Often, doctors encounter patients who complain of problems with their feet. And rightly so, because human he alth in general depends on the he alth of the feet. The most common complaint is an unpleasant sensation in the area, which can have several causes. But most often people are concerned about the hygroma of the ankle joint.
It is worth understanding the problem in order to carry out the correct treatment. What is it - hygroma? This is a cartilaginous neoplasm located in the articular bag or on its lateral parts. It looks like a small bump, dense to the touch, but painless. Removal of hygroma is often carried out by dissection and curettage to exclude a malignant course of the disease. After surgery, part of the biological material is sent for histology.
What is a hygroma?
Hygroma is a benign cystic formation consisting of serous fluid covered with a dense membrane. Its contents are presented in the form of a mucous mass and fibrin protein, and in its consistency it resemblesjelly. Mostly this pathology is located near the ankle joints.
Most often this disease occurs in women. Hygroma can cause discomfort, preventing you from leading a normal life. Moreover, pathology can provoke the development of other serious and dangerous diseases. Therefore, it is very important to be able to determine the hygroma and contact the clinic for help in a timely manner. Although it does not pose any particular danger, it will eliminate the need for surgical intervention.
Reasons
The most obvious causes of a tumor-like body within the ankle joint are:
- Using tight, pressure shoes.
- Increased load on the arches of the foot.
- Occupational injuries - dislocations, subluxations, sprains, tears.
- Intense strength training. Pressure on ligaments, tendons and joints leads to microdamages that can degenerate into benign tissue junctions.
- Genetic factors. Malfunctions in the work of metabolic processes are also of a genetic nature. If in the family (close relatives) there are problems with the absorption of phosphorus or calcium, lactose intolerance, hormonal disorders, mobility of the bone and cartilage tissue of the joints, there is a high risk of developing hygroma, other forms of underdevelopment of the skeleton and skeletal muscles.
Symptoms
Hygroma of the ankle joint at an early stage is difficult to determine, because there are no obvious specific visible changes. However, the following symptoms can still be identified:
- on palpation of the lower leg, a round-shaped formation is felt, quite soft, elastic, elastic;
- constant increase in seal;
- hygroma has clear contours;
- skin does not change, has a natural color;
- when the skin shifts over the hygroma, there are no pain sensations, since it is not associated with external skin tissues;
- the formation is motionless, as it is connected to the internal tissues of the joint;
- hygroma does not cause pain.
Signs of advanced stages
If timely treatment is not carried out, the hygroma increases to a fairly large size and can reach eight centimeters in diameter. This leads to more severe symptoms in the later stages of the disease:
- pain;
- shin deformity;
- education becomes visible to the naked eye;
- fluid is palpable in seal;
- skin becomes thick and rough;
- redness may appear. The intensity of the manifestation of certain symptoms depends on the size of the hygroma and on the general condition of the person.
Diagnosis
The formed hygroma of the ankle joint is visible immediately, but only an experienced doctor can correctly diagnose the problem. That is why doctors recommend contacting specialists immediately if swelling of the foot near the joint is detected. Every orthopedist will say thattimely treatment of ankle hygroma will relieve a lot of potential problems.
Diagnosis is performed by a number of methods. First of all, the doctor checks for the presence of hygroma tactilely - he feels the foot, in other words, performs palpation. This is the most ancient and conservative diagnostic technique, the accuracy of which cannot be fully relied upon. Today, there are a number of improved ways to detect ankle hygroma: ultrasound, X-ray, and MRI. The last examination is scheduled if there are special indications.
Ultrasound accurately shows the size of the tumor and the composition, and the X-ray shows whether the bone tissue has been damaged. Magnetic resonance imaging is used to identify nodes. Without a correct diagnosis, it will not be possible to choose the right treatment, so doctors strongly advise not to engage in independent attempts at diagnosis, let alone treatment.
Operation as the most effective method of getting rid of hygroma
Treatment of hygroma by the method of surgical intervention gives the most effective effect. It involves the complete removal of pathology with minimal risk of recurrence. The disease may not manifest itself for a long time, until the appearance of a tumor, which causes discomfort and a restriction in wearing shoes.
Ankle hygroma operation (removal) is prescribed in such cases.
- After recurrence due to drug treatment.
- With quite impressiveneoplasm size.
- If conventional treatment fails.
- Pain when wearing shoes and walking.
- Manifestation of inflammatory processes.
- When limiting the motor properties of the joint.
- If there are more than one formations.
- If the appearance of the lower limbs is associated with professional activities.
- Immediate surgery is required in cases where the hygroma begins to grow very quickly.
Such a phenomenon as hygroma of the ankle joints in a child becomes the cause of pain, since this can lead to deformation of the nerves and blood vessels. This factor can greatly complicate the operation, because it increases the risk of damage to nerve tissues. This can lead to paralysis and partial or complete loss of sensation. The operation can be performed under local anesthesia when the tumor is not large and has no complications. Otherwise, even if one of these factors is present, general anesthesia will be required, and the patient must be admitted to a hospital.
Operating
First of all, a tourniquet is applied to the sore leg so that the blood does not saturate the tissues, after which an anesthetic injection is given. The leg is fastened and treated with anti-inflammatory drugs. Only after that the surgeon can proceed to remove the hygroma. It is important here not to miss anything and completely remove all the liquid so that not even a drop remains, as this can lead to repeateddisease.
After successful removal of all particles, the cavity is thoroughly washed with special solutions, a drainage gum is installed, and then sutured. This will reduce the risk of inflammation by ensuring the outflow of fluid from the operated area. Then a tight bandage is applied to the patient. Drainage must be kept for at least a day, and in some cases more. After a doctor's examination, the drainage ring is removed, and the wound is treated with antiseptic preparations and bandaged. If there are no difficulties, then after a week the stitches are removed.
Which method is better?
A large number of people who are faced with hygroma sooner or later have a desire to get rid of such an aesthetically unattractive problem once and for all. Surgery is considered the most effective method to get rid of such formations. However, for various reasons, not all patients decide to go under the surgeon's knife in order to get rid of this defect. Under such circumstances, patients should try a medical method of treatment, which can sometimes successfully cope with hygroma. It is used in case of inflammation, which is caused by compression of surrounding tissues. This happens only with inflammation of the articular cavity. Therefore, for a successful fight, it is worth deciding what type these formations belong to: purulent or non-purulent.
Medicated treatment
It is worth knowing that only for non-purulent inflammation can medication be used. Purulent inflammation in any case shouldremoved immediately on the surgical table. The use of antibiotics as the only drug treatment for purulent inflammation is completely unacceptable. Their use is possible only after surgery to fight the remaining infection.
Folk treatment
Hygroma, or to put it simply, a bump located in the ankle joint is a benign formation. A lump of serous fluid is collected under the skin, which can be strongly or not very much (depending on the stage of the disease) visible from the outside. It is worth noting that in terms of development, the disease is very long, and the symptoms will begin to appear only when the hygroma is formed.
It is quite difficult to treat ankle hygroma without surgery, just because the long development process allows the lump to “strengthen”, so it is difficult to get rid of it. Most often, a cardinal method of treatment is proposed - surgical intervention followed by therapy, but sometimes such manipulations are undesirable, especially if the hygroma has not had time to grow strongly. In such cases, traditional medicine is often resorted to, sometimes in combination with drug treatment.
In folk medical practice, there is a huge variety of creams, ointments, infusions and decoctions that will help cure this rather unpleasant disease. The main thing is to notice the development of the bump in the early stages, then all manipulations will be most effective. Threethe main procedures from the traditional methods, which are sure to be useful, are presented below.
Applying an alcohol compress
You need to purchase disposable wipes that completely cover the hygroma area in size. Next, they should be soaked in alcohol with an indicator of 70% and applied to the problem area. Of course, you will have to sit for quite a long time, from 2 to 3 hours, you need to cover your leg with something warm, a towel is ideal. It is important to monitor the sensations, because sensitive skin can react to alcohol with an allergy. If you feel burning, itching and other signs, then you need to quickly remove the bandage and rinse your leg. You should not cancel the procedure, just before the next time you need to use alcohol mixed with water.
Honey compress
Many, in order to relieve pain, resort to constant injections of painkillers, sometimes they take pills, but there are so many drugs in the treatment, and in order to save the body from unnecessary stress, it is worth remembering the recipe for a honey compress. Before going to bed, it is necessary to generously lubricate the limb with ordinary honey, then wrap it in polyethylene and put something warm on top. During the night, it will be possible not only to dull the pain, but also to notice that the inflammation has become many times less.
Cabbage leaf
Who would have thought that a regular cabbage leaf helps in the treatment of such diseases. The ancestors, however, thought of such a method and used it everywhere, without using handfuls of pills. Of course, modern medicine has gone far, but even a medication course can be supplemented with a very effective folk remedy - cabbagesheet.
First, you need to thoroughly wash the sheet, then beat it off (but not tearing and not turning into mush). Juice will be noticeable on the surface, you need to thoroughly moisten the sheet in it and attach it to the sore spot, fixing it with a regular bandage. You need to sit with such a compress longer, but you should not move, straining your leg, so the ideal time is still at night.
These are simple, but effective methods were invented in antiquity. They have a positive effect even now, in the age of advanced medicine. But do not forget that neither alcohol, nor honey, nor cabbage can radically change the picture, especially if the formation is already more than 3 centimeters in diameter. Basically, the methods are aimed at pain relief and relieving inflammation, so in matters of resorption of bumps and other things, you need to follow only the recommendations of a specialist.
