Sports-related activities, falls, and other traumas can injure the cartilage within a joint. If not given sufficient time to heal, this can lead to chronic pain and persistent disability.
These incidents may increase the risk of osteoarthritis, especially if there’s impact involved or injury to ligaments. Additionally, damage to the bone surface can trigger a biological process that results in joint degeneration, often leading to rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis.
Arthritis is a chronic disease, meaning it can affect individuals over a long period. While it cannot be cured, it can be managed through various methods and products. Learning how to manage joint pain over the long term is crucial for controlling the disease and maintaining a good quality of life. Here’s a brief overview of some methods that arthritis sufferers can use to alleviate symptoms, especially joint pain.
Heat and Cold Therapy
Heat and/or cold therapy can be effective for some types of arthritis, but it’s important to discuss this with your doctor or physical therapist first. If deemed appropriate, you’ll need to decide which type of temperature treatment to use:
Moist Heat: A warm bath or shower, or a heating pad placed on the affected joint for about 15 minutes, can relieve pain.
Cold Therapy: An ice pack or a bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel and placed on the sore area for about 15 minutes can help reduce swelling and numb the pain. However, avoid cold packs if you have poor circulation.
Joint Protection
To relieve the stress of everyday activities on an afflicted joint, which can exacerbate the condition and lead to additional injury, a splint or brace can be used. This allows joints to rest and prevents them from being overused. Consult with a physician or physical therapist for recommendations and proper fitting.
Massage
Massage can temporarily relieve joint pain, a major symptom of arthritis, though it doesn’t treat the underlying cause of cartilage loss. A massage therapist will typically lightly stroke and knead the muscles around the joint, increasing blood flow to the stressed area. It’s important to choose a therapist familiar with arthritis and the sensitivity of arthritic joints.
Exercise
Low-impact exercises such as stretching, swimming, walking, low-impact aerobics, and range-of-motion exercises can reduce joint pain and stiffness while increasing joint mobility. A physical therapist or gym trainer can help plan an exercise program that provides the most benefit with the least stress on arthritis-affected joints.
Weight Reduction
In addition to alleviating some symptoms, weight loss associated with an exercise program can relieve the extra stress that extra pounds put on weight-bearing joints such as the hips and knees. Studies have shown that overweight women who lost approximately 10 pounds substantially reduced the development of osteoarthritis in their knees. Furthermore, if osteoarthritis has already affected one joint, such as the knee or hip, weight reduction can reduce the chance of it occurring in the other knee or hip.
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)
TENS uses a small device placed near the arthritic joint to direct mild electric pulses to nerve endings. It is theorized that TENS blocks pain messages sent to the brain and modifies the body’s perception of pain. While TENS can relieve some joint pain associated with arthritis, it doesn’t address the joint inflammation that accompanies the condition.
Surgery
In extreme cases, surgery may be necessary. A surgeon may perform an operation to remove the synovium, realign the joint, or, in severe cases, replace the damaged joint with an artificial one. Total joint replacement can provide dramatic pain relief and significant improvement in joint motion and mobility for many people with arthritis.
By incorporating these methods into your routine, you can better manage arthritis symptoms and improve your quality of life.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
I received my training from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where I learned about more than one hundred dietary theories and studied a variety of practical lifestyle coaching methods. Drawing on this knowledge, I will help you create a completely personalized “roadmap to health” that suits your unique body, lifestyle, preferences, and goals.
Learn more about my training and my unique approach to health coaching.
DISCLAIMER:
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Kryshonda Torres is not a physician and the relationship between Kryshonda and her clients is not of a prescriber and patient, but as Health Coach and client.
It is fully the client's choice whether or not to take advantage of the information Kryshonda presents.
OT&E Inc. and Kryshonda Torres cannot guarantee any specific outcome and your individual results may vary.
Before beginning or adding any named supplement to your health routine or regime, please consult with your Naturopathic or Functional Medicine Doctor.
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