Pleasant crunch in back and joints when you stretch after a long sleep — an amazing feeling that helps the body wake up.
But what if joints crunch all over the body, without a clear localization of this symptom — does it appear when you bend down, squat, reach up to get a cup from shelf?
Such a characteristic crunch in medical language is called crepitus, and it is not always associated with any diseases. But sometimes it still still has the character of a symptom that indicates the need to go to doctor.
- Crunch joints all over the body: physiological causes
- Crunch in joints: in what diseases does it appear
Joints crunch all over the body: physiological causes
In order to understand why the crunching of joints occurs, one should get a rough idea of how they work».
Any joint — spherical or flat — Provides the movement for & nbsp; the score of its structure: the ends of two (less often & nbsp; & mdash; three) bones are interconnected with & nbsp; the help of the articular cavity. They lie in & nbsp; it, as in & nbsp; a case, and within carry out their movements. Like any other mechanism, the joints are coated with a special lubricant that facilitates the movement of all structures and reduces friction.
And like any other mechanism, joints can make noise. In including crepitus.
Among the physiological (normal) causes of joint crunch, the following are most common:
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Accumulation of gas bubbles. Any fluid, including synovial (articular) fluid, forms bubbles when shaken. The role of agitation in the joint is played by stretching and compression of the articular surfaces, which leads to the formation of small bubbles of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide. When the surfaces are re-compressed, such bubbles burst and emit a "crack".
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Increased physical activity. If you had to walk a lot, then crunch in ankle and knee — normal occurrence. Joint fluid is not constantly formed, and when it is overused during serious loads, the joint "dries up", and it takes time for a new portion of fluid to appear. In this case, the crunch is caused by the friction of one articular surface against the other.
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Skeletal growth. For this reason, crunching of the whole body is commonly seen in children and adolescents. Bones, as well as articular surfaces, grow unevenly, and during a certain period, the structures of the joint may "not coincide" friend with friend. This is a temporary phenomenon, and when one bone catches up with the growth of the other, the creaking cracking will stop.
Read also: What foods to treat diseased joints
But there there other causes of crunch —— pathological.
Crunch in joints: in what diseases does it appear
Most often, the pathological causes of crunching in joints are such diseases and conditions:
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Joint dysplasia, in which one or more joints are abnormal or underdeveloped.
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Inflammatory diseases of the articular structures. These include arthritis, bursitis, tendonitis, tendovaginitis — these diseases are accompanied by a decrease in the production of joint fluid and swelling of the periarticular tissues, which disrupts the biomechanics of the joint and causes cracking or crunching in it.
Read also: Rheumatism of the joints: the main culprit of the disease is streptococcus, doctors say
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Degenerative changes in joints. Pathologies such as osteochondrosis, arthrosis, osteoarthritis are accompanied by rapid thinning of cartilage, which plays the role of cushioning for the joint, resulting in a crunch caused by bone friction against each other.
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Neoplasms in joints. The formation of osteophytes (bone processes) in the joint cavity or the growth of cartilage tissue is most often caused by trauma, surgery and arthrosis.
It is important to be able to distinguish between physiological and pathological crunching, and if you suspect the development of any joint disease, consult a doctor.
The following symptoms indicate a expert consultation:
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Joint stiffness (especially after a night's sleep or after a long period of staying in one position).
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Pain in joint that gets worse with movement.
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Limited range of motion in joint (inability to fully flex or extend arm at elbow or leg at knee, trouble raising the straightened arm up).
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Swelling in the area of the joint, which bothers.
The listed signs indicate the development of a pathological process in the joints, and in this case, it is impossible to ignore the crunch and other symptoms in any case. In the absence of treatment, irreversible changes occur in the joints, which can become an indication for replacing the joint with an endoprosthesis.
Read also: Exercise in bed: 9 useful exercises for joints
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