Arthritis of the foot is an inflammatory process that affects the joints of the legs and is manifested by pain, swelling and a gradual decrease in joint function. Arthritis is divided into two groups:
- Primary arthritis is considered an independent nosological entity that can occur in a perfectly he althy body.
- Secondary arthritis affects the joints of the legs, its occurrence is due to the presence of another disease and may be one of its symptoms.
Causes of arthritis:
- Autoimmune processes, when the body produces antibodies against its own tissues. May occur in scleroderma, acute rheumatic fever, systemic lupus erythematosus.
- Infectious agents: develop after an infection or when a pathogen enters the synovial membrane of the foot joints.
- Injuries: acute development of arthritis, which causes swelling of the joints of the legs, can be with fractures or bruises, and chronic - with constant mechanical stress on the joint.
- Specific diseases: with metabolic disorders, arthritis can occur, affecting the joints of the legs (with gout, psoriatic arthritis).
In all cases, the manifestations of arthritis of the joints are quite similar. But at the same time stand outspecific symptoms, characteristic only for a particular disease or group of diseases, and non-specific, occurring in any arthritis affecting the joints of the legs.
Non-specific symptoms:
• pain;
• changing the appearance of the joint;
• dysfunction;
• crunching in the joints;
• symmetrical lesion;
• damage to the body as a whole.
Specific symptoms:
• morning stiffness;
• multiplicity of lesions;
• joint deformity;
• skin syndrome.
Diagnosing arthritis of the joints of the foot is not very difficult because of the pain syndrome with which people turn to a specialist. It is much more difficult to identify the cause that caused it. Tests for foot arthritis include:
-
how to treat leg joints Anamnesis, that is, possible causes that precede the onset of the disease are being clarified.
- Research of synovial fluid and blood.
- Detection of rheumatoid factor, serology, urine and blood tests. As well as special studies specific to a particular disease.
- X-rays are used to determine lesions and severity.
How to treat leg joints
Strictly individual treatment is required for each case, primarily aimed at eliminating the etiological factor. For arthritis use:
- Anti-inflammatory nonsteroidal therapy to stop pain and affect the immune link of pathogenesis. Available topically, by injection or by mouth.
- Basic drugs.
- Drug therapy (Methotrexate, Infliximab, Azathioprine, etc.).
- Hormonal therapy using Prednisolone, Dexamethasone.
- Specific treatment depends on the causes of the disease. Immunomodulatory and antiviral therapy, chondroprotectors, cytostatics, antibiotics are used.
- Non-drug therapy provides an opportunity to adjust lifestyle and nutrition, includes therapeutic exercises and physical education, physiotherapy, as well as the use of traditional medicine techniques.
