Joint inflammation
The human body has over 100 movable joints . Inflammatory joint diseases can occur at any age and often significantly impair the patient’s quality of life. Joint inflammation , also known as arthritis in technical terms , can be acute or chronic.
What is joint inflammation?
Inflammation is a defense reaction of the immune system to a (potentially) harmful stimulus. This can be a mechanical irritation, microorganisms that have penetrated , toxins or even endogenous substances. If such a process takes place within a joint, it is referred to as arthritis or joint inflammation.
If only one joint is affected, it is monoarthritis. However, it is also possible that the inflammatory process takes place in several joints (oligoarthritis). If more than five joints are involved, the disease is defined as polyarthritis .
causes
There are various causes of joint inflammation. In bacterial or purulent joint inflammation, microorganisms have penetrated into the interior of the joint. On the one hand, this can happen in the case of injuries or surgical interventions, on the other hand, the pathogens can also migrate via the bloodstream from other sources of inflammation.In the case of abacterial joint inflammation, on the other hand, there are no pathogens in the joint itself. A so-called reactive joint inflammation occurs when the immune system attacks an infection located outside the joint and this immune reaction continues into the joint, e.g. B. in a Borrelia infection after a tick bite .
An autoimmune process can lead to rheumatoid joint inflammation . Joint inflammation can also be associated with certain metabolic diseases such as gout or psoriasis . Another possible cause is activated arthrosis , ie joint wear and tear with inflammation as a result.
When to the doctor?
If pain and discomfort in the joints persist for several days, a doctor should be consulted. If the symptoms increase in intensity or spread further, a doctor’s visit is also necessary. If there are limitations in mobility or impairments in coping with everyday life, a doctor should be consulted. As soon as symptoms such as fever, dizziness or changes to the skin appear as a result of the inflammation, it is also advisable to see a doctor.
If the person concerned suffers from inner restlessness, discomfort or irritability for several days, he should see a doctor. If the body develops a bad posture or if other parts of the body are overloaded, a doctor must be consulted. Permanent damage to the skeletal system can occur if timely correction is not made.
If the general performance limit drops, changes in behavior occur or leisure and professional activities can no longer take place as usual, further examinations must be carried out. Medical care is also necessary if the person concerned suffers from insomnia or has problems concentrating and paying attention.
Persistent mood swings, reduced activity over a long period of time or withdrawal behavior from social life should also be clarified by a doctor before further illnesses develop. Before taking any pain-relieving medication, you should always consult a doctor.
symptoms and course
Typical signs of joint inflammation:
Characteristic symptoms of joint inflammation are the five general signs of inflammation :
- rubor (redness),
- calor (warming),
- Dolor (pain),
- tumor (swelling) and
- Functio laesa (limited function).
In addition, a general feeling of illness can set in. Bacterial joint inflammation can largely destroy the articular cartilage within a short period of time. Without rapid medical intervention, the pathogens can spread further in the body and, in the worst case, lead to sepsis with possible organ failure and death.
In the case of rheumatoid joint inflammation, the immune system mistakenly recognizes endogenous material as a foreign body and reacts with an inflammatory process. The synovial membrane or
Joint mucosa begins to proliferate aggressively, in severe cases to the point of complete destruction of the cartilage with subsequent bone loss .
The symptoms often begin insidiously as a general feeling of illness with weight loss and a slight fever . In addition, there is morning stiffness of the finger joints as well as swelling, redness and pain. The wrist and metatarsophalangeal joints are most commonly affected, but the joint inflammation can spread to other joints over time. The disease progresses in phases and deforms the affected joints.
Diagnose
In addition to the typical symptoms and signs of joint inflammation, a blood test is suitable for diagnosis , in which an increase in the C-reactive protein, the blood sedimentation rate and the so-called rheumatoid factors speak for joint inflammation. However, these findings also occur in other diseases or sometimes cannot be detected despite the presence of rheumatoid joint inflammation. Imaging procedures (including ultrasound , MRI , X-ray examination ) show bone damage and joint malpositions such as abrasion, osteoporosis , ulnar deviation or the characteristic buttonhole or swan neck deformity of the fingers.
complications
Existing inflammations can quickly spread in the organism. With a weakened immune system, the germs have the opportunity to multiply undisturbed in a short time and quickly reach other places via the various vessels and fibers. Although most viruses and bacteria can be treated well by medical means, germs that have developed resistance to the active ingredients that are present keep appearing. This delays the healing process and, due to the weakened immune system, leads to an increased susceptibility to other diseases.
The joint inflammation leads to greater physical stress on other regions of the body and joints. Due to the compensation, overuse takes place, which causes pain and impairment of the joints. Malpositions and damage to the skeletal system are possible. In addition, increased muscle tension or hardening occurs as a result of one-sided stress. The joint inflammation leads to a reduction in the usual movement. The avoidance behavior can lead to an increase in body weight, since food intake is usually not adapted to the changed circumstances and needs of the metabolic system. If you become overweight, there is a risk of further diseases. Various organs are heavily loaded and can lead to functional disorders. In addition, the risk increasessuffering from an eating disorder .
treatment and therapy
Several groups of active ingredients are usually combined for the drug treatment of joint inflammation: painkillers , glucocorticoids (immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory, e.g. cortisone ), non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs (pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory) and basic therapeutics (for long-term containment of the course of the disease). Surgical therapy is often necessary as well.
In the early stages of joint inflammation, a synovectomy (removal of the inflamed joint mucosa) often has a beneficial effect on the further course of the disease.In advanced stages of inflammation, however, an affected joint often cannot be saved and has to be removed. Joint resection is used when the joint inflammation has already led to severe deformity and bone damage.
Arthrodesis can also be performed. This is a joint stiffening. After the joint has been removed, the ends of the bones are fixed to one another so that mobility is no longer guaranteed, but pain no longer occurs.
If severely damaged parts of the joint are to be removed, but the function of the joint as such is to be retained, an arthroplasty using the body’s own tendons is an option. If this is not possible, an endoprosthesis, i.e. an artificial joint, can also be the means of choice, but as with arthrosis patients, this option is delayed as long as possible, since endoprostheses are wear parts that will sooner or later be replaced must. As an alternative to surgery, the nuclear medical procedure of radiosynoviorthesis is sometimes used for joint inflammation.
prevention
To prevent joint inflammation, it can be helpful not to overload the joints. Certain sports such as football, tennis or excessive weight training should be avoided. Alternatives that are easy on the joints are swimming or walking, because moderate exercise has a beneficial effect on the joints.
Another factor is a balanced diet – on the one hand to protect the bones from deficiency symptoms and on the other hand to avoid being overweight , which would put additional strain on the joints.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.