How to recognize rheumatism?

Introduction

In the meantime, numerous rheumatological diseases are known, all of which are characterized by certain symptom complexes. Nevertheless, it often takes years until patients receive the final diagnosis of the disease, since, among other things, numerous other diseases that can cause similar symptoms must be excluded beforehand. Sometimes the symptoms of the illness are so inconspicuous, for example fever, malaise, muscle pain, that it is not possible to immediately conclude a rheumatological illness, or investigations are aimed at this. Nevertheless, it is advantageous to detect the disease as quickly as possible in order to prevent the destruction of cartilage and bone and the associated restriction of movement caused by inflammation at an early stage or to slow down its progression.

Pain with rheumatism

Joint pain is a common symptom of rheumatism. These occur mainly in the morning and can improve in the course of the day. A treatment tailored to the patient’s needs can help to avoid pain-related movement restrictions, among other things.

Many painkillers used for this purpose also reduce the inflammation of the joints. To recognize rheumatism only by the pain is almost impossible. However, it is typical that the pain occurs in and around the affected and mostly also swollen joint, as well as the often symmetrical infestation of the joints on both sides of the body and this over several weeks. The symptoms, as well as the pain, often occur in relapses, sometimes with intervals of weeks without symptoms. In addition, many patients experience an aggravation of the pain symptoms when the weather changes.

Rheumatism in the knee

Rheumatic diseases are characterized by an immunologically induced, chronic inflammation of the joint mucosa, which can lead to the destruction and wear and tear of the cartilage and ultimately to arthrosis (wear and tear of the joint). In technical terms, the disease is known as rheumatoid arthritis, which means inflammation of the joints as a result of a rheumatic disease. If the knee joint is affected, this leads to swelling and sometimes severe pain in this area.

Both are among the identifying characteristics of a rheumatoid joint disease, but can also occur with other diseases of this joint. Persistent pain and swelling, which last for 6 weeks or longer, are suspected to be the cause of rheumatic diseases. In advanced stages of the disease, the wear and tear of the joint is visible in X-rays or MRI.

A quick imaging alternative is ultrasound, which can be used to obtain a good picture of the inflammation of the mucous membranes in the knee. However, a possible destruction of bone or cartilage cannot be assessed. In rheumatic diseases, the synovial fluid (synovia), in this case of the knee joint, has a characteristic composition of certain cells.

It is possible to examine this fluid in the laboratory. For this purpose, the affected knee is punctured after local anesthesia. It is a minor procedure with minimal risk.

A blood test can also facilitate the detection of a rheumatic disease. It is also typical for a rheumatic disease that the affected joints, in this case in the area of the knee in the morning, are stiffened. At least one hour passes until the affected person can move the joints fully again.

An above all sudden change of weather is often connected with a worsening of the symptoms, which is likewise indicative of a rheumatic illness. A further distinguishing feature of rheumatic disease with an infestation of the knee joint is a disease of other joints of the body, often the finger with similar symptoms, e.g. pain, stiffness in the morning. An important distinguishing feature is that in rheumatism not only one knee joint is affected, but also the other joint.

One speaks here of “symmetrical infestation of the same joints of both halves of the body”. A rheumatic disease of the hands manifests itself in a similar way to other affected joints with swelling and pain. Typical recognition features and procedures for recognition have already been described in more detail under the point “Rheumatism of the knee” and can also be transferred to the hands.An affection of the finger joints is very characteristic for a rheumatic illness, typically not only one finger joint is affected, but several and these symmetrically on both body halves.

As a result of the inflammation, nodular foci form at the joints, which are called rheumatic nodules and consist of inflammatory cells, among other things. They are among the diagnostic characteristics of rheumatic diseases and are often found in other joints, especially in the elbow joint. An advanced disease often leads to a loss of strength in the hands, limited fine motor skills and deformations of the fingers due to bone destruction and pain.