Polyarthritis of the joints: causes, symptoms and treatment

Joints play a key role in the structure of the human body, connecting bones to each other and ensuring full mobility of the arms, legs, jaw, etc.
Unfortunately, joints are susceptible to various kinds of pathologies, which can be caused by many unfavorable factors or natural aging of the body. Especially often, any joint is affected by arthritis - an inflammatory process that is dangerous due to its advanced form, depriving the inflamed joint of mobility, significantly reducing the patient’s quality of life. Sometimes the body occupies polyarthritis of the hip joint - affecting one joint after another or several at once. This serious disease occurs in a chronic form and is a natural inflammatory reaction to all sorts of unfavorable factors.

Inflammatory or dystrophic hip polyarthritis gradually destroys the cartilage tissue of the joint, which threatens the patient with loss of the ability to move independently. Untimely and illiterate treatment of polyarthritis of the hip joint is a sure path to disability.

At the first symptoms noticed, it is necessary to undergo a full medical examination. This measure will allow the doctor to determine the original source of the disease and select the appropriate treatment.

The main reasons for the development of the disease

Polyarthritis of the hip occurs in the inflamed gluteus medius and minimus tendons, which are attached to the greater trochanter of the femur. The following factors can provoke the disease:

regular microtrauma of tendons;
systematic physical activity;
overweight;
profession related to lifting and carrying heavy objects;
failure of the body's metabolic functions;
disorders in the endocrine system;
elderly age;
vascular pathologies;
systematic freezing;
previous myocardial infarction;
the presence of such pathologies: sciatica, arthrosis, etc.

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To protect yourself as much as possible from the occurrence of hip polyarthritis, it is enough to: dress for the weather, treat, and not heal, joint diseases, protect yourself from physical overexertion, undergo a scheduled medical examination in a timely manner, and lead a healthy lifestyle. Following these simple recommendations will significantly reduce the risk of developing the disease.

The process of development of metabolic polyarthritis

Metabolic-dystrophic polyarthritis develops slowly, but steadily leads to disaster. The cause is salt crystals that form in the patient’s joints. Gradually the process accelerates, and the first symptoms appear, accompanied by endless pain.

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The main reason is metabolic disorders. It leads to a gradual deterioration of a person’s condition, and in the future to categorical modifications of the joints. At this stage, doctors cannot cope with the disease, and the patient becomes disabled due to loss of ability to work. When faced with such a problem, you should not waste time on pointless self-medication. The only way is to visit a clinic to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe the optimal treatment.

Symptoms of hip polyarthritis

Occurring in a chronic form, polyarthritis is usually accompanied by mild symptoms that resemble signs of arthritis. They may vary depending on the underlying causes of the pathology. But the main symptoms of the exacerbation period remain unchanged:

limited mobility in the morning or after a long period of rest;
pain in the affected area, which becomes more pronounced at night;
redness and increased temperature in the affected area;
swelling that restricts movement;
fatigue, lack of appetite;
constant feeling of fatigue;
crunch in the hip area, reminiscent of a dry click;
changing the shape of joints.

In the rheumatoid form of the disease, the main symptoms include: hypersensitivity of the joints to changes in weather, the formation of excessive sweating, a significant increase in body temperature, the formation of rheumatoid nodules, and weight loss.

The post-traumatic form has the following additional symptoms: constant dull pain in the muscles, a decrease in muscle mass due to developed atrophy. The joints deviate from the correct position, which leads to serious difficulties when walking.

This pathological process occupies the joints of people of any age. And the main task of the attending physician is to select therapy, taking into account age, characteristics of the course of the disease, degree of neglect, and the presence of concomitant diseases in the patient’s body.

Joints destroyed due to natural aging of the body are much more difficult to restore than joints of a young body occupied by pathology. Therefore, treatment tactics are selected individually for each individual case.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of polyarthritis of any kind is carried out on the basis of collecting complaints and examining the inflamed joint. Some external signs indicate a diagnosis. But to determine its nature in more detail, additional research is carried out:

Wright and Heddleson's reaction.
Burnet's test.
Tomography.
Berde-Giangoux reaction.
Wasserman reaction.
Radiography.
Thermography.
Arthrography.
Analysis of blood and joint fluid.

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Treatment for polyarthritis today is not very effective. It does not eliminate the disease, but allows it to slow down and briefly stop development and progression. During the main treatment, the patient is placed in a hospital. Only after the symptoms subside can the patient be sent home for treatment. It should be understood that this disease is lifelong, that is, the person will have to constantly undergo treatment.

Read also: How to treat polyarthritis of the legs

Treatment of hip polyarthritis

Treatment begins with the hip joint being securely fixed, depriving the patient of the ability to move independently. The patient is prescribed:

non-steroidal medications to relieve inflammation and reduce pain. These fast-acting drugs have a lot of side effects;
corticosteroids are aimed at quickly relieving the symptoms of the disease and are prescribed when non-steroidal drugs do not give the expected effect;
To stop the development of diseases that led to the development of polyarthritis, basic antirheumatic drugs are used.

Depending on the root cause, the list of medications used may vary. In order for drug therapy to bring the best effect, at the first improvement in the patient’s condition, physiotherapeutic procedures are prescribed. They are particularly effective:

magnetic therapy;
paraffin applications;
treatment with low temperatures.

In combination with drug therapy, these measures help restore blood supply to the joints, normalize metabolism and restore lost mobility.

There are a great many traditional medicine recipes for treatment. But resorting to them without first consulting with your doctor is not recommended.

Hip polyarthritis is an incurable pathology. But timely access to a medical facility and competent treatment during periods of exacerbations is the key to maintaining the quality of life at the usual level.

Diagnostic methods

Polyarthritis is similar to other joint diseases, so a differentiated approach is used to diagnose it (those pathologies that are suspected are excluded).

This requires complex diagnostics from different specialists. The patient is examined by a neurologist, orthopedist, cardiologist, and dermatologist. When an accurate diagnosis is established, treatment is carried out by a rheumatologist.

For diagnosis, blood is taken for analysis, X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography are done, and each doctor also conducts an examination and checks for abnormalities.

Specific indicators of arthritis are detected in the blood: C-reactive protein, rheumatoid factor, ESR. X-rays determine the presence of deformities in the joint. MRI and CT are used to examine soft tissues, the condition of blood vessels, nerves, cartilage, ligaments and tendons.

Treatment of polyarthritis with drugs at the first stage is aimed at relieving symptoms: reducing pain, inflammation, relieving swelling. For this purpose, combination drugs from the category of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used.

Diet for polyarthritis

Diet for polyarthritis is no less important than the main course of treatment. Our health directly depends on what substances we saturate our body with.

Patients need to exclude from their diet fatty and red meat, offal, sweet and carbonated drinks, salty and spicy foods, and whole milk products.

Nutritionists recommend foods that are good for cartilage and bones. These are fish (salmon, mackerel, herring, fish oil) and oils (linseed) containing omega-3 fatty acids. Products containing gelatin, fresh vegetables and fruits rich in antioxidants (sweet peppers, lemon, orange, carrots, pineapple) are also useful.

Treatment methods with folk remedies

Treatment of polyarthritis with folk remedies at home can alleviate, but not replace, drug therapy. Before using such methods, consult your doctor and find out if you have any contraindications and whether this will cause allergies.

Herbal applications, oil-based rubs, decoctions and alcohol tinctures are used as treatments.

Take 5 heads of garlic, finely chop and pour in 0.5 liters of vodka, leave to steep for 10 days. After this, take 1 teaspoon of the tincture before meals or dilute the dose with 3 tablespoons of water.
Mix 3 heads of garlic with the juice of 10 lemons and add 1 teaspoon of grated horseradish root. Infuse the mixture for 3 weeks. Then add 1 teaspoon to a glass of water and drink morning and evening every day.
Baths with fir oil. Add 5-6 drops of fir oil to a bath of hot water at 39 degrees, immerse your hands or feet for 15 minutes, then remove and rub with the same oil with the addition of vegetable oil in a 1:1 ratio.
Applications with radish and horseradish. Lubricate the sore spot with cream, then apply a paste of grated horseradish root, wrap in cling film and wrap with a warm cloth. Leave the compress on for 3 hours, then rinse off. Repeat the procedure daily, alternating horseradish and radish.

Features of treatment in children

Treatment of polyarthritis in children consists of taking NSAIDs, physiotherapy, therapeutic exercises and spa therapy. Treatment should be as effective as possible, but at the same time gentle, so as not to harm the growing body.

The earlier the disease is diagnosed, the more successful the treatment outcome. If you notice that your baby does not want to move, is protecting his arm or leg, is worried about something, or that his joints are swollen or red, but this is not related to injury, be sure to get examined by a doctor.

The most common form of arthritis in children is juvenile. It takes a long time to be treated and often develops into chronic polyarthritis.

Disease prevention

In order not to provoke polyarthritis in the body, it is recommended to follow these useful prevention tips:

Go swimming and strengthen all your muscles;
Do exercises in the morning to warm up, give preference to stretching;
Walk outside for half an hour every day, walk to work;
When training, try not to make sudden movements and jumps, avoid heavy loads and overexertion;
Temper your body with gradual exercises;
When moving, always keep your posture straight, do not arch your back;
When working sedentarily, get up every hour and do a light warm-up;
Do not lift heavy objects, do not put a lot of stress on your back;
If sinusitis, sore throat and tonsillitis occur, you should immediately begin treatment and consult a doctor;
Watch your weight and don't overeat;
Stop smoking and alcohol.

Simple recommendations will help strengthen the body, increase immunity and start leading a healthy lifestyle.

Pathology of joints in children

Juvenile polyarthritis is the same as rheumatoid arthritis, but is registered in children under the age of 16 years. It can occur as an isolated articular syndrome (with or without detection of Rheumatoid Factor) with the same consequences as in adults, or in a systemic version in the form of Still's syndrome.

Juvenile polyarthritis is found in children under 16 years of age

Juvenile seronegative polyarthritis includes both rheumatoid arthritis without Rheumatoid Factor detected in the blood, and other multiple joint diseases not related to rheumatoid arthritis.

It should be noted that there is another seronegative articular pathology that occurs in children and has its own characteristics.

This is juvenile chronic arthritis affecting only a few (from two to four) joints of types I and II:

Type I is predominantly found in girls, characterized by damage to the joints that occurs without consequences (the process never affects the hip joints and sacroiliac joint), but with damage to the eyes, the development of iridocyclitis, which threatens blindness;
Type II develops in boys and further progresses to the development of ankylosing spondylitis. Eye damage is not typical in this case.

Causes of anxiety symptoms

Clinical manifestations, methods of diagnosis and treatment of polyarthritis directly depend on the root cause of this disease. Before moving on to consider the main provoking factors of this disease, it is necessary to take into account statistical data. At least 50% of all people who suffer from polyarthritis have concomitant diseases of organs and systems. Speaking in the language of numbers, each somatic pathology occupies a certain percentage:

Overweight and obesity - 36%;
Diseases of the cardiovascular system - 57%;
High blood pressure levels - 44%;
Diabetes mellitus - 52%.

In addition, at least a third of patients diagnosed with polyarthritis complain of panic attacks and depression.

Fact! Most patients suffering from polyarthritis and other diseases of the musculoskeletal system face psycho-emotional disorders, which are caused by loss of ability to work and deterioration in quality of life. That is why such patients are recommended not only conservative therapy, but also the help of a psychoanalyst.

From the point of view of the etiology of this disease, the following reasons for the formation of polyarthritis are distinguished:

The predominance of autoimmune processes in the human body. In medical practice, there is a rheumatic variant of damage to the joints of the fingers, which occurs when the body is exposed to specific immune complexes. The result of such immune aggression is damage to bone and cartilage structures, followed by joint deformation;
Entry of pathogenic microorganisms into the human body. Some people are diagnosed with reactive polyarthritis, which developed against the background of a septic process. Infectious or reactive polyarthritis can be provoked by pathogens such as rubella, mumps, enterovirus infection, herpes, cytomegalovirus, brucellosis, gonorrhea and tuberculosis;
Metabolic disorders in the body. Metabolic polyarthritis develops when uric acid crystals accumulate in the joint cavity, which has an irritating effect, provoking an inflammatory process. Metabolic polyarthritis of the toes is very often diagnosed in people suffering from gout (gouty arthritis);
The presence of cutaneous psoriasis. The so-called psoriatic polyarthritis mutilans is one of the manifestations of skin lesions of psoriasis. Most often, the pathology affects middle-aged patients. From the moment the skin symptoms of psoriasis debut, inflammatory joint damage makes itself felt after 6-12 months;
Traumatic joint damage (post-traumatic polyarthritis);
Genetic predisposition.

Important! In clinical practice, there are cases in which people develop allergic or infectious-allergic polyarthritis, which is a consequence of the accumulation of immune complexes with the subsequent development of a destructive-inflammatory reaction in several joints. Another name for this pathology is postanginal polyarthritis. The disease is characterized by a severe course and rapid formation of irreversible processes in the joints.

The inflammatory process that affects the joint area can easily spread to the intervertebral joints. If this happens, then the person develops polyarthritis of the spine, which affects one of its parts. Most often, the lumbar spine is hit, as it experiences excessive axial load. The cervical spine is in second place in terms of the incidence of inflammatory damage to the intervertebral joints. Such changes are least often observed in the thoracic region.

Important! If clinical symptoms of inflammatory damage to one or more joints occur, each person is advised to immediately contact a medical specialist. This somatic pathology of the musculoskeletal system is characterized by rapid progression and severe consequences, including disability. Timely diagnosis and treatment will make it possible to stop the course of the disease, as well as avoid deforming changes in the joints.

Proper nutrition when sick

To quickly cure polyarthritis, you must follow the rules of nutrition. Then the body will receive all the necessary vitamins and components, and will be able to carry out recovery processes faster. Add the following foods to your diet:

Red peppers, carrots, pumpkin, tomatoes and beans;
Eat more dairy products to replenish your body with calcium;
Eat lean fish, flaxseeds, eggs and fish oil;
Eat cranberries, lingonberries and currants to boost your immunity;
Eat 2 apples daily;
Season all dishes with cloves, turmeric or ginger. Skip the salt and pepper;
Drink one and a half liters of water daily to improve metabolism;
You can drink compotes from natural fruits, make fruit drinks or hibiscus;
Doctors prescribe teas from viburnum, St. John's wort and black currant to patients. Such drinks boost immunity and strengthen the entire body.

If you correctly create a menu for the week, then the body will receive all the useful components for a quick recovery. In order not to harm your health, avoid these products during treatment of polyarthritis:

Flour products;
Smoked products;
Spicy and pickled food;
Sugar and sweets;
Exotic types of fruits;
Coffee, soda and alcohol;
Salt.

If you eat such food, it can provoke symptoms of polyarthritis and worsen the patient's condition. For example, salt will retain water in the body. This will increase swelling in the joints.

To completely cure polyarthritis, it is necessary to take a comprehensive approach to therapy. Only one type of treatment will not produce results. It is necessary to attend procedures, lead a healthy lifestyle, do therapeutic exercises and eat right.