Healthy joints are vital to living an active, fit and happy life. However, joint problems are also common among human beings that hamper the dynamism of life. To learn about the causes of joint inflammation and its treatment, consider the following article.
Autoimmune Disorders
Have you recently started developing inflammation in more than one joint? If yes, it could be because of an autoimmune disorder.
- An autoimmune disorder is one where your own immune system starts attacking the body’s healthy parts like joint bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments and other tissues.
- There are many such disorders; The following are to name a few: Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis, Systemic Lupus, Erythematosus, Ankylosing Spondylitis, etc.
- Only an experienced doctor can tell if arthritic conditions in more than one joint are due to an autoimmune disorder or something else.
Infection
Another reason for joint inflammation is infection. The human body is susceptible to various kinds of infections. An infection is nothing but the growth of some unwanted micro-organism, i.e., bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites in our body.
The following are some of the infections that can cause joint inflammation.
- Septic Arthritis
- Lyme Disease
- Viral Infections
- Tuberculosis
- Gonococcal Arthritis
- Brucellosis
- Fungal Infections
Sometimes, an infection can cause joint inflammation indirectly. Consider Endocarditis. Primarily, it is an infection of the heart.
But, if the infection spreads to joints as well through the blood flow, it will cause joint inflammation, giving rise to septic arthritis.
Injury
Our body contains various joints. Some are in the form of balls and sockets while others are simply like a junction where two bone ends meet. Our shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint while the knee joint is simply a junction.
- Sometimes, external traumas like accidents and falls can cause injury to any of our joints, primarily, knees, hips, shoulders, ankles, heels and elbows, causing harm and giving rise to joint inflammation.
- To prevent post-traumatic conditions, make sure you follow safety measures while driving. If you are interested in dangerous sports like base jumping, large wave surfing, bull riding, motorcycle racing etc, make sure you don’t forget to put on protective gear.
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Age
As we age, our joints undergo wear and tear due to years of use. We use our bodies regularly and thus with time, we accumulate degenerative changes throughout our bodies, including joints.
This wear and tear in the weight-bearing joints like the knee or hip results in osteoarthritis; this medical term, osteoarthritis, refers to joint inflammation because of the damage sustained in articular cartilage, as a result of lifelong use.
Articular cartilage is found on bone ends, in a joint, to facilitate smooth mobility.
In addition to osteoarthritis, aging also affects joints’ capacity to lubricate themselves considerably. Thus, in old age, joints might feel inflamed because there isn’t enough fluid content to provide friction-free mobility.
Obesity
If your weight is too much, you are at higher risk of sustaining early degenerative changes in your weight-bearing joints like the knee and hip. Due to being obese, your articular cartilage will be damaged earlier than a normal-weight person.
That is why you must avoid overeating and exercise regularly. Make sure you don’t live a sedentary lifestyle. Choose to walk whenever you can.
Poor Diet
If you aren’t taking enough calcium and vitamin D in your diet, you are not going to have the maximum peak bone mass after skeletal maturation.
It will affect your bone mass density in old age, leading to osteoporosis and joint inflammation as you would be more susceptible to stress fracture.
However, osteoporosis isn’t directly related to joint inflammation. If you are female, ensure you consume enough calcium before your early 20s.
For males, it is before their late 20s. Adequate calcium intake during these periods is crucial as the skeletal system matures and bones reach peak bone mass after this time.
Furthermore, a poor diet can make your immune system weak, making you more prone to develop health conditions like infection, septic arthritis, etc., and giving rise to joint problems like pain, stiffness, swelling, mobility issues, etc.
Overuse
If you are obsessed with weight training and thus overdoing the same, ensure you stop it right away. Exercise like weight training is good for health. But, it is not that you will have to do it day in and day out.
Working your body muscles gradually in a continued fashion for a long period of time gives you results, not over-exercise in a day.
It will strain your body and cause stress fractures in your joints, giving rise to temporary joint pain and swelling. It will go away with enough rest and sleep.
Bone TB
TB stands for tuberculosis. Primarily, TB starts from the lung cavities. However, in an advanced stage, it can also set in joints and bones because of the spread of the bacteria through blood flow to parts of the skeletal system, giving rise to joint pain and other inflammatory effects.
Treatments for Joint Inflammation
Consult an experienced doctor and they will offer you long-lasting relief from all sorts of chronic or non-chronic pain or other joint-related inflammatory problems.
A doctor can use any of the following methods to provide relief.
Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs): An orthopedic doctor might prescribe these medicines for joint pain and inflammation.
Corticosteroids: These powerful anti-inflammatory medications can be taken orally or injected directly into the joint to reduce inflammation and pain.
Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs (DMARDs): These medications are typically used to treat inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. These drugs work on the immune system, making it less aggressive on joints and reduce inflammation.
Biologic Response Modifiers: These medications are also used to lessen the effects of rheumatoid arthritis on joints throughout the body.
Physical Therapy: If your joint inflammation can be treated with the help of physical therapy, the doctor will advise the same. Physical therapy is nothing but a non-surgical and non-drug approach to dealing with joint pain with the help of massage, special exercises, heat therapy, etc.
Replacements: If all conventional or non-surgical options have failed to offer lasting relief from chronic joint pain, an orthopedic doctor will recommend a surgical intervention like a total knee or hip replacement.
Conclusion
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