Joint pain

When the joints no longer want to work properly

He who rests, rusts. That’s a popular saying – and it’s especially true for the joints. They need regular and moderate exercise to function properly, as this is the only way to make full use of the fluid in the joint space and protect the joints from wear and tear. But weight can also play a role. Joints that have to carry less mass remain efficient for longer. Nevertheless, joint pain can occur. Well-trained, agile people often cope well with them, while others struggle with them.

Symptoms of joint pain

Joint pain can be felt in different parts of the body, but it most commonly affects the knees, followed by the back, where vertebral joints can cause problems. Pain in the neck that extends to the back of the head and becomes more severe when moving the head, a stiff neck or pain in the lower back can be signs of rheumatism . Damaged tendons and bursae, on the other hand, can cause pain in the shoulders or elbows. Pain in the big toe joint and, more rarely, in the knees or elbows can be caused by gout or chronic Lyme disease. However, joint pain can also occur in the fingers – as symptoms of rheumatism or osteoarthritis.

Causes of joint pain

There are many causes of joint pain, but the most common risk factors include

Overloading: too much sport, being overweight or one-sided, heavy, physical work
Injuries & their consequences: Joint wear and tear and pain caused by bones close to the joint that no longer grow together smoothly after an injury or when joint cartilage has been affected
Smoking: Smoking can promote diseases that cause joint inflammation.
Age: As people get older, they often experience pain in their joints that was previously unknown to them, especially women are affected from the menopause onwards.
Hereditary predispositions: Joint pain can be inherited, as in the case of gout.
Diseases: Some diseases such as gout can become inflamed, which can have serious consequences such as arthritis. Other diseases that can trigger joint pain are autoimmune diseases such as rheumatism, Still’s disease, sclerosis, vascular, vertebral or sacroiliac joint or intestinal inflammation.

Treatment & Therapy

Depending on the cause, various treatments can provide relief. If the joint pain is caused by joint inflammation, the first thing to do is to take it easy. The motto is to elevate and cool. Various physical treatments, such as electrotherapy, thermotherapy and hydrotherapy, have also proven effective in activating the body and muscles. Healing massages, movement and coordination training or acupuncture are also helpful. In emergencies, surgery can also provide relief.

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