Pain in the joints of the legs

Pain in the joints of the legs appears in diseases of the joints. Most often there are such as gout, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. There are also other diseases, but they are much more rare. With osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, doctors determine the diagnosis based on X-ray images, determining changes in the analyzes and a rather characteristic symptomatology of these ailments. For rheumatoid arthritis, for example, the symmetry of joint damage is characteristic (in other words, the same joints on the two extremities), often the ankle joints and the joints of the feet, with signs of an inflammatory process (swelling, redness, limited mobility in the joints).

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Diseases that cause pain in the joints of the legs

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Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis can affect both young children and people of mature age. Often this disease is reflected in the joints of the hands. With osteoarthritis, pains are mainly felt in the knee and hip joints, with signs of inflammation, as a rule, absent. Moreover, almost always this ailment accompanies people of mature and advanced age, although there may be hereditary or family varieties of osteoarthritis when young men, adolescents and even children become ill. For osteoarthritis, pain in the joints arising after physical exertion is more characteristic, closer to the end of the day, whereas in rheumatoid arthritis the pain syndrome tends to decrease slightly after physical exertion.

Joints that are troubling for rheumatoid arthritis are the phalanges of the fingers, as well as the temporal, ankle, and wrist joints.

The nature of pain. Pain syndrome, usually of medium intensity, joints can blush and swell, with symmetry on both sides and at least 2 groups (eg, temporal and ankle). In the morning, some stiffness may be disturbed for several hours, there is a need to "disperse". Pain in the joints of the legs can manifest itself both periodically and continuously.

What to do. Immediately call a doctor. Rheumatoid arthritis, although not fully curable, can be stopped with anti-inflammatory drugs or surgical intervention (synovectomy) in a timely manner.

It should be noted that with osteoarthritis of the hip and knee joints, scratches and clicks are observed, which you can feel when driving. In any case, a specialist consultation is needed, since rheumatoid arthritis is an insidious disease: it not only can lead to a complete immobility of the joint, but also affect the internal organs. Therefore, you need to start treatment as early as possible.

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Osteoarthritis

For osteoarthritis, the most troubling are the ankle, knee and hip joints.

The nature of pain. The pain is usually dull, bothers, usually in the daytime, can increase during movement, physical exertion, after prolonged standing. Significantly decreases in the morning and after rest. Sometimes there may be a crunching and clicking on the joints. Pain in the joints of the feet can bother for a long time (from several weeks to several months) and a short period - up to 1 day.

What to do. Medicines are required in rare cases. In most cases, there are enough sessions of massage, physiotherapy, swimming, mud therapy.

Gout

Gout, which also received the unspoken title of "meat-eating disease", appears due to deposits in the joints of the crystallites of the substance, which is formed during the exchange of purines - substances whose capacity is particularly high in meat and products made from it. If there is a violation of this exchange, gout begins to develop. Mature men are most often ill. The pain is acute, sometimes it can not be tolerated, it starts, as a rule, suddenly. Often the joint is affected, which is located at the base of the thumb. The joint swells, gets a purplish-red hue. Cure this ailment can, above all, adhering to a diet that restricts the consumption of meat. There are also medicines that bring the exchange of purines back to normal.

When gout is mainly concerned about the joints of the feet (metatarsals) and wrists, as well as the joints of the phalanges of the fingers (in particular the thumb of the foot), the knee, ankle, elbow.

The nature of pain. Very strong burning, pressing, pulsating or tearing painful sensations. The maximum intensity of pain is observed at night, it decreases, as a rule, by morning. The attack can provoke the use of alcoholic beverages, abundant consumption of meat and fatty foods, visiting the bath. Attacks can be repeated on average 2-6 times a year and last for 3-4 days.

What to do. To relieve the attack of gout, you need analgesics (they can prescribe a doctor). In the future, it is necessary to adhere to a strict diet that restricts the use of products such as meat, fish, fatty and alcohol, on the recommendation of a doctor to take medication therapy courses that reduce the level of uric acid in the blood.

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Rheumatism

This ailment results from an acute infection of the upper respiratory tract. A typical form of rheumatism manifests itself with fever and joint pain. As a rule, large joints are affected: wrist, elbow, ankle, knee.

Pain in the joints of the legs has a volatile character, passes from one joint to the other. The patient's joint may have minor redness and swelling, but irreversible changes do not occur. With a prolonged course of the disease around the joint, so-called rheumatic nodules may appear. They look like a dense, resembling lentil-like formations. They appear, as a rule, in those places that are subjected to pressure: folds of elbows, wrists, forearms, knees. On the skin of a rheumatic child, rashes occur: a pale reddish hue, arched or ring-like spots, narrow bands. With the progression of the disease, if not to deal with his treatment, severe heart damage can develop.

If you have pain in the joints of the feet, it is advisable immediately to seek advice from a rheumatologist who will put the correct diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate treatment.