Who hasn’t sprained an ankle, found it a little difficult to reach overhead or throw a ball, or awakened with a few stiff joints now and then? If you’re like most of us over the age of 30, you’ve probably experienced a few aches and pains.
In this article, we’ll talk about the causes of joint pain, and even more important, we’ll discuss ways to overcome it.
What is joint pain?
Joint pain can be caused by an injury or a disease which damages the joint. A person’s joints connect their bones and help provide mobility and support for walking, running and other movements. Unfortunately, joints are quite susceptible to damage from accidents or diseases which may affect the bone.
The most common types of joint pain are caused by sprains, arthritis, gout, and injuries to the joint or bone. You may feel the pain in almost any part of the body, including ankles, wrists, elbows, knees and shoulders. Although anyone can experience joint pain, it is more common in the elderly and those with disabilities or chronic injuries.
What causes joint pain?
Frequently, sprains, strains, and fractures can lead to joint pain— sometimes even chronic joint pain—in individuals of any age. These injuries can be caused by car accidents, sports injuries, or simply from too much wear and tear on the joints.
Another common way to injure the joints, especially the knee joints, is by exercising improperly. Osteoarthritis is also a frequent trigger.
Once the joint is injured, it tends to become inflamed. At this point it is important to get the right treatment, otherwise minor pain can become chronic pain. Chronic joint pain is more persistent and difficult to treat than regular joint pain.
Lisa, exercise physiologist at Texas Spine & Wellness
What is the best joint pain treatment?
There are several ways to treat joint pain.
1) Medication – This is the solution most people turn to initially. For minor joint pain without swelling, many people use acetaminophen type over the counter drugs, such as Tylenol. However, the FDA just issued another warning about acetaminophen. In addition to its liver risks, an new risk for serious skin conditions has come to light.
Moderate joint pain is often treated with anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and aspirin. For many people these drugs will provide substantial relief from inflammation and pain. However, just as with Tylenol, there are many possible side effects. Both drugs increase your risk of stomach bleeding. People who take ibuprofen also have a higher risk of heart attack or stroke.
The possible severe side effects is one of the reasons we prefer natural supplements for pain relief. One that we offer in our office and through our nutrition website is Inflavonoid.This natural pain reliever combines a number of supplements known for the anti-inflammatory effect, such as turmeric and ginger. It’s proven to be quite effective for many patients and it has numerous additional health benefits.
Another natural option is collagen hydrolysate, a natural form of collagen that provide support for the body’s connective tissues and cellular functions. Containing over 90% protein, just two tablespoons a day help promote rapid cell growth and production of the synovial fluids that lubricate the joints.
2) Manual Therapy – Joint pain caused by arthritis or an injury, will often improve with manual treatments like chiropractic care and physical therapy. While medications only mask the pain of joint inflammation, our Garland chiropractor will treat the underlying cause of joint pain by improving the health of the joints, reducing inflammation and helping the body regain more range of motion.
Our clinic also has a complete Level 3 Rehab Center. Our experienced physical therapist assistant is trained to work with these types of joint injuries. She will work with you one on one to assist you in rehabilitation exercises.
In addition, we also offer therapeutic massage. Our massage therapists can a combination of trigger point therapy, PNF stretching and deep tissue massage as recommended by our doctors.
3) Advanced Joint Injections – When manual therapy alone won’t work, hyaluronic acid joint injections are also possible. Hyaluronic acid can help cushion the joints in patients with painful osteoarthritis. These simple injections are administered by our highly trained Nurse Practitioner. The procedure is completed within minutes and there’s no down time! Simply call us to schedule an appointment.
Looking for a pain relief?
If you’re looking for joint pain relief, our Garland chiropractic clinic may be the solution. Our experienced team of health professionals, which includes an M.D., a chiropractor and an exercise physiologist is ready to help. Our team is well qualified to treat your joint pain the natural way.