Joint pain is a common symptom that is often ignored at first, associating it with excessive physical activity, fatigue, and trying to self-medicate until the pain becomes unbearable.
Let’s note that it is a mistake to think that mainly elderly people complain of joint pain. Rheumatic diseases often occur in young people, affecting their professional activities and making their social and personal life more complicated.
Unfortunately, patients with arthritis delay the first visit to a rheumatologist by about 18 weeks, which under certain conditions leads to radiological deterioration with little chance of permanent remission, because it is not always clear which doctor to consult with such symptoms.
Here is an incomplete list of symptoms that require a visit to a rheumatologist:
- joint pain, swollen joints, pain when trying to move them, morning stiffness, hyperthermia, and redness locally over the joints.
- pain and limitation of movement in the spine, that mainly bothers at rest, relief after physical exertion.
- muscle pain, muscle weakness.
- rash on the skin after exposure to the sun.
- thickening of the fingers (dactylitis), changes in the nail plate.
- local thickening of the skin, change in skin color.
- osteoporosis, low-energy fractures.
- psoriasis + pain and swelling of joints, fingers (dactylitis), pain at the point of attachment of tendons to bones (enthesitis).
Early treatment will not only improve the patient's condition but can stop joint destruction and prevent irreversible changes.
Make self-care a favorite pastime!
Health to all!