10 WAYS TO RELIEVE AND PREVENT JOINT PAIN

Joint pain is common and excruciating. Know 10 ways for how to relieve joint pain, professionally or by yourself.

Our joints connect bones, allow body movement, and support body weight. Hence, they experience huge stress every day. Joints suffer wear and tear due to this stress which automatically heals at a young age. But at an older age, this causes pain in the joints.

However, this is not the sole reason. Trauma, obesity, and diseases like arthritis, bursitis, tendonitis, and osteoporosis can also cause joint trouble. It is also known as arthralgia and commonly affects joints in the shoulder, knee, hip, elbow, and sometimes bones in the bones.

People experience joint troubles differently. Therefore, several joint pain relief products are available today to prevent and treat such pain. 

Go through these 10 preventive and treatment methods to know how to relieve joint pain.

1. Rest

Sometimes, excess work or muscle damage can strain the joints and cause severe pain. In this condition, resting and relaxing greatly aid joint pain relief and prevent further deterioration.

Resting will restore the energy of your body naturally. It allows the damaged muscle tissue and joints to heal naturally. Relaxing the strain on the joints at certain intervals promotes natural healing from wear and tear and prevents further pain.  

2. Massage 

An oil massage with directional strokes is one of the excellent ways to relieve joint pain.

Mustard oil is considered one of the best oils for massage. You can also massage your knees, hips, and shoulders for pain relief. Get someone from home or a professional to massage you or do it yourself.

Always be careful with the strokes and amount of pressure applied while massaging. A stroke in the wrong direction and excess pressure may pull the wrong muscle and hurt you even further. 

Adding eucalyptus or mint/lavender essential oil in mustard oil will have a cooling effect, which is beneficial for joint pain relief. Cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil contains the compound oleocanthal, which inhibits inflammatory enzymes cyclo-oxygenase-I and cyclo-oxygenase-II. Hence, massaging with this cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil is also beneficial in minimizing the pain in your joints. This revitalizing massage oil can be another option. 

3. Cold compression 

Applying a cold compression reduces blood flow. Cold compression is also known as ice therapy or cryotherapy. 

This reduces the swelling of tissue, which relieves the excruciating pain in your joints. When you first experience such pain, apply an ice pack on the affected area for 15 minutes. Repeat this every hour on the first day. The next day, apply the ice pack 4–5 times only, each time for 15 minutes. When the pain reduces, reduce the cold compression to twice a day. Always wrap the ice pack in a cloth before application, as a direct application can cause an ice burn. 

4. Warm water therapy or hydrotherapy

Warm water application relaxes your pain-afflicted muscles and joints by easing pressure. It also stimulates blood flow. A warm water bath with the right salts can also relax the joints. Submerge the affected body parts in warm water for 15–20 minutes for joint pain relief. Adding Epsom salt in warm water is more effective than just warm water for reducing this pain. 

5. Medications 

Doctors will prescribe joint pain relief creams or drugs like ibuprofen for severe joint pain. Most of the time, the pain is accompanied by swelling and stiffness in the surrounding muscles. 

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen, naproxen, and diclofenac are among the most recommended and best pain relievers for joint pain. Muscle relaxants like Klonopin also reduce muscle spasms. 

6. Herbal treatment 

If you have wondered how to relieve joint pain naturally, you can consider these options to aid recovery and prevention of further pain, along with medication.

a) Infusions of certain herbs like turmeric, ginger, and dandelion leaves are known to relieve joint pain for ages. Both turmeric and ginger are known for their anti-inflammatory properties. Curcumin present in turmeric is also a well-known antioxidant. Dandelion leaves contain a high amount of vitamin A and C. It helps in repairing damaged tissues. Dandelion also possesses anti-inflammatory properties because of its high linoleic and linolenic acid content.

b) White willow bark tea offers natural joint pain relief because it contains naturally derived aspirin.

c)Consuming grape juice and golden raisins is recommended due to their similar anti-inflammatory properties.

d) Juniper berry tea also reduces inflammation, because it contains terpenes. These suppress monocytes (a type of white blood cell) which signals inflammation.

e) Blackstrap molasses is rich in calcium, potassium, and magnesium, and can naturally resolve such pain.  

7. Physiotherapy 

A physiotherapist is a professional expert in movements that alleviates the pain in your muscles and joints. Whether it is for knee joint pain relief or other specific areas, the correct joint movement with the correct frequency will help reduce the pain. The proper joint movement also strengthens the muscles which support them. Hence, regular physiotherapy helps strengthen joints over time.

8. Exercise or yoga

Minor stretching exercises and selective yoga postures help to relieve knee pain, back pain, etc. Regular practice of these exercises strengthens the muscles and joints, which acts as prevention.

Exercise also helps in keeping a check on weight. An appropriate body weight ensures that you are not putting extra strain on your joints. It also helps in lubricating them. This reduces stiffness and helps in better joint movement. Physical activity also increases the adaptability and quality of the joints.  

9. Alternative therapeutic practices

Apart from the above-mentioned therapies, there are some alternative therapeutic practices like acupuncture and Bikram Yoga.

Acupuncture is needle therapy. Puncturing with a needle at particular places provides joint pain relief.

Bikram Yoga is a type of hot yoga practice. It helps strengthen joints through an increased joint movement range.

10. Affected area immobilization 

If the pain is severe and not being cured with the above treatments, then the immobilization of the affected area is the only option.

The immobilization can be achieved by using a splint or brace. A splint is a strip of rigid material that supports and immobilizes the bone. It relieves severe pain in the joints. 

Apart from these tips, a person suffering from such pain should schedule an appointment with a specialist orthopedic. Only they will be able to assess the condition thoroughly for the specific scenario and provide the best joint pain relief.  

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