It has been proven that joint pain is difficult for patients to tolerate: they are intense, they dramatically reduce the quality of life.
At first glance, such an insignificant trifle as pain in the joints of the big toes should not cause any significant discomfort to the patient, however, this is not so.
The big toe is perhaps the most important element of the foot.
It is thanks to the thumb that the load on the sole is evenly distributed.
Any changes from the anatomical structures of the finger entail a violation of this entire fragile system. As a result, motor activity is sharply reduced.
Fortunately, most problems can be avoided, and if the trouble nevertheless happened, with a competent approach, the chances of a complete cure are high.
Joints of the big toes hurt: causes
All causes, without exception, are pathological in nature. But many are due to improper actions by the patient himself. What are the sources of the problem:
• Arthrosis. With age, cartilage tissue loses most of its qualities. Tissue nutrition is deteriorating, degenerative changes in the joints begin. But how to explain that arthrosis is found in very young people, 25-26 years old? The answer is simple. Most of these patients are women. It is women who sacrifice the convenience of shoes for the sake of appearance. Narrow or simply uncomfortable shoes deform the foot, including the thumb. Dystrophic tissue changes in this case begin much earlier.
• Arthritis. If arthrosis is due to internal causes, the cause of arthritis almost always comes from the outside. Infectious lesions of the body, improper functioning of the excretory system, excessive load on the finger joint - these are the main sources of arthritis. With arthritis, the joint undergoes inflammation, the process of deformation and rapid destruction begins. We can talk about rheumatoid arthritis (in this case, the cause is an autoimmune process), gouty arthritis.
• Gout. Or gouty arthritis. It stands out as an independent disease, since the course of this form of arthritis is different. Gouty arthritis develops with the deposition of organic urate salts in the joint cavity. Salt crystals disrupt joint mobility and cause inflammation. Gout is a polyetiological disease. Its sources should be sought either in the excretory system (when the kidneys are not working properly), or in the endocrine system (in the hypothalamic-pituitary region). The presence of neoplasms in the chiasmosellar region is not excluded (not far from the pituitary gland, fortunately, these are, for the most part, adenomas). Not only urate can be deposited in the joints. Sometimes the source of damage are calcium salts.
• Diabetes. Surely everyone heard about the diabetic foot. By this term, doctors understand the systemic lesion of the anatomical structures of the foot, including bones and joints of the fingers. If the joints of the big toes hurt, while there are symptoms of an increase in the concentration of sugar in the blood - there is a reason to "visit" the endocrinologist.
• Thumb injuries. Bruises, fractures, dislocations. All injuries are accompanied by pain of varying intensity. As a rule, the patient himself knows about the source of the trouble, so there are no problems with diagnosis.
• Ingrown nail. Improper nail care often leads to the fact that the nail plate of the thumb begins to grow directly into soft tissues, damaging the roller. This is not always obvious.
• Neuroma. It is an overgrowth of the nervous tissue of the foot. Typically, a similar process affects the thumb. This is a rare reason why the joints of the big toes hurt. Nevertheless, it occurs (mainly in women after 30 years). This pathology does not bear danger to life.
In almost all cases, the patient is to blame. To minimize the risk of thumbs problems:
• choosing an adequate mode of physical activity;
• giving preference to comfortable spacious shoes.
In cases with systemic diseases, this is especially important. Also, you should not forget to show yourself to a specialist on time and responsibly approach the prescribed treatment.
Joints of the big toes hurt: diagnosis
Diagnosis is not particularly difficult. It is enough to carry out a number of standard studies. The situation is more complicated if the pain in the joints is secondary and caused by any other diseases. In this case, a series of additional surveys will be carried out. The first thing that begins with the "path" of the patient is a visit to the doctor. Who to contact?
• Orthopedist is a specialized specialist. In his competence is the treatment of pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.
• The surgeon. As a rule, it is with his consultation or with the consultation of a therapist that one should begin.
• Traumatologist.
• Rheumatologist.
• Nephrologist.
• Endocrinologist.
The list is huge. However, you should not be scared, general practitioners will help you orient yourself.
The diagnosis itself includes:
• Oral survey. Or, in medical terms, a medical history. The doctor asks a number of questions in order to clarify the nature of the complaints and draw up an initial picture of the course of the disease. Hide is not recommended.
• Inspection. Visual assessment of the joints may be informative in some cases. So, with arthritis, the joints are deformed, acquire a red tint. Etc.
• Functional tests. The doctor checks the mobility of the affected joint, determines the presence and intensity of pain reactions. This is an important diagnostic measure, since many pathologies are accompanied by characteristic changes.
• Radiography. If the joints of the big toes hurt, x-rays are almost indispensable. This study makes it possible to consider the anatomical structure of bones and finger joints, which is important in the diagnosis of arthritis and arthrosis.
• Ultrasound examination of the joint. Assigned often. The method is informative, because it allows you to assess the condition of the joint itself, to detect salt deposits.
• Laboratory tests: general analysis of blood, urine, blood biochemistry. A general blood test shows inflammatory processes, and an experienced doctor can determine the nature of the process. A general urine test is prescribed for suspected gouty arthritis (urate concentration will be high). For the same purpose, a biochemical blood test is prescribed. However, due to biochemistry, it is possible to identify the possible deposition of calcium salts. If you suspect diabetes, a blood test is done for sugar. STTG is more informative (the so-called sugar curve).
Other studies are prescribed as needed. In most cases, there are enough of these.
• MRI / CT. The study is expensive, but the most informative. Allows you to get detailed images of all structures of the thumb: bones, joints, soft tissues.
• Puncture of the joint. It is rarely prescribed in order to examine intraarticular contents.
Joints of the big toes hurt: treatment
Treating joint problems is not an easy task. Its solution requires the participation of several specialists at once, depending on the nature of the process. Nothing can be done on our own, except for temporary relief of pain. For these purposes, a single administration of an analgesic is permissible. It is not worth using pills, this is fraught with the development of side effects on the one hand, and on the other complicates the diagnosis.
Several techniques are used in the treatment of articular pathologies: orthopedic, drug treatment, physiotherapy, and surgical treatment.
Drug treatment aims to relieve inflammation and pain, to stop degenerative processes for the longest possible time. The following groups of drugs are prescribed:
• Anti-inflammatory (non-steroidal). To relieve inflammation. These are Ketorolac, Ibuprofen, Nurofen, etc.
• Analgesics (or painkillers). Apply only to relieve pain. Novigan, Analgin and others.
• Steroids. Hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs are applied topically for pain blockade (novocaine, lidocaine, etc. are used for the same purpose).
• Chondroprotectors. Contribute to the restoration of joints. These include: Structum and other drugs.
Orthopedic treatment involves wearing a plaster or elastic bandage. Physiotherapy is prescribed in parallel with drug treatment. Its specific types are determined by a physiotherapist based on their nature of the disease.
Surgical treatment is rarely resorted to, only for prosthetics or restoration of anatomical integrity in fractures.
Treatment should be comprehensive and only after all diagnostic measures have been carried out. If the doctor prescribes treatment "by eye", this is an occasion to find another specialist.
Thus, if the joints of the big toes hurt, this is the reason to be wary. Most of these problems are sluggish, but they are insidious: obvious manifestations arise already in the advanced stages of pathologies. For this reason, at the first sign of pain, you should consult a doctor. With timely treatment, the chances of forever forgetting the problem are high.
