Joint pain as the result of an injury, overuse or arthritis is a common complaint that, luckily, can be soothed fairly easily. Understanding the origin of your joint pain is the first step in learning how to properly soothe your joints, as the remedies for arthritis may be different from soothing joint pain due to overuse or sports injuries. By using both rest and exercise simultaneously, you can condition your joints to avoid some of the pain associated with joint damage and regular aches.
Step 1
Rest the joint that is causing you pain, if possible, suggests Medline Plus, an online resource of the National Institutes of Health. This is especially important if your pain is due to a sports injury or overuse. With that pain often comes the inflammation of the joint. If you continue to use the joint improperly, you could cause further damage.
Step 2
Apply both cold and heat to your joints. Start with a homemade ice pack made from ice cubes in a plastic bag. Wrap the bag in a thin towel, and apply to your sore joints for less than five minutes to help relieve painful swelling. Then, apply a heated rice bag or rice pad to the area to help soothe away some of the associated pain. Continue switching back and forth between ice and heat until your pain subsides.
Step 3
Stretch and exercise your joint, especially if your joint pain stems from inactivity or arthritis. Both can cause joints to feel painful and brittle if they aren't exercised over time. Complete simple exercises that stretch the joints. For instance, if your wrists hurt, pick up two weights, hold your hands in front of you, and slowly rotate your palms so they meet each other, and then rotate them away from each other to keep your joints strong.
Step 4
Lose weight if you are overweight. When you weigh more than you should, you put necessary pressure on your joints, especially your hips and knees. This can cause unexplained pain that is sometimes attributed to arthritis. By losing weight, you reduce that pressure and you may see a noted decrease in joint pain in your body, notes Dr. Anjali Mukerjee in the "Hindustan Times."
Step 5
Take over-the-counter pain medications like acetaminophen and ibuprofen to help reduce joint swelling and pain on a short-term basis. If you find yourself reaching for the painkillers more than three times per day, schedule an appointment with your doctor to talk about your symptoms and long-term solutions to help soothe your pain. Always contact your doctor if your joint pain is accompanied by redness, swelling or tingling and numbness, notes MayoClinic.com.
Things You'll Need
- Heating pad
- Ice cubes
- Plastic bag
