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Health

Joint pain in pregnancy

, medical expert
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Joint pain in pregnancy is the most painful manifestation of the ailments of the musculoskeletal system. In order to properly understand the signal of your body during pregnancy, it is necessary, first of all, to understand the cause of joint pain in pregnancy - and only after that can you apply the correct course of treatment and not be afraid of complications. Pain greatly affects the life of a woman during pregnancy. After all, pain is not just an unpleasant sensation. It affects the everyday cares, the ability to provide personal life, to relationships with surrounding people. Many pregnant women can not distinguish between joint pain and pain near the joint, apart from more serious injuries. Only a doctor can say with certainty what exactly triggered the appearance of joint pain during pregnancy.

Arthritis is a universal term that indicates the presence of an inflammatory process in the joints. But this is not a diagnosis. Today, scientists distinguish about 100 varieties of arthritis. A correctly diagnosed diagnosis is the way to correct treatment, so the diagnosis is very important.

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Diseases in which there is pain in the joints during pregnancy  

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Joint pain related to pregnancy

When pregnancy increases the level of secretion of the hormone relaxin, which makes the pelvic ligaments softer and allows them to stretch: this is necessary for the normal course of childbirth. The problem is only that relaxin affects all connective tissues, in particular on elbows, knees, shoulders and so on. Because even your usual weight can be very risky for weak joints, which can lead to pain in the joints.

Pain in joints that are not related to pregnancy

  1. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease, the most common type of arthritic disease. The older the woman, the earlier the elastic cartilage, which protects the joints from injuries and injuries, hardens, loses its elasticity, becomes vulnerable. The cartilage becomes worn out, the ligaments and tendons are stretched, which causes the appearance of pain. Osteoarthritis affects any joint, often it suffers from the spine, knees, hips and fingers. Symptoms of osteoarthritis are pain in the joints, cones of bone nature on the joints of the fingers. To reduce the pain syndrome may be pain medications, such nutritional supplements as chondroitin and aminoglucose. It may also be necessary to introduce certain kinds of changes in the person's way of life, for example, to reduce weight, which will reduce the strain of the joints.
  2. Rheumatoid arthritis. This type of arthritis differs significantly from the above degenerative joint disease. The inflammatory process in the joints develops in two parts of the body - this is the symmetry that is the key to diagnosing this type of disease. Among the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis can also be called pain and swelling of the joints, their immobility, general weakness. Experts believe that bacteria and viruses can have a detrimental effect on the body's immune system and force it to attack both joints and other organs. Rheumatoid arthritis is a rather dangerous disease that can end in a fatal outcome. The key to successful treatment of this ailment is early diagnosis and intensive therapy. These two key points can help to avoid disability and continue a person's life.
  3. Temporal arteritis and rheumatic polymyalgia are inflammatory diseases that often accompany each other. Rheumatic polymyalgia affects large joints, for example, humeral and femoral. Temporal arteritis is an inflammation of the blood vessels of the head, in particular the eye. Both diseases cause an attack of the immune system, aimed at healthy tissues. Painful sensations and immobility of the femoral and humeral joints, elevated body temperature, weight loss, general weakness are the main symptoms of rheumatic polymyalgia. Often the only symptom is extreme weakness, which prevents a person from rising from a chair or bringing his hand to his face. The most common symptom of temporal arteritis is a headache of an acute nature.
  4. Fibromyalgia is a chronic ailment that accompanies the pain and sensitivity of many points on the body, and in addition insomnia and general weakness. The cause of the development of this disease can not be understood to this day, but it certainly has nothing to do with injuries to the joints, nerves and muscles. According to one theory, the disease can be associated with the hypersensitivity of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Another theory suggests the connection between fibromyalgia and the imbalance of chemicals in the body, which are responsible for the susceptibility of pain and mood. Imbalance, probably, provokes a decrease in activity, the appearance of insomnia, weakness, sensitivity and pain. Fibromyalgia is an incurable disease. The main goal of the treatment is to overcome the pain, weakness, depressive state, reduced activity and other symptoms of the disease, which prevent the woman from managing the habitual way of life.
  5. Depression. A terrible mood is not the only sign of depression. There are physical symptoms, for example, causeless pain in joints during pregnancy. The most common symptoms of depression are frequent headaches, pain in the abdomen and back. Such physical symptoms can trigger depression, and they last much longer than emotional symptoms. Some doctors believe that such symptoms are signs of fibromyalgia. Depression and fibromyalgia clearly have a relationship. Depression can increase susceptibility to pain.

It is very important that a woman who has pain in the joints during pregnancy, promptly turned to a specialist for help. First of all, it is necessary to seek the advice of a family doctor who will make an analysis of the symptoms and tell you what specific specialist you need to contact.

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