手首の痛み リウマチ
masuiWrist pain Rheumatoid arthritis
関節リウマチとは、関節が炎症を起こし、軟骨や骨が破壊されて関節の機能が損なわていき、放っておくと、次第に、関節が変形してしまう病気です。腫れや激しい痛みを伴い、関節を動かさなくても痛みが生じるのが、他の関節の病気と異なる点です。主な症状は、関節の痛み、腫れ、朝のこわばりなどです。手足の指、手首に症状を認めることが多いですが、肘、肩、膝、足首などにもみられます。症状は左右対称に複数の関節に出ることが多いですが、片側のみや、少数の関節にしか出ないこともあります。全身倦怠感や微熱、食欲低下などの全身症状や、皮膚(皮下結節など)、眼、肺など、関節以外の症状が出ることもあります。原因のすべては解明されていません。遺伝的要因の可能性も言われています。女性は男性のおよそ4倍で40~60歳代に多いです。関節リウマチで生じる関節の腫れと痛みは、免疫の働きに異常が生じたために起こると考えられます。免疫は、外部から体内に侵入してきた細菌やウイルスなどを攻撃して破壊し、それらを排除する働きを担っています。しかし、免疫に異常が生じると、誤って自分自身の細胞や組織を攻撃してしまいます。それにより炎症が起こり、関節の腫れや痛みとなって現れてきます。その炎症が続くと、関節の周囲を取り囲んでいる滑膜が腫れ上がり、さらに炎症が悪化して、骨や軟骨を破壊していきます。体内で炎症が生じたときには、サイトカインという物質が過剰に分泌され、それが炎症を悪化させます。関節リウマチは、全身の結合組織を侵す病気であるため、患者は節々の痛みや腫れとともに、疲れやすさ、食欲不振、便秘、不眠、頭痛などを訴える時もあります。鍼灸治療としては、リウマチによる関節の炎症を抑えて、痛みを楽にします。また、患者さんのリウマチに対する不安やストレスの緩和を行い、ストレスから派生した体調不良（肩こりや頭痛、胃腸障害、不眠など）を整えていきます。鍼灸治療で、全身の血液循環を改善をして、腫れや痛みの物質を流し、関節周囲の循環改善による変形予防、筋肉のこわばりを緩和し、肩こり、腰痛などの緩和をしていきます。症状の改善から、精神も安定し、自律神経も整いやすくなります。
Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that causes inflammation of the joints, resulting in the destruction of cartilage and bone and the loss of joint function, and if left untreated, the joints gradually become deformed. It differs from other joint diseases in that it is accompanied by swelling and severe pain, which occurs even when the joint is not moved. The main symptoms are joint pain, swelling, and morning stiffness. Symptoms are often present in the fingers, toes, and wrists, but can also be seen in the elbows, shoulders, knees, and ankles. Symptoms often occur symmetrically in multiple joints, but they may be present on only one side or in a few joints. Systemic symptoms such as general fatigue, low-grade fever, and loss of appetite, as well as symptoms other than joints such as skin (subcutaneous nodules, etc.), eyes, and lungs, may also occur. The cause of the disease has not yet been fully elucidated. There is a possibility of genetic factors. Women are four times more likely than men to suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, with the majority of cases occurring in people in their 40s to 60s. Swelling and pain in joints caused by rheumatoid arthritis are thought to be caused by an abnormality in the function of the immune system. The immune system attacks and destroys bacteria and viruses that enter the body from the outside and eliminates them. However, when the immune system becomes abnormal, it mistakenly attacks its own cells and tissues. This causes inflammation, which manifests itself as swelling and pain in the joints. As the inflammation continues, the synovial membrane surrounding the joint swells, further aggravating the inflammation and destroying bone and cartilage. When inflammation occurs in the body, a substance called cytokine is overproduced, which aggravates the inflammation. Because rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that affects connective tissues throughout the body, patients sometimes complain of fatigue, loss of appetite, constipation, insomnia, and headaches, along with pain and swelling in knots. Acupuncture treatment includes reducing inflammation of the joints caused by rheumatism and easing the pain. It also relieves patients' anxiety and stress about rheumatism, and regulates physical problems derived from stress (stiff shoulders, headaches, gastrointestinal disorders, insomnia, etc.). Acupuncture and moxibustion treatment improves blood circulation throughout the body, removes swelling and pain substances, prevents deformity by improving circulation around joints, relieves stiffness of muscles, and relieves stiff shoulders and back pain. The improvement of symptoms also helps to stabilize the mind and regulate the autonomic nervous system.
