Joint pain has a debilitating effect on an individual. When you are well, you may be inclined to take your health for granted but the onset of any pain that affects your hands, feet, knees and hips can have a crippling effect on you. Inflammation causes pain, induces swelling and stiffness, and may even limit mobility. Where once you paid little or no attention to your joints, now you can think of little else.
So, what might be causing you to have joint pain? Remember not all joint pain is caused by something serious and rest is often all that’s needed. However, if the pain and discomfort persists, it’s time to consult your doctor in case your joint pain is a sign of a more serious medical condition, such as arthritis.
A common cause of joint pain is osteoarthritis, known as “wear-and-tear” arthritis because it generally affects older people and is caused by a wearing or thinning of the cartilage around our joints. Osteoarthritis can also be caused by an injury such as a fracture. There is no cure for the condition, which is likely to get progressively worse as you age. Treatment centres on pain relief and encouraging you to participate in exercise that will keep your joints flexible. Natural anti-inflammatory supplements such as green-lipped mussel powder and fish oil may help reduce the inflammation and swelling.
Rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune disorders such as fibromyalgia and lupus are other typical sources of joint pain. Again, there is no known cure for any of these conditions, all of which are chronic and progressive. Anti-inflammatory medication will be prescribed along with disease inhibitor drugs to prevent further damage and inflammation to the joints.
Repetitive strain injury is a very modern cause of joint pain. These are musculo-skeletal injuries caused by the job you do; for example, your posture, arms and wrists might suffer if you sit for a long time at a computer. Conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis and tenosynovitis are among the conditions that can damage your joints. Anti-inflammatory drugs can help but in the worst case scenario, surgery might be needed.
If you have been diagnosed with cancer, you may suffer from joint pain. This is usually caused by cancer of the bones or the spread of metatastic cancers and needs immediate treatment.
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