Are you experiencing sudden pain in multiple joints? Let's talk about polyarthritis!

Do you also feel pain and stiffness in multiple joints, not just one place, when you wake up in the morning or throughout the day? Perhaps it is important for you to know about this condition called polyarthritis. Don't worry, let's talk about it simply.

What exactly is polyarthritis?

Simply put, polyarthritis is arthritis that affects five or more joints in your body at the same time . You may also hear it called "polyarticular arthritis." Remember, this is not a specific type of arthritis. Instead, your doctor is using this name to tell you that you have arthritis symptoms in many of your joints at once. When we hear arthritis , we all know that it affects our joints (the places where bones connect and move). Arthritis usually causes inflammation of the joints, which means swelling, redness, or degeneration . This is what causes the joints to become painful, stiff, or unable to move properly. The joints most commonly affected by arthritis are:

• Your feet and ankles.
• Hands, wrists and fingers.
• Hip joints .
• Knees.
• Lower back.
• Neck.

If you have polyarthritis, you may experience more symptoms of your arthritis. This is because the pain occurs in multiple joints at once, rather than just one. Your doctor may also classify your polyarthritis as symmetrical or asymmetrical .

• Symmetric polyarthritis means that the same joints on both sides of your body are affected. For example, if both knees are affected equally.
• Asymmetric polyarthritis is when it affects only the joints on one side of the body, or when it affects joints that are not aligned. It may be asymmetrical if an odd number of your joints are affected.

What is the difference between oligoarticular arthritis and polyarthritis?

If you have arthritis in more than one joint, your doctor will classify it based on the number of joints affected.

• Oligoarticular arthritis is arthritis in two to four joints.
• Polyarthritis is the medical term for arthritis in five or more joints.

Polyarthritis can be caused by any condition that affects your joints. Your symptoms (and how severe they are) depend on what caused the polyarthritis and which of your joints are affected. If you have new joint pain, stiffness, or other symptoms, it's important to talk to your doctor. He or she can develop a treatment plan that's specific to your condition.

Who is more likely to develop polyarthritis?

People who are at higher risk of developing arthritis in the first place are also more likely to develop polyarthritis. In fact, anyone can develop arthritis. However, some people are at higher risk. They are:

• People over 50 years old: It is normal for joints to wear out and weaken as we age.
• Women: Some types of arthritis, for example rheumatoid arthritis, are more common in women.
• People with autoimmune diseases : In these diseases, joint inflammation can occur because the body's own immune system attacks its own cells.
• People with obesity : As body weight increases, more pressure is placed on weight-bearing joints, especially the knees and hips.
• Athletes: Due to long-term overuse of joints and occasional injuries .

How common is polyarthritis?

Arthritis is actually a very common condition. Experts say that about one-third of adults under the age of 64 have some form of arthritis. Half of men over the age of 65 and two-thirds of women over the age of 65 are said to have arthritis. It's hard to say exactly how common polyarthritis is. This is because many people don't know they have the condition or get a diagnosis for it. Especially when treating arthritis in one joint, the same treatment may also reduce symptoms in other, less painful joints, so it can be missed.

What are the symptoms of polyarthritis?

The most common symptoms of polyarthritis are:

• Joint pain : Not in one place, but in several joints.
• Joint stiffness: Difficulty moving the joints, either upon waking up in the morning or after standing up after being in the same position for a while.
• Feeling of warmth in the joints.
• Skin discoloration around the joints (Like blushing ).
• Joint swelling.
• Feeling pain when touched on or near a joint.

Inflammatory vs. Noninflammatory Polyarthritis

Depending on the cause of polyarthritis, doctors classify it as inflammatory or noninflammatory .

• Inflammatory polyarthritis causes symptoms such as swelling, redness, and warmth in your affected joints. This is often caused by an autoimmune disease or an infection.
• In non-inflammatory polyarthritis, your joints don't swell. This is often due to conditions like osteoarthritis, where the cartilage that cushions your joints wears away over time.

What are the causes of polyarthritis?

Polyarthritis can have several causes. Some people may have a single type of arthritis that spreads throughout the body, causing polyarthritis. Others may develop arthritis in the joints as a symptom or side effect of another medical condition. The most common causes of polyarthritis are:

Types of arthritis that affect multiple joints

If you already have some type of arthritis, it is likely to develop into polyarthritis over time. Although any type of arthritis can become polyarthritis, the most common are:

• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Osteoarthritis
• Gout
• Calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (CPPD, also known as pseudogout)
• Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)

Autoimmune diseases

An autoimmune disease is when your immune system mistakenly attacks your own body instead of protecting you. It's not yet clear why this happens. This attack can cause some types of arthritis and other conditions that cause arthritis. Some autoimmune diseases that cause polyarthritis include:

• Lupus
• Sarcoidosis
• Scleroderma
• Rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis are both types of arthritis caused by autoimmune diseases.

Infections

Some viral and bacterial infections can also cause polyarthritis. Think about it, when your body's immune system fights a virus or bacteria, that response can sometimes be too strong, and as a side effect of the fight, it can also affect your joints, causing polyarthritis. Some of these infections include:

• Viral hepatitis
• Lyme disease
• Rheumatic fever
• Mononucleosis (Mononucleosis - mono)
• Parvovirus
• Whipple disease
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

How is polyarthritis diagnosed?

Your doctor will diagnose polyarthritis by doing a physical exam and some tests . He or she will look at your painful joints and feel them. He or she will ask you when your symptoms started and how severe they are. He or she will also check your range of motion , which is how far you can move a joint. The doctor will also check for other conditions that could be causing your symptoms. This is called a differential diagnosis . This allows them to rule out other problems and confirm the diagnosis of polyarthritis. Other symptoms and conditions they may check for include:

• Swollen lymph nodes
• Sore throat (pharyngitis)
• Fibromyalgia
• Hemochromatosis
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Raynaud's phenomenon

What tests are performed?

You may need to have some imaging tests to take pictures of your joints:

• X-rays
• MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging - MRI)
• Ultrasound

If you have joint swelling, your doctor may also do a joint aspiration . This involves inserting a thin needle into your joint and removing a small amount of fluid. A sample of that fluid is sent to a lab for testing to determine what caused the fluid to accumulate. Blood tests and other lab tests may also be needed to check for infections or other conditions.

How is polyarthritis treated?

How you treat your polyarthritis depends on several factors:

• What is the reason for that?
• What type of arthritis do you have?
• How severe your symptoms are.

Your doctor will tell you what treatment you need based on your specific symptoms. Polyarthritis is usually treated with these methods:

• Medications:
• Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs): These help change the course of the disease in conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.
• Over-the-counter (OTC) NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and paracetamol (acetaminophen/paracetamol): These help reduce pain and inflammation.
• Physical therapy: Your doctor or physical therapist will give you stretches and exercises to increase your range of motion and strengthen the muscles around the affected joint. It is important to do these correctly.
• Injections: Some people may need to receive injections directly into the joint, such as corticosteroids (a powerful medication that reduces inflammation) or viscosupplementation ( injection of a lubricant into the joint).
• Joint replacement surgery (Arthroplasty): In some severe cases, if a joint has worn out, joint replacement surgery may be necessary. Your doctor or surgeon will tell you more about this.

How to reduce the risk of developing polyarthritis?

You can do these things to reduce your risk of developing polyarthritis:

• Avoid using tobacco products: Smoking increases inflammation and is harmful to overall health.
• Doing exercises that have low impact on the joints: things like swimming and walking are good.
• Following a healthy diet and exercise plan that suits you: A balanced diet and regular exercise can help control body weight and keep joints healthy.
• Wearing appropriate protective equipment during any physical activity: This can reduce the risk of joint injuries.

What can you expect if you have polyarthritis?

You may have acute polyarthritis, which is temporary, perhaps while you are recovering from an infection. Or, chronic polyarthritis, which is long-lasting and often recurring.There may be a situation.

Because there is no cure for most types of arthritis, many people will have to manage their condition for the rest of their lives. But don't worry, your doctor can help you find the right combination of treatments to help reduce your symptoms.

When should you seek medical advice?

See a doctor as soon as you notice any symptoms in your joints. Since polyarthritis can have many causes, it is important to get checked out right away if you have new pain, swelling, or skin discoloration. Don't ignore your symptoms. If you have an infection, it is important to get treatment right away before it spreads or gets worse.

When should you go to the Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) ?

If you have severe pain, or if you suddenly cannot move a joint or part of your body, go to an emergency room immediately.

Questions to ask your doctor

It's helpful to ask these questions when you visit your doctor:

• What type of arthritis do I have?
• What is the reason for this?
• What kind of tests will I have to do?
• What kind of treatment do I need?
• How long will my symptoms last?

What is the difference between Polyarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Polyarthritis means that you have arthritis in five or more joints at the same time. It is not a single specific disease. It is a diagnosis, which means that you have arthritis in many of your joints at once. Rheumatoid arthritis is a specific type of arthritis. If you have rheumatoid arthritis, your immune system attacks the tissues that cover the joints on both sides of your body. It can affect any number of joints, and rheumatoid arthritis can affect enough of your joints to be classified as polyarthritis.

What is Seronegative Polyarthritis?

Seronegative arthritis is a type of rheumatoid arthritis. It can also affect five or more joints, becoming polyarthritis. If you have questions about this, or if you have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and are experiencing new symptoms, talk to your doctor or a rheumatologist (a doctor who specializes in joint diseases).

Things to remember

Polyarthritis is a type of arthritis that affects many of your joints at the same time. It can be painful and uncomfortable. But don't worry. Your doctor can help you understand what causes polyarthritis and when you're most likely to experience symptoms. They can help you find a combination of treatments that can help relieve your symptoms and get you back to your normal activities as quickly as possible.

If you notice any changes in your symptoms, especially if they get worse quickly, talk to your doctor right away. Early treatment is very important!