Prevention of joint pain

Joint pain is considered to be one of the more common health problems. There are plenty of things that can cause the pain in joint but two of the most common are an injury or disease of the joint. The joint itself is important because it is a place where the bones meet and it provides to the particular body part.

Cartilage

The bones should not grind against each other and that is why there is a cartilage between them. Cartilage acts like a cushion. The bones are connected via ligaments. Apart from these parts, the joint also consist of bursae and tendons. If any of these parts gets injured or suffers from a disease, a person will experience joint pain. The medical term for joint pain is arthralgia. Causes of joint pain

In most cases of joint pain, it is the ligaments, bursae or tendons that get injured or suffers from a disease. The other parts of the joint can end up diseased or injured, but these cases are not that common. If the joint gets inflamed due to arthritis, a person will also feel pain. An infection can also be the cause of joint pain, but that case is quite rare.

Symptoms of joint pain

In almost all cases, joint pain is characterized by swelling, tenderness and local warmth. These symptoms will only get worse if a person moves the joint or puts pressure on it.

When a person goes to hospital due to joint pain, the doctor will take the history of the symptoms. The patient needs to tell the doctor about the activities he or she was involved in when the pain occurred. After a physical exam, the doctor may order an MRI, X-ray or some blood tests. Treatment

In order to treat the pain, people need to discover the actual cause of the pain and treat that. In case of an injury, the treatment usually includes rest, cold applications and anti-inflammatory medications. In some cases there is need for a physical therapy. The patient needs to follow the treatment as agreed with the health-provider. Prevention

There is no sure way to prevent joint pain and it will depend on the cause of the pain. Injury caused joint pain can be prevented with proper sports gear and training. If the disease is the cause, then it is almost impossible to prevent it. However, people need to know that with proper treatment the chances of recurrent joint pain are significantly smaller.