Until my knees crunch

“I have fainting spells. Doctors say it's orthostatic hypotension. What kind of disease is this? Svetlana, Irkutsk

– This is a syndrome consisting of a violation of the body’s ability to maintain a normal level of blood pressure in an upright position. It is manifested by general weakness, dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting, heaviness in the head, darkening of the eyes. These symptoms occur when the body position changes from horizontal to vertical, less often when standing for a long time.

The main causes of orthostatic hypotension are damage to the autonomic nervous system, pathological processes in certain parts of the brain, endocrine problems, prolonged bed rest, dehydration and significant blood loss.

"I am 45 years old. I constantly hear a cracking sound in my knees. Is it time to check your joints?
Gleb, Tver region

– If after a fall or injury you experience a crunch in any joint, you should immediately consult a traumatologist. In other circumstances, clicks, crackling, crunching, as a rule, do not indicate a serious pathology.

In adults, the cartilage linings of the joints become thinner, ligaments and tendons can touch each other, which causes “music” in the joints. Another reason for cracking is the formation of gas bubbles during joint movement, when the volume of intra-articular fluid changes. In this case, the bubbles merge with each other and burst, making a sound. In older people, the most common cause of sounds when moving joints is the development of arthrosis and thinning of the contacting articular surfaces. But in this case, another symptom is added: pain, sometimes swelling, limitation of movement.