How to Relieve Joint Pain

A joint is the point where two bones meet. The joint structures of the body are equipped with muscles, ligaments, cartilages, and synovial membranes that are designed to bear weight and allow skeletal movements. It is the work of every individual joint that gives us the flexibility to execute variety of motions. This in turn makes them susceptible to wear and tear, which is manifested by pain. Arthralgia or joint pain is caused by different factors such as wounds, trauma, infectious diseases, strains or sprains (overuse of joints), bursitis, tendinitis, and osteoporosis. The manifestations of pain differ in every individual. There are people who feel pain in doing any activity whereas some feel more pain when at rest and others only feel the pain when doing specific movements. Arthritis is also one of the causes of joint pain. But it should be noted that these are two indvidual cases. Joint pain is not always due to arthritis. Here are some easy ways to relieve joint pain.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

How to Relieve Joint Pain

1. 

   Do cryotherapy. On the very first day of pain, apply ice every hour, for 15 minutes. The next day, the duration of treatment is still 15 minutes, but instead of applying it every hour, you can now apply it at least 4 to 5 times a day.

2. 

   Use hydrotherapy and aromatherapy, which are excellent adjuncts when it comes to joint pain relief. Pamper yourself with a warm relaxing bath. Use 6 to 10 drops of essential oils such as lavender sweet, rosemary, or eucalyptus in a full tub of warm water. This therapeutic full body immersion does not only ease the pain but also promotes relaxation and stress relief.

3. 

   Massage the affected area with a topical menthol rub or essential oils to ease the pain. When doing strokes for your massage, the direction should always be towards the heart and not the other way around.

4. 

   Take some medications such as acetaminophen for direct pain relief, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to help relieve joint swelling and stiffness, and muscle relaxants to soothe spasms of the muscles surrounding the joints.

5. 

   Try natural mixtures. Mix two teaspoons of honey with two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in warm water. Drink this twice a day to help in alleviating joint pain.

6. 

   Exercise to ease pain and lose weight. Low impact aerobic exercises like swimming, biking, and walking are excellent for joint pain. Do these exercises 20 to 30 minutes, 3 times a week. To make it tolerable for your joints, split the time into 10 minutes sessions with a break in between until you complete the whole 20 or 30 minutes. These activities are also excellent in reducing excess weight, which will decrease the extra load on the joints.

7. 

   Schedule a physical therapy session. Joint pain mostly hampers the mobility of the affected area. So with the help of a physical therapist, strengthening exercise and modalities, such as paraffin wax treatment and therapeutic ultrasound, can be applied to soothe pain and increase range of motion of that area.

8. 

   Go for alternative medical treatments. Acupuncture and acupressure are ancient Chinese methods that not only enhance relaxation but also help in alleviating pain in muscles and joints.

9. 

   Immobilize the painful area with splints or braces; or decrease weight bearing on that area by using devices such as canes or walkers. All of these devices are prescribed according to how intense the pain is, and also to provide support in the alignment of the affected joint.

10. 

    Application of trans-cutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is excellent in soothing the pain and easing up movements of the affected area. This can be applied at home but should be in accordance with the instructions given by the appropriate doctor or physical therapist.

11. 

    Get a lot of rest and relaxation. Make sure to get enough sleep to restore your energy and to free your body from stress—this will promote faster healing of your achy joints.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure to put a towel on the affected area before applying ice to avoid ice burn. You can also put ice cubes in a plastic bag and wrap it up with a towel before placing it on the area.
• Seek immediate medical attention when the following are present: If the pain is unbearable even when at rest; If there is noticeable deformity, swelling, or discoloration on the area of the affected joint; If pain is accompanied with numbness or tingling sensations; If joint pain occurs with fever and excessive weight loss

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[tracysmith159]

on 5/2/2009 Great tips on lessing the joint pain. Please note that many people with RA or Arthritis ice can make it more painful. This changes person to person.. use heating pad instead if the ice hurts.