What causes body aches and pains? Discover the 17 possible reasons behind your joint and muscle discomfort, from stress and dehydration to infections and chronic conditions.

Deciphering the Causes of Body Aches: A Comprehensive Guide

Body aches and pains can be a perplexing and often frustrating experience. Whether it’s a dull, persistent ache or a sudden, sharp pain, these bodily sensations can significantly impact our daily lives. Fortunately, by understanding the potential causes behind these aches, we can take the necessary steps to find relief and address the underlying issues.

Stress and Anxiety: The Hidden Culprits

We often think of stress as a purely mental health condition, but it can also have a profound impact on our physical well-being. In times of heightened stress, the body can become more susceptible to inflammation and infection, leading to a wide range of aches and pains. Other symptoms of stress and anxiety include an increased heart rate, blood pressure, sweating, hyperventilation, trembling, and headaches. Learning effective stress-management techniques can be crucial in alleviating these physical symptoms.

Dehydration: The Overlooked Factor

Water is an essential ingredient for the body’s normal and healthy functioning. Without it, you can become dehydrated, which can lead to muscle cramps and other unpleasant symptoms. Other signs of dehydration include dark urine, dizziness or disorientation, exhaustion, and extreme thirst. Ensuring proper hydration by drinking enough water throughout the day can help alleviate these issues.

Sleep Deprivation: The Hidden Culprit

Adults aged 18 and over need to sleep at least 7 hours in every 24 hours. Having too little sleep can make you more sensitive to pain and worsen existing pain symptoms. Around 25% of your sleep should be the deepest sleep, during which the body repairs itself and releases essential hormones. Not getting enough quality sleep also increases the risk of various chronic conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and depression. Establishing a consistent sleep routine and prioritizing good sleep hygiene can be crucial in managing body aches and pains.

Infectious Diseases: Navigating the Symptom Overlap

A cold, the flu, COVID-19, and other infections can cause inflammation as the immune system works to remove them. This can result in aches and pains, as well as a range of other symptoms. Understanding the differences between cold, flu, and COVID-19 symptoms can help you seek the appropriate medical care and treatment. While cold symptoms are usually milder, the severity and types of COVID-19 symptoms can vary widely and potentially become life-threatening if breathing becomes difficult.

Anemia and Nutrient Deficiencies: The Hidden Culprits

Anemia, which occurs when the body doesn’t have enough properly functioning red blood cells, can lead to body aches, a rapid heart rate, dizziness or light-headedness, weakness, fatigue, pale skin, and shortness of breath. Hypocalcemia, or low blood calcium levels, can also cause bone and muscle pain, as well as muscle cramps, due to a lack of calcium and vitamin D in the diet. Addressing these nutrient deficiencies through dietary changes or supplementation can help alleviate these symptoms.

Chronic Conditions: Unraveling the Complexities

Certain chronic conditions, such as mononucleosis (also known as “kissing disease”), pneumonia, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome, can all contribute to body aches and pains. Each of these conditions has its own unique set of symptoms, from fever and swollen lymph nodes to chest and muscle pain, fatigue, and difficulty thinking or concentrating. Understanding the specific symptoms and seeking appropriate medical treatment is crucial in managing these chronic conditions and their associated body aches.

Uncovering the Root Cause: The Importance of Medical Evaluation

While home remedies and self-care can provide some relief for body aches, persistent or severe pain may have an underlying cause that requires medical attention. A healthcare professional can help you work out a comprehensive treatment plan to address the root cause of your aches and other associated symptoms. By understanding the potential causes and seeking the appropriate medical care, you can take the necessary steps to find lasting relief and improve your overall well-being.

Body Aches: 17 Possible Causes

Body aches occur with many health conditions, including arthritis and the flu. If the pain lasts more than a few days, is severe, or occurs with other symptoms, you may need medical attention.

Often, rest and home treatment can relieve body aches. However, persistent or severe pain may have an underlying cause that needs medical attention.

A doctor can help you work out a treatment plan to relieve your aches and other associated symptoms.

Keep reading to learn more about 17 causes for body aches and pains and other symptoms of each, to help you work out what’s happening.

We often think of stress as a mental health condition, but it can also impact the body on a cellular level.

In times of stress, the body can become more susceptible to infection and inflammation, and it may lead to aches and pains.

Other symptoms of stress and anxiety include:

• an increased heart rate and blood pressure
• sweating
• hyperventilating
• trembling
• headache

Get some tips for relieving stress here.

Water is an essential ingredient for the body’s normal and healthy functioning. Without it, you can become dehydrated, which can lead to muscle cramps.

Other symptoms of dehydration include:

• dark urine
• dizziness or disorientation
• exhaustion
• extreme thirst

What’s the best way to rehydrate?

Adults aged 18 and over need to sleep at least 7 hours in every 24 hours.

Having too little sleep can make you more sensitive to pain. It can also worsen existing pain symptoms.

Around 25% of your sleep should be the deepest sleep. During this time, the body repairs itself and releases essential hormones, among other functions.

Not getting enough quality sleep also increase the risk of various chronic conditions, such as:

• diabetes
• cardiovascular disease
• obesity
• depression

How much deep, light, and REM sleep do we need, and how can we get enough good quality sleep?

A cold, the flu, COVID-19, and other infections can cause inflammation as your immune system works to remove them. This can cause aches and pains.

Here are some common symptoms of these conditions.

Cold symptoms are usually milder than those of flu. The severity and types of COVID-19 symptoms vary widely, but they can become life threatening if a person finds it hard to breathe.

What’s the difference between cold and flu symptoms?

Anemia happens when your body doesn’t have enough properly functioning red blood cells, so your body tissues can’t get enough oxygen.

Some people who live with chronic conditions have anemia of inflammation. Experts believe this may result when a chronic condition affects how the body works, including how it uses iron.

Possible symptoms include:

• body pain
• a rapid heart rate
• dizziness or light-headedness
• weakness and fatigue
• pale skin
• shortness of breath

What are some signs of iron deficiency anemia?

Hypocalcemia, or a low blood calcium level, can happen when you don’t have enough calcium in your diet and vitamin D (calciferol) in your body from sunshine or your diet.

Your bones and muscles need calcium and vitamin D to stay healthy.

Low vitamin D levels can lead to:

• bone pain and unusual bone shape in children and teens
• muscle pain and weakness
• muscle cramps

How can I get more vitamin D?

Mononucleosis, mono, or “kissing disease” is an infection caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).

It’s very contagious, and symptoms include head and body aches.

Other symptoms are:

• fatigue
• fever
• a sore throat
• swollen lymph nodes
• an enlarged liver, spleen, or both
• a rash

What treatments can you use for mono?

Pneumonia is a lung infection that can affect your whole body.

It can cause chest and muscle pain, as well as:

• a cough, which may be dry or produce green, yellow, or blood-tinged mucus
• headache
• fever and chills
• breathing difficulty
• fatigue
• low appetite
• confusion
• nausea and vomiting, especially in children

Can home remedies support medical treatment for pneumonia?

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition where your entire body feels exhausted, achy, and sensitive.

Why is happens is unclear, but older age and having lupus or rheumatoid arthritis seem to increase the risk.

Symptoms include:

• pain and stiffness throughout the body
• fatigue
• depression and anxiety
• sleep problems
• difficulty thinking, focusing, and remembering
• headaches and migraine

Fibromyalgia diet: Can it help?

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also called myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), can cause you to feel exhausted and weak, no matter how much rest or sleep you get.

Possible causes include previous infection with the EBV or other viruses, genetic factors, and changes in the immune system.

Symptoms of CFS include:

• aches in the muscles and joints throughout your body
• fatigue that does not improve with rest
• a general feeling of being unwell
• headaches
• sleep disturbances and daytime drowsiness
• difficulty thinking and remembering

Get some diet hacks to reduce chronic fatigue

Arthritis happens when your joints become inflamed. There are different types of arthritis, and symptoms can vary, but they all include joint pain.

Examples include:

• osteoarthritis, which happens when the cartilage around your joints breaks down
• autoimmune conditions that wear away the lining around your joints, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
• gout, when a buildup of uric acid crystals causes pain, swelling, and inflammation
• psoriatic arthritis, which can occur with psoriasis and often involves swelling in the fingers

Other symptoms of arthritis include:

• stiffness in your joints
• swelling, warmth, or redness around the joint
• not being able to move a joint all the way

Can Ayurvedic treatment help with arthritis?

Lupus, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), happens when your immune system attacks the tissues around your body, including blood vessels, organs, and joints.

The damage and inflammation that can lead to pain in the joints due to arthritis.

Other symptoms include:

• skin lesions and rashes
• anemia
• headache
• heart, lung, and kidney problems
• ear and eye problems

What are some diet tips for lupus?

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that spreads through tick bites.

Symptoms develop in stages and include:

• a rash
• muscle pain
• eye pain
• joint pain, especially in the knee, ankle, and wrist joints
• facial palsy, or weakness in the facial muscles

Without treatment, Lyme disease can lead to neuromuscular and joint conditions, such as arthritis and facial paralysis. It can also cause heart problems.

What is the Lyme disease antibody test?

Histoplasmosis is a fungal infection caused by airborne spores from the soil or the droppings of bats or birds, especially in river valleys.

Possible symptoms include:

• flu-like symptoms
• chills and fever
• chest pain
• joint pain, in some cases
• headaches
• coughing

How can histoplasmosis affect the eyes?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune condition that affects the nervous system. It causes the myelin coverings around nerves to break down because of constant inflammation. As a result, the nerves cannot transmit messages effectively.

As a result, a person with MS will experience body aches and pain.

They may also experience:

• vision changes
• fatigue
• weakness
• tingling
• trouble walking or staying balanced
• trouble remembering or thinking

What are the treatments for MS?

Sepsis is an extreme response to an infection. It happens when an infection in the lungs, skin, or elsewhere triggers an immune reaction throughout the body. It is a life-threatening emergency.

The symptoms of sepsis include:

• severe pain
• a rapid heart rate or weak pulse
• confusion
• fever or chills
• difficulty breathing
• clammy skin

Anyone with these symptoms needs urgent medical treatment, especially if they have a weakened immune system or already have an infection. It can quickly lead to septic shock, which can be fatal.

Cancer can cause general body pain if it spreads throughout the body or if a person has bone cancer. As late-stage cancer progresses, the pain will increase, and the person will need strong pain relief medication.

Depending on where cancer has spread, other late-stage symptoms may include:

• bone pain and fractures if cancer is in the bones
• shortness of breath, if cancer is in the lungs
• headaches and dizziness if cancer has reached the brain
• abdominal swelling and jaundice, which give a yellow tinge to the eyes, if cancer has spread to the liver

Some cancer treatments can also cause bone pain.

Anyone with cancer or a previous diagnosis of cancer should speak with a doctor if they notice an onset of general pain or bone pain.

What are the stages of cancer?

Why do I have joint pain in the morning?

Joint pain and stiffness that is present when you wake up and lasts 30 minutes or longer may be a sign of RA. RA usually affects more than one joint, and it occurs in corresponding joints on both sides of the body, for instance, both knees.

What does it mean when you have body aches but no fever?

Body aches often happen with an infection, and you may also have a fever and chills. However, they also can occur without a fever, for instance, if you have been exercising more than usual, if you are not sleeping well, or if you are lacking nutrients, such as vitamin D or calcium.

How do you stop body aches?

This will depend on the cause. If it is due to exercise, you will have to wait until they resolve. Some underlying conditions, such as a cold or the flu, respond to rest and home treatment. Other causes will need medical attention. In the case of sepsis, the person will need immediate help.

Seek emergency medication attention if you have body pain with the following symptoms:

• trouble breathing
• trouble eating or drinking
• a high fever
• confusion
• seizures
• extreme fatigue or exhaustion
• a bad cough that doesn’t go away after a few days

If other, milder symptoms last for more than 2 weeks, see your doctor. They can examine you for a possible underlying condition. They will then work with you on a treatment plan to reduce the pain and treat the cause.

If you don’t already have a primary care doctor, you can browse doctors in your area through the Healthline FindCare tool.

Body aches and pains can happen for many reasons, ranging from stress to sepsis. Many of these causes are not serious and will resolve without treatment, but some may need urgent medical treatment.

If so, a doctor will consider the aches and pains along with other symptoms and carry out various tests before making a diagnosis.

Read this article in Spanish.

Body Aches: 17 Possible Causes

Body aches occur with many health conditions, including arthritis and the flu. If the pain lasts more than a few days, is severe, or occurs with other symptoms, you may need medical attention.

Often, rest and home treatment can relieve body aches. However, persistent or severe pain may have an underlying cause that needs medical attention.

A doctor can help you work out a treatment plan to relieve your aches and other associated symptoms.

Keep reading to learn more about 17 causes for body aches and pains and other symptoms of each, to help you work out what’s happening.

We often think of stress as a mental health condition, but it can also impact the body on a cellular level.

In times of stress, the body can become more susceptible to infection and inflammation, and it may lead to aches and pains.

Other symptoms of stress and anxiety include:

• an increased heart rate and blood pressure
• sweating
• hyperventilating
• trembling
• headache

Get some tips for relieving stress here.

Water is an essential ingredient for the body’s normal and healthy functioning. Without it, you can become dehydrated, which can lead to muscle cramps.

Other symptoms of dehydration include:

• dark urine
• dizziness or disorientation
• exhaustion
• extreme thirst

What’s the best way to rehydrate?

Adults aged 18 and over need to sleep at least 7 hours in every 24 hours.

Having too little sleep can make you more sensitive to pain. It can also worsen existing pain symptoms.

Around 25% of your sleep should be the deepest sleep. During this time, the body repairs itself and releases essential hormones, among other functions.

Not getting enough quality sleep also increase the risk of various chronic conditions, such as:

• diabetes
• cardiovascular disease
• obesity
• depression

How much deep, light, and REM sleep do we need, and how can we get enough good quality sleep?

A cold, the flu, COVID-19, and other infections can cause inflammation as your immune system works to remove them. This can cause aches and pains.

Here are some common symptoms of these conditions.

Cold symptoms are usually milder than those of flu. The severity and types of COVID-19 symptoms vary widely, but they can become life threatening if a person finds it hard to breathe.

What’s the difference between cold and flu symptoms?

Anemia happens when your body doesn’t have enough properly functioning red blood cells, so your body tissues can’t get enough oxygen.

Some people who live with chronic conditions have anemia of inflammation. Experts believe this may result when a chronic condition affects how the body works, including how it uses iron.

Possible symptoms include:

• body pain
• a rapid heart rate
• dizziness or light-headedness
• weakness and fatigue
• pale skin
• shortness of breath

What are some signs of iron deficiency anemia?

Hypocalcemia, or a low blood calcium level, can happen when you don’t have enough calcium in your diet and vitamin D (calciferol) in your body from sunshine or your diet.

Your bones and muscles need calcium and vitamin D to stay healthy.

Low vitamin D levels can lead to:

• bone pain and unusual bone shape in children and teens
• muscle pain and weakness
• muscle cramps

How can I get more vitamin D?

Mononucleosis, mono, or “kissing disease” is an infection caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).

It’s very contagious, and symptoms include head and body aches.

Other symptoms are:

• fatigue
• fever
• a sore throat
• swollen lymph nodes
• an enlarged liver, spleen, or both
• a rash

What treatments can you use for mono?

Pneumonia is a lung infection that can affect your whole body.

It can cause chest and muscle pain, as well as:

• a cough, which may be dry or produce green, yellow, or blood-tinged mucus
• headache
• fever and chills
• breathing difficulty
• fatigue
• low appetite
• confusion
• nausea and vomiting, especially in children

Can home remedies support medical treatment for pneumonia?

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition where your entire body feels exhausted, achy, and sensitive.

Why is happens is unclear, but older age and having lupus or rheumatoid arthritis seem to increase the risk.

Symptoms include:

• pain and stiffness throughout the body
• fatigue
• depression and anxiety
• sleep problems
• difficulty thinking, focusing, and remembering
• headaches and migraine

Fibromyalgia diet: Can it help?

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also called myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), can cause you to feel exhausted and weak, no matter how much rest or sleep you get.

Possible causes include previous infection with the EBV or other viruses, genetic factors, and changes in the immune system.

Symptoms of CFS include:

• aches in the muscles and joints throughout your body
• fatigue that does not improve with rest
• a general feeling of being unwell
• headaches
• sleep disturbances and daytime drowsiness
• difficulty thinking and remembering

Get some diet hacks to reduce chronic fatigue

Arthritis happens when your joints become inflamed. There are different types of arthritis, and symptoms can vary, but they all include joint pain.

Examples include:

• osteoarthritis, which happens when the cartilage around your joints breaks down
• autoimmune conditions that wear away the lining around your joints, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
• gout, when a buildup of uric acid crystals causes pain, swelling, and inflammation
• psoriatic arthritis, which can occur with psoriasis and often involves swelling in the fingers

Other symptoms of arthritis include:

• stiffness in your joints
• swelling, warmth, or redness around the joint
• not being able to move a joint all the way

Can Ayurvedic treatment help with arthritis?

Lupus, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), happens when your immune system attacks the tissues around your body, including blood vessels, organs, and joints.

The damage and inflammation that can lead to pain in the joints due to arthritis.

Other symptoms include:

• skin lesions and rashes
• anemia
• headache
• heart, lung, and kidney problems
• ear and eye problems

What are some diet tips for lupus?

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that spreads through tick bites.

Symptoms develop in stages and include:

• a rash
• muscle pain
• eye pain
• joint pain, especially in the knee, ankle, and wrist joints
• facial palsy, or weakness in the facial muscles

Without treatment, Lyme disease can lead to neuromuscular and joint conditions, such as arthritis and facial paralysis. It can also cause heart problems.

What is the Lyme disease antibody test?

Histoplasmosis is a fungal infection caused by airborne spores from the soil or the droppings of bats or birds, especially in river valleys.

Possible symptoms include:

• flu-like symptoms
• chills and fever
• chest pain
• joint pain, in some cases
• headaches
• coughing

How can histoplasmosis affect the eyes?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune condition that affects the nervous system. It causes the myelin coverings around nerves to break down because of constant inflammation. As a result, the nerves cannot transmit messages effectively.

As a result, a person with MS will experience body aches and pain.

They may also experience:

• vision changes
• fatigue
• weakness
• tingling
• trouble walking or staying balanced
• trouble remembering or thinking

What are the treatments for MS?

Sepsis is an extreme response to an infection. It happens when an infection in the lungs, skin, or elsewhere triggers an immune reaction throughout the body. It is a life-threatening emergency.

The symptoms of sepsis include:

• severe pain
• a rapid heart rate or weak pulse
• confusion
• fever or chills
• difficulty breathing
• clammy skin

Anyone with these symptoms needs urgent medical treatment, especially if they have a weakened immune system or already have an infection. It can quickly lead to septic shock, which can be fatal.

Cancer can cause general body pain if it spreads throughout the body or if a person has bone cancer. As late-stage cancer progresses, the pain will increase, and the person will need strong pain relief medication.

Depending on where cancer has spread, other late-stage symptoms may include:

• bone pain and fractures if cancer is in the bones
• shortness of breath, if cancer is in the lungs
• headaches and dizziness if cancer has reached the brain
• abdominal swelling and jaundice, which give a yellow tinge to the eyes, if cancer has spread to the liver

Some cancer treatments can also cause bone pain.

Anyone with cancer or a previous diagnosis of cancer should speak with a doctor if they notice an onset of general pain or bone pain.

What are the stages of cancer?

Why do I have joint pain in the morning?

Joint pain and stiffness that is present when you wake up and lasts 30 minutes or longer may be a sign of RA. RA usually affects more than one joint, and it occurs in corresponding joints on both sides of the body, for instance, both knees.

What does it mean when you have body aches but no fever?

Body aches often happen with an infection, and you may also have a fever and chills. However, they also can occur without a fever, for instance, if you have been exercising more than usual, if you are not sleeping well, or if you are lacking nutrients, such as vitamin D or calcium.

How do you stop body aches?

This will depend on the cause. If it is due to exercise, you will have to wait until they resolve. Some underlying conditions, such as a cold or the flu, respond to rest and home treatment. Other causes will need medical attention. In the case of sepsis, the person will need immediate help.

Seek emergency medication attention if you have body pain with the following symptoms:

• trouble breathing
• trouble eating or drinking
• a high fever
• confusion
• seizures
• extreme fatigue or exhaustion
• a bad cough that doesn’t go away after a few days

If other, milder symptoms last for more than 2 weeks, see your doctor. They can examine you for a possible underlying condition. They will then work with you on a treatment plan to reduce the pain and treat the cause.

If you don’t already have a primary care doctor, you can browse doctors in your area through the Healthline FindCare tool.

Body aches and pains can happen for many reasons, ranging from stress to sepsis. Many of these causes are not serious and will resolve without treatment, but some may need urgent medical treatment.

If so, a doctor will consider the aches and pains along with other symptoms and carry out various tests before making a diagnosis.

Read this article in Spanish.

Restoration of joints. | Motrin®

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PAIN IN THE JOINTS

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Restoration of joints

Author, editor and medical expert – Anna Alexandrovna Petrashevich.

Editor and medical expert – Harutyunyan Mariam Harutyunovna

Number of views: 321

Last update date: 12/29/2022 9000 3

Average reading time: 8 minutes

Content:

Articular cartilage: structure, features of restoration
Why is restoration of joints required?
Arthrosis or arthritis – when do you need joint rehabilitation?
How to know if your joints and cartilage need repair
Features of joint and cartilage repair

There are 230 joints in our body with different structure, shape and function ¹ . But at the same time, they are all mobile joints of bones. Thanks to them, we walk, lie down, pick up objects and even chew food. With the help of some joints we move only in one axis, while others help to perform complex multi-component movements ² .

Whatever the anatomy of the joints, restoring their full function sometimes requires effort on our part. Of course, the articular tissues are not so fragile, but they can “wear out”. Sometimes the cause of wear is the natural aging of the body, but the same changes are observed in young people with excessive motor activity, various diseases, against the background of genetic predisposition and malnutrition ³ .

When joint rehabilitation is required, how can you relieve pain and maintain joy of movement at any age? Read our article.

Cartilaginous tissue of the joints: structure, features of restoration

The surfaces of the bones that form the joint are covered with a layer of cartilage. Cartilage resembles a rubber “pad”: being dense and resilient, it softens (absorbs) shocks and ensures smooth movements. It also functions as a support and connection ^7.11 .

Cartilage is a tissue that has its own characteristics. She:

• Has a gel structure , thanks to which the cartilage retains its shape and allows the joint to work ¹¹ .
• Consists of chondrocytes – cells that synthesize all the most important components of the matrix: chondroitin sulfate, collagen and proteoglycans ^7.11 .
• Infused with strands of hyaluronic acid to “lubricate” the cartilage surface ⁵ .
• Deprived of blood vessels, lymphatic system and nerves ⁵ .
• Nourishes from synovial fluid ⁴ , a thick elastic mass that fills the joint cavity and acts as a “lubricant” ¹¹ .

Cartilage, like a tissue devoid of nerves and blood vessels, is nourished in motion ⁸ . It is during movement that he, like a sponge, absorbs synovial fluid. This liquid contains all the substances necessary for nutrition ^11.12 . Accordingly, if you do not move, your cartilage does not receive proper nutrition.

After each physical activity there is some wear of the cartilage, but it returns to its shape. Problems arise if the processes of destruction proceed more actively, and the restoration of cartilage of the joints is slower ³ .

In some diseases, cartilage is damaged and worn away. Left without cartilage tissue, the bone is exposed, which causes us pain and stiffness of movements ⁶ . Therefore, when we talk about joint restoration, in most cases we are talking about cartilage tissue ³ .

Damage may result ¹³ :

• injuries;
• increased mobility (“looseness”) of the joint;
• overload;
• insufficient physical activity.

In addition, the problem is aggravated by excess weight, violation of the anatomy of the articular surfaces associated with mechanical factors, for example, a change in the elevation of the foot or its deviation to the side (valgus or varus deformity), muscle weakness, flat feet, which significantly increases the load on the knees ^{3, 13} .

Joint reconstruction may be required for people who also have these risk factors ^{3, 13} :

• lack of vitamins C and D;
• taking certain hormonal drugs;
• smoking;
• inflammatory processes (arthritis, synovitis).

But first things first.

Why is Joint Rehabilitation Necessary?

If the cartilage is damaged or worn, the joint becomes less flexible ⁷ . These changes can affect us differently depending on where they originated. For example, if your knee hurts, it becomes difficult to climb stairs and play sports. And the signal for the restoration of the shoulder joint is discomfort and soreness when lifting objects.

Osteoarthritis or arthritis – when do you need joint rehabilitation?

Osteoarthritis (arthrosis) is a chronic disease in which cartilage is gradually destroyed, and over time, bones and periarticular structures are involved in the process ¹⁰ . If 20 years ago arthrosis was associated exclusively with the aging of the body and the natural wear of cartilage, today the inflammatory component in the development of the disease has been proven ¹⁰ .

In arthrosis, the matrix is ​​damaged, the balance between the construction and destruction of new cartilage cells is disturbed towards destruction ³ . The activity of chondrocytes decreases: they stop synthesizing cartilage components. The latter softens, and at later stages breaks down into pieces ³ .

In addition to arthrosis, joint rehabilitation is required for arthritis.

Arthritis is a disease in which inflammatory processes occur in the joint cavity caused by infection, autoimmune reactions, endocrine disorders or metabolic disorders ⁹ .

The division into arthrosis and arthritis is rather conditional. If left untreated, any arthritis eventually leads to arthrosis, since inflammatory processes disrupt the metabolism in cartilage tissue. Not receiving sufficient nutrition, it becomes thinner and begins to gradually collapse. On the other hand, arthrosis, which was initially caused by a mechanical overload of the joint, is supplemented by an inflammatory process over time. This is due to the fact that the particles of the destroyed cartilage, accumulating in the cavity, cause inflammation ¹⁰ .

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How to know if your joints and cartilage need repair

Since cartilage is responsible for cushioning, the joints begin to experience higher and uneven mechanical stress. Because of this, the cartilage is destroyed, and in its place, bone growths are formed – osteophytes. This is manifested by a decrease in the range of motion in the joint and pain ⁶ . Every disease is different. Nevertheless, by your feelings you can understand what is happening in the articular tissues.

If the cartilage begins to break down or is already severely broken down, the following types of pain may bother you:

• Mechanical – begins during movement and subsides during rest. The appearance of pain is associated with a decrease in the depreciation abilities of the cartilage and the bone structures located under it ⁶ .
• Nocturnal – associated with venous stasis (stagnation) and increased blood pressure in the bones ⁶ .
• “Weather” – is a feeling familiar to many when the joints “ache” and the next day the weather suddenly changes. There is an explanation for this phenomenon. The fact is that fluctuations in temperature, humidity and atmospheric pressure affect the intra-articular baroreceptors, which respond to changes in pressure ⁶ .
• “Starting” – occur during the first movements after rest, but disappear if you continue to move. “Starting pain” is associated with friction of the articular surfaces, on which detritus settles – a product of cartilage destruction. But as soon as you warm up a little, the soreness goes away. This is due to the fact that in the process of movement, detritus is pushed into the bag of the joint and ceases to irritate the cartilage ⁶ .
• “Blockade” – sudden and severe pain that occurs as a result of infringement of a fragment of bone or cartilage between the articular surfaces. It can be so acute that it becomes difficult to perform even elementary movements ⁶ .

In arthritis, the pain syndrome occurs when the inflammatory process captures the synovial bag – the structure of the joint, which secretes intra-articular fluid. In this case, the pain is constant and is associated more with the inflammatory component, and not with mechanical stress during movement ⁶ . The picture with synovitis is complemented by stiffness and a local increase in skin temperature. The disease is accompanied by the formation of substances that stimulate inflammation, including prostaglandins. They support a sluggish inflammatory process and can enhance the destruction of cartilage tissue ^13,14 .

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Features of the restoration of joints and cartilage

In case of joint diseases, their restoration begins with the treatment of the causative disease. Arthritis and arthrosis require therapy that eliminates inflammation and slows down the destruction of joint structures. Also, for the restoration of joints and cartilage, it is important to relieve pain that interferes with movement ¹⁴ .

A group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) has 2 actions simultaneously – analgesic and anti-inflammatory ¹⁴ . One of the representatives of NSAIDs is naproxen, which is part of Motrin®. It is approved for use by adults and children over 15 years of age ^{1 5} . One dose of Motrin® is sufficient up to 12 hours ¹⁶ .

To restore the joints, the doctor may prescribe chondroprotectors – natural components of cartilage tissue (chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine). They slow down its destruction and prevent the development of complications ³ .

Joint restoration is a long and complex process, and this is exactly the case when it is much easier to prevent a disease than to treat it. To prevent cartilage destruction, do exercise therapy, control your weight, monitor your physical activity ^3.13 .

The information in this article is for reference only and does not replace professional medical advice. For diagnosis and treatment, contact a qualified specialist.

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References:

1. Sinyachenko OV Paseishvili. Arthralgic syndrome: verification, validation and evaluation approaches. Skhidnoevropeisky journal. 2017;2:4–9.
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Joint pain. Treatment of joint pain, symptoms, causes, diagnosis

Video

• Joint pain. Question answer.
  Subject: Encyclopedia of diseases
• Joint pain
  Subject: Encyclopedia of diseases

Title

• Major diseases
• Myths and facts
• Diagnostics
• Methods of treatment

Joint pain can be mild in intensity or severe and debilitating. During their lifetime, up to 85% of the adult population, one way or another, experienced pain in the joints. The cause of pain in the joints can be hundreds of diseases in which damage to the joints can be both primary and secondary (due to intoxication with metabolic products).

The following diseases are most often accompanied by pain in the joints:

• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Rheumatism
• Reactive arthritis
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Bursitis
• Gout
• Myeloma
• Lyme disease
• Osteomyelitis
• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Scleroderma
• Lymphoblastic leukemia
• Sarcoidosis
• Kawasaki disease
• Crohn’s disease
• Still’s disease
• Bone metastases
• Septic arthritis

Statistically, 4 diseases with the presence of arthralgias (pain in the joints) deserve the most attention.

Osteoarthritis

Arthritis (joint inflammation) is the most common cause of joint pain and a very large number of people suffer from this disease. Osteoarthritis is sometimes referred to as degenerative, meaning that the cartilage that lines the joint surfaces undergoes degenerative changes over time, and damaged cartilage injures each other, causing symptoms such as joint pain, inflammation, stiffness, and limited mobility. About 27 million people in the United States suffer from osteoarthritis. Symptoms usually begin after age 40 and progress slowly. And after the age of 60, up to half of the people in one way or another are faced with this disease. Osteoarthritis often affects large joints that are subjected to greater stress (hips, knees and ankles). Being overweight increases the risk of this disease. It has been noted that people with overweight (both men and women) are three times more likely to develop this disease compared to people with normal weight (the same age and gender group).

Rheumatoid arthritis

An autoimmune disease that causes pain and stiffness in the joints. It most often occurs in women between 20 and 50 years of age. In the US, there are about 1.5 million patients with this diagnosis. In patients with this disease, as a result of a malfunction of the immune system, antibodies are formed to their own tissues (including tissues of the joints), which causes inflammation and is manifested by damage to the joints and other internal organs. Inflammation in the joints leads to rapid wear, pain and limited mobility. Due to the fact that the disease is systemic and autoantibodies spread throughout the body, joint lesions are symmetrical (the joints on the right and left are affected). Small joints (in the hand and foot) are often affected, as well as large joints.

Bursitis

This disease is often confused with arthritis, although bursitis does not cause inflammation of the joint, but of the articular sac. Bursitis can cause discomfort, stiffness, and pain in the joint area. Symptoms are associated with inflammation of the synovial membranes of the joint, usually caused by incorrect movement, compression or trauma. More often bursitis develops in the area of ​​the shoulder, knee or hip joint. One type of bursitis called “maid’s knee” develops as a result of prolonged pressure on the knee joint on a hard surface.

Gout

Gouty joints usually present with paroxysmal episodes of pain, stiffness, inflammation and redness in the joints. The reason for this lies in the excessive production of uric acid, which is not completely utilized by the kidneys and is deposited in the form of crystals in the joints, which leads to inflammation. As a rule, this disease develops after 50 years. Therefore, it must be remembered that with age, the excretory function of the kidneys may decrease, which can lead to gout. Gout usually affects the feet, but if left untreated, other joints may also be involved.

Systemic lupus erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease. The etiology of this disease is not yet known. Assume a certain genetic determinism. Provoking factors can be infections, stress, solar insolation, ultraviolet radiation, changes in hormone levels during pregnancy or when taking contraceptives. The reason for the formation of autoantibodies is not clear. Women get sick 9 times more often than men and, as a rule, the debut occurs at a fertile age. SLE is characterized by alternating exacerbations and remissions, and these periods can be of different duration. With an exacerbation, there may be a rise in temperature, inflammation and pain in the joints. Remission periods can be long and up to 20% of patients do not require treatment during this period of time. With SLE, damage to other organs and systems (kidneys, heart, skin) is possible.

Fibromyalgia

A disease with a completely unknown etiology, characterized by chronic pain in the muscles, joints, headaches and sleep disturbance. Many patients with fibromyalgia experience fatigue and bowel problems.

Osteoporosis

A disease characterized by a decrease in bone density due to the prevalence of catabolism over anabolism in bone structures. Mostly women of postmenopausal age are ill. Joint pain is associated with changes in the bone tissue.

Myths and facts

Myth N1

All joint pain is associated with arthritis. Although there are at least 50 types of arthritis, but inflammation and pain in the joints does not mean the presence of arthritis. Pain in the joints may be associated with damage to the soft tissues or synovial membranes (bursitis). Therefore, a doctor’s consultation is necessary to make a diagnosis.

Myth N2

Clicking joints causes arthritis. As far as we know, the click when the joint is extended is associated only with the vacuum effect and nothing more.

Myth N3

Physical exercise causes joint pain. Exercise is beneficial for both people with arthritis and healthy people. Only in the presence of pain, it is necessary to forget about intense exercise, and limit yourself to light gymnastics or exercise bikes and swimming. It must be remembered that the more a person moves throughout life, the better. For joints, exercises help maintain range of motion. We must remember the motto “what does not work – dies.”

Myth N4

It is impossible to stop the destruction of joints in arthritis. Modern drugs (NSAIDs, steroids, antirheumatic) can reduce inflammation, relieve pain and thus inhibit the destructive processes in the joint. When patients refused treatment of the joints, irreversible, pronounced changes in the joints were noted, and, sometimes, in a very short period of time (3-6 months). Therefore, it is better to listen to the advice of a doctor – this will help maintain the quality of life.

Fact N1

Patients with arthritis are weather sensitive. They do not tolerate wet weather well and thrive in dry, clear weather. This is due to the sensitivity of these patients to atmospheric pressure.

Fact N2

Diet may be a factor in the prevention of arthritis. Yes and no. As weight increases, the risk of osteoarthritis increases, especially in the hip and knee joints. But in other forms of arthritis, the effectiveness of the diet is not so obvious.

Arthritis

It is a misconception that arthritis only affects the elderly. These diseases occur in any age group. Arthritis is a disease characterized by inflammation of the joints and affects both children and adults. A typical manifestation of arthritis is pain and stiffness in the joints, which limits movement and sometimes these symptoms are resistant to treatment. It is often possible to achieve a healing effect through exercise, medication, and lifestyle changes. Approximately 46 million adults in the United States have been diagnosed with some form of arthritis and this number is on the rise. But arthritis did not appear today and for hundreds of years bothered people (the typical changes in bone structures discovered during excavations testify to this). Just over the past 100 years there has been a sharp jump in the diagnosis of diseases of the musculoskeletal system and the immune system. Scientists have identified at least 100 types of arthritis and, as it turned out, many conditions accompanied by fever and a malfunction of the immune system are somehow connected with the joints.

Arthritis is characterized by pain, stiffness and swelling in the joints, as well as a decrease in their range of motion. There are various forms of arthritis, incl. secondary (gout, SLE, fibromyalgia). Arthritis can be divided into three groups:

• Osteoarthritis. Also called degenerative joint disease, it is the most commonly diagnosed form of arthritis. Osteoarthritis occurs when the process of disintegration of cartilage in the joints begins. This form of arthritis often affects the hip, knee, ankle, and shoulder joints. It most often develops over the age of 40.
• Rheumatoid arthritis. This type of arthritis develops due to damage to the surfaces that line the joint, causing pain and inflammation. Smaller joints (feet, fingers) are more commonly affected. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that usually develops in women between the ages of 30 and 50.
• Juvenile arthritis. This group includes all arthritis that develops before the age of 18 years. What causes arthritis at a young age is not clear, but JA is more common in girls than in boys. In juvenile arthritis, various joints (ankle, knee, hip, shoulder, wrist) may be involved. There are many types of juvenile arthritis, but juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is the most common.

Diagnosis of arthritis

As soon as the symptoms of arthritis appear, namely pain in the joints, it is necessary to consult a doctor. Diagnosis may require a number of diagnostic tests:

• Physical examination, which allows you to see the presence of swelling of the joint, pain on palpation, limited mobility in the joint.
• Finding out the intensity of pain and its nature.
• Blood tests – general, blood fractions, rheumatic tests, antibodies, etc.
• X-ray examination of affected joint
• MRI or CT of the joint
• Densitometry
• Ultrasound of the joint
• Arthroscopy (a procedure in which an endoscope equipped with a video camera is inserted into the joint cavity in order to visualize the pathology)
• Joint puncture with laboratory examination of punctate

Not all tests can be used for diagnosis, but only a combination that allows the most accurate diagnosis. If the test results are positive, a consultation with a rheumatologist may be required.

Given that arthritis is different, the diagnosis will require a different amount of research and different times. For example, the diagnosis of osteoarthritis is not difficult, while diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis requires imaging and blood tests, and only a combination of examinations allows such a diagnosis to be made (similar to assembling a puzzle). For other joint lesions, additional research methods may be required. For example, psoriatic arthritis, as a complication of a disease called psoriasis or reactive arthritis that accompanies infectious diseases. In some cases, the underlying disease dominates the clinical picture and interferes with the diagnosis of arthritis. For example, with polymyalgia rheumatica or Bechterew’s disease (ankylosing spondylitis).

Treatment of arthritis

Has undergone a lot of changes in recent years. At one time, treatment for arthritis consisted of aspirin, thermal treatments, and immobilization of damaged joints using various orthopedic orthoses. It turned out that immobilization, supposedly to relieve pain, does more harm than good. Nowadays, the joints are given less time to rest and constant mobility in them is the key to maintaining its functions. Current treatment for osteoarthritis consists of a combination of exercise, physical therapy, medications, intra-articular injections, and weight loss. There is an obvious connection between excess weight and damage to large joints (knee, hip). And weight loss is very beneficial in these cases.

Progress has also been made in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. In the middle of the 20th century, prednisolone was first used and the first results of treatment were very encouraging. But it turned out that steroids have no less side effects than therapeutic ones. Certain hopes are associated with the recently discovered selective immunosuppressants Adalimumab (Humira) and others. Time will tell their effectiveness.

Drug treatment

Currently, there is a whole group of drugs: aspirin, indomethacin, ibuprofen, naproxen, COX-2 inhibitors (Celebrex), steroids, tramatodol, methotrexate, penicillamine, various creams and gels, chondroitin sulfate.

All medicines have some degree of side effects and their prescription, dosage and duration are the exclusive prerogative of the doctor.

Physiotherapy. Modern physiotherapy techniques help in some cases to reduce swelling in the joint, increase mobility, and reduce pain. But sometimes even long courses of physiotherapy have no effect.

Physical exercise

Patients with joint pain try to avoid physical exercise in order not to injure them. And it would seem that such types of activity as long walking, bicycle ergometry or treadmill exercises are the lot of only healthy people. But reasonable loads with a gradual increase in the volume of exercises performed have a very beneficial effect on patients with arthritis. Along with medications and orthoses, physical exercise helps to improve the following parameters: reduce joint stiffness and pain, increase the elasticity of muscles and ligaments of the joint, improve blood supply to cartilage tissue, improve overall well-being (sleep, mood), reduce weight.