Joint pain throughout the body is not a disease, but a symptom. At the same time, painful sensations often spread to the muscles, as a result it can be difficult to even get out of bed. Many diseases lead to such unpleasant consequences, the treatment of pain is impossible without establishing the exact cause. What symptoms to focus on and what to do?
The main causes of pain
If more than one joint hurts, not many, but all at once, this is a sign of systemic damage to the body. In addition, it is difficult to understand where exactly the pain is located: in the joints, muscles, bones or anywhere at the same time. Pain is felt throughout the body, making detection difficult. Due to what all joints can hurt:
- Too intense physical activity.
- Infectious diseases.
- Pathological changes in connective tissues.
- Diseases of the circulatory system.
- Oncological diseases.
- Neuralgia.
As can be seen from the above, it is impossible to immediately understand the causes of pain. The exact cause can only be established after passing the appropriate examinations. If we exclude the hard physical work of the day before, we are talking about diseases that need to be treated.
Why is it dangerous?
First of all, severe pain in the whole body reduces mobility, but this is not the main danger. The main threat is the disease, which provoked painful sensations in the joints. Self-medication in such cases is extremely dangerous, as it will lead to the fact that only the symptoms will pass, while the disease itself will progress. You can try to relieve the pain and possible swelling on your own, but you should definitely see a doctor afterwards.
Symptoms of the disease
Any disease has symptoms that are characteristic only of it. Since pain is the most obvious sign, the first thing to do is to define its characteristics:
- Type of pain (pain, sharp, cramps).
- Localization (joints, surrounding muscles, bones).
- Whether it moves through the body or a separate area constantly hurts.
- Constant pain or seizures are intermittent.
- The intensity of the sensations.
In addition, the patient may experience weakness, severe fatigue or muscle aches. Additional symptoms vary depending on the specific cause of the pain:
- Overvoltage. . . Excessive physical activity the day before can lead to the fact that the whole body will hurt the next day. This is due to the production of lactic acid, which builds up in the muscles. In this case, a good warm-up is sufficient to relieve the pain.
- infections. . . Joint pain often accompanies diseases such as flu, fever, meningitis, and even ordinary acute respiratory infections in advanced form. In addition to pain, the symptom is complemented by cough, rash, chills, weakness, nausea and indigestion, high body temperature.
- Viral hepatitis. . . With liver damage, in addition to possible pain, there is a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes, a deterioration in appetite.
- Pathological changes in the connective tissue. . . Arthritis, lupus erythematosus, polymyositis - all of these can cause joint pain. In addition, some diseases of the heart, kidneys, lungs, vascular and nervous systems can also lead to painful sensations in the joints.
- Diseases of the blood. . . In addition to the sensation of pains in the body, the patient feels fever, the skin becomes pale, the lymph nodes, liver and spleen increase in size. In this state, vulnerability to infectious diseases increases. In acute form, such diseases are life-threatening if not treated in time.
- Oncology. . . With oncological tissue damage, joint pain can appear before the diagnosis of the disease itself. In addition, symptoms such as weakness, weight loss, poor appetite, fever, mood swings, depression speak of oncology.
- Neuralgia. . . With diseases of the nervous system, in addition to pain in the joints and muscles, the patient may experience numbness of the fingertips, loss of sensation and weakness. In addition, the hair begins to fall out and the skin becomes drier and thinner.
If joint pain is accompanied by any of the listed symptoms, this is a reason to consult a specialist.
Diagnostic methods
Who to contact with full-body pain complaints:
- Rheumatologist.
- Hematologist.
- Oncologist.
- Infectionist.
After the doctor has examined the patient and listened to the complaints, he should send the patient for examination. To identify the diagnosis, the following diagnostic methods are used:
- General urine analysis.
- General blood analysis.
- Blood biochemistry.
- LHC blood and smear analysis.
- Puncture of the bone marrow.
- CT and MRI.
- Neuromyography.
A comprehensive examination will provide a complete picture of the patient's condition. Only then can we talk about a specific disease and prescribe treatment.
Joint pain treatment
The method of treatment is chosen by the doctor based on the data obtained during the examination. The most common is drug therapy. A wide variety of medications can treat almost any cause of joint pain. The choice of drug groups depends on the type of disease:
- Antibiotics
- Anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Pain relievers.
- Hormonal agents.
- Immunosuppressants
- Cytostatics.
Many drugs from the listed groups have serious contraindications: some of them should not be taken in the presence of tumors. In addition, almost all drugs have their own contraindications and side effects. This is one of the reasons why it is impossible to independently select drugs and take them without thoughts. The exact dosage and type of drug is prescribed only by a doctor. If after the course of administration there are no results, the specialist can replace the drug with another.
Surgery is needed in extreme cases when drug therapy is powerless. Usually, the operation is prescribed for cancer and blood diseases. In case of cancer, the operation can be completed by radiotherapy and, in case of serious blood diseases, a bone marrow transplant is necessary.
Prophylaxis
To prevent your joints from hurting, you need to follow six simple tips:
- Proper nutrition. . . First, a balanced menu will provide the body with all the substances necessary for normal functioning. Secondly, eating right will help you maintain your weight. Obesity is known to be one of the causes of joint pain.
- Chondroitin and Glucosamine. . . These substances are essential for joint health. They are found in meat, cartilage and fish.
- Drinking regime. . . Liquid helps to establish metabolism, if there is not enough water in the body, then the nutrition of organs, muscles and joints will be insufficient. You need to drink about 2 liters of water per day.
- Physical activity. . . Regular gymnastics in the morning will also help normalize blood circulation, as a result, the joints will receive enough nutrients.
- Attention. . . Any joint injury should be avoided.
- Vitamin complexes and food supplements. . . Missing vitamins and minerals can be obtained from preparations, the main thing is to choose them correctly.
Simple tips can help keep your joints healthy. In addition to adjusting the diet and daily routine, it is necessary to periodically undergo preventive examinations by doctors. This will help to notice the disease in time and start treatment.