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Soft-tissue rheumatism — tendons, bursae and ligaments
Not all joint pain comes from the joint itself. Often the problem lies in a tendon, a bursa or a ligament beside it. This group of complaints is called soft-tissue rheumatism.
What is it?
Soft-tissue rheumatism is the collective name for painful conditions affecting the structures around a joint rather than the joint itself.
It includes bursitis (inflammation of a bursa), tendinitis (inflammation of a tendon), epicondylitis (inflammation of the elbow tendons), plantar fasciitis and heel spur, trigger finger, De Quervain's tenosynovitis and carpal tunnel syndrome.
These are not autoimmune diseases. They are usually related to repetitive movement, excessive load or injury.
Who is it for?
Anyone with persistent pain in the heel, shoulder, elbow or wrist.
People who work with their hands, spend long hours at a computer, or perform repetitive movements.
People whose finger catches and then releases — trigger finger.
People whose hand goes numb at night and whose fingers tingle — where carpal tunnel syndrome is suspected.
When to seek care
- Putting weight on your heel when you first get out of bed is sharply painful
- There is swelling behind your heel and it is tender to touch
- You cannot raise your arm above your head, and your shoulder aches at night
- The inside or outside of your elbow hurts when you grip an object
- Your finger bends and locks, then releases with a click
- Your hand goes numb at night and shaking it relieves it
- Your wrist hurts on the thumb side, worse when you lift something
If the pain comes with joint swelling, warmth or prolonged morning stiffness, inflammatory arthritis should also be checked for.
Why it matters
These complaints are often labelled "wear" or "rheumatism" and treated wrongly. The right diagnosis simplifies the treatment.
Acting in good time helps prevent long-standing pain and restricted movement.
Sometimes the same complaint turns out to be the first sign of an inflammatory rheumatic disease. That is why the examination has a distinguishing value.
On the other hand, most of these conditions are not serious disease. Knowing that in itself reduces the worry.
How it is done
- Examination. The painful area is examined by hand and specific movement tests are performed.
- Distinguishing. It is established whether the complaint comes from a tendon, a bursa, a nerve or the joint itself.
- Imaging where needed. Ultrasound or an X-ray may be requested.
- Treatment plan. Reducing load, appropriate exercises, and where indicated a local injection or PRP.
- Follow-up. The result is reviewed and the plan changed if needed.
Most of the treatment continues at home: adjusting how you use the limb, exercises, and choosing suitable footwear.
If a local injection is offered, it is an invasive procedure and is explained separately.
The local injection and PRP that may be used for these complaints are invasive procedures and carry risks: pain at the injection site, bruising, a change in skin colour or thickness, and rarely tendon weakening and infection. The method suited to you and its risks are explained individually after the examination.
Where it is done
Examination and procedures are carried out in Baku, at StarLab Clinic.
Address: 20 Yanvar str. 88, 5th microdistrict, Baku, opposite the Qızıltac wedding hall.
Contact: +994 55 550 55 69.
No. Most people with heel pain are managed without surgery: reducing load, stretching exercises, suitable footwear and, where needed, local treatment.
Not always. Heel spurs are also found in people with no pain at all. The pain more often comes from inflammation of the fascia itself.
It is a condition in its own right, but it can also arise on the background of some rheumatic diseases. That is why numbness in the hand deserves an examination.
Some settle once the load is reduced. Pain that lasts weeks and interferes with daily life needs an examination.
Related pages
PRP therapy — platelet-rich plasma
Plasma prepared from your own blood, injected into a joint or around a tendon.
Intra-articular corticosteroid (cortisone) injection
A steroid placed directly into an inflamed joint, to reduce pain and swelling.
Osteoarthritis — diagnosis and treatment
Joint wear, often called "salt deposits" in everyday speech. Most often the knee, hands and hip.