Arthrologist

There are problems in life that, unfortunately, cannot be resolved without medical help. And, as many have already noticed, there are many hospitals and doctors these days, but finding a real medical expert is really problematic.

An arthrologist is a narrow medical specialization that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of diseases related to joints. How to find a good doctor - an arthrologist? Yes, like any other, only patient reviews can be a hint regarding the choice of a specialist. Reviews can be found both online and among friends.

An arthrologist, if consulted in a timely manner, can prevent irreversible processes associated with premature atrophy of the joints.

So, let's take a closer look at what kind of doctor this is and what he does in general.

Who is an arthrologist?

An arthrologist is a doctor who specializes in diseases of the joints, tendons, ligaments, joint bags, periarticular tissues and the heart. His competence includes examination, treatment of any direction, including surgical intervention.

Perhaps some people have a question about what the heart and joints can have in common. The answer is simple: infections that penetrate the joints or periarticular tissues cause harm not only to the arms and legs, but also pass through the heart through the blood, where heart problems arise. For example, with rheumatism, patients often complain of stabbing pains in the heart. This happens due to the presence of staphylococci, which provoke the disease itself - rheumatism. The favorite habitat of staphylococci is soft tissue, which the heart is rich in. That is why an arthrologist is a doctor who treats both joints and the heart.

When should you see an arthrologist?

People usually go to see doctors for two reasons: a preventive examination or an emergency. For some reason, a modern person most often comes to the hospital for the second reason. But if he had done it for the first reason, then perhaps everything would have gone without complications. Therefore, an arthrologist is the doctor who is best visited for preventive purposes.

Let's look at the main reasons when you should still contact an arthrologist:

• twists joints to the weather,
• the joints of the fingers, hands, feet, neck, back or other part of the body hurt,
• pain when walking,
• joint pain accompanied by elevated body temperature,
• night or morning "aches" in the joints,
• limited movement,
• injuries,
• probability of hereditary disease.

If any of the above worries you, then the arthrologist in this case will be able to answer any of your questions. The presence of at least one of the listed symptoms is a clear sign that a consultation with this specialist is necessary.

What tests should you take when visiting an arthrologist?

The tests are prescribed by the doctor - arthrologist. Usually the complex of tests includes:

• blood test:
  • clinical,
  • biochemical,
  • on C-peptide,
  • on hormones,
  • on sex hormones,
  • for autoantibodies
  • for hepatitis,
  • for markers of infections,
• clinical urine analysis,
• PCR - urogenital scraping,
• analysis of the presence of osteocalcin, parathyroid hormone.

The list of tests is certainly not small, but it allows you to identify the very cause that caused joint inflammation. After all, viruses (FLU, ARI, ARVI, etc.) are often the cause; cocci, including gonococci and staphylococci. In addition, this way you can determine the rheumatoid factor in the blood. In addition to tests, the arthrologist conducts a full diagnosis using special methods.

What diagnostic methods does an arthrologist use?

Yes, tests alone are not enough to see the condition of the joint. For this, the arthrologist resorts to the following methods of solving the problem:

• X-ray, ultrasound,
• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) of the joint: knee, hip, shoulder and wrist. Depends on where it hurts,
• arthrography,
• tomography,
• Electroradiography.

An arthrologist must see the extent of the joint damage in order to prescribe the correct therapy. It happens that a person's whole body aches, but an ultrasound or X-ray shows that everything is fine. In this case, it is possible that such a result arose due to an elevated body temperature (as happens with colds) or high blood pressure. Therefore, in order to know the causes for sure, a comprehensive diagnosis is necessary, which includes taking tests.

What does an arthrologist do?

An arthrologist deals with:

• diagnostics of joints and their adjacent tissues,
• treatment of numerous inflammatory processes that are directly related to the joint, where the synovial membrane, joint capsule, synovial membrane and other periarticular elements are affected,
• drug and surgical treatment,
• In addition, he may prescribe physical therapy.

An arthrologist, like any other doctor, despite education and work experience, does not have X-ray vision, which is why he prescribes a preliminary examination, including a blood test. Many people think that a diagnosis can be determined by analyzing the symptoms, so they try to find an answer on the Internet. But a description of the symptoms will not give a clear answer to the questions, since the signs of many diseases are similar. And only a professional examination is a guarantee of recovery.

What diseases does an arthrologist treat?

It is almost impossible to name the entire list of diseases that an arthrologist treats, as there is a “whole encyclopedia” of them. Let’s consider the diseases that are most common:

• Diseases associated with soft tissues and periarticular tissues and bags:
  • arthrosis, osteoarthrosis, osteoarthritis,
  • rheumatoid arthritis.
• Seronegative spondyloarthropathy:
  • reactive arthritis,
  • Bechterew's disease,
  • spondyloarthritis due to ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease,
  • psoriatic arthritis,
  • undifferentiated spondyloarthritis.
• Gout and osteoporosis.

In addition to these diseases, an arthrologist also specializes in inflammatory processes in joints acquired as a result of injury. But, as a rule, a traumatologist deals with bruises and dislocations. If a pathology is detected, the traumatologist refers to an arthrologist.

Advice from an arthrologist

An arthrologist, first of all, recommends some precautionary rules, that is, avoiding factors that provoke joint diseases:

• monotonous body positions, such as sitting work (programmers, accountants, drivers, etc.). If this cannot be avoided, then the body position should be varied, for example, after a certain period of time, "warm up" a little,
• loads on the body. If you are doing renovations in your home, it wouldn't hurt to ask for extra help. Working as a loader is detrimental to the condition of the musculoskeletal system. The employment contract should contain a note about the maximum load lifting, which the future loader should pay attention to,
• correct body position during sleep. A poor-quality or uncomfortable mattress, inflatable beds, folding beds or sleeping "half-sitting" - all these are negative factors that can cause problems with the spine and joints,
• sports activities without fanaticism. Too intense exercises lead to muscle strains and joint inflammation. Therefore, you cannot overload your body,
• You can't sit with one leg crossed over the other. This prevents normal blood circulation.

We have considered all the "no's" that can lead to joint diseases. Now let's consider what the arthrologist puts under the category of "possible" and even "useful". Honey helps sore joints. It should be rubbed into the area of the sore joint in a circular motion. Next, 2 kg of watermelon is divided into 8 portions, which are eaten throughout the day every 2 hours. The method with watermelon is called "unloading" nutrition.