Joint pain causes and natural remedies

The 360 joints of the human body connect the bones and assist in a variety of movements, depending on the specific shape of the joint. The most noticeable joints in the body are found at the hips, shoulders, elbows, knees, wrist, fingers and ankles. Therefore, knowing joint pain causes, whether mild, chronic or acute, is highly beneficial.

Joint pain is extremely common and can be divided into three categories:

1. Mild pain that feels irritating, or that it makes you weak.
2. Acute pain usually lasting for a few weeks.
3. Chronic pain lasting several weeks or months.

Even if you are only suffering from a small swelling and discomfort, it can eventually affect the quality of your life. Any damage, no matter how minor, can always interfere with your full capacity of motion.

Joint Pain Causes

Different conditions can lead to painful joints. The most known are:

• Osteoarthritis: a common type of arthritis, which develops slowly during middle age. It is due to the wearing away of the cushioning (cartilage) between the bones, making your joints painful and stiff.
• Rheumatoid Arthritis: this usually develops in the fingers and wrists, causing swelling and pain, deforming the joints.
• Gout: this happens when crystals from the body collect in the joints, causing severe pain and swelling. This usually occurs in the big toe.
• Bursitis: a condition that results from overuse. The most related pains of bursitis are found in the hip, knee, elbow, or shoulder.
• Viral infections: especially the ones that develop from a rash or high fever can make joint movement painful.
• Injuries: the aftermath of breaking or spraining a bone.
• Tendinitis: Usually the result of overuse. It is an inflammation of the tendons, or the flexible bands that connect bone and muscle. Commonly developed in elbow, heel, or shoulder.

Furthermore, monthly surveys have indicated that 1/3 of the adult population reports having some sort of joint pain. Knee pain being the most common one, followed by pains in the shoulders and the hips. As we age, we could develop multiple joint pains, simultaneously.

Inflammatory Arthritis

Besides all these common joint pains there is a group of conditions called Inflammatory Arthritis, characterized by pain, swelling, tenderness, and warmth in the joints, as well as stiffness during the morning hours that lasts up to an hour or more.

For instance, among these diseases, the most known are rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, lupus), gout and ankylosing spondylitis (AS). In all these inflammatory arthritis conditions, the immune system releases inflammatory chemicals that attack the joint tissues. This causes swelling, increased joint fluid, cartilage and bone damage, and muscle loss. Due to all this, nerves in the joints are irritated, causing pain.

Joint Pain Concern

If the pain is developing redness, swelling and intense pain due to an injury, maybe you should see a doctor. However, if your joint pain is due to age, a past injury or the development of inflammatory diseases, know that these types of pain are extremely common.

Natural remedies for joint pain

Joint pains can be relived with natural solutions. Here are some over-the-counter and simple natural remedies that you can try:

• Resting the painful joint
• Massaging the affected region to release tensions
• Eating anti-inflammatory foods
• Applying ice pads to the joint for intervals of 20 to 30 minutes throughout the day
• Taking a warm bath or a warm shower to relax the area and increase circulation
• Staying physically active through moderate exercise
• Using topical pain relievers
• Keeping your body weight at a healthy level, to decrease the stress on your joints
• Doing stretching exercise routines
• Try science-backed joint collagen supplements

Although joint pain is a source of intense distress, and discomfort, it is still possible to find suitable healthy solutions to alleviate its presence. Therefore, changing your diet, stay active and doing some of the recommendations listed above can help you reach a better quality of life. Sometimes, a small change can have very significant results.

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