Synovitis is the medical term for

inflammation Inflammation (from ) is part of the biological response of body tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. The five cardinal signs are heat, pain, redness, swelling, and loss of function (Latin ''calor'', '' ...

of the

synovial membrane Synovial () may refer to: * Synovial fluid * Synovial joint A synovial joint, also known as diarthrosis, joins bones or cartilage with a fibrous joint capsule that is continuous with the periosteum of the joined bones, constitutes the outer bou ...

. This membrane lines

joints A joint or articulation (or articular surface) is the connection made between bones, ossicles, or other hard structures in the body which link an animal's skeletal system into a functional whole.Saladin, Ken. Anatomy & Physiology. 7th ed. McGraw- ...

that possess cavities, known as synovial joints. The condition is usually painful, particularly when the joint is moved. The joint usually swells due to

synovial fluid Synovial fluid, also called synovia, elp 1/sup> is a viscous, non-Newtonian fluid found in the cavities of synovial joints. With its egg white–like consistency, the principal role of synovial fluid is to reduce friction between the articul ...

collection. Acute synovitis of the knee joint Wellcome L0061425

Synovitis may occur in association with arthritis as well as lupus,

gout Gout ( ) is a form of inflammatory arthritis characterized by recurrent attacks of pain in a red, tender, hot, and Joint effusion, swollen joint, caused by the deposition of needle-like crystals of uric acid known as monosodium urate crysta ...

, and other conditions. Synovitis is more commonly found in

rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a long-term autoimmune disorder that primarily affects synovial joint, joints. It typically results in warm, swollen, and painful joints. Pain and stiffness often worsen following rest. Most commonly, the wrist and h ...

than in other forms of arthritis, and can thus serve as a distinguishing factor, although it is also present in many joints affected with

osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis is a type of degenerative joint disease that results from breakdown of articular cartilage, joint cartilage and underlying bone. A form of arthritis, it is believed to be the fourth leading cause of disability in the world, affect ...

. In

, the fibroblast-like synoviocytes, highly specialized mesenchymal cells found in the synovial membrane, play an active and prominent role in the synovitis. Long term occurrence of synovitis can result in degeneration of the joint.

Signs and symptoms

Synovitis causes joint tenderness or pain, swelling and hard lumps, called nodules. When associated with rheumatoid arthritis, swelling is a better indicator than tenderness. The joints in your hands and fingers feel painful when pressed and when moving or gripping anything.

Diagnosis

A rheumatologist will aim to diagnose the cause of the patient’s pain by first determining whether it is inside the joint itself, meaning true synovitis, or if it is actually caused by an inflammation of the tendons, referred to as tendonitis. Imaging, such as an MRI or musculoskeletal ultrasound is often required to make a firm diagnosis.

Treatment

Synovitis symptoms can be treated with

anti-inflammatory Anti-inflammatory is the property of a substance or treatment that reduces inflammation, fever or swelling. Anti-inflammatory drugs, also called anti-inflammatories, make up about half of analgesics. These drugs reduce pain by inhibiting mechan ...

drugs such as NSAIDs. An injection of steroids may be done, directly into the affected joint. Injection of beta-emitting radioisotopes to locally treat synovitis has been performed in people for decades and is now being applied using tin-117m in veterinary medicine to treat canine elbow synovitis. Specific treatment depends on the underlying cause of the synovitis.

References

External links

* {{Soft tissue disorders Inflammations Disorders of synovium and tendon

Signs and symptoms

Diagnosis

Treatment

See also

References

External links