case, only a specialist can tell, but a clear sign of arthritis is a sharp paroxysmal pain in the fingers. Mostly they manifest themselves at night, and during the daybecome sluggish.
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. An increase in temperature in the area of the diseased joint.
5. Pleurisy of varying severity.
6. The presence of tophi - "nodules" under the skin, in which urine occurs.

The following factors can affect the occurrence of gout:

• overweight;
• regular consumption of strong coffee and alcohol;
• kidney disease;
• genetic predisposition;
• malnutrition;
• high blood pressure;
• diabetes.

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

The main measure of treatment is to adhere to a strict diet, which means the rejection of fatty fish and meat, offal, broth, canned food, sausage, salt and spices. The use of coffee, tea and cocoa is limited to the maximum, alcoholic beverages completelyIt is not possible to recover completely without following the diet prescribed by the doctor.

Drug therapy is selected individually depending on the characteristics of the course of the disease and the patient's condition. The drugs used reduce the production of uric acid salts, accelerate the process of its withdrawal, and also have anti-inflammatory andHave analgesic effect. Compresses, lotions and wraps are also used.

osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a serious disease that causes inflammation and swelling. Progressing, it leads to severe loss of mobility and irreversible deterioration of the joint. The first symptoms of the disease are expressed in numbness of the fingers and an unusual, strong feeling of fatigue. Huh.

Pain in small joints is difficult to recognize in the early stages, so the most common complaint of patients is discomfort at the base of the fingers. If you try to bend them, the pain gets worse. In most cases, osteoarthritis is aIt affects many joints together. The problem can be diagnosed with an X-ray.

The following factors can affect the development of the disease:

• Hormonal changes leading to fluid retention in the body;
• atherosclerosis of the extremities;
• Gout and other diseases associated with metabolic disorders;
• diabetes;
• effect of streptococcus and staphylococcus;
• erosion.

Arthrosis of the joints of the toes can develop against the background of incorrect foot placement, poor footwear, overweight, reduced mobility and other provoking factors.

There is pain in the joints of the hands and feet, what to do with osteoarthritis, only a specialist can answer.

But today it is almost impossible to cure this disease with conservative methods. It is possible to do intra-articular injections, but difficult and risky. Gels, ointments, compresses and lotions can provide an anti-inflammatory effect and slightly reduce paincan.

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 possible only at those stages of the disease when destructive processes have not yet affected the bone.

Psoriasis

Joint psoriasis, or psoriatic arthritis, sometimes affects people with psoriasis, a complex skin condition. It causes pain and stiffness in affected joints, which are chronic.

Psoriatic arthritis can start suddenly or develop slowly, so it's important to tell your doctor when symptoms appear. It's not yet known exactly why psoriasis occurs, but doctors suggest heredityFactors and negative effects of the environment can affect its development.

There is no specific treatment for this disease, so, in most cases, therapy is aimed at reducing the inflammatory process, stopping pain, and preventing loss of joint function.In rare cases, resort to surgical intervention.

osteomyelitis

Osteomyelitis is a purulent-inflammatory process in the bone marrow, periosteum and bone. Microorganisms such as E. coli, salmonella, streptococcus and staphylococcus often lead to its development. In more rare situations, it appears as a complication of other diseases.

This disease is reflected in a person by general weakness of the body, joint pain and muscle pain.

Then there is a sharp increase in body temperature, the pain is clearly localized in the affected area, intensifying with each movement. In addition, the purulent process very quickly begins to spread to the surrounding tissues, sepsis can occur. It is necessary to take immediate measures at the slightest suspicion of the presence of this pathology, otherwise the patient cannot be saved.

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

osteophytes

Osteophytes are growths that develop when there is a violation of the supply of nutrients to the articular cartilage area.

You can identify their presence by the following features:

• crunch in the joints;
• joint discomfort when the weather changes;
• difficulty extending the legs or arms after a night's sleep;
• Pain sensations.

Depending on the stage, treatment may be either conservative or may include surgery. Drug therapy includes the appointment of NSAIDs, chondroprotectors, as well as agents that stimulate improvement in tissue nutrition.

Often used intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid. Physiotherapeutic procedures and massage sessions have a positive effect.

bursitis

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

There is pain in the joints of the hands and feet, what to do with bursitis:

• Comfort mode is provided;
• Antibiotics or corticosteroids are prescribed;
• are compressed;
• Pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs are used.

In some cases, surgery is necessary.

flat feet

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

They are the following:

• Difficulty balancing on heels
• Shoes trample only on one side;
• the legs get tired quickly when walking and standing;
• By the end of the day, the legs swell, become heavy;
• leg cramps;
• have back pain;
• Old shoes get smaller.

The disease can be detected by X-ray. Treatment is directly determined by the stage of the disease, the lifestyle of the patient and the presence of concomitant diseases. In the early stages, physical education, therapeutic massage, physiotherapy are performed. If the problem issevere, special shoes are prescribed that model the correct arch of the foot.

injury

Joint injuries include ligament injuries, dislocations, bruises and intra-articular fractures. To clarify the diagnosis, they resort to a number of studies, including CT, radiography, MRI and ultrasound. The main symptoms are pain, swelling and movement restriction.

There is pain in the joints of the hands and feet, what to do in case of injury:

• contact a specialist to determine the nature of the injury;
• provide proper rest to the damaged joint;
• Use a cooling compress.

diet for joint diseases

Improper nutrition can not only aggravate the condition of the joints, but can also become the main cause of many serious diseases. Hence, it is advisable to follow a balanced diet in the process of treating any problem related to cartilage and connective tissue.

A specific nutritional system is prescribed in accordance with a specific disease, but there are also general recommendations:

• limit the consumption of fast carbohydrates;
• reduce the amount of salt in the diet;
• refuse spicy food, smoked meats and canned food;
• Give preference to baking and stewing, avoiding fried foods.

joint pain during pregnancy

What to do if there is pain in the joints of the arms and legs during pregnancy, only a specialist can answer. The fact is that we can talk about one of the pathological conditions, and about a variant of the norm. While 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.

Joints are not always able to adapt to this quickly.The third trimester of pregnancy is characterized by swelling, which often affects the feet and hands. In turn, this causes pain and a feeling of stiffness. In the first trimester, it is advisable to take more time to rest. so that the body can more easily adapt to the changes.

After consultation with a doctor and in the absence of contraindications, special gymnastics or yoga for pregnant women will be very useful. To cope with the discomfort in the joints will help to have a complete diet and drink enough fluids.

To alleviate the situation, it is recommended to follow these tips:

• Eat foods rich in vitamin D and calcium;
• Wear comfortable high-quality shoes without high heels;
• control weight gain, prevent its sudden jumps;
• spend more time outside
• take special complexes for pregnant women (after consultation with a specialist);
• give up monotonous physical work;
• do yoga, gymnastics or swimming (in the absence of contraindications);
• maintain a stable psycho-emotional state;
• Perform self-massage of hands and knees with gentle rubbing and patting movements.

It is very important to timely pay attention to any pain, including in the joints, during pregnancy. Giving birth to a child can adversely affect the course of any pathological process, aggravate it and accelerate the development of the disease.

home remedy methods

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

Of all the home remedies, the following are the most popular:

• warming compresses based on paraffin, salt, clay or potatoes;
• lotions and ointments with alcohol infusions;
• baths, lotions and compresses from decoctions of plants;
• Compresses with honey.

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

1. The most useful products to get rid of pain are based on honey, alcohol, turpentine, bee products. A single application of a compress greatly alleviates this condition if the pain is moderate.

2. Potato compresses are widely used to warm the joints. Hot mashed potatoes are applied to the joint area, covered with a film and wrapped in a scarf. Compress until then. It is kept until the potatoes cool down completely.
3. Alcohol-based products have good anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. To prepare the simplest of them, it is enough to soak gauze with vodka and apply as a compress overnight.
4. To relieve swelling, it is recommended to drink lingonberry and cranberry fruit drinks, decoctions of bay leaves and lingonberry leaves, as well as pharmacy diuretic preparations.

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

• foot and hand baths with birch leaves or pine needles;
• Compress of honey and salt;
• applying internal fat in the form of ointment to the joints of the legs;
• Lotion from pine buds with sugar.

prevention of joint diseases

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

To prevent joint diseases, it is recommended:

• correctly lift the weight, avoiding unnecessary stress on the joints;
• Avoid unhealthy weight gain;
• eat as balanced as possible, provide the body with a sufficient amount of calcium, magnesium, collagen, fatty acids;
• do not neglect physical activity, because a strong muscular corset significantly reduces the load on the joints;
• maintain correct posture;
• reduce the amount of sugar consumed;
• If possible, get rid of bad habits (smoking and drinking alcohol);
• take the time to properly organize the workplace, where you do not have to strain your back and neck, throw your head back, lean forward;
• To interrupt in a timely manner in the process of carrying out professional activities, to warm-up if it is associated with a prolonged stationary position.

The common myth that joints can hurt only in the elderly, many people ignore the first signs of serious illness, turning to a specialist only as a last resort. In fact, many diseases are caused by a very young age. It can also take people in its grip.

Even arthritis, which for many years was considered an age-related problem, is rapidly outnumbering men and women who have not reached the age of thirty.

What to do when the joints of the legs and arms hurt, in each situation only a doctor can tell, who will quickly establish an accurate diagnosis and prescribe adequate treatment. When painful sensations appear, immediately self-It is not recommended to resort to medication and alternative methods, since we can talk about serious degenerative processes that often become irreversible and lead to complications.