Joint pain can be one of the most frustrating and debilitating things that you can experience. Whether it has been brought on by an injury or become a complaint with age, it can make everyday tasks more challenging than they should be.
No matter how painful it gets, it may be possible to try and treat and manage the pain while you continue with your everyday life.
What are the causes of joint pain?
One of the most common causes of joint pain is an injury. When you have injured a joint, the tissue around it can become suddenly painful due to swelling.
The most commonly affected joint is the knee. The knee has to take the full weight of your body, so it is vulnerable to damage and wear and tear, especially if your weight is above average.
The other common cause of joint pain is arthritis.
The two most common types of arthritis are Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid. Osteoarthritis arthritis affects the cartilage, thinning it out, making it more difficult to move your joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is when the immune system targets the joint that it is affected by arthritis, causing pain and swelling.
How can joint pain be treated?
Mild joint pain can be treated at home with the use of pain relief and anti-inflammatory drugs. These will help to reduce the pain that you feel and any swelling there might be. If there is swelling that was caused by an injury, you should put an ice pack on it.
It is also may help to perform special exercises designed to stretch and strengthen the muscles around the affected joint in order to reduce strain on the joints over time. It is also important to keep up a healthy lifestyle by eating well and staying mobile.
If the cause of the pain requires it or the pain is more serious, it may be worth going to see an Orthopaedic Surgeon as they can diagnose and help you. They can help diagnose any joint pain and discover the cause behind it. Orthopedic doctors can help to treat injuries with the use of physical therapy, non-surgical treatment and, in some cases, surgery.
If you are worried about your joint pain, it is crucial that you go and see a doctor to receive expert advice on how to treat it. If you try to treat yourself without getting help first, you run the risk of making it worse.
Preventing age-related joint pain
Joint pain cannot always be prevented, but there are a few things you can do throughout your life to reduce the likelihood of getting joint pain. It would help if you aimed to live an overall healthy lifestyle. Eat joint-friendly foods such as nuts and berries, and try to maintain healthy body weight. Participate in regular exercises that promote the strengthening of your muscles. This includes aerobic exercise and things such as yoga and pilates.
If you make these healthy habits a part of your lifestyle, it will help to keep your joints healthy and reduce the likelihood of joint pain.