Joint pain affects millions of people across the world, and there are many different causes. While medication and advice from doctors may be required for some conditions that cause joint pain, there is also a lot you can do at home to help improve your symptoms.
Joint pain can affect any part of the body where bones meet each other. The major joints in the body are the hips, knees, shoulders and elbows. But joint pain can also affect the smallest joints such as those in your fingers and toes. People who say they have joint pain often experience aching or soreness in their joints. The discomfort can be brought on by movement or not enough movement. Sometimes the onset of joint pain can appear to be random.
Joint pain is something most of us are likely to suffer from at some point in our lives. Some people experience joint pain due to a specific condition, the most common of which is arthritis. Around a quarter of Americans suffer from arthritis, which equates to 58.5 million people. There are a number of other conditions that can cause joint pain, and it is always important to see a doctor for a diagnosis.
Even when medical intervention is required, there are still plenty of things you can do at home to help improve the symptoms of joint pain.
Supplements
While research is still ongoing about the link between some supplements and joint pain, many people report good results when they do incorporate some supplements into their daily routines. Fish oils and Omega-3 fatty acids are some of the most popular supplements for joint pain, as they help keep inflammation in check. Glucosamine is another popular supplement that has a similar effect.
Turmeric is an increasingly popular supplement for people suffering from a number of ailments. It contains the chemical curcumin, which has both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. One supplement that contains a high dose of turmeric and other ingredients good for tackling joint pain is Relief Factor. It is worth reading the review on Open Health Tools to understand the pros and cons of supplements like this.
Another supplement many joint pain sufferers include in their daily intake is Vitamin D. This helps to maintain strong bones, and reduces levels of joint pain too.
Exercise
When you have pain in your joints, exercise may not even be in your thoughts as a possibility. In fact, exercise is a great way to keep your joints moving and flexible, helping to reduce pain overall. It also helps keep the muscles around your joints strong, which puts less pressure on the joints themselves, reducing pain.
Depending on your medical condition and current level of fitness, you should start with gentle, low impact exercises such as walking. Swimming or cycling are also good low impact exercises that keep joints moving while avoiding too much impact through the legs. Some people find that focusing on stretching, or taking classes such as yoga or tai chi, help keep their joints feeling flexible.
Weight
Many people with joint pain are overweight, and if you have ruled out other medical conditions, too much weight can even be a direct cause of joint pain. Something you can do at home to manage your joint pain is to lose some weight. Many people find it easier to lose weight gradually, and this is the healthier way to do it too. Set a target weight, replace some of your less healthy food choices with healthier ones, and look at your daily calorie intake. Regular exercise will also help you lose weight a little bit faster.
As you start to lose weight, you should notice that your joint pain starts to decrease. Not only will exercise help reduce the pain, it will also make your body more robust against future joint pain and other mobility issues. You’ll have better general strength to protect yourself from injury, and you’ll generally have a better range of movement.
Heating and Cooling
Many people with joint pain tend to want either ice packs or heating pads to treat areas of joint pain. You’ll need one or the other, depending on what exactly is causing the pain. Heat treatments generally help to ease stiffness in the joints. Many people take a bath or hot shower, or they use heating pads or hot water bottles. If your joints tend to stiffen up during the night, an electric blanket can help.
Cold treatments can help tackle inflammation in joints, as well as swelling if you suffer from that as a symptom as well. An ice gel pack or a pack of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel can all be good methods of applying a cold treatment to an aching joint.
Whether you need a heating or cooling treatment – or a combination of both – you should typically apply the heat or cooling pack to the joint several times a day to get the best results.