Do I have a Joint Condition?

Countless people develop the joint issues and the sad part is that most patients aren’t diagnosed until the latter or advanced stages. Most people won’t consult a doctor until the condition is already worse than this because they think that the symptoms are common and will go away on their own.  Symptoms of joint problems include a heat sensation in the affected area, joint inflammation, and difficulty of movement and/or hardening of the joints. Being aware of the symptoms is important since this can help in an early and proper diagnosis. With such a diagnosis patients, can seek the right treatment.

Always Best to Consult Your Doctor

If any of the above symptoms appear at any given time, consult a doctor or a specialist immediately in order to determine if these symptoms require a proper diagnosis and to get the right treatment.  An early diagnosis of joint problems helps in preventing further damage to the joints and the other body parts surrounding it.  Joint issues can drastically change the life of the patient, especially when it comes to daily activities. Even walking can become impossible due to the pain; in extreme cases it can even be fatal.

At first signs of joint problems, such as difficulty in joint movement, swelling or inflammation, or discomfort in the joint area, immediately ask your doctor before the extent of the damage worsens.  Again, early detection of the problem lets the doctor choose from better treatments and medications available. This is far better than a late diagnosis in the latter stages where the condition has already become too severe and completely irreparable.

Many types of joint issues in the field of medicine are categorized based on the severity of the problem from mild, moderate, to severe; this makes the diagnosis difficult at times especially if the symptoms are not really caused by a joint-specific condition but other more serious disorder. Keep in mind that timing is very important when determining the cause of the symptoms or they will only get worse.

First Things to do during the First Stage of the Diagnosis

The doctor usually asks the patient about the symptoms. During this time the patient does most of the talking, while the doctor lists the things that may be relevant to some possible health conditions.  The doctor may ask about the patient’s family medical history followed by physical exams, diagnostic procedures, such as blood tests, stress tests, x-rays, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and joint aspiration in some cases. If the joint pain appears in the morning or during the daytime, it could be a form of joint problem which is an autoimmune ailment where the immune system attacks the well and healthy cells of the joints and its surrounding area.  On the other hand, some types of joint conditions are degenerative and gradually damage the cartilage to an irreparable condition.

These two common types of joint conditions give similar symptoms that start with unbearable pain of the joint with or without movements. Once again, you must have a right and early diagnosis in order to delay the condition’s progression or simply to treat symptoms like deformity and joint pain. While joint conditions do not have any definite cure and may be irreversible, symptoms can be treated to minimize the discomfort.

Typical Causes of Joint Pain

There are many reasons why joint-condition symptoms, such as pain in the joints, appear. This is why the right diagnosis can be difficult. Pain in the joints can be very uncomfortable and even unbearable, leading to sleepless nights and limited motion. These symptoms make daily simple tasks impossible to manage and can also cause psychological stress.

Physical trauma, like bone injuries and sprains, can also cause pain in joints. Damaged tissues and tendons can cause symptoms that are similar to bona fide joint maladies. All joint disorders can cause joint pain and the most common is a type in which the cartilage protecting a joint breaks down. It is a degenerative process that damages the cartilage, causing the bones and the muscles or tissues to deform. The manifestation of this condition starts with pain in the joint area, especially in the morning or during the cold season. The pain usually subsides during the day only to reoccur at nighttime.

Not Immune From Autoimmune

Another common type of joint disorder is an auto-immune syndrome — a condition where the body’s immune system attacks normal and healthy cells in a joint. The joint pain that is unusually severe in this type of joint malady can appear anytime of the day. In rare and extreme cases the patient describes the pain as unbearable and the condition can even contribute to the death of the victim due to complications in the blood vessels and vital organs.

A less common form of joint condition, characterized by inflammation of the joints and pain, can be caused by viral infections such as rubella, mumps, or measles. It is often concentrated in one area of the body, but the infection can travel to other parts through the bloodstream.

Other physical conditions related to metabolism can cause joint disorders, too, such as gout.  Gout develops due to a high level of uric acid in the body that causes inflammation of the joints and cartilage. The uric acid stays in the joint area, causing damage and extreme pain.  The early manifestation of gout is usually observed in the big toe.

Joint problems are caused by many physical conditions and they can also appear as a symptom of other disorders. Joint pain will physically appear with redness, tenderness, and even hardening of the joint. The good news is that there are some methods and treatments that can minimize the pain if a doctor or a medical specialist properly diagnoses it. Diagnostic techniques include x-rays and blood exams. Some joint pain conditions can be relieved with simple topical creams, rehabilitation exercises, narcotic solutions, or a muscle relaxer.

Joint pain can be seriously unbearable, especially for older people who are often the victims. It can cause major changes to a patient’s life, affecting the ability to move, stand, lie down and walk, adding up to psychological stress from frustration. That is why it is important to immediately have a medical check up if joint pain occurs at any given time. There are treatments that can help heal the damaged joints, or treatments that can delay the progression of such conditions as well as minimize their painful and uncomfortable symptoms.

What to expect from Joint Conditions

Early diagnosis and preventive care play a large role in limiting the development of joint conditions, and in managing and reducing symptoms.  Medicine has identified at least a hundred variants of joint problems. Still other types may not yet have been categorized and identified. While many variants do not have any known cure, the chances of being affected can be reduced.  Nevertheless, when there is a pre-existing risk of developing the a joint malady. Early diagnosis is the best thing to do in order to delay progression and to minimize the debilitating symptoms and damage.

Furthermore, the symptoms may be your body giving notice of another more serious problem. That’s why a doctor must be involved as early as possible so that treatment to analyze symptoms and so that rehabilitation will not be limited. Unfortunately, most people ignore the appearing symptoms, thinking they are only minor until everything escalates for the worse.

Most doctors or medical experts agree that it is very important to have a consultation whenever patients feel something in their joints. This is especially true if anyone in their family suffered from this a joint condition, had some physical injuries recently or in the past, or if they are usually involved in physically stressful activities. It’s helpful to keep a short note of the things that they have observed or felt in the joints before the consultation. This simplifies the general process of diagnosis.

Diagnosing Joint Conditions

During the diagnostic process, the doctor conducts a thorough medical checkup, which includes but is not limited to, some basic exercises and movement that gauge the patient’s range of motion or measure the extent of the damage in the joints.

Your medical history is important in the process of diagnosis. The medical history clarifies to the doctor your physical condition including any past illnesses or even just injuries that might have caused the joint problem to develop. Doctors also consider checking the patient’s family medical history to help gauge the risk of a genetic condition.

The Tests

Several tests help the doctor to diagnose joint conditions. These tests also are used in other diagnostic procedure for other problems.  A blood test is the most basic and common form of diagnostic test used by doctors to determine whether there is an infection involved, bacterial or viral.  Determining these factors helps resolve any infection and all its symptoms, such as joint problems, through proper and effective medication.

A urine exam is another common type of diagnostic test that helps doctors see if there is an infection causing the joint problem or the progression of a joint condition.  This test also measures the amount of natural chemicals in the body, whether they are elevated or decreased.

In addition, doctors also require technologically aided diagnostics when the condition calls for them, like the X-ray and the CT Scan.

The most basic among the high-tech diagnostics is the X-ray, which helps doctors have a glimpse of the bones’ condition.  The CT Scan provides an even better image of the condition of joints, bones, muscles, and the tissues surrounding the area of concern.

After a proper diagnosis the general doctor usually refers the patients to a specialist for further consultation and in order to determine and receive the appropriate treatment for the symptoms as well as rehabilitation of the affected parts.

Basic Advice

Remember that preventive is the preferred route, as there is currently no cure for many types of joint problems. It is better to either avoid the issue completely by keeping healthy or to at least regularly consult a doctor if you see or feel something unusual in the bones or in any joint area.

Treat your Joint Pain

Joint conditions can produce very uncomfortable symptoms such as joint pain, which appears through actual discomfort or pain, redness, and heat, or a warm sensation. While other physical conditions can cause similar symptoms tosuch as joint pain, several treatments are available to patients, provided that they get the right diagnosis.

Though science has not determined the exact cure to prevent or eliminate all joint problems, the good news is that there are ways to minimize their effects and symptoms so that those suffering can still live a normal life, doing their daily routines or chores. These available treatments are proven to improve or minimize the symptoms of joint conditions.

Medicine Treatments for Joint Pain

NSAID, also known as Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, are usually prescribed to patients in order to reduce pain and extent of inflammation of the joints.  NSAID can be either prescribed or over-the-counter medications, depending on their dosage.

Steroids can effectively reduce pain in the joint, and they can be taken orally or injected into the affected area.  Among the list of NSAID, cortisone is commonly used to minimize the pain and all other symptoms.  The actual injection of medicine may only be performed by medical professionals.

Dietary Supplements

Over many years of research, glucosamine has been observed to minimize or reduce joint pain caused by joint degeneration. Glucosamine is commonly used in treating patients suffering from this type of joint problem by repairing the cartilage in the joint and reducing the pain.

Aging is one of the major reasons people develop joint problems. The condition worsens as the body is no longer efficient in producing glucosamine. Therefore, glucosamine supplements help to sustain or link the gap.

Another supplement that can help in repairing and improving the condition of the joint is chondroitin.  Chondroitin is usually combined with glucosamine to provide the maximum effect. These chemicals are produced naturally by the body, and taking them will not give harmful side effects, compared to supplements clinically engineered .

Physical Therapy for Joint Pain

Rehabilitation therapy, physical therapy, or simple movements and exercises play a major role in treating the symptoms of joint problems.  Medical experts suggest that simply by doing some usual body movements joint pain can be reduced. Simple movements include walking, stretching, and non-stressful exercises.

Increasing the blood flow also helps to treat the joint condition.  If the blood flow rate is normal, then pain and inflammation caused by the condition can be reduced. A normalized blood flow also promotes joint rehabilitation. One way to improve the blood flow is through massage.

Changes In Lifestyle

Above all else, those who suffer from joint conditions must take steps to change their lifestyle.  A healthy lifestyle, which includes a healthy diet and healthy activities or routines, will greatly improve the overall condition of the joints. Medical experts also suggest that getting enough rest and avoiding unhealthy vices, like alcohol and smoking, will help as well in delaying the progression of joint deterioration.

Obesity or being overweight causes pressure and stress to the joints, tissue, and muscle groups, which in turn causes uncomfortable and painful sensations. Studies suggest that eating healthy and natural food, such as fruits and vegetables helps through proper nutrition.

Surgical Procedures

Among the treatments that minimize and reduce the progression of joint conditions, surgical procedures are usually last in the list.  Surgery is usually recommended for severe cases where lifestyle changes and medication are no longer effective in resolving the joint problem.

The type of surgery depends on the severity of the joint condition. Nevertheless, some basic treatments can be done and applied at home, such as hot or cold compress and a warm salt bath.  Topical creams are also effective for mild cases of joint problems.  Always remember that self-treatment is never a good idea when it comes to joint issues and symptoms.  Always seek advise from a medical professional or a doctor.