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The main symptoms and treatment of arthritis of the elbow joint

Arthritis of the elbow joint, the symptoms and treatment of which can be varied, as is quite common in the elderly and in young people. The disease is characterized by the fact that the synovial membrane of a joint is inflammation.

Symptoms of arthritis of the elbow joint

As a rule, the elbow joint is often inflamed along with other joints (shoulder and wrist). But it can still be observed monoartrit when suffering solely the elbow. This phenomenon is common in milder injuries.

Causes of arthritis

Causes of arthritis of the elbow joint can be an infection, some diseases of the internal organs or the immune system.

To avoid complications of the disease, you should know the main causes of disease:

  1. Very often, the arthritis develops after joint injury. With the injury damaged not only the joint but also the soft tissues that surround it. Here may develop internal hematoma. Even if it is small, the blood will stagnate. Over time it begins to rot, it develop bacteria, and is developing arthritis.
  2. arthritis Almost always ends with the introduction of infection into the joint through the skin of the bag. Contribute to open wounds that are not well treated, and osteomyelitis (a disease of the bone starts from purulent inflammation). Given the fact that the blood and lymph very quickly spread the infection throughout the body, occurs and it the defeat of the synovial fluid.
  3. Arthritis can be caused specific infectious diseases. Most often it is the tuberculosis of bones, which is especially dangerous for children. Also causes infectious arthritis can be diseases such as scarlet fever, gonorrhoea, typhus. Aggravate the low immunity of the patient and a wrong treatment of these diseases.
  4. Nonspecific agents also often trigger arthritis. This Escherichia coli, various streptococci and staphylococci and other bacteria. They are considered dangerous to humans, since, in addition to infection in the joint, inflammation begins and in the surrounding tissues. In the end, may swell the whole hand.
  5. If a man has long suffered from rheumatism, he certainly will develop arthritis. But in this case, the condition is symmetric (that is, will manifest on the elbows of both hands). Great hazards from the pus of soft tissues no. Often this kind of arthritis affects the elderly.
  6. Arthritis develops (rarely) in the later stages of diseases such as psoriasis, gout, autoimmune disease. The disease of the elbow joint makes itself felt gradually, without distinct symptoms.

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Symptoms

Elbow joint consists of three bones: elbow, shoulder and wrist. The joint is actually surrounded by fatty tissue, it only covers a thin skin. So it is very vulnerable. But signs of arthritis of the elbow joint appear quite bright.

Arthritis necessarily harmed nearby nerves. Therefore, the development of neuritis is a fairly common phenomenon. This is manifested in the form of a sharp pain, which become even brighter when pulling hands, her flexion and extension.

If there is severe swelling of the soft tissues around the joint, in addition to changing the appearance of the hands, there is a nagging pain, which calms down a little only when the elbow is in a flexed or bent condition.

arthritis Treatment elbow anti-inflammatory drugs

But there are also common symptoms of arthritis of the elbow joint. These include strong recurrent headache, fever, weakness and unwillingness to lead an active lifestyle. Often even completely lost appetite, have dizziness and fainting.

Peculiarities of the treatment of the disease

As for the treatment of arthritis of the elbow joint, here it is not so simple.

To self-medicate in any case impossible. Then how to treat arthritis of the elbow joint? In the first place you should seek help from a doctor immediately after he discovered the symptoms of the disease.

The first step is to secure the elbow joint at absolute rest. This is especially important when arthritis is the result of trauma. To do this, the doctor might use as a splint and orthosis. It all depends on the complexity of the lesion.

Diclofenac for arthritis elbow

Much more complicated issue with the use of specific pharmaceutical drugs for the treatment of arthritis of the elbow joint. All depends on the cause of the disease. In any case, gives the best effect integrated approach in the treatment of arthritis.

If the cause of arthritis is one of some autoimmune diseases, it is necessary to apply special basic anti-inflammatory drugs and immunomodulatory drugs. If the arthritis caused by gout, used drugs, which restore the metabolism.

Infectious arthritis without any complications from other diseases are treated by antibiotics. If the infection is only beginning to develop, you can instead of antibiotics to try treatment means with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory effect. Often prescribed Diclofenac, Xefocam, Movalis. But if that doesn't work, neither these drugs nor antibiotics, the doctor may prescribe hormonal agents. Their use unsafe if one does not follow the prescription and instructions.

Xefocam for arthritis elbow

In Parallel with this medication is necessary to develop the joint. Otherwise, after the end of treatment, the joint will be quite hard to develop again, especially if the treatment will last more than a month. Therefore, is assigned a special course of physical therapy. Be sure to be engaged under the supervision of a specialist first, so as not to do more harm to the joint.

If nothing helps, then the doctor come to the conclusion that you need surgery. Treatment may take as without complications and with them.

There are two options: biopsy or arthrotomy. Generally, the puncture is assigned in the beginning. The mechanism is that through the skin into the joint is injected with a special syringe with which to pump out the pus cavity. By the way, the same procedure is often done to recognize the specific type of infection. After a certain period of time in the joint, are special tubes that serve as drainage. Through them washed and purified synovial fluid in the joint capsule. The arthrotomy is complete opening of the joint, which is assigned in a very desperate situation.

Arthritis of the elbow joint – a disease whose treatment should only be done by experienced professionals. Otherwise, the pus may go on in the body, poisoning it. Even the bones constituting the joint, will quickly collapse under the action of bacteria.