Joint Issues

Joint pain is a common problem that can occur in people of any age. This is usually a symptom that indicates inflammation of the joints.

However, they can hurt after intense physical exertion during sport; physiological aches often occur in pregnant women; and there are “growing pains” in children and adolescents during active growth. In these cases, there is no reason to worry.

We will survey the diseases that can lead to long-term unpleasant conditions and must be treated.

Foremost, it is necessary to identify the cause or illness that causes pain.

The main causes of joint pain:

• Injuries, sprains, dislocations, and broken limbs. Traumatization of joints and muscles always causes severe pain. A patient with a fracture needs urgent care. Firstly, it is necessary to fix the broken bone with plaster. Then, additional treatment, such as anti-inflammatory medications, may be prescribed. In case of any injury, it is important to immediately consult a doctor or call emergency for a diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
• Arthritis is an inflammatory disease of the joints, manifested by discomfort and severe aches during movement. With arthritis, it most often hurts the joints of the hands and legs, and the palms or feet can be unbearably painful.
• Arthrosis is a disease of the joints in which there is a significant thickening of the articular cartilage, the amount of fluid inside the joint decreases, and salt growths are formed, which cause sharp pain, cracking, and grinding during movement. Most commonly, it affects older people.
• Gout is a systemic metabolic illness that appears as a result of purine metabolism disorders and uric acid accumulation in the body. “With gout, sodium salts accumulate in the joints, peri-articular and soft tissues, so the disease has a systemic nature as far as different organs can be altered,” said Lyudmila Smolina, a rheumatologist, PhD.
• Flatfoot. Really, flat feet are not only an aesthetic problem! It can alter not only the legs, but also the neck, back, and shoulders.

More than HALF of the people on the planet suffer from flat feet, according to statistics from the World Health Organization. Moreover, this disease occurs 4 times more often in women than in men.

Flat feet are a violation of the biomechanics of walking due to a change in the anatomically correct proportions of the bones of the arch of the foot. That is, when the entire foot touches the surface in a standing position without leaving the inner part slightly raised.

It is interesting that this issue at birth is diagnosed in very rare cases. Mostly, this is an acquired disease. It can appear after an injury to the ankle, calcaneus, or other suffered disease, for example, poliomyelitis or rickets. Moreover, flat feet can occur as a result of heavy physical loads on the foot, excess weight, and improperly selected shoes.

But did you know that flat feet have many negative consequences?

Tygran Amalyan, the chief expert of the MEDplus channel, claims in the video that due to flat feet, you can develop varicose veins of the legs and Hallux valgus (it is also called “bone on the foot”). In addition, Dr. Tygran Amalyan emphasized that when walking due to flat feet, we simply hit the floor with our heel, subjecting the veins to a hydrodynamic shock that destroys them with each step. Additionally, due to a decrease in the cushioning function, the load on the spine, ankle, knee, and hip joints increases, and the development of pathological changes in the posture, including scoliosis and arthrosis, is significantly accelerated, causing constant pain in the legs, which disrupts the usual way of life.

• Diseases that are accompanied by intoxication — ARVI (or as we used to call it — a cold), flu, COVID-19, chicken pox, etc. Toxic substances produced in the body during viral diseases can also affect the joints. The pain is temporary and disappears after treatment of the underlying disease.
• Autoimmune diseases such as psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus also cause joint pain and swelling of the hands and feet.
• In addition, one of the non-obvious causes of pain is excess weight. Orthopedic traumatologist Feras El-Zamar claims in the video that excess weight is an extra load on the knees, feet, and back. Therefore, follow the optimal body weight if you want to avoid a condition when all the joints hurt!

Treatment of joint inflammation may include:

• Drug therapy. Most often, treatment includes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), steroid drugs, and other drugs that ease the course of the disease.
• Physiotherapy. Special exercises and procedures will help improve mobility and reduce aches.
• Diet for weight loss. A balanced diet and maintaining an optimal body weight can reduce stress on the joints.
• Surgical intervention. In cases of severe damage to the joints, surgery may be recommended.

Are you tired of living with constant neck pain? Say goodbye to discomfort and hello to a pain-free life.

If you are concerned about any ache or discomfort while moving, it is important to see your family doctor at the first symptoms, so joint treatment can be started in time and prevent further complications. By following the doctor’s prescriptions and the principles of a balanced diet, as well as performing simple exercises every day, you can significantly relieve pain and improve the quality of your life.