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 have such unpleasant consequences that pain management 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 several, but all at once, this is a sign of systemic damage in the body. In addition, it is difficult to understand where exactly the pain is located: in the joints, muscles, bones or everywhere at once. The pain is felt throughout the body, making it difficult to locate. So all joints can hurt:
- Too intense physical activity.
- Infectious diseases.
- Pathological changes in connective tissues.
- Circulatory system diseases.
- Oncological diseases.
- Neuralgia.
As can be seen from the above, it is impossible to immediately understand the causes of pain. The exact cause can be established only after passing the appropriate exams. If the hard physical work of the previous day is excluded, we are talking about diseases that need to be treated.
Because it's dangerous
First of all, severe pain throughout the 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 ease the pain and possible swelling on your own, but after that you should definitely see a doctor.
Symptoms of the disease
Any disease has symptoms that are characteristic only of it. Since pain is the most noticeable sign, the first thing to do is define its characteristics:
- Type of pain (painful, sharp, cramping).
- Location (joints, surrounding muscles, bones).
- Whether it moves through the body or in a separate area, it constantly hurts.
- Constant pain or seizures come and go.
- The intensity of the sensations.
In addition, the patient may feel weak, severe fatigue, or muscle aches. Other symptoms vary depending on the specific cause of the pain:
- Overvoltage. . . Excessive physical activity the day before can cause your whole body to ache the next day. This is due to the production of lactic acid, which accumulates in the muscles. In this case, a good warm-up is enough to ease the pain.
- Infections. . . Joint pains often accompany illnesses like flu, fever, meningitis, and even common acute respiratory infections in an 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 the whites of the eyes, a deterioration of appetite.
- Pathological changes in connective tissue.. . . Arthritis, lupus erythematosus, polymyositis - all of these can lead to joint pain. In addition, some diseases of the heart, kidneys, lungs, vascular and nervous systems can also cause painful sensations in the joints.
- Blood diseases. . . In addition to the sensation of pain in the body, the patient experiences a 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, these diseases are life threatening if not treated in time.
- Oncology. . . With cancer tissue damage, joint pain can appear before the disease itself is diagnosed. Also, 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 in the fingertips, loss of sensation and weakness. Also, 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 if you have complaints of whole body pain:
- Rheumatologist.
- Hematologist.
- Oncologist.
- Infectionist.
Once the doctor examines the patient and hears the complaints, she must send the patient to be examined. To identify the diagnosis, the following diagnostic methods are used:
- General urinalysis.
- General blood test.
- Blood biochemistry.
- Blood test and LHC smear.
- Bone marrow puncture.
- Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.
- Neuromyography
A thorough examination will give a complete picture of the patient's condition. Only then can we talk about a specific disease and prescribe a treatment.
Treatment of joint pain
The doctor chooses the method of treatment based on the data obtained during the examination. The most common is drug therapy. A wide range 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.
- Analgesics.
- 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. Also, 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 thinking. The exact dosage and type of medicine is only prescribed by a doctor. If after the course of administration there are no results, the specialist can replace the drug with another.
Surgery is required in extreme cases when drug therapy is powerless. Usually the operation is prescribed for tumor diseases and blood diseases. In the case of cancer, the operation can be complemented with radiotherapy and, in the case of serious blood diseases, a bone marrow transplant is required.
Prophylaxis
To prevent your joints from aching, you should follow six simple recommendations:
- Proper nutrition. . . First of all, a balanced menu will provide the body with all the substances necessary for normal functioning. Second, 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 regimen. . . The liquid helps to establish the metabolism, if there is not enough water in the body, the nutrition of organs, muscles and joints will be insufficient. You need to drink about 2 liters of water a day.
- Physical activity. . . Even ordinary gymnastics in the morning will help normalize blood circulation, as a result, the joints will receive enough nutrients.
- Caution. . . Any joint injury should be avoided.
- Vitamin complexes and dietary supplements.. . . Missing vitamins and minerals can be obtained from preparations, the main thing is to choose them correctly.
A few 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 detect the disease early and start treatment.