5 Ways You Can Beat Joint Pain

January 17, 2023 Steve H. CMT

When you start to feel uncomfortable pain in your knee, elbow, wrist or hip you may be in the early stages of some form of joint pain. The good news is that you can beat joint pain, the bad news is that so many of us don’t understand joint pain that we rely on the wrong treatments. Without proper treatment your pain, discomfort and inflammation will only worsen.

What can you do about it?

Well first you can educate yourself. The more you know about the many types of joint pain—and there are many, more than 100—the more seriously you’ll take getting a proper diagnosis and committing to a treatment plan. The first thing you need to know is that the symptoms you feel could be the common osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis or many other types that can be degenerative due to regular wear and tear or a disease.

Millions of Americans are impacted by different types of joint pain and those who alleviate or reverse their symptoms have found a treatment plan to beat arthritis.
But first you need to know if you have arthritis or if you are at risk for it.

Signs & Risks of Joint Pain

If you were hoping that you could pinpoint behaviors or illnesses that can cause joint pain, I’m sorry to report that we don’t know what exactly causes joint pain…yet. The symptoms that will inevitably lead you to seek out medical help—stiffness, joint pain and swelling, fatigue and poor range of motion—are what will be used to diagnose your particular type of joint pain.

What we do know is that there are certain risks that increase the likelihood of developing joint pain, they include;

Now you know which high risk categories you fall into, let’s talk about how you can beat joint pain!

Beat It Naturally

It is human instinct to reach for the bottle that will relieve our pain and swelling the fastest. Often that means over the counter painkillers such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen and naproxen. These drugs work fairly quickly to provide relief from your most painful and uncomfortable joint pain symptoms. The problem is that these drugs can cause major problems for you after long-term use.

Using these drugs too much for your joint pain symptoms can cause ulcers, bleeding and even peroration of the stomach lining. So what are your options?

Natural, of course!

Natural supplements are increasing in popularity as people are looking for ways to heal without making them sicker. You need natural supplements that fight inflammation and relieve pain and systemic enzymes are just what you need. They help with inflammation, boost the immune system and even get rid of scar tissue.

There are natural topical creams that provide pain relief and even foods that help alleviate or reverse your symptoms.

R&R

One thing that all bodies suffering from an infection or injury needs is rest. It is how the body heals itself so if you want to beat your joint pain you need to make sure you’re getting enough sleep every night. For most of us this will mean between 6 and 8 hours of sleep each night and take naps if you feel tired throughout the day.

If you’re not resting then you are not giving your body what it needs to heal. Furthermore stress can wreak havoc on a body that is already not at its best; it tightens muscles and increases blood pressure and heart rate. These things will only exacerbate your symptoms.

Show joint pain whose boss by meditating, practicing yoga and getting a sufficient amount of sleep each night. If you’re having trouble enjoying R&R on your own, try massage therapy or aromatherapy to relax your body and help you rest so you can heal.

Diet

A healthy diet can make all the difference when it comes to healing your body. Whether due to injury or illness, food can often be the best medicine. When it comes to many types of joint pain a diet filled with foods that fight inflammation and pain can help you feel like a new person.

But it isn’t just the fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices you add to your diet that can help fight joint pain, it is also the details. For example don’t overeat because we’ve already discussed the role weight plays in joint pain pain. Along those same lines you want to avoid junk food that includes fried foods, sugar, artificial flavors & colors, refined carbs, alcohol and caffeine.

If you really want to make sure you successfully beat joint pain, follow these diet guidelines;

Physical Activity

It is a common misconception that joint pain suffers should avoid exercise, but it is a misconception. Stretching should be at the top of everyone’s list of things to do each day, but especially those with stiff and aching joints. While you do need exercise you should try to avoid high impact activities like running and Zumba.

You need exercise that will get good, oxygen-rich blood flowing through your body, strengthen you bones and muscles and improve your flexibility.

Exercise in general makes you feel good inside and out, which can contribute to healing. If you’re in the market for some joint pain-friendly exercise consider walking; it’s easy, you can do it anywhere and it fits all the above criteria.

When walking becomes old hat, consider these more adventurous but equally effective exercises that will beat joint pain:

Run Hot & Cold On Joint Pain

One of the most effective treatments for joint pain is heat and ice, applied alternately to aching joints and muscles. This small treatment, in fifteen minute increments, can go a long to help you improve mobility and reduce pain.

The key however is to figure out what combination of hot and cold works best for you. If your joint pain gives you more swollen joints and general inflammation you might find that you need more time with cold compresses than hot ones. You should never exceed the recommended 15 minute time limit. If you need more cold, take a 10 to 15 minute break and reapply the cold compress.

If you need to loosen up tight joints and muscles in order to increase the flow of blood then you need hot compresses. There are many hot options available from the simple warm shower or damp towel and heating pad. If you need more intense heat consider far infrared heat which offers a heat treatment that penetrates into the muscles.

Always exercise caution and never place hot or cold treatments directly to the skin.
The power to beat joint pain is within you, will you use it to fight pain, swelling and inflammation?

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