Your knees, shoulders, and elbows are all large joints. Your hands and feet contain many tiny joints. Our joints are used for almost every movement we make. Half of adults over age 65 – or more than 20 million Americans, endure recurrent or chronic joint pain, stiffness, and sometimes swelling. Joint pain can be so severe that ordinary daily activities of sufferers, such as eating a bowl of cereal or washing one’s hair, become difficult or even impossible.
For many years, treatment options for joint pain relief were limited to two types of medications: acetaminophen (Tylenol) or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Both are effective treatments for mild joint pain, and the latter reduces joint inflammation too.
Recent medical studies show that sufferers themselves can greatly improve their condition through exercise. Exercise builds strength and flexibility, and toning the muscles that surround the joint helps to stabilize it. Exercise can reduce stiffness, increase blood flow, and aid in weight loss, which takes the stress off of joints. Patients should determine a safe level of exercise with their doctor, and together develop a routine individually tailored to provide the optimum benefit to the sufferer.
Heating pads, ice packs and topical creams, rubs, and sprays provide short-term joint pain relief. For persistent, chronic joint pain, injections of the steroid glucocorticoid can provide relief for about three weeks, and injections of hyaluronic acid, a substance naturally present in joints, can last up to a year.
Surgery may be necessary for patients with debilitating joint pain. Surgeons may elect to realign the joint or completely replace the damaged joint with an artificial one. Total joint replacement can bring dramatic joint pain relief for many patients.
Natural supplements such as glucosamine (derived from crustaceans’ shells) and chodroitin (a part of connective tissue from cow tracheas) may help alleviate joint pain as well. Alternative treatments like supplements and acupuncture have become increasingly popular in recent years, so much so that the National Institute of Health is currently conducting research on both to determine the effect they have on joint pain relief. Results of this research may validate supporters’ claims or even alter the prescribed course of treatment.
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Chronic Pain Relief: An Overview
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A Look at Pain Relief for Fibromyalgia
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Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a chronic disease that affects the musculoskeletal system. Symptoms vary widely among sufferers, but generally include muscle and joint aches, chronic fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome, headaches and tenderness in several of eighteen specific areas, or “trigger points” on the body. Fibromyalgia...
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Approaches to Knee Pain Relief
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You use your knees every time you walk, run, or move your lower body at all. Knee pain, therefore, dramatically affects the daily life of sufferers, who must use their knees throughout the day. Knee pain is the second only to back pain among American...
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Does Natural Pain Relief Really Exist?
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Sciatica Pain Relief
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Gout Pain Relief
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Arthritis Pain
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Arthritis pain affects mainly the joints. There may be swelling, inflammation and stiffness. If not attended to at an early stage, the pain may almost immobilize the patient completely. The best course therefore would be to immediately consult your doctor the day you feel some...
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Back Pain Relief
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Different types of back pains have different types of causes, and to gain some relief, the cause rather than the symptom should be addressed. People suffering from back pain are often suggested by friends and relatives to have complete bed rest, which is a misconception....
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Hyaluronic Acid For Osteoarthritis
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Hyaluronic acid (HA) is already widely used in skin care and anti-aging treatments, and it can be used to treat osteoarthritis. Recent studies show that 80 % of patients with osteoarthritis experience relief when given HA treatment, and although some patients do not have the...