Table of Contents
What is acute monoarthritis?
Any acute inflammatory process that develops in a single joint over the course of a few days is considered acute monoarthritis (also defined as monoarthritis that has been present for less than two weeks).
What is acute arthralgia?
Arthralgia describes joint stiffness. Among its many causes are overuse, sprains, injury, gout, tendonitis and a number of infectious diseases, including rheumatic fever and chickenpox.
What causes acute osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage that cushions the ends of bones in your joints gradually deteriorates. Cartilage is a firm, slippery tissue that enables nearly frictionless joint motion. Eventually, if the cartilage wears down completely, bone will rub on bone.
What causes acute septic arthritis?
Septic arthritis can be caused by bacterial, viral or fungal infections. Bacterial infection with Staphylococcus aureus (staph) is the most common cause. Staph commonly lives on even healthy skin.
What is inflammatory monoarthritis?
Monoarthritis is inflammation of one joint characterized by joint swelling, pain, warmth, and sometimes fever and periarticular erythema. Arthritis is often associated with joint stiffness and total loss or decreased range of motion.
What is the best treatment for arthralgia?
Treatment
- NSAID pain relievers, such as ibuprofen.
- Hot or cold compresses.
- Rest.
- Physical therapy or exercise that is easy on the joints.
- Warm baths.
- Massages or essential oil use.
- Corticosteroid injection.
- Topicals like capsaicin cream or arthritis cream.
Is arthralgia worse than arthritis?
Arthritis and arthralgia are similar. In the strictest sense, arthralgia simply refers to joint pain. Arthritis is inflammation in the joints, which also causes symptoms such as pain and stiffness. Many people now use the two terms interchangeably to describe joint pain.
What is the best treatment for septic arthritis?
Key points about septic arthritis Quick treatment with antibiotics is needed to halt the risk of joint damage. Other treatments include medicines for pain and fever, drainage of the joint, physical therapy, and a splint.
Is septic arthritis an emergency?
Acute nongonococcal septic arthritis is a medical emergency that can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Therefore, prompt recognition, rapid and aggressive antimicrobial therapy, and surgical treatment are critical to ensuring a good prognosis.
What is the best treatment for inflammatory arthritis?
Treatment
- NSAIDs . Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can relieve pain and reduce inflammation.
- Steroids. Corticosteroid medications, such as prednisone, reduce inflammation and pain and slow joint damage.
- Conventional DMARDs .
- Biologic agents.
- Targeted synthetic DMARDs .
Is inflammatory arthritis serious?
Affected joints may feel warm, swollen, and tender. But inflammatory arthritis can also affect other tissues in the body, including the lungs, heart, eyes, skin, and other organs. Left untreated, it can cause irreversible damage.
How serious is septic arthritis?
Septic arthritis is extremely painful and can develop quickly. It’s a very serious condition which can affect people of any age. It needs to be treated in hospital as soon as possible as an emergency. It’s most commonly caused by bacteria, from an infected cut or wound.
What are the signs and symptoms of septic arthritis?
Septic arthritis symptoms may include:
- Chills.
- Fatigue and generalized weakness.
- Fever.
- Inability to move the limb with the infected joint.
- Severe pain in the affected joint, especially with movement.
- Swelling (increased fluid within the joint)
- Warmth (the joint is red and warm to touch because of increased blood flow)
Can arthralgia be cured?
Most arthritis causing arthralgia is not curable. Realistic therapy goals help reduce frustration. The main therapy goals are to improve joint function and relieve pain in order to improve the quality of life of the patient. There should be a follow up and feedback on treatment from the patient.
What is the difference between arthritis and arthralgia?
Similarly, Johns Hopkins Medicine defines arthritis as an “inflammation of a joint” that causes “pain, stiffness, and swelling in joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, or bones.” Arthralgia is defined as “joint stiffness.” However, its symptoms also include pain and swelling — just as with arthritis.
Will arthralgia go away?
What is end stage osteoarthritis?
End-stage arthritis is the progressive wearing down of the cartilage that is present between the bones of a joint causing the bones to come in contact with each other and painfully rub against each other during movement of the joint. This results in severe pain with loss of movement and function.
What do we know about acute monoarthritis?
Acute monoarthritis is a common clinical presentation in emergency departments and in general medical and rheumatology practices. Arriving at a correct diagnosis is crucial for appropriate treatment.
Which conditions should be included in the initial clinical evaluation of monoarthritis?
They should be part of the initial clinical evaluation of acute monoarthritis (Table 3). They include age over 80 years, diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, recent joint surgery, hip or knee prosthesis, skin infection, and hip or knee prosthesis with skin infection.
What are possible errors in the management of acute monoarthritis (OA)?
Serious errors when managing acute monoarthritis can include failing to perform or delaying joint aspiration and administering antibiotics before aspirating the joint and sending the synovial fluid for culture. Another potential error is starting treatment based on a diagnosis based on laboratory data only (e.g., elevated serum uric acid levels).
How is acute monoarthritis (OA) diagnosed?
No clear gold standards exist for diagnosing the cause of acute monoarthritis. Rather, diagnosis depends on the findings of the clinical examination and supporting investigations and on patient response to treatment. Use of the clinical examination, with or without additional tests, to make a definitive diagnosis is not unique to arthritis.