Synovitis

Synovitis General Information

Synovium is the medical term used by the specialists when they refer to the smooth lining of the joints. When the synovial membrane is inflamed, the patient suffers from Synovitis, a painful type of medical condition, especially when the joints are moved. Most joint problems are painful and require close medical attention. To deal more easily with this type of health disorder, patients should be very well informed about the aspects of their medical condition. In this first chapter of our presentation we will offer you some of the most important pieces of information regarding Synovitis. But if you still have questions about it, we advise you to contact your health care provider or any other trained specialist in the domain.

Usually, this disorder leads to the accumulation of fluid and makes the synovium become thicker, making the joint to swell and to be puffy at touch. In various types of arthritis (for example gout, psoriatic arthritis or lupus) this membrane becomes infected. This is why Synovitis is considered a primary characteristic of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. If it is not treated properly or in the case of long term occurrences, the disorder will often result in degeneration of the joint, which is harder to deal with. Researchers discovered that there are various types of this medical condition affecting the joints and they qualified it as rheumatic, fibrinous, lipomatous, tuberculous, urethral, gonorrheal, puerperal, syphilitic, metritic, hyperplastic and scralatinal. The exact causes of this type of medical condition is not known for sure.

Synovitis Symptoms

Inflammations of the joints are very painful and seriously affect the patient’s quality of life because the pain is stronger while moving; so, the activity of people suffering from various forms Synovitis is seriously damaged. As any other type of medical condition, this one too has some specific signs and symptoms that are usually experienced by almost all the patients. Some of them may experience particular and unique manifestations that could sometimes delay the diagnosis. In this second part we will present you a list containing the most encountered signs and symptoms of Synovitis. Our list may not be complete because the reactions of each person depend a lot on the strength of their organism and immune system. For further information, you should call your health care provider or any other specialist.

Patients usually complain of one or more of the following: swollen joints that feel boggy or puffy to the touch, warm joints, intense and persistent pain, limited joint movement, collection of fluid in joint etc. The joints appear warm usually because of the increased blood flow (a feature of the inflammation). The mass of inflammatory cells releases enzymes in the joint space, causing irritation and pain. If Synovitis is not discovered in time and treated properly, this process continues for years and the enzymes will gradually destroy the bone and the cartilage of the joint, leading to some degenerative changes and chronic pain. Although the exact causes of the disorder are not known for sure, doctors believe that rheumatoid diseases may be an important factor.

Synovitis Treatment

In this last part of our presentation we will offer you some information about the most used treatment options against Synovitis. A fast diagnosis followed by a proper treatment may accelerate the process of healing and relieve the intense pain. To avoid reaching the severe stages of this medical condition, when the pain is more severe and affects seriously the patient’s quality of life, we strongly recommend you to call your health care provider or any other specialist as soon as you notice changes of the joints (swelling, pain, redness, warmth etc). During the medical examination you will be asked about your signs and symptoms and about your personal medical history. Then, the health care provider will perform a physical exam followed by some other tests, including: X-ray of the affected joint, CBC (complete blood count), ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate) or ultrasound of the affected joint. In order to rule out other possible causes of the pain, doctors will perform some occasionally tests: MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), aspiration of fluid from the affected joint and bone scan. When seeing a doctor, you can ask him/her some questions regarding your possible condition, for example the rate of the prognosis, the recommended medications and their side effects, etc. After the health care provider receives the results of these tests and if they are positive and indicate the patient is suffering from Synovitis, he or she must proceed immediately with the right treatment option.

A first measure in relieving the pain is limiting the activity of the respective individual to make him feel more comfortable. The main treatment option depends mainly on what caused Synovitis and on the patient’s level of tolerance and his/her response to any of the recommended medications. The preferred class of medicines is the anti-inflammatory drugs (such as NSAIDs – non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs) that can range from Aspirin to Ibuprofen or to corticosteroids. The most common drugs preferred by many doctors and considered very efficient when dealing with Synovitis include one or more of the following: Aristocort, Triamcot, Clinalog, Tramacort-D, Aristospan Injection, Acetocot, Trilone, Triam-Forte, Kenalog-10, Clinacort, Aristopak, Triamonide 40, Kenaject-40 or Tristoject. Avoid losing a dose or overdosing, as well as combining medicines that were not administrated by the specialist. Otherwise, you will develop adverse effects that will interfere in the process of healing and will delay your recovery. If you develop allergies to any of the drugs prescribed by your health care provider, call him and ask him to change your prescription. To avoid this, you could to some allergy testing before taking any medication. Also, if you do not notice any improvement of your health status within a few weeks after you started your therapy, we strongly advise you to contact once again your doctor or any trained specialist that could offer you more information. If Synovitis is diagnosed in time and treated properly, the expectations are high and the prognosis is good.