Joint Pain Doesn't Need to Ruin Your Day

A person’s bones come together at joints. These joints are responsible for movement. Major joints include the hips, elbows and knees. Minor joints are located in the hands, feet and elsewhere in the body. Joint pain occurs when the joints are somehow damaged or move incorrectly. 

There’s a wide number of issues that can cause joint pain. Millions of people deal with arthritis and understand just how tedious having to deal with joint pain in the morning is. Arthritis is just one of the many potential causes of joint pain. Being able to diagnose why joint pain occurs can help to figure out ways to treat it. 

Causes of Joint Pain

There are a wide variety of joint pains and a number of different causes. The many types of arthritis including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout are very common. Arthritis is most common from normal wear and tear on the body as it ages. The cartilage that absorbs shock between the joints will wear down until it doesn’t provide proper cushioning. People with arthritis will find their joints deform over time due to this. Other issues that cause joint pain include: 

• Bursitis - Bursa sacs can be around joints and cushion them. Bursitis causes inflammation in these sacs, which in turn causes a large amount of pain as they are used. 
• Tendinitis - People with tendinitis have tendons which have swollen and inflammed.
• Overuse - Never overlook simple overuse of a joint. Repetitive motion to the point of excess can cause damage and pain in a joint, though this will usually resolve itself on its own. 
• Fibromyalgia - This condition causes pain throughout the musculoskeletal system. 
• Osteoporosis - People with osteoporosis have their bones become porous and fragile. It’s easy to fracture or damage any bone or joint when you suffer from osteoporosis. 
• Infections - There are many infections that a body can get which may cause joint pain. Even simple infections like the flu can cause joint pain. Injury - Simple household or sports injuries to a joint can result in a fair bit of pain. 

Lifestyle Treatment

There’s plenty of things that can be done at home to help prevent or alleviate joint pain. The first is living a healthy lifestyle. This means keeping weight at a healthy level. A healthy weight means less stress is being put on the joints. In addition, when you’re exercising, make sure that you are properly stretched out beforehand. This will help the joints by reducing stress on them. Exercise is an important part of things. Some people think that avoiding exercise can avoid pain. The truth is that regular moderate exercise helps maintain the best motion. In many cases, getting a massage or taking a warm bath can also be of assistance if pain has already struck. 

Medical Treatment

Medical treatment will usually begin with pain relief. Over the counter options are the first line of defense for basic issues. This can nullify basic low levels of pain. Unfortunately for main people, pain can become chronic. 

Depending on the cause of joint pain, it’s possible that different types of treatment can be done. Treating infections can reduce joint pain. A doctor may need to remove fluid that accumulates in joints if that’s occurring. In serious cases of joint pain, it’s possible that a joint replacement surgery may be required. This is typically only available on major joints like the hip.