It has happened to all of us at least once to wake up stiff. The causes can range from sleeping or mattress to various conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis – an inflammatory disease that affects the joints.
Stiffness in the back, knees, or legs is an unpleasant problem often encountered among older people. People often say that they lose their mobility because they are getting older, but old age, without other associated factors, is not the only cause of joint stiffness felt in the morning.
Usually, morning stiffness is an indication of worn joints, tense muscles or inflammation caused by arthritis. As the joints age, the spongy pillow of the cartilage begins to dry and harden.
Also, the synovial membrane lining the joint capsule surrounding the joint produces less synovial fluid, whose role is to lubricate the joint.
In addition, during sleep, stiff muscles and tendons tend to contract. Both osteoarthritis, i.e. damage to the joints, and rheumatoid arthritis, which involves swelling and inflammation of the joints, can trigger morning stiffness.
How long does morning stiffness last?
Usually, the morning stiffness is felt on average for 10-15 minutes. It disappears as you begin to move, and your joints and muscles begin to warm up. If morning stiffness is triggered by rheumatoid arthritis, it can last more than an hour.
Monitor symptoms and talk to your orthopedist or rheumatologist It is advisable to make a list of the symptoms and write down the time when they appear.
Also, be careful if symptoms appear early in the morning or as a result of an activity. Try to identify the moment you first noticed that the joints had become stiff!
Find the answer to the following questions about joint stiffness:
- Did it start suddenly?
- Does it appear and disappear?
- Is it painful?
- Has it changed in intensity over time or moved to new joints?
It is recommended to go to the rheumatologist or orthopedist if you notice that the joints are stiff, sore or inflamed, for more than two weeks in a row. Morning stiffness and rheumatoid arthritis When it is felt due to rheumatoid arthritis, joint stiffness is accompanied by other symptoms, such as pain or fatigue.
They tend to develop and worsen over several weeks or months. In rheumatoid arthritis, stiffness of the joints is felt more intensely in the morning. It often passes after 1-2 hours but can last all day.
In rheumatoid arthritis, you may feel stiff the following parts of the body:
- Fingers and hands
- Wrist
- Feet
- Ankles
- Knees
- Sold
- Shoulders
- Maxilla
Healthy habits for strong joints
You cannot reverse the effects of joint aging, and although certain medications can relieve the pain and inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis, joint stiffness may persist. However, the severity and frequency of symptoms can be reduced if you are active and practice exercises to strengthen muscles and joints. It also helps maintain a healthy weight.
Regarding dietary supplements to reduce joint pain, such as glucosamine or chondroitin, experts at Harvard Medical School believe it should be avoided because it does not appear to help manage long-term symptoms.
What is the treatment that you used or use right now and it helps or not?
Feel free to write me a comment below.
To write this article for you I used information from the following sources:
