Top

Are You Suffering From Hip Joint Pain?

October 10, 2008 by admin · 1 Comment 

A lot of people suffer from hip joint pain day after day. It’s not easy to cope with this soreness because in addition to feeling it in the hips, the pain is also felt within the upper thigh and groin area. People experience hip pain for many different reasons, and it is crucial that the pain within the hips be analyzed precisely and as early as possible so that it can be treated at once as well as to avoid any further complications that could arise from the pain.

The main causes of hip joint pain include:

1. Trochanteric bursitis – this is also called hip bursitis and this is mostly common with athletes. There is a sac in the hip known as the bursa sac; this sac gets irritated when one is running thus causing pain in the hips.

2. Osteonecrosis when the hip bones don’t get the right amount of blood flow the bone will disintegrate. The usual part in our body in which osteonecrosis happens is the hip joint, which is why it is for the most part, the most common cause of the pain in the hips.

3. Hip fracture – this is very common among the elderly and usually results from a fall. The broken hip bones will then have to undergo surgery for the damage to be fixed, metal plates or screws are used or sometimes the joint is replaced altogether. Fractures in the hip can be very devastating, in fact less than 50% of the people who suffer from them will return to physically strenuous activities again.

4. Osteoarthritis – this is the most common cause of hip joint pain. These ailments happen because of the normal deterioration and this condition will dissipate away the cartilage of the joint. Individuals who are over fifty usually experience this. In osteoarthritis, there are times that the pain will be unbearable and it can make you walk with a limp. Non-surgical methods to treat this sometimes are not effective, so surgeons will always resort to replacement surgery.

There are many other reasons for hip pain to occur and anyone could be afflicted with this, even a child. In addition, the cause of hip joint pain will not be the same with every individual. For instance, children have hip pain because of congenital dislocation of their hip. Surgery is the best way to treat this. For the elderly, arthritis is the usual cause of hip pain. Viral illness can also trigger hip pain among adults and children.

Other causes of hip joint pain are:

  • traumatic arthritis
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Synovitis
  • Tendonitis
  • Bursitis

Treatment for all of these causes of hip joint pain include: non-steroid anti-inflammatory medications and physical therapy. Also, over the counter medications for relieving the pain such as ibuprofen can provide instant comfort. If the pain is severe, prescribed medications that are taken orally or injected in the inflamed area are sometimes suggested to help stop the pain.

Does Shoulder Joint Pain Irritate You?

October 10, 2008 by admin · 1 Comment 

Shoulder joint pain, as the name implies, is any pain around or in the shoulder joint. The joint pain is quite common on the shoulder area because it contain one of the most common soft tissues. Lots of people go through this kind of pain every day. Health professionals and doctors make it a point to advise patients not to treat shoulder joint pain on their own before seeking medical attention. The analysis of your condition is crucial so as to be very certain of what is really wrong with you.

The shoulder is the most movable joint in the human body. It has four tendons. The main function of a tendon is to clutch the muscle to bone. Collectively, these four “rotator cuff” tendons even out the upper arm bone to the shoulder socket and permit a wide range of movements in the shoulder.

Any puffiness, tearing, changes with the bones and inflammation all-around these tendons will cause tenderness when the person tries to move up the arm over the head, straight out in front, or behind the back. A health professional is the only one who can advise you about the extent of your condition that is causing the shoulder joint pain.

The tendons pass  beneath a stiff bony arch in the shoulder. Shoulder pain can occur when the tendons get trapped under this arch. The packed in tendons become damaged or sore, this condition is called rotator cuff tendinitis and is usually caused by the natural wear and tear as you age.

Other reasons for the occurrence of shoulder pain:

·    Fractures of the shoulder bones.
·    Arthritis in the shoulder joints.
·    Frozen shoulder conditions take place when you aren’t able to move your shoulder due to injury or pain. The muscles will eventually get rigid thus making any movements around the shoulder tricky and painful.
·    Bursitis, which is the inflammation of a fluid-filled sac called the bursa. The bursa sac is responsible for the smooth and easy movement of the shoulder joints.
·    Dislocation of your shoulder.
·    Inflammation of nearby tendons from injury or excessive use.

After diagnosing your complaints regarding shoulder joint pain and depending on the results, the following treatment may be suggested:

·    Physical therapy rehabilitation
·    Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
·    Corticosteroid injection
·    Surgery is the last option if the non-surgical recommendations don’t work.

To avoid having shoulder pain, try the following:

·    Learn about exercises that will help your rotator cuff tendons and muscles to stretch out and make them stronger.  A physical therapist or health professionals can provide help regarding this matter.
·    If you have had a history of shoulder pains in the past, take ibuprofen and make use of ice after exercise routines.
·    If you are engaged in a vigorous sport or involved in any sports-related activities, learn how to avoid any shoulder joint injuries or trouble.
·    If you are recovering from tendinitis, go on doing different exercises to prevent “frozen shoulder.”

Joint Pain Causes

October 10, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment 

Joint pain is a very usual medical problem that is typically linked to aging. In addition, over use of the joints can cause pain too. Other joint pain causes include Arthritis, injury, Bursitis, Tendonitis, Infectious diseases like measles, mumps, influenza, hepatitis, and rheumatic fever, and autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

Arthritis

Osteoarthritis is an ailment that leads to the corrosion of the joint cartilage. In this condition, the cartilage of the troubled joint is abraded and damaged, which brings about pain.

Septic arthritis is an irritation of a joint instigated by bacteria. This kind of arthritis can also trigger pain to the body joints.

Injury

Injuries or accidents such as a sprain, fracture, ligament or cartilage can have a negative impact on your joints. This could be very painful, medical attention is required as this could be severe.

Bursitis

Bursitis frequently happens in the shoulder, hips, elbow and knee. Bursitis is brought about by lack of fluid from bursa sac. This fluid is necessary for the easy movements of the joints and when it is lacking, this can be quite painful.

Tendonitis

Tendonitis is an inflammation of the tendon. Joints that are commonly inflicted with tendonitis are heels, elbow, shoulder and wrists.

Infectious diseases

Diseases are also a source of joint pain causes, some of these include:

  • Hepatitis
  • Rheumatic fever
  • Influenza
  • Measles
  • Rubella or German measles
  • Varicella or chicken pox
  • Lyme disease
  • Paravirus
  • Mumps

Autoimmune Diseases

Rheumatoid arthritis is a joint pain cause that arises from the inflammation of the joint lining.
Osteoarthritis is normally caused by aging as well as extremely strenuous activities. With Osteoarthritis, the cartilage wrapping at the edges of your bones weakens, and pain is coming from one bone touching against the other.

There are a few things you can do to help lessen these joint pain causes:

Always follow and obey the prescribed therapy as treatment.

  • Anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen can provide temporary relief of swelling and pain.
  • Don’t push your body to work too hard, always warm up first to get your joints limber. Also, be sure to give your body time to rest if you overdo it one day.
  • Lastly, make sure you get the right amount of minerals, vitamins, and supplements every day. As everybody knows, Calcium plays an important role in keeping the bones strong, this is important because strong bones help muscles and joints to be robust too. Also, take Omega 3 fatty acids since this can assist the body to overcome pain issues and is a powerful anti inflammatory. Glucosamine also helps in enhancing joint flexibility, as well as aiding in the building of hard-wearing joint cartilage.

Some Lessons On Sacroiliac Joint Pain

October 10, 2008 by admin · 2 Comments 

Sacroiliac pain is a pain that is usually centered in the lower part of the back and hip. It may spread out to the lower back and buttocks. In some circumstances, the pain may reach the legs or in the groin area. Males may feel discomforts in the testicles as well.

Sacroiliac joint pain may be a product of a subluxation of the joint. This is a partial dislocation of the bones where they are displaced to some point. The displacement causes stress to the ligaments that hold it together. It also leaves pressure on the adjoining structures.

Inflammation in the joint from illness, trauma, infection, or chronic overuse can also cause joint pain. These irritations can be in the adjoining tissues or ligaments. This will eventually bring about swelling and place pressure on the nearby nerves. Degenerative arthritis is a familiar reason of the inflammation in this joint.

Sacroiliac Joint Pain may be the outcome of many diseases or injuries like trauma to the hip, arthritis, postural problems, spondylitis, incorrect lifting, or chronic dynamic bending and twisting, which is likely to happen for sports enthusiast, are all potential causes of pain in this joint. Fractures from dislocations caused by acute trauma or chronic overuse, which resulted from a vehicular accident, may cause joint pain as well.

Studies are still ongoing, to find out if the pain hails from the exterior part of the joint or from the ligaments that grip the joint collectively. This spot in the body is full of nerve endings; hence, any injury or inflammation to this area quickly results in pain. The pain may spread out since the nerves that go through the joint area are extended on to the hips and legs.

There are other disorders that influence the joints of the body which can also be the source of inflammation in the sacroiliac joints. These include spondylitis, gout, ankylosing, psoriasis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Some of the symptoms and signs of sacroiliac joint pain are:

  • Discomfort in the lower back, which often radiates out to the back of thigh and buttocks.   The pain may intensify in the course of movement or bearing of weight on the inflamed side. Coughing, Sneezing, turning in bed and crouching may deepen the pain.
  • Cold feeling and numbness can also go with this condition.
  • Rigidness in the lower portion of the back may be felt as well.
  • In critical cases, due to the nerve association with this ailment, some disabilities from movement and weakness may result.

If the problem arises from fracture, a crushing feeling in the joint or a complete inability to tolerate weight may be experienced.

It is often the right thing to get a diagnosis from a doctors or medical professional, since they prescribe a suitable treatment and solution for your particular situation. They can also provide you with tips and advice on how to deal with the pain.  You should seek medical attention as soon as you experience any pain especially if it continues for a longer than a week.

How to Treat Arthritis Knee Pain

October 10, 2008 by admin · 4 Comments 

The knee is a hinge joint made up of two bones, the tibia and femur, and is held jointly by four ligaments:

  1. posterior cruciate ligament
  2. lateral collateral ligament
  3. medial collateral ligament
  4. anterior cruciate ligament

The knee cap or patella is also a section of your normal knee anatomy. The edges of the tibia, femur and bottom side of the patella are coated by articular cartilage – a slimy surface which let a painless and friction-free movement of the knee.

Arthritis knee cap pain is an agonizing kind of arthritis and there are three common forms of arthritis:
Rheumatoid arthritis. This ailment devastates the joint cartilages of knees easily. Rheumatoid arthritis can have an effect on anyone at any given age.

Osteoarthritis - is an advancing degenerative disease that progresses gradually in which the cartilages slowly deteriorate. This disease is the most common kind of knee arthritis among middle aged and elderly people

Post traumatic arthritis - usually happens after quite a few years of getting a fracture, ligament injury, and meniscus tear which resulted from a severe injury to the knees.

More often than not, the symptoms of knee arthritis take place gradually, although there are quite a few times that the outset of arthritis knee joint pain can happen all of a sudden.

Listed below are a few common symptoms of knee pain:

· Swelling
· The locking feeling of the knees
· Stiff knees
· Pain commonly felt subsequent to long period of inactivity
· Inflamed knees

Arthritis knee pain is often diagnosed by three dissimilar methods. These methods may include:

· Blood test to ascertain the existence of rheumatoid arthritis.
· Radiologic physical testing to determine the loss of joint space between the knees.
· Physical examination like walking, to test out if there are any swellings or pain.

People who are experiencing knee pain can choose any treatment that will suit them best. Some types of treatments or therapies you can choose from include:

1. Physical Therapy - a treatment consisting of physical activities. This treatment is great in lessening the level of pain in the joints and muscles. In addition, every physical therapy is specifically prepared for a certain patient so as to accommodate the patients’ requirements and needs.

2. Stretching Exercises – some stretching exercises are especially designed for treating arthritis. This is implemented for some patients, although there are times that they don’t go along with it because they think it will just make their pain worse. On the contrary, physical inactivity only makes arthritis worst, that’s why stretching, is advised for most patients.

3. Prescription arthritis medications - drugs for arthritis is the most commonly applied treatment. This is also the usual first step to take for most patients. These drugs offer relief from pain and lessen the tenderness and swelling of the knee joints.

4. Cold or warm compress - this is normally done to provide temporary relief on the swelling of the knee joints.

Osteoarthritis Joint Pain

October 10, 2008 by admin · 1 Comment 

Arthritis means inflammation of the joints and it can be very painful with swelling, heat and pain on the joints. Osteoarthritis joint pain is caused by a breakdown of cartilage – the substance that cushions your joints. And without cartilage, your bones rub against each other causing inflammation and pain.
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and is typically found among older people – over 50 years of age. That is because, as you age, your body makes less of the compounds needed to keep your cartilage in good repair. The result is friction and wear in the joint which causes osteoarthritis joint pain and limited mobility.

Osteoarthritis is usually found in the weight bearing joints like the knee and hips as well as the hands, feet and spine. It affects over 20 million people in the US and the symptoms are pain in the joint often late in the day and usually after repeated use. This can be accompanied by swelling, warmth and even a creaky sound when you move the joint. The amount of joint pain and symptoms vary from person to person.

To minimize osteoarthritis joint pain, one must seek treatment early on. Treatment could range from doing nothing to taking glucosamine chondroitin supplements to taking anti inflammatory drugs and pain medication. Changing your diet to include anti inflammatory foods (salmon, leafy greens) and avoid pro-inflammatory foods (sugar, processed foods) may also be recommended.

Diagnosing And Treating Knee Cap Pain

October 10, 2008 by admin · 1 Comment 

Most everyone will be affected by some sort of joint pain at some time in their lives.  Knee cap pain is one of those common problems of people who are affected by joint pain and it’ s no wonder with the knee being the most complex part in your entire body!

In addition to that, the knee is a weight bearing joint so when there is pain – it can be unbearable. The knee cap has three bones which are called the patella or also known as knee cap, tibia or also called as shin bone and the femur or thigh bone – each of these are connected.  Add to those a bunch of ligaments, tendons and other things that act as shock absorbers and connect everything together, you can see how easily it can be for this area to become injured.

Knee pain can be caused by injury or disease to any of these working parts and there are many causes of pain including arthritis, bursitis, patellar tendinitis dislocated knee cap, gout as well as injuries to the ligaments and cartilage.

If you have pain in your kneecap, you want to be careful about how you use it.  Don’t do anything that makes the pain worse!  You may have to refrain from sports and take it easy walking up and down stairs. Visit your doctor who can determine the cause of the pain, until you know what is causing it, you can’t find a proper way to treat it!

Some ways to ease knee cap pain include doing specific exercises to strengthen the knee cap, wearing a brace to prevent further damage, wearing shoes with the proper support, taking anti inflammatory drugs and making dietary changes, swimming and performing stretching exercises.  If you have bursitis, you may need to have the fluid drained from your knee.  Of course, you must consult your physician before attempting any of these as doing the wrong thing for your type of injury could actually damage your knee cap further.

Joint Swollen And Tender? Could Be Arthritis.

October 10, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment 

Is your joint swollen and tender?  It doesn’t matter if it’s your shoulder, fingers or neck – a swollen joint can be painful and if you are over 50 it’s most likely caused by arthritis.

As you get older, your body simply doesn’t work as good as it did when you were younger and one thing that happens is that it does not produce as much of the compounds that keep your joints lubricated and working properly.  The result is stiff, painful joints.  The bones can wear against each other resulting in inflammation and arthritis.

There are 4 Diagnosis of acute swollen joints and these are reactive, infected, inflammatory, and hemorrhagic. To prevent arthritis from being acute or severe, a person that suffers from symptoms should seek treatment as soon as possible. In order for a person to prevent the long term painful effects of such disability the first thing that should be done is to determine if it is a chronically swollen joint or an acutely swollen joint – this is best analyzed by your doctor.  If it turns out your joint swelling is from injury or just temporary, then treatment would be protecting yourself with further injuries, having enough rest, ice for about 20 minutes and your symptoms should clear up eventually.

If your problem is arthritis, then you may need prescription drugs to deal with your swollen joints.  Either way, your best bet is to seek a doctors care as soon as you notice a joint swollen and inflamed – no matter what the reason, you’ll want to start treatment right away to relieve the joint pain!

Next Page »

Bottom