Joint pain throughout the body is not a disease, it is a symptom. At the same time, painful sensations often spread to the muscles, so it can be difficult even to get out of bed. Many diseases lead to such unpleasant consequences, pain treatment is not possible without the exact cause. What symptoms should one focus on and what should be done?
The main causes of pain
If more than one joint hurts, not several but all at once, this is a sign of systemic damage to the body. In addition, it is difficult to understand exactly where the pain is localized - in the joints, muscles, bones, or everywhere at the same time. The pain is felt throughout the body, making it difficult to localize. Because of what can injure all joints:
- Too intense physical activity.
- Infectious diseases.
- Pathological changes in connective tissue.
- Circulatory system diseases.
- Oncological diseases.
- Neuralgia.
As can be seen from the above, it is impossible to immediately understand the causes of pain. The exact cause can only be determined after passing the test. When hard physical work the day before is excluded, we speak of diseases that require treatment.
Why is it dangerous
First of all, severe pain throughout the body reduces mobility, but this is not the main danger. The main threat is the disease that provokes painful sensations in the joints. Self-medication in such cases is extremely dangerous, as it causes only the symptoms to pass while the disease itself progresses. You can try to relieve pain and any swelling on your own, but be sure to consult a doctor after this.
Disease symptoms
Every disease has symptoms that are characteristic only of it. Since pain is the most noticeable sign, the first thing you need to do is define its characteristics:
- Type of pain (aching, sharp, convulsions).
- Localization (joints, muscles, bones).
- Whether it's moving through the body or a separate area is constantly hurting.
- Constant pain or seizures are intermittent.
- The intensity of the sensations.
In addition, the patient may experience weakness, severe tiredness, or muscle pain. Other symptoms vary depending on the specific cause of the pain:
- Overload. . . Excessive physical activity the day before can cause the whole body to ache the next day. This is due to the production of lactic acid, which builds up in the muscles. In this case, a good warm up is enough to relieve the pain.
- Infections. . . Joint pain often accompanies illnesses such as flu, fever, meningitis, and even common acute respiratory infections in an advanced form. In addition to pain, the symptom is supplemented by cough, rash, chills, weakness, nausea and indigestion, as well as high body temperature.
- Viral hepatitis. . . With liver damage, in addition to possible pain, there is a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes, a worsening of appetite.
- Pathological changes in connective tissue. . . Arthritis, lupus erythematosus, polymyositis - all of these can cause joint pain. In addition, some diseases of the heart, kidneys, lungs, vascular and nervous systems can also cause painful sensations in the joints.
- Blood disorders. . . In addition to feeling pain in the body, the patient experiences a fever, the skin becomes pale, the lymph nodes, liver and spleen increase in size. In this state, the susceptibility to infectious diseases increases. In acute form, such diseases are life-threatening if they are not treated in a timely manner.
- oncology. . . With oncological tissue damage, joint pain can occur earlier than the disease itself is diagnosed. In addition, symptoms such as weakness, weight loss, loss of appetite, fever, mood swings, and depression speak for oncology.
- neuralgia. . . Diseases of the nervous system can lead to joint and muscle pain, numbness in the fingertips, loss of sensitivity and a feeling of weakness. In addition, hair begins to fall out and the skin becomes drier and thinner.
If joint pain is accompanied by any of the listed symptoms, it is a reason to see a specialist.
Diagnostic methods
Who to turn to if you have complaints about pain throughout the body:
- Rheumatologist.
- Haematologist.
- Oncologist.
- Infectiologist.
After examining the patient and hearing the complaints, the doctor should send the patient for an examination. To identify the diagnosis, the following diagnostic methods are used:
- General urinalysis.
- General blood analysis.
- Blood biochemistry.
- LHC blood and smear analysis.
- Puncture of the bone marrow.
- CT and MRI.
- Neuromyography.
A comprehensive examination gives a complete picture of the patient's condition. Only then can we talk about a particular disease and prescribe treatment.
Treatment of joint pain
The method of treatment is selected by the doctor depending on the data obtained during the examination. Drug therapy is the most common. A wide range of medications can treat almost any cause of joint pain. The choice of drug groups depends on the type of disease:
- Antibiotics
- Anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Painkiller.
- Hormonal agents.
- Immunosuppressants
- Cytostatics.
Many drugs from the listed groups have serious contraindications - some of them should not be taken in the presence of tumors. In addition, almost all drugs have their own contraindications and side effects. This is one of the reasons why it is impossible to choose drugs independently and take them thoughtlessly. The exact dosage and type of medication is prescribed only by a doctor. If after the administration there are no results, the specialist can replace the drug with another one.
Surgery is required in extreme cases when drug therapy is powerless. As a rule, the operation is prescribed for tumor diseases and blood diseases. For cancer, the operation can be supplemented with radiation therapy; for severe blood diseases, a bone marrow transplant is required.
prophylaxis
To keep your joints from sore, you need to follow six simple recommendations:
- Right nutrition. . . First, a balanced menu gives the body all the substances necessary for normal functioning. Second, good nutrition will help you maintain your weight. Obesity is considered to be one of the causes of joint pain.
- Chondroitin and glucosamine. . . These substances are important for joint health. They are found in meat, cartilage, and fish.
- Drinking cure. . . Fluid helps build metabolism, when there is not enough water in the body, the nutrition of organs, muscles and joints becomes inadequate. You need to drink about 2 liters of water a day.
- Physical activity. . . Even doing normal gymnastics in the morning will help normalize blood circulation, which will help the joints get enough nutrients.
- caution. . . Any joint injury should be avoided.
- Vitamin complexes and dietary supplements. . . The missing vitamins and minerals can be obtained from preparations, the main thing is to choose them correctly.
Simple tips can help keep your joints healthy. In addition to adjusting the diet and daily routine, it is necessary to undergo regular medical check-ups. This will help to identify the disease in a timely manner and begin treatment.