Learn about rheumatism and its symptoms
What is rheumatism?
It is one of the old terms that describe painful conditions that affect muscles, bones, joints, And rheumatism of two types. It may be local in the sense that it affects a specific place in The body, or general so that it affects more than one place in the human body.
Symptoms of rheumatism:
There are some signs or signs that indicate rheumatism, however, not all of these symptoms Or signs are common until they indicate rheumatic diseases, and these symptoms include:
The patient feels a slight improvement when he does some light exercise, while the Symptoms increase when the patient does some vigorous exercise.
Under volatile climatic conditions, especially at low air pressure or high humidity, the Patient’s condition deteriorates in such conditions.
The patient feels pain in the vertebrae of the spine or in one joint.
When the affected parts are not moved for long periods, stiffness occurs.
The person feels pain when touching the affected areas.
The patient feels better when the affected areas are warmed.
The patient feels pain when moving the affected areas.
Causes and risk factors for rheumatism:
Rheumatism leads to many different factors, and this varies from one patient to another, And many specialists believe that environmental and genetic factors are among the things That stimulate the occurrence of these diseases.
These symptoms may also occur due to the patient’s suffering from an immune-related Condition, and the most important factors that lead to rheumatism can be mentioned:
Working in professions that require constant movement.
Irregular exercise.
Sports injuries are among the factors that play an important role in the emergence of Rheumatic diseases.
-Genetic factors.
-Fatness
-Smoking.
Types of rheumatic diseases:
Osteoarthritis is one of the most common types of arthritis, as it affects the Cartilage Mainly, and with the progression and continuation of the disease, the effect extends from the cartilage to the joints and different parts of the body as well as the knees, lower back, Hips, neck, feet, and fingers, which makes the patient face difficulty in movement, and this Disease It is not related to the person’s immune problems.
Fibromyalgia is one of the chronic rheumatic diseases and is characterized by the presence Of localized pain throughout the musculoskeletal system of the patient.
Lupus erythematosus represents an immune disorder that causes infections in many parts Of the body such as joints, heart, brain, kidneys, skin, lungs, and blood, and one of the Symptoms of this condition is a feeling of pain and stiffness in the joints.
Rheumatoid arthritis This condition causes an immune disorder and as a result, the immune System mistakenly attacks the synovial membrane and causes inflammation, pain, stiffness In the joints, and swelling.
Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is the most common type among children, as the immune System attacks the patient’s tissues by mistake, causing inflammation in the joints and other Parts of the body, accompanied by some symptoms such as a rash and fever.
Psoriatic arthritis is one of the autoimmune inflammatory diseases associated with Arthritis, and this condition is linked to the occurrence of psoriasis, and this type of Inflammation affects the fingers and toes.
In bacterial arthritis, a person may get an infection that causes inflammation in the joints, Such as gonorrhea and Lyme disease.
Gout symptoms often appear quickly, and these symptoms are represented in the patient Feeling severe pain in the affected joint, redness, and stiffness, in addition to not feeling Comfortable even after the pain is gone.
Ankylosing spondylitis and this type often affect men under 30 years of age, and the Incidence of this disease begins gradually as it begins with lower back pain, and may affect The knees, hips, and shoulders in addition to the spine.
Scleroderma and this disease are related to autoimmunity, in this case, there is an increase In the thickness of the skin in addition to inflammation and scarring in some parts of the Body, and there are two types of this disease, local scleroderma, and systemic scleroderma.
Reactive arthritis, this disease develops when infection in the urinary system, genitals, or intestines.
Myalgia rheumatic, this condition causes stiffness and pain in the tendons, ligaments, Tissues, and muscles around the joints.
Bursitis This condition occurs in the small fluid-filled sacs that are supposed to be Responsible for reducing friction between the bones.
Inflammation of the muscles, this inflammation may affect the muscles of the body or the Whole body.
Lower back pain treatment:
Cold and then hot water compresses for two days from the date of injury, this helps reduce Pain, taking into account not to use them for more than 20 minutes.
There are muscle relaxants and anti-spasmodic.
Some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and pain relievers.
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) treatment, and reduces the patient’s Feeling of pain. However, this type of treatment is not recommended.
In the event that the patient does not get rid of the back pain through these treatments, the Doctor may resort to the last option, which is surgery, such as removing part of the cartilage Or part of the vertebrae in order to relieve pressure on the nerves and spinal cord, or Merging some of the vertebrae until it reaches a stable condition for the column spine.
Some tips to relieve back pain:
Adjust the weight so that it is at its normal levels.
Avoid smoking because it causes osteoporosis, which puts pressure on the spine, as well as fractures.
If you lift heavy objects, you should bend your knees instead of bending.
The person must sit in a correct way so that his back is straight on the chair and the Shoulders are relaxed, and it is preferable to put a pillow under the back and between the chair.
The person should sleep on a comfortable and firm mattress.
Sleeping for a sufficient period. It is preferable for the patient to sleep on the side with a Pillow between his knees to relieve pressure on the back. If he sleeps on his back, he prefers To put a pillow under his knees.
Movement and continuous activity in order to maintain muscle strength.
Think positive and relax, in order to relieve back pain and muscle tension.
Doing some exercises for lower back pain, swimming and walking, and practicing yoga also Helps relieve back pain.
Types of lower back pain:
There are two types of lower back pain and they are acute pain that lasts from days to Several weeks, and chronic pain that lasts from three months to more.
Causes of lower back pain:
Vitamin D deficiency, according to some studies.
Spinal cord tumors and bones of the spine and pelvis.
Endometrial problems and uterine fibroids.
Pregnancy problems and fetal pressure that causes pain in the spine.
Kidney stones and inflammation are also the causes of lower back pain.
Active arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.
Low back joint and bone fractures.
Joint and bone diseases such as arthritis.
Spinal nerve disorder.
The tendons and muscles in the lower back are torn, as a result of use and overloading the muscles.
Standing for long hours and sitting incorrectly.
Chronic lower back pain causes:
- Spinal tightness around the spinal cord.
- Spondylolisthesis.sq
- Spinal sprain.
- Slipped disc.
- Osteoporosis.
