Our bodies are like well-oiled machines, every part functioning in sync with another. But what happens as we grow older and these parts don’t work as well as they used to? The answer is “joint pain” for about 15 million people.
Joint pain is a widespread ailment in today’s busy lives. Some might be sudden, others simply irritating. These conditions get worse as time passes. But before we understand how to get rid of this pain, let’s understand what causes them.
Causes of Joint Pains
Joint pains can be the result of several factors, some accidental and some hereditary. Some of the most common causes include:
Injuries
Accidents occur when going about daily life. Some may even end up affecting your joints. Fractures, sprains, or any other kind of strain on the joints may end up damaging them. Extreme strenuous activities such as sports, especially ACL, are common reasons for joint injury among athletes.
Viral Infections
Viruses and viral infections make your body weak from the inside and damage its usual functions to quite an extent. People with Hepatitis C usually complain about joint pains.
Diseases
Chronic diseases such as lupus and arthritis attack and weaken your joints. This may cause joint pains and worse symptoms in the future.
Hereditary Issues
Your family medical history also has a vital role to play when it comes to joint pains. You are likely to develop arthritis if your parents or even siblings are suffering from it.
When should you see a doctor?
Joint pains are usually not something everyone gets seriously concerned about than other symptoms, like fever. But that’s the wrong way to go about it. If you’ve been feeling discomfort while moving or a throbbing feeling in the joints that just won’t go away, it’s high time then! Get yourself to a joint pain management expert as soon as possible and get an accurate diagnosis for it. The ones at New York Pain Care are one of the best pain management experts going around.
What are the best non-surgical treatments for joint pains?
Surgery is the last resort for people suffering from any kind of joint pain. But you can live a pain-free life even without undergoing it. How? With the following non-surgical treatment options!
Modify your Lifestyle
Leading a healthy lifestyle is an incredible thing you can do for yourself. Your body will surely thank you later for maintaining healthy habits of a balanced diet and proper exercise. Including an adequate amount of calcium and Vitamin D will go a long way in helping your joints.
Controlled Exercise or Physical Therapy
As your body grows old, you lose the flexibility and agility you had. Proper exercises or physical therapy per your requirement keeps your body fit. That doesn’t mean that you should try to run 50 miles in an hour! Too much of anything always has the opposite effect. And you shouldn’t do random exercises either. Always consult a reputed physiologist for joint pain relief exercises.
Anti-Inflammatory Medicines
Imagine a metal watch. If you don’t keep it maintained, it is sure to depreciate and rust. The same happens for your joints. Overlooked and constant rubbing of bone against bone or cartilage will cause inflammation. Anti-inflammatory medications will reduce the discomfort caused by this and lessen the swelling. A corticosteroid injection may also be used for pain relief. Pain management specialists typically administer such medicines in combination with physical therapy.
Joint Fluid Therapy
In this process, a series of injections are directed towards your joints to replace the lost synovial fluid in them. Hyaluronate is used to treat osteoarthritis for those who don’t benefit from physical therapy or medications. The sodium hyaluronate becomes the lubricant that ensures the smooth movement of joints without pain. There are a total of 5 such injections to complete the process. That’s one injection per week. Most pain management clinics manage this therapy quite well.
Conclusion
There are several options for managing joint pain, even if you don’t think surgery is for you. Some of these remedies’ effectiveness will also depend on the severity of your pain. These may relieve your pain for a short time, and the medications should be taken only with the physician’s consultations. Always know that surgery is not the only way out, and non-surgical pain management is, in fact, a better one.