Joint pain is a common health condition and may result from one of several known causes. Although usually the results of an injury or sprain, joint pain can results from underlying conditions such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Joint Pain Symptoms

The symptoms of joint pain will vary according to the cause. Symptoms like pain, swelling, stiffness, and/or warmth in your joints suggest joint inflammation due to an injury or an underlying condition like OA or RA. These symptoms can also be due to an infection in the joint.

Affected joints may be red, swollen and painful to touch and joint mobility may be restricted. It may be difficult to pinpoint the actual source of pain - the joint itself, the tissues surrounding it or an affected ligament or tendon. When joint pain is severe or ongoing you may need to see a doctor to determine the exact cause and identify the most appropriate treatment.

Joint Pain Causes

Painful and stiff joints do not necessarily develop as a result of growing old. Although most commonly caused by wear and tear and injury, joint pain can be caused by more serious conditions like rheumatoid arthritis - an autoimmune disorder that causes stiffness and pain in the joints, and osteoarthritis, which involves growth of bone spurs and degeneration of cartilage at a joint. Osteoarthritis is very common in adults older than 45metabolic disorders, bone diseases and very rarely tumours can all result in joint pain.

Joint Pain - Treatment and Relief

Physical therapy

Physical therapy is often prescribed as a treatment for people with joint pain. This may be limited to daily walking and stretching exercises, or include muscle-strengthening exercises under supervision. Measures like traction (gentle and steady pulling), massage, and manipulation of joints contribute to improved joint mobility and flexibility.

Lifestyle changes

Patients suffering from joint pain should try to find an optimal balance between rest and activity. Rest is important when the pain flares but excessive rest may result in stiffness of joints and weakened muscles. Managing joint pain can often be accomplished by a combination of symptoms relief, weight control and exercise, which can reduce wear and tear on the joints.

Physical exercise, in consultation with your doctor, improves muscle strength and flexibility and improves joint mobility. Excessive weight can aggravate joint pain. Weight reduction is therefore crucial to the management of joint pain. A healthy well-balanced diet coupled with exercise will help in reducing weight.

Giving up smoking is advisable since smoking adversely affects bone health

 

What is Joint Pain:

Joints form the connections between bones. They provide support and help you move. Joint pain is the sensation of discomfort or soreness in a joint or joints of the body.

Joints are the spaces or areas where two or more bones meet, such as the hip, knee, shoulder, elbow and ankle. Joint pain can occur with or without movement and can be severe enough to limit movement.

Joint Pain Symptoms:

Pain, stiffness, swelling, and warmth in the joints. Limited morning stiffness, exacerbation of pain with exercise, and relief from pain with rest are also common symptoms who suffer from joint pain.

 

Joint Pains Causes:

Causes of joint pain include:

Advanced cancer that has spread to the bones

* Bone cancer

* Broken bone

* Increased Age

* Heavy Weight

* Lifestyle/Work

* Dislocation

* Gout

* Lupus

* Lyme disease

* Paget’s disease of bone

* Reactive arthritis

* Rheumatoid arthritis

* Rickets

* Sprains and strains

Remedies for Joint Pain:

1. Massaging warm vinegar on the affected place at bed time is very effective in joint pains.

2. Oil massage on the affected part helps in relieving from joint pains.

3. Consuming tea made out of papaya seeds is very effective in preventing joint pains.

4. Garlic roasted with butter is very effective remedy to avoid joint pains.

5. Banana fruit has certain properties that help in restoring lost nutrient in the joints thus is recommended in joint pain cases.

6. Consuming warm milk with one table spoon of turmeric helps in relieving from all forms of body aches.

7. To strengthen the ligaments consumption of carrot juice is highly recommended.

8. Consuming apple cider vinegar has also proven it worth in relieving from joint pains.

9. Regular exercises are recommended so as to keep the joint flexible and in proper functioning.

10. Consuming plenty of fluids also helps in flushing out of toxins from the body thus is effective way to avoid joint pains.

Joint Pain

As women get older they often suffer from joint pain. Although this is a common ailment in both men and women embarking on their golden years, joint pain is also a symptom of menopause that can be eased with proper knowledge and treatment. As a woman approaches menopause, typically between the ages of 45 and 55, her body goes through drastic hormonal fluctuations that can affect her in many ways. Hormones play a major role in a woman´s bone and joint health. When her hormones become imbalanced during menopause she will often experience joint pain. Continue reading to learn more about joint pain, its causes, and the treatment options available.

About Joint Pain

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Joint pain, also known as "Arthralgia," is defined as pain, stiffness, or swelling in or around a joint. There are 360 joints in the human body. Joint pain often occurs in joints of high impact, such as the knees, hips, and back, but many women notice the joints in their hands become stiffer and more painful with age.

Types of joints

There are several types of joints in the human body. Below of the joints most commonly associated with joint pain.

• Ball and Socket Joints allow for a wide range of rotation and movement. The shoulder and hip are ball and socket joints. • Condyloid Joints allow movement but no rotation. There are condyloid joints in the jaw and fingers. • Gliding Joints allow bones to glide past each other. There are gliding joints in the ankles, wrists and spine. • Hinge Joints allow for movement much like that of a door hinge. The knee and ulna part of the elbow are hinge joints.

• Pivot Joints allow bones to spin and twist around other bones. There are pivot joints in the neck and the radius part of the elbow.

• Saddle Joints allow for back and forth and side to side motion but limited rotation. There is a saddle joint in the thumb.

Women are 10 times more likely than men to suffer from joint pain in their hands.

Because joint pain is common in women approaching menopause, some have even coined the term "menopausal arthritis" to describe this symptom. It can be an extremely discomforting ailment and make simple tasks and movements almost unbearable. There are common symptoms to help recognize joint pain.

Symptoms of Joint Pain

The symptoms of joint pain will depend on the particular cause of the pain experienced, but the typical symptoms of joint pain related to menopause include: pain, stiffness, swelling, and warmth in the joints. Limited morning stiffness, exacerbation of pain with exercise, and relief from pain with rest are also common symptoms in women who suffer from joint pain. Continue reading to learn the cause of joint pain to get a better handle on how to treat the common menopause symptom.

Other causes of joint pain, such as injury or certain types of arthritis, can lead to the following symptoms: • Fever • Redness • Swelling of the joint • Stiffness of the joint   after long periods of rest

Causes of Joint Pain

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Like most menopausal symptoms, joint pain is typically caused by hormonal imbalance. As menopause approaches, a woman´s hormones begin to fluctuate, preparing for a permanent decrease in production of the primary hormones, estrogen and progesterone. Although doctors are still unclear exactly how hormones, particularly estrogen, affect joints, most are resigned to the fact that estrogen (specifically a diminished level of estrogen) plays a major role in joint pain during menopause. Estrogen affects joints by keeping inflammation down. Inflammation is a leading cause of joint pain. As estrogen levels begin to drop during perimenopause, the five-to-10-year time span leading up to menopause, joints get less and less estrogen and pain often is the result.

Other Causes

There are several causes of joint pain not related to hormones. Below is a list of other factors that can cause joint pain: • Wear and tear • Injuries • Weight, diet • Lack of exercise • Muscle loss • Stress • Heredity • Inflammation of the joint • Metabolic Disorders • Bone Diseases • Tumors and Cancer

Joint Pain and Osteoporosis Osteoporosis is another symptom of menopause that is related to joint pain. During menopause, the rate of bone loss increases as the amount of estrogen produced by the ovaries drops dramatically. Estrogen levels in postmenopausal women are about one-tenth the levels in pre-menopausal women. Bone loss is most rapid in the first few years after menopause but continues into the postmenopausal years.

When to See a Doctor

Consulting a healthcare professional in early stages of joint pain can go along way in stopping a problem before it grows into a major health concern. Here are some instances when it would be a good idea to see a doctor for joint pain:

• If joint pain lasts for more than three days, moves from the joint the pain started 

   in to other joints, or worsens.

• If fever accompanies the joint pain.

• If progressive weight loss accompanies the joint pain.

Read below to learn the different treatment options for joint pain to gain relief.

Treatments for Joint Pain

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When exploring treatments for joint pain, it´s important to begin with methods that are the least obtrusive, with the least likelihood of side effects and progress from there.

This means that lifestyle changes are the best place to begin. For instance, physical therapy can be incorporated into a person´s daily life and can ease joint pain. Walking or simple stretches can help. Even muscle-strengthening exercise can alleviate joint pain. Consulting a doctor or physical therapist is recommended before incorporating a new exercise routine.

Typically, combining lifestyle changes and alternative medicines will produce the best outcome. Alternative medicines can be different herbs and supplements, or even techniques like acupuncture. When seeking out alternative medicines, keep in mind that because joint pain during menopause is associated with hormone deficiency, look for supplements that bring a natural balance to the hormonal levels, for this will go a long way to alleviate joint pain.

Finally, if still experiencing joint pain, there are different drugs and surgeries that can be explored. Drugs are often prescribed simply to cope with joint pain but do not offer a cure. Surgery is an option for extremely severe joint pain. This final option comes with the most risk and side effects.

Click the following link to learn specific treatments for joint pain, which begin with lifestyle changes, move onto alternative medicines, and finally, if those options don´t seem to help, drugs and surgery. The most effective treatments for joint pain typically combine lifestyle changes and alternative medicines.

Sources: 

• "Joint Pain." Family Health Guide. www.familyhealthguide.co.uk
• "Joint Pain and Estrogen Deprivation," Exax Health. www.examhealth.com
• "Osteoarthritis." www.menopause.org.uk

Joint pain is a very frequent problem among the elder population. It eventually becomes a part in the lives of aged people. It is a symptom and not a disease.

Joint pain is a sensation of discomfort and soreness in body joints. Joint pain can occur with or without movement and can be so severe so as to limit your movements.

It is known to occur suddenly and last for long periods of time. It can remain localized in one part and slowly spreads to other parts of body.

Joint pains can be felt as a dull ache, sharp, piercing along with burning sensation or felt together with all these symptoms at a time.

Here are Your Joint Pains Symptoms

You may suffer from stiffness or difficulty with certain movement, such as standing up straight or getting up out of a chair. Pain or tenderness in the lower back can also witnessed.

You may suffer from joint pains symptoms that increase with twisting of waist or bending back and extending the lower back. Pain moves to the buttocks and hips or extends towards the back of thighs which is usually a deep, dull ache.

Some additional joint pains symptoms include difficulty in rotating your head, neck pains, headaches and even shoulder aches.

Let’s Know About Your Cause of Joint Pains

There are many different causes of joint pain including injury, disease, degeneration, fractures or stress from overuse.

Joint pain can be caused for a selection of reasons. The most ordinary cause of joint pains that people tend to think of is osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis normally occurs in people who have methodically all through their years have put intense pressure on their joints which may be due to behavior or occupation.

Bone pain is typically deep, penetrating, or dull. It commonly results from injury. Other common cause of joint pains includes bone infection, tumors, cartilage damage, strains, sprains and ligament tears.

Effective Home Remedy for Joint Pains

These remedies act as a best cure for joint pains. They give immediate response to your painful symptoms. Some of them are discussed in detail:

• Papaya: Make a fine paste using papaya seeds and boil it in water. Intake of this cup for two to three weeks gives you satisfactory results.
• Turmeric: Add half teaspoon of turmeric powder in lukewarm water. Drink it three times a day. It works very well in curing joint pains.
• Bathu juice: Regular intake of fifteen grams of bathu juice on an empty stomach gives you effective cure for joint pains.
• Olive oil: Mix two parts of olive oil and one part of kerosene oil. They both make a wonderful ointment for affected joints in body.
• Make a rubbing mixture of camphor, methyl salicylate, eucalyptus oil and menthol. It is very effective when applied to affected areas of joint pain.
• Carrot and lemon: Mix fresh carrot juice with equal parts of lemon juice. One large teaspoon of it daily can help you to get relief from pain.
• Honey: Mix two teaspoon equally of honey and apple cider vinegar in a small glass of warm water. Take it twice in a day. It is one of the most effective home remedy for joint pains.
• Mix two teaspoonful of winter cherry with ghee and molasses to make porridge. Eat this porridge with an empty stomach for fifteen days.  It gives you beneficial results in quick time.

Above remedies are very useful in their own ways. These remedies give you effective results without any side effect.

Treatment Of Joint Problems In Conventional Medicine (Allopathic Medicine)

Treatment of joint problems is vary varied based on the causes of the problem

 

Joint problems caused by Inflammation are treated by using anti-inflammatory analgesics (pain medication) in the initial stages. Physical therapy like rest, hot and cold packs are also used. If the inflammation is due to auto-immunity, drugs known as “DMRDs” Disease Modifying anti- Rheumatic Drugs are used. Steroids, Methotrexate, Hydro-chloroquine, Sulfasalazine and several other compounds have emerged in the category of DMRDs over the years. They are used over extended periods to keep the auto-immunity under check. They are effective at keeping the inflammation under control and preventing damage to the tissue but non-selectively suppress the immune system. They are known to cause several severe adverse effects with prolonged use. A new class of drug called TNF alpha inhibitors have come into use over the past few years and are very effective in controlling the inflammation and protecting the joints. They also have to be used over long periods of time, are very expensive and treatment of Joint Problems due to degeneration, is very limited in scope and mainly comprise of providing relief of joint pain through pain medication, nutritional support by way of administering Calcium, Vitamin D, Glucosamine, Chondroitin etc and Physical therapy to strengthening the muscles and other structures that support the particular joint function. Persons not responding to the same are advised to undergo Joint replacement surgery. Joint replacement surgery is a great advancement in the management of severe degenerative joint problems but has the limitation in terms of effective life of the replaced artificial joint (Maximum of 10-15 years) and is also limited by the suitability of the patient for surgery in terms of their general health condition and that of Cardiac function in prospective patients.

 

Joint problems due to injury which are minor and are self-limiting are managed by rest, immobilization, pain medication and physical therapy. However several major injuries that do not respond to the conservative approach are treated through surgical correction.

 

Ayurvedic Treatment For Joint Pain & Problems

The Ayurvedic approach to treatment is very individualized. However the approach to treatment of patients suffering from Inflammatory conditions differs significantly from that of Degenerative conditions.

 

It is seen that chronic joint problems tend to be similar after a long time. Ie, if inflammatory conditions last long, they lead to degeneration and degeneration over a long period of time leads to inflammation. So patients who suffer from either of these conditions for a long period of time will have combination of inflammation and degeneration which have to be addressed simultaneously.

 

Ayurvedic Treatment Of Inflammatory Joint Conditions

According to Ayurveda, the initial stages of Inflammatory conditions are considered to be associated with toxicity and are dealt with by detoxification. Detoxification in Ayurveda is three prong. For mild level of toxicity Ayurveda advocates very light food with warm fluids and rest. For moderate level of toxicity, Ayurveda advocates administration of herbal decoctions that help the liver to metabolize and eliminate the toxins. For toxicity of a high degree, Ayurveda advocates Panchakarma (The five methods of Cellular Bio-purification). Ayurveda also advocates a number of herbs that have a very effective anti-inflammatory action, the main one is Guggulu and it is one of the most important herbs used in Ayurveda for the treatment of Inflammatory conditions. Ayurveda also employs a number of therapies like Dhanyamladhara (Pouring of warm fermented liquid), Abhyanga ( Oil massage), Podikkizhi (Herbal powder massage), Ilakkaizhi (Herbal leaf massage) and a large variety of Vasthis (Enemas) which are very effective for inflammatory conditions. Course of Vasthi as a continuous process numbering 8, 15 and 30 are called Yoga Vasthi, Kala Vasthi and Karma Vasthi respectively and are very effective in reducing very severe inflammation and restoring normalcy. It is seen to be the main tool used in bringing down the inflammatory markers like ESR, CRP etc significantly.

 

Ayurveda Approach To Degenerative Joint Conditions

Ayurveda also is very effective in addressing degenerative skeleton-muscular conditions. Ayurveda recommends a holistic approach to treatment comprising of diet, lifestyle, herbal medicines and therapies for addressing degenerative joint conditions. There are many medicines in Ayurveda that help to strengthen the joints and reduce the degeneration. Ayurvedic physicians can choose ideal combinations for each individual. The therapies like Tailadhara (pouring of medicated oils), Nhavarakkizhi (massage with bolus of rice boiled in medicated milk) and Ksheera vasthi are among the most effective therapies for preventing degeneration and to strengthening the joints. It is very important to note that if there is associated inflammation, the anti-degenerative therapy is advised only after the inflammation is brought under control.