Home Remedies for Joint Pain:

Overview

Joint pain is a common problem among older people as well as young ones.

The joints allow our bones to move. They consist of cartilage, ligaments, tendons, bursae (fluid-filled sacs that help cushion the joint), and the synovial membrane (lining of the joint capsule that secretes synovial fluid to lubricate the joint).

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Any of the structures in a joint can become irritated or inflamed in response to a variety of mild to serious diseases, disorders, or conditions. The specific joint pain location can be a clue as to which of these structures may be involved.

After 30 or 35 the chances of joint pain increase.

Arthritis-related severe joint pain affects adults of all ages, both sexes, and all races and ethnicities. Most of what we know about severe joint pain is for adults. The age-standardized prevalence of severe joint pain among adults with arthritis varies by state. In older people, joint pain that gets steadily worse is usually a sign of osteoarthritis. It may affect just 1 joint or many.

According to the reports, there are the following numbers of joint pain patients in the United States;-

Higher among women (29.2%) than men (22.7%).
Highest among adults aged 45 to 64 years (30.7%). Prevalence was the same for adults aged 18 to 44 years (24.9%) and adults aged 65 years or older (24.3%).

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What is Joint Pain

“Joint pain is a very common problem with many possible causes, but it’s usually a result of injury or arthritis.”

Joint pain is the sensation of discomfort or soreness in a joint or joint 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.

People may describe joint pain as discomfort, inflammation, increased warmth or burning, soreness, stiffness, or pain.

Joint pain may last briefly, or it may be chronic, which is defined as lasting more than three months.

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Symptoms of joint pain

Joint pain often occurs in conjunction with other signs and symptoms that vary depending on the underlying disease, disorder, or condition.

Other joint pain symptoms can include joint swelling, redness, and fever.

Other possible symptoms

Joint noise (clicking, popping, crackling)
Redness
Reduced mobility (range of motion of the joint)
Stiffness
Swelling
Visible deformity of the affected joint
Aching muscles
A butterfly-shaped rash over the bridge of the nose
Dry mouth and skin
Fatigue
Fever not associated with flu symptoms
Flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, sore throat, muscle aches, and headache
Increased urine output
Rash
Scaly patches of skin
Yellow skin and eyes with dark urine output (jaundice)

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Causes of joint pain

There are many causes of joint pain. The possible causes will partly depend on your age.

The possible causes for joint pain in children are different from the possible causes in adults.

Possible causes of joint pain in children

General body infections:- Joint pain may be caused due to general body infections too.

i.e:- flu, normal viral fever, etc.

Osteoarthritis:- It is a common cause of joint pain. This is joint pain caused by ‘wear and tear of the joint.

It may be most noticeable at first in just one joint, such as the hip or knee, but as time goes on usually affects several joints.

As well as the hip, knee, and hands, the many joints in the spine are often affected

Rheumatoid arthritis:- It is also a second common cause of joint pain.

It causes inflammation, pain, and swelling of joints. Painful and stiff joints are often worse in the morning in people with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Persistent inflammation over time can damage affected joints. The severity can vary from mild to severe

Psoriatic arthritis:- This problem occurs in people who have skin psoriasis. Psoriatic arthritis causes inflammation, and pain in Psoriasis patients.

Reactive arthritis:- Infection which triggers reactive arthritis is not actually in the joint but is usually in the gut or the bladder outlet (urethra).

It is caused when a joint reacts to an infection elsewhere in the body.

Vitamin D deficiency:- If vitamin D deficiency reaches a severe level. Then joint pain can be a symptom.

Gout:- It causes attacks of painful inflammation in one or more joints. The pain of a gout attack can be severe. Gout often first occurs in just one joint, most commonly the big toe, but may go on to affect other joints.

Connective tissue disease:- Connective tissue diseases affect tissues throughout the body, including tendons, ligaments, skin, eyes, cartilage, bone, and blood vessels.

Menopause:- Women going through menopause commonly experience joint and/or muscle pains, among other symptoms.

Possible causes of joint pain in children

Many of the causes of joint pain in adults can also be caused in children. However, because of developing bones and joints, there are other conditions that can cause joint pain in children and teenagers. These include;-

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA):- It is a condition in which joint inflammation occurs in children under the age of 16 years.

Osgood-Schlatter disease:- It happens mostly in teenagers who involves mainly in sports. It causes pain and tenderness at the front of the knee just below the kneecap.

Sinding-Larsen Johansson disease:- It is a similar knee condition that may affect teenagers during periods of rapid growth.

The pain occurs at the front of the knee, slightly higher than the pain in Osgood-Schlatter disease.

Resting the knee for several months, treatments with medicines for pain relief, and physiotherapy, may be needed. The outcome is usually very good, but symptoms may persist for at least one year.

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Tips to prevent the joint pain

Taking care of your joints early can help alleviate a number of issues that might otherwise plague you as you get older, issues that could have a profound impact not just on your mobility but on your overall health.

Here are five tips for safeguarding your joints and the cartilage that supports them as you age;-

Quit smoking

Smoking and tobacco use are risk factors for everything from cardiovascular problems to cancer.

Smoking can hamper your joints, too, because smoking increases inflammation throughout your body, it can make it harder for your body to recover and heal from an injury.

Maintain your weight

Your joints are meant to sustain a certain amount of force. If you’re overweight or underweight, you’re likely putting more stress on your joints than you realize.

“If you’re overweight, each additional 10 pounds of weight you carry adds 20 to 39 pounds of force to each knee”.

If you’re underweight, you lack the muscle bulk to keep your joints strong and stable

Swimming is your friend

Swimming has long been recommended as good exercise for people with arthritis; weightlessness reduces the impact on joints, while exercise and improved circulation can help you find joint pain relief.

A Taiwanese study found that working out in water significantly improves knee and hip flexibility, strength, and aerobic fitness. Meanwhile, an Australian study found that such programs also resulted in less pain and better overall function.

Increase the intake of vitamin C

Vitamin C not only helps produce collagen, a major component of joints, but sweeps the body of destructive free radicals, which are harmful to joints. One of the best-known studies looking into vitamin C and arthritis found that people whose diets routinely included high amounts of vitamin C had significantly less risk of their arthritis progressing. Spread out your intake throughout the day because your body doesn’t store vitamin C rather, it takes what it needs from the bloodstream at any given time and flushes out the rest. This means a megadose in the morning doesn’t really do as much good.

Sip citrus drinks or eat C-rich fruits and vegetables such as strawberries or melon, broccoli, or sweet peppers. And be sure to avoid these foods that might flare your arthritis.

Home remedies for joint pain

I am going to tell you some magical home remedies that can be effective in joint pain.

So let’s discuss the home remedies;-

Take ginger tea:- Numerous studies have found that ginger can mimic NSAIDs, the front-line drugs for arthritis pain relief. It seems to work by curbing pain-causing chemicals that are part of the body’s inflammatory response without the side effects common in medications. Use powdered, raw, or lightly cooked fresh ginger liberally on food.

Ways to use ginger tea:- Put some slices of ginger for 15 minutes in a few cups of boiling water, or buy ginger tea bags at the supermarket.

Take green tea:- Green tea has great properties of anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant. These properties make green tea a great home remedy for joint pain.

Fenugreek seeds:- Fenugreek seeds possess anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties that work wonders in treating pain.

Ways to use Fenugreek seeds:- Soak 2 tablespoons of fenugreek seeds overnight. Strain and consume the water. Blend the seeds in a blender and apply the paste to the affected knee.

Omega 3 fatty acids rich diet:- Diet makes a lot of difference in managing pain. Studies have shown that Omega 3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and play a role in regulating the immune system.

Ways to use an Omega-3 fatty acids-rich diet:- Chop a few tomatoes, walnuts, capsicum, and basil leaves. Add a dressing made of 1 tsp. Each of the oil, powdered sugar, lemon juice, and salt tastes. Toss them well and serve them with sesame seeds.

Turmeric milk soup:- Curcumin, the major component of turmeric, is a powerful anti-inflammatory compound. It can help relieve joint pains and inflammation in the body.

Ways to use turmeric milk soup:- Take a cup of milk, and add 1 tsp. Of ground turmeric, ¼ inch grated ginger, and a pinch of black pepper, and simmer well. After you turn off the heat, add some honey for taste and drink this warm, healthy potion.