Synovitis is inflammation of the synovial membrane, a tissue that lines the inside of certain joints, so synovitis can occur in the foot, ankle, knee, hip, hand, wrist, elbow or shoulder.
In this disease, the synovial membrane, responsible for the production of synovial fluid, becomes thicker and more blood vessels appear, causing bleeding in the joint. This may be due to trauma, which may have been a fall or an accident, or in some cases it can occur as part of an illness such as rheumatism or gout. Excessive use, as can occur during very repetitive work, in assembly plants for example, does not cause synovitis, but aggravates its symptoms.
Your orthopedic doctor may classify synovitis as
Synovitis can still be classified as acute synovitis, when symptoms have recently appeared, and are related to an accident or fall, for example, and chronic synovitis, when symptoms persist for more than 12 weeks, being related to diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, for example.
Knee synovitis is one of the most common situations, causing pain, discomfort and swelling of the joint. Learn more about knee synovitis, commonly known as knee water.
Synovitis manifests itself in symptoms such as
Your doctor may conclude that the joint is inflamed by the symptoms presented, but only the puncture of the joint to take a liquid sample can show its severity, but X-rays and ultrasound may also be helpful. Therefore, your doctor usually order tests to confirm the disease and recommends taking anti-inflammatory medications to relieve symptoms. If symptoms persist for more than 15 days, compromising the person’s daily activities, physical therapy may be recommended.
Although everyone can develop synovitis, this is more common in people with rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, people who work with very repetitive movements and athletes who train more than an hour a day for more than 5 hours. days a week.
The first treatment option for synovitis is to rest the joint, and it is not always necessary to immobilize it, the person should only be careful not to move the affected joint, thus saving efforts. When there is evidence of a change in synovial fluid, your doctor may perform a puncture to remove this compromised fluid, thus contributing to faster recovery.
Sessions of physiotherapy, anti-inflammatory medications and anti-inflammatory ointments should be used to complete the treatment of synovitis. In the most severe cases, surgery called arthroscopy may be used to remove part of the synovial tissue. Understand how arthroscopy is performed.
Remedies for synovitis may include anti-inflammatory medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, pain relievers such as acetaminophen, and corticosteroids. Applying ointments to diclofenac may also be an option for pain relief.
Placing a cold water or ice pack on the affected joint is an excellent option to combat swelling and relieve pain.
Physical therapy can be performed 2 or 3 times a week, containing cryotherapy, and equipment such as ultrasound, electrostimulation, laser and short wave, for example. Treatment should be chosen by the physical therapist after personal evaluation. Mobilization and stretching exercises may also be indicated. In the final recovery phase, muscle development exercises around the joint are recommended.
Your doctor may remove some of the synovial fluid to deflate the joint, which relieves symptoms well and helps recovery. However, this type of treatment is only indicated for the most severe cases, when the joint is severely affected and inflamed.
In addition to removing synovial fluid, your doctor may give an injection directly into your joint that contains corticosteroids, such as cortisone, a powerful type of anti-inflammatory that quickly relieves symptoms.