6 Tips to Arthritis Joint Pain Relief
Physical trauma such as falls can cause damage to the cartilage in the joint. It can lead to chronic pain and persistent disability. It can also increase the risk of osteoarthritis, and if there is damage to the bone surface, leads to rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis.
Arthritis cannot be cured, but it can be treated in various ways. However, always consult your doctor before you start any of the following treatments.
- Heat / Cold therapy – Not recommended for all types of arthritis, so consult your doctor beforehand. Moist heat, such as a shower, or dry heat, such as a heating pad, placed on the affected joint for 15 minutes can relieve pain. An ice pack or some ice wrapped in a towel and placed on the sore area for 15 minutes may help to reduce swelling and stop the pain. However, if you have poor circulation, do not use cold packs.
- Joint protection – Use a splint or a brace to allow joints to rest and keep them from being used. A physician or physical therapist can make the necessary recommendations and may provide you with a brace.
- Massage – Will temporarily relieve joint pain. A massage therapist will lightly knead the muscles around the joint, which will increase blood flow to the stressed area. It is important to realise that arthritic joints are sensitive, so the massage therapist must be familiar with the disease and problems associated with the affected joints.
- Exercise - Low-impact exercises such as swimming and walking reduces joint pain and stiffness while increasing joint mobility. A physical therapist or gym trainer can help plan the best exercise programme for you that will give you the most benefits with the least stress on the joints. Exercise is also good in reducing the extra weight that puts extra stress on weight-bearing joints such as the hips and knees.
- Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) – A small device is placed near the afflicted joint and it directs mild electric pulses to nerve endings in and around the affected joint. TENS blocks the pain messages sent to the brain from the nerves and modifies the body’s perception of pain. Although TENS relieves some joint pain associated with arthritis, it doesn’t get rid of the joint inflammation associated with arthritis.
- Surgery – For some cases, surgery may be necessary. The surgeon may perform an operation to realign the joint, or in extreme cases, replace the damaged joint with an artificial one. Total joint replacement provides not only dramatic pain relief but also significant improvement in joint motion and mobility for many people with arthritis.
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Comments
Massage also helps arthritis by relaxing the muscles around the joints. This helps decrease friction when the joints are in use. Like you said, the affects are only temporary though.
I jog regularly. I find the use of glucosamine and Pycnogenol (100 mg) helps to get rid of this problem. The only problem is that the latter is very expensive.
Joints supplements can help relieve joint pain as well. In fact, in many cases it can delay joint degeneration and the need for surgery. Glucosamine has been well researched and shows great promise in helping to rehabilitate joints which have been injured or are suffering from common joint ailments. A Joints supplement, like GoFlex, also contains hyal joint, green lipped mussel for lubrication, and boswellin for pain relief. I’ve found using it a great relief for joint pain and for long term joint health.
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Thanks for the tips. I know a few elderly people who suffer from arthritis and it seriously affects their quality of life. It is really important to take care of your health, especially when you’re young!!