When your joints hurt, it can impact many parts of your life. Having pains when you move your body can make it hard to walk and carry out daily tasks as well as your job. Many people experience joint pain at some point in their lives. It’s important to not only know what causes it but also tips to relieve joint pain to improve your life.
What Causes Joint Pain?
Joint pain is any discomfort or soreness in any of the body’s joints. This can include aches in the shoulders, hips, elbows, and knees.
An injury or illness can cause joint pain, as well as arthritis. Arthritis is the cause of many cases of joint pain. It progresses slowly and can be a result of cartilage breaking down that is supposed to cushion and shock the joints.
Joint pain can also be caused by:
- Overuse of a joint
If your joint pain was not caused by an injury, your doctor will ask about your medical history and may do some tests to try to determine the cause of your joint pain.
What are the Symptoms of Joint Pain?
Besides aching at the site of your joint, some people experience other symptoms that require a trip to the doctor. Other symptoms of joint pain include:
- Area around the joint is swollen, red, or tender to the touch
Pain that makes it difficult to move is a clear sign you may be experiencing joint pain and should seek treatment.
How is Joint Pain Diagnosed?
A physical exam by a doctor is usually used to diagnose joint pain. The doctor will also ask a series of questions to try to pinpoint the cause. Sometimes, an X-ray of the joint area is needed to see if there is any arthritis-related joint pain. Other times, a blood test is needed if the doctor thinks an autoimmune disorder is to blame for the joint pain.
5 Tips to Relieve Joint Pain
If you have joint pain that is connected to arthritis, no treatment will completely eliminate the pain. But, there are things you can do to get relief and feel better no matter the source of your joint pain.
1. Lose Weight or Keep Your Weight Steady
When you gain weight or are obese, the extra weight puts stress on your joints. When this happens, unnecessary stress is put on the joints and can lead to pain. You can ask your doctor what your appropriate weight should be as well as what you can do to safely lose weight. If your doctor knows about your joint pain, they may suggest a healthy diet as well as a safe exercise regimen to help you get in shape. Losing weight can also alleviate many other health problems.
2. Stretch to Improve Range of Motion in Joints
Stretching can help to extend the range of motion in the joints. When you stretch, you’re working your tendons and muscles. If you can stretch your muscles, you can improve the range of motion in the joint. Stretching also helps the tendons. The tendons are flexible cords of strong tissue that connect the muscles to the bones. This makes it possible to move. When a joint moves, energy from the muscles is transferred to the tendons. If you’re not sure what types of stretches can help your specific joint pain, you can ask your doctor which stretches are safest for you.
3. Use a Heating Pad or Take a Warm Shower or Bath
Heat therapy can help to treat joint pain because it loosens the joint and helps to relax stiff muscles. If there is any swelling at the site of your joint pain, you’ll want to use cold therapy, such as ice, to reduce the swelling. But, if there is no swelling, heat therapy can help to relieve some joint pain.
4. Check Your Posture
Mom always said to sit up straight! Having poor posture can put unnecessary strain on your joints. Besides practicing sitting up straight and not slouching over, you can also avoid chairs that are low and cause you to sink into them. Also, avoid sitting for prolonged periods of time as this can make joints feel stiff and painful because you haven’t moved.
5. Massage Therapy
Massage therapy is also among the tips to relieve joint pain. When getting a massage by a professional, be sure to explain your joint pain and exactly what you’re feeling. This will help your massage therapist zero in on the areas that are causing the most pain. Massage therapy can not only be used to treat joint pain but to also promote overall health.
Contact Us to Help You Relieve Joint Pain
When it comes to relieving joint pain, the team at A Family Chiropractic Clinic. We offer a wide variety of services that can help to relieve joint pain. We not only offer massage therapy but can also help with physical therapy if you need to improve your range of motion and help with pain relief. Many people opt for our services to treat pain because they are natural and do not involve medications. This is helpful for people who may be taking medications for other illnesses and are afraid of drug interactions.
When you visit A Family Chiropractic Clinic, we know that each patient’s pain is different and requires a customized treatment plan. That’s why we work with each patient to decide a course of treatment.
Call us today at 940-566-0000 to find out how we can help you relieve joint pain and move freely once again. You can also contact us online to ask a question or schedule an appointment. Let us help you get the treatment you need!