Joint Pain Remedies

If you suffer from discomfort and stiffness that is associated with arthritis and other illnesses, chances are you are looking for joint pain remedies that can bring you some joint pain relief. There are a number of different joint pain remedies which can give you a better quality of life and may help reduce or eliminate the need to take prescription pain killers. Of course, with any treatment, you should speak with your doctor before trying any alternate therapies or cutting out any prescribed medications.

Joints are formed wherever two bones come together. They are connected by different tissues including muscle, cartilage and tendon. They are often also filled with a substance called synovial fluid. If this gets inflamed, or if there is damage to cartilage then joint pain can result. Certain diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis can cause the body to attack and damage these joints.

Medications commonly prescribed to treat joint pain include pain relievers and anti inflammatories. Depending on the underlying medical condition, there may be disease modifying medications or steroids to reduce inflammation. Some of these medications can have serious side effects but stopping joint deterioration is critical. You should not stop any medication suddenly. Medications such as steroids need to be tapered down or health consequences can result.

One type of joint pain remedy which is getting a lot of attention is Omega-3 fatty acids such as those found in fish oils. They can help support the immune system. This can help improve situations where the body is attacking its own joints. Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids can be an excellent addition to your diet and can improve general health in addition to reducing joint pain.

Another dietary supplement that has been shown to have some effect on joint pain is glucosamine and chondritin. These work best in osteoarthritis where cartilage is often destroyed. Glucosamine and chondritin can help lubricate the joints and reduce pain and stiffness. It has been proven less effective with cases of rheumatoid arthritis.

A non-supplemental form of joint pain relief is magnetic therapy. Many people find that wearing a bracelet with magnets which are in contact with the skin often helps to relieve joint pain and stiffness. The theory is that magnets help with pain since they increase circulation and this can help bring needed blood to the joint to prevent stiffness. If you have a pacemaker or other internal electronic device you should not use magnets since they can interfere with the functioning of your implants.

Exercise is one of the best ways to treat joint pain. Using careful and controlled movements, you can increase the range of motion and decrease the pain of most joints. Arthritis experts recommend doing range of motion exercises so that you can keep your mobility and your fitness levels up. If you suffer from joint pain, consider checking with your doctor or an arthritis website for recommendations on joint-friendly forms of exercise.

Joint pain can severely detract from your quality of life, make it more difficult to get around and generally makes it harder to function on a daily basis. Using joint pain management techniques may be the best way to keep your range of motion up and allow you to maintain a good quality of life for as long as possible.

Joint Pain Relief

As we become older, the cartilage in our joints begins to wear thin. For many people this is a major cause of joint pain. When a joint hurts, there is only one thought in your mind, finding relief. There are several things that you can do that may bring joint pain relief.

Begin with either heat or cold.

Many times an ice pack will bring joint pain relief. Fill a zipper plastic bag with ice and loosely wrap it in a towel. Place this pack on the joint for about fifteen minutes. At first, you may feel additional pain, but in just about a minute, the ice pack will cause the joint to become numb and the pain will be less than it was before. Do not let the ice pack remain in place for more than fifteen minutes.

Heat can also bring joint pain relief. Try a heating pad or even and old fashioned hot water bottle. You can also find heat packs in the adhesive bandage section of the pharmacy aisle.

In addition, you might try a buckwheat pillow that can be warmed in the microwave oven. Since the pillow conforms to your body shape, it is a good source of heat and has the added benefit of not being able to cause a burn unless repeatedly heated and placed back on the joint.

If you have access to a hot tub, a fifteen-minute soak will often relax muscles and also give pain relief. Try both before bedtime and in the morning.

Many people find relief from joint pain through the use of creams that heat up when massaged into the skin. These creams have two advantages. The massaging of the joint helps to relieve swelling and the heat also helps with pain relief.

Keep those joints moving. Even though it may be painful at times, do not allow a joint to become inactive. Moving a joint helps to keep fluids that cause swelling from settling into joints. If you are a member of a gym, see if they offer warm water aerobics. These classes, taught in the therapy pools give your body weight the support of water, so the exercises are lower impact than almost anything that is offered on land. The warmth of the water reduces swelling in the joints and the instructors are generally well taught in helping people like you with exercises that improve joint health.

Some people are finding joint pain relief using Glucosamine. This natural supplement is said to help rebuild damaged cartilage in the affected joints. While not an immediate cure, this treatment may take some time to show any improvement.

Joint pain is not fun. It hurts and can limit your ability to do the things that you love to do. If the above steps do not help with your joint pain, then speak with your doctor. He may have suggestions for other treatments that can give you relief of the pain and help you get back to a normal life.