Polyarthritis. Treatment, prevention and best recommendations!

Official medical science distinguishes several types of diseases, each of which has its own causes, symptoms and methods of treatment. Polyarthritis, in contrast to arthritis, simultaneously affects several joints of the human skeleton, the disease is more pronounced, proceeds with significant pain, it is a consequence of the limited mobility of the joints. In many cases, polyarthritis leads to disability.

Brief description of the disease

The cause of the disease can be mechanical damage to joints, systematic hypothermia, complications after infectious diseases, the consequences of allergic reactions or the violation of metabolic processes in the human body.

All joints have not only bone tissue, but also special membranes that provide their mobility and minimize stresses during movement or lifting weights.

Scheme Any mechanical or organoleptic disorders cause the appearance of pain, joint mobility is significantly limited, and in the most severe cases it can completely cease.

Depending on the cause, polyarthritis is divided into several types.

Rheumatoid polyarthritis

Severe systemic disease, affects in the most part peripheral joints, causes irreversible changes.

Characterized by persistent pain. The inflammatory process proceeds continuously, often causes premature disability, significantly impairs quality and lowers life expectancy.

It causes numerous concomitant diseases, including kidney, heart, lungs and other important organs.

Until now, science can not establish the exact cause of the disease, most scientists associate it with the genetic predisposition of the organism and the negative impact of various external factors.

Detection of the disease is carried out at early stages, which helps to ease the course of the disease and minimize the negative consequences. In the initial stage, the lesions may be unstable, but the disease remission occurs over time. In patients, the ability to active and passive movements is reduced, which is a consequence of the protective pain reactions of the body.

With time, joints develop deviations, deformations and ankylosis, subsequently the muscles, skin, and rheumatoid nodules appear. In 30 ÷ 50% of patients subsequently develop various lung lesions, including pleurisy or pneumonia.

Diagnosis of rheumatoid polyarthritis

The diagnosis is made as a result of external examination and palpation of the affected joints or after laboratory tests and radiography. The earlier the disease is found, the better it is possible to localize the consequences. Depending on the progression, the disease can have a moderate or severe appearance.

An accurate diagnosis can be obtained only after a comprehensive examination of the patient. For these purposes, an overview X-ray of the problem joints, ultrasound of the kidney condition and a special blood test can be performed. Due to the examination, the cause of the disease is established and only then specific methods of neutralizing it are determined.

Medical treatment

A complex of medications and the regimen of their use can be prescribed only by the attending physician after the diagnosis has been made. In the process of treatment, several goals are simultaneously solved: the removal of strong pain, the attainment of remission and the improvement of the quality of life. To achieve these goals, basic therapy is applied, including a set of a group of drugs selected individually for each patient.

It should be remembered that this disease is still considered difficult to cure, a positive effect can occur only after several months of intensive therapy. The basic drugs include:

• Sulfonamide drugs( Salazopyridazine, Sulfalazine);
  

  Sulfalazine

• Cytotoxic drugs( Chlorbutin Cyclophosphane, Methotrexate);
  

  Methotrexate

• Preparations of choline detachment( Plakvenil, Delagil).
  

  Plafvenil

Medical science is constantly expanding a range of medicinal substances that can act more complexly and effectively. Recently, the use of intra-articular injections of anti-cytokine therapy drugs has been widely practiced, which makes it possible to suppress negative processes in the lesion and improve the overall result of treatment.

Video - Rheumatoid polyarthritis

Psoriatic polyarthritis

Characterized by a stable articular syndrome with a wider range of affected joints of the fingers and toes. A distinctive feature is the presence of external changes in the skin of the skin that are characteristic of psoriasis.

The specific cause of the onset of the disease is unknown, but most scientists are inclined to believe that this is the body's response to stress, mental illness, negative environmental effects and genetic predisposition. Accordingly, the post-syndrome method is used for treatment - the cause and consequences of the disease are not eliminated.

Stages of the development of the disease

The disease is very insidious and changeable, an accurate diagnosis can be made only by an experienced doctor after examination and monitoring the state of health of the patient.

. Depending on the scenario of the development of the disease, medicine classifies five possible types of the disease.

1. Asymmetric oligoarticular .The most common and prevalent and least serious form, affects up to five joints with an asymmetrical arrangement.
2. Symmetric polyarthritis. Simultaneously, the left and right joints of a person on the hands and feet fall ill.
3. Spondylitis and sacroiliitis. The spine is affected, causes very painful sensations, often leads to complete or partial loss of mobility.
4. Polyarthritis of small interphalangeal joints. Very rare and one of the easiest forms of the disease, only small interphalangeal joints of extremities are damaged.
5. Mucilated polyarthritis. This form of the disease is extremely rare, causing deformation of the bones of all or a few fingers and toes. After the disappearance of diseases of some joints, the disease gradually moves to others.
   

   Antibacterial polyarthritis

Symptoms of the disease

The most noticeable symptom is pain in the joints, which intensify in the morning. Over time, skin around them blush, there is swelling. As the disease worsens, the joints lose their mobility. The second common symptom is the inflammation of the tendons around the joints, the problem areas can significantly increase in volume.

Medical treatment

It is not possible to fully cure the disease at the present time, however, rare cases of significant improvement in health for unexplained reasons are seen. Medical drugs suppress pain syndromes( non-steroid group preparations, codeine, paracetamol or intra-articular injections).

The simultaneous use of metoxat or sulfasalin for the suppression of inflammatory processes is allowed. Treatment is long and ineffective.

Other types of polyarthritis

1. Infectious polyarthritis .
   

   Infectious polyarthritis on the knee - photo

   It develops against the background of the transferred infectious diseases. Brucellosis most often damages large joints, the disease becomes chronic. The cause of the ailment is brucellosis, the source of infection is domestic animals. The causative agent is transmitted both through direct contact, and because of the consumption of food from sick animals. Infectious polyarthritis can also be a consequence of tuberculosis or gonorrhea.

2. Crystalline polyarthritis .The cause of the disease - malfunctioning in the metabolic processes of the body, in the joints begins the deposition of salts.
3. Reactive. Is a side effect of the disease of vital internal organs( kidneys, lungs, genitourinary system, etc.).
4. Post-traumatic .The reason - mechanical damage to the joints as a result of various injuries. It can have very dangerous complications in the form of a complete rupture of the joints and cartilage.

In addition to joint deformities, polyarthritis causes muscle atrophy due to restricted movements, flat feet and inflammatory reactions.

General recommendations for the treatment of

If the cause of the disease is discovered, the physician's efforts are directed simultaneously at eliminating the pain and the causes of the pathogenic changes in the joints.

After an acute period and pain relief, a special therapy is prescribed based on the survey data. In many cases, treatment should be performed under stationary conditions under the constant supervision of the attending physician. To prolong the period of remission, patients are recommended to visit specialized sanatorium institutions.

Massage and therapeutic gymnastics

Sparing types of massage are used to improve blood circulation in the joints, with increased pain, the session should be discontinued. Depending on the stage of the disease and the patient's condition, the following types of massage can be used:

• classic. The directly affected joint or a nearby place is affected. Used for easy stroking, rubbing, vibration. The edema is removed, painful sensations decrease;
• point. Irritant biologically active points of the body, improves the outflow of blood and lymph from the joints, edema and pain are removed;
• reflex. Effects on the skin's reflex zones, can relieve severe pain and ease the clinical course of the disease.

The plan for therapeutic gymnastics should be made by an experienced instructor with a medical background. It is recommended to do a set of exercises for various joints, taking into account the location of the lesion. Developed shoulder, knee and elbow joints, hands and feet. Exercises should be done at a slow pace without unnecessary physical exertion. The main thing is the continuity of medical gymnastics. A daily set of exercises is recommended, the total duration of gymnastic exercises should not exceed thirty minutes.

Physiotherapy

Positive effects on joints are carried out by means of magnetic fields, electric current, laser beams, ultraviolet and infrared radiation. A specific method of physiotherapy is appointed by the attending physician.

Apitherapy

Treatment is based on the healing properties of bee venom, which contains more than fifty active substances and peptides.

Pain and inflammation are removed, the nervous system is toned down, the organism is systematically rehabilitated.

Contraindications - possible allergic reactions.

Apitherapy is an addition to the main treatment protocol, the number of sessions and bites is chosen taking into account the condition of the patient. The number of sessions is up to ten, the total number of bites is up to two hundred. The first positive effect is observed after 3-4 sessions.

Diet

Observe a certain diet is needed only during the treatment of gouty polyarthritis. Patients are limited to the amount of salt, purines and fats of animal origin.

These products increase the concentration of salts in the blood and contribute to the development of the disease. In all other cases it is recommended to eat healthy food with a full set of minerals, amino acids and vitamins necessary for the body.

The diet should increase the body's immune capacity, improve its overall health and stabilize physiological processes.

For all forms of polyarthritis, it is strongly recommended to completely exclude or significantly limit the use of alcohol and tobacco. Patients with high weight should lose weight to reduce the constant load on the joints.

Folk methods of treatment

Can be used as an addition to the main methods of treatment. Various lotions, baths, compresses and ointments are used.

The main principle is not to harm. For some types of polyarthritis, it is strictly forbidden to apply compresses, folk methods of treating the disease should be used only after additional consultation with the attending physician. The positive effect of folk methods is not achieved through the action of various ingredients, but as a result of the placebo effect.