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Swollen tender joints can occur due to multiple reasons. Swollen joints mean puffed joints resulting from increased fluid accumulation in the tissues present around the joints. Tender joints mean when one feels pain on touching the joints. So swollen tender joints refer to puffed joints that are painful to touch. It can affect any of the joints, and at a time one or multiple joints may be affected. The pain may also shift from one joint to another quickly in a short period of time. Depending on the cause, the affected joints may be red, stiff and warm to touch and may have decreased range of movement. The reasons for swollen and tender joints are summed below:
1. Rheumatoid arthritis: It is an autoimmune joint disorder resulting in joint inflammation beginning especially from the small joints of hands causing pain, stiffness, and swelling of joints. Autoimmune disorder means disorders in which the immune cells damage healthy tissues out of a mistaken response.
2. Gout: It is a type of joint inflammation (arthritis) resulting from the accumulation of uric acid crystals in the joints. This type of arthritis in most cases affects the big toe, though other joints can be affected as well.
3. Osteoarthritis: It is a form of arthritis that occurs from wear and tear of joints. It happens from deterioration of the cartilage present at the end of bones forming a joint that prevents rubbing of the bones together in the joint, during movement. The joints most affected in this are knees, hips and hands and joints of the spine.
4. Bursitis: It refers to inflammation of the bursa (i.e. a bag of synovial fluid around a joint) that helps in reducing friction between different structures of the joints during joint movement.
5. An injury or sprain: A joint injury can lead to swollen tender joints. Sprain can also be one of the causes. Sprain refers to overstretching or tearing of ligaments (band of fibrous tissue connecting two bones of the joint). Mostly, sprain tends to occur in the ankles.
6. An infection in the joint (septic arthritis): Also known as infectious arthritis, it happens from the spread of infection to the joint. It occurs mostly from a bacterial infection, but might also result from a viral or fungal infection.
7. Ankylosing arthritis: This form of arthritis begins with inflammation in the sacroiliac joint (a joint formed where the hip bone connects with the sacrum which is a triangular bone at the base of the spine).
8. Psoriatic arthritis: It is a type of arthritis that can occur in some people suffering from an autoimmune skin disorder called psoriasis. In psoriasis, red inflamed patches appear on the skin covered with silvery white scales.
9. Reactive arthritis: This kind of arthritis gets triggered after an infection in some other body part like in the urinary tract, bowels or genitals.
Homeopathic Management
There is excellent scope for managing swollen tender joints in homeopathy. Homeopathic medicines aim at rectifying the root cause behind swelling and tenderness of the joints. This brings long-term relief to the sufferer. Homeopathic medicines are recommended for both recent (acute) as well as long-term (chronic) cases of swollen, tender joints. Along with swelling and tenderness, these medicines also help to manage stiffness, heat and redness of the joints. Homeopathic medicines are free from any side effects as these are prepared from naturally occurring substances. There are numerous homeopathic medicines to manage cases of swollen, tender joints but these are not specific. Every case cannot be treated with the same one medicine but the most suitable medicine has to be found after detailed case evaluation of the symptoms. The symptoms that are characteristic in each case, like the worsening and relieving factors, are kept in mind to prescribe medicine in every individual case. So it is advised that a person should get his/ her case evaluated by a homeopathic physician for correct prescription.
Homeopathic Medicines For Tender Joints
1. Arnica – Top-Listed Medicine
To manage swollen tender joints, Arnica is one of the best-indicated medicines in homeopathy. This medicine is highly suited to manage joint complaints occurring after an injury, sprain or arthritis (inflammation of the joints). Persons needing it have swelling on the joints with intense tenderness and they fear touching the affected joint due to pain that occurs even from touching. There is acute pain and it feels as if the joints have been beaten with some blunt object. A characteristic feature that can be present where this medicine is required is pain starting from the joints in the lower part of the body, and then affecting joints in the upper body part. Pain gets worse from movement of the affected joint besides touch.
2. Rhus Tox – Along With Stiffness
This medicine is highly recommended when along with swelling and tenderness, joint stiffness is also present. Mainly stitching type of pain occurs on touching the affected joints. The joints are red and warm to touch. A key indicating feature for its use is the worsening of pain when at rest, and relief from movement. Stiffness gets relieved by warm application over the joints. This medicine is the most helpful for swollen tender joints due to arthritis and injury. When joint pain worsens in damp weather, then also Rhus Tox is quite effective.
3. Causticum – When Pain Relieves From Warm Applications
Causticum is another very beneficial medicine for swollen tender joints. The main indicating feature for its use is relief in pain from warm applications, like applying a heating pad, on the joints. Mostly tearing type of pain is felt in cases needing it. Causticum is also indicated for management of joint complaints when deformity has occurred in the joints from long-term inflammation.
4. Pulsatilla – With Shifting Joint Pains
Pulsatilla can be considered when joints are swollen and pain shifts from one joint to another rapidly. The affected joints are markedly swollen and red. A drawing type of pain occurs in the joints on touch. Pain gets worse from movement. Pain increases at night, it gets better towards the morning. Numbness is also felt in the affected joints.
5. Bryonia – When Pain Gets Better By Resting
This medicine works well when joints are painful to touch and better from absolute rest. Not even the slightest touch is tolerable. Pain worsens from the least motion. The affected joints are red, swollen along with marked heat. The nature of pain in the joints can be tearing or stitching type.
6. China Officinalis – When Pain Worsens From Touch And At Night
This medicine is useful for cases in which pain worsens from touch and also at night. The affected joints are highly sensitive and the slightest touch is painful. The joints also feel weak. Pressure is felt on the joints as from a load. Pains are worse when lying down or taking rest.
7. Ruta – From Injury Or Sprain
This medicine, like Arnica, is effective to manage swollen, tender joints from injury or a sprain. The affected joints are painful, besides causing restlessness. Affected joints also feel lame. Nodes may develop on the joints involved along with the above symptoms.
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