Joints are connections between our bones, supporting the skeletal system and helping us move. Therefore, any kind of dysfunction affecting our joints is bound to reflect negatively on our health and motor functions, triggering pain and discomfort. Numerous condition may lead to joint pain. Some of these are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, bursitis, sprains, strains etc.
A Common Problem
Believe it or not, joint pain is one of the most common health issues affecting people. A single national survey found out that about one third of the whole adult population suffered from joint pain over the course of 30 days. As for the site of joint pain, the most frequent localization was the knee, tightly followed by shoulders and hips. However, joint pain can affect any possible joint in your body, taking place more and more frequently as you grow older.
Treatment for Joint Pain
The best step you can take, once you notice that joint pain is sucking out all the joy from your life is to seek medical attention and change your lifestyle.
The doctor may recommend certain medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like Aspirin, ibuprofen and others, relieving you of pain. However, you should be careful about the drugs you are using since many of these may trigger numerous side-effects, potentially causing heart attacks, strokes and other serious health conditions.
For mild-to-moderate joint pain without any swelling, acetaminophen may help. Just make sure you do not combine it with alcohol.
If other medications cannot help, try using opioids, but beware of drowsiness and constipation which might come hand-in-hand with these. Finally, muscle relaxants and antidepressants may also prove to be helpful for these purposes.
Steroidal injections are yet another option, being administered directly into the joints every three to four months. These often need to be administered to patients suffering from arthritis, severe joint diseases or inflammation of these body parts. Sometimes, injections may be used for draining fluids from the joints or for administering synthetic variants of natural fluids found in joints.
Besides medications, physical therapy is known to be of great help when it comes to strengthening, rehabilitating, and improving mobility of one's joints. Ultrasound, heat therapy, electric nerve stimulation and massages all may restore the previous functions. Swimming and cycling are also recommended, due to low impact and high effectiveness.
Keep the joints protected and fixated, provide them with sufficient rest and ice compress exposure and elevate the painful joints above the heart level once you are lying down.
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