Wherever a body part bends, a joint can be found. Joints contain ligaments, tendons, cartilage and synovial fluid to cushion impact. Multiple conditions can lead to joint pain, stiffness, inflammation, swelling and redness. All natural joint relief can be utilized as a treatment option.
Significance
In order to get around efficiently, the joints need to be in good working order. If they cause pain and you are unable to move well, you can become sedentary, which can lead to weight gain and make your joints even worse.
Function
Conventional treatments for sore joints often involve the use of prescription and over-the-counter medications. These may be effective at first, but they can cause side effects. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for example can cause gastric ulcers, stomach bleeding and heart problems after long-term use. Natural joint relief is used as an alternative, often with no side effects.
Hot and Cold Therapy
Applying heat to sore joints can help reduce pain and cause muscles around the joints to be less tense. This can be done with a heating pad on a low setting; you can use a hot pack or take a warm bath or shower. Cold therapy can be used to treat pain, and it is especially good at decreasing muscle spasms when they are present. Ice cubes wrapped in a towel, cold packs and bags of frozen vegetables can all be used.
Diet
Diet is usually not a factor when it comes to joint pain. But a condition called "gout" is an exception. This is caused from an overabundance of uric acid in the body. Uric acid is what forms when foods that are high in purine content are eaten. Urate crystals form and pool up at the joints, especially in the feet and legs, causing swelling and pain. A natural treatment option is to reduce intake of high purine foods. Examples of these are sweetbreads, anchovies, meat extracts, game meats, gravy, mackerel and herring. Alcohol should also be avoided because it inhibits the evacuation of uric acid from the body.
Exercise
Light intensity exercise can offer a number of benefits to the joints. It can increase mobility; it can help aid weight loss, which can put less stress on the joints, and it can also strengthen the muscles around the joints. Water exercise is a safe form of exercise because there is no impact and the water can be used for resistance.
Supplementation
Dietary supplements are made from natural sources, and they are often used in place of traditional drugs. Examples of these are MSM, fish oil, SAMe, chondroitin, glucosamine and arnica. If you choose to take any of these, make sure to use them as directed because they are not tested for purity or efficacy by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
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