Joint pain can be either temporary or chronic. Before you can treat the soreness, you need to understand what’s causing it. If you suffered an injury, a joint dislocation or a torn ligament, your doctor will tell you what to do and whether you need physical therapy, surgery or prescription medications to deal with the problem. If the pain is caused by an inflammatory or chronic disease, you might be able to ease the soreness at home.
Medication
Experts at the Mayo Clinic recommend trying an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen or aspirin to ease the pain. If this doesn’t help, you might need a stronger prescription drug. Look for swelling and redness around the joint area, which could indicate a more serious problem.
Exercise
Lack of physical activity can stiffen joints and worsen the soreness. You don’t want to go running or start jumping rope, though. Activities that put a lot of pressure on your joints can worsen the pain and further the damage. Instead, look for gentle activities such as swimming, stretching or tai chi. After the workout, massage the sore joints gently to help ease any tension and to improve mobility.
Home Care
According to MedLine Plus, glucosamine sulfate can help some people deal with joint pain and inflammation, as well as osteoarthritis. Glucosamine doesn’t work for everybody and might be more effective for people who have mild to medium pain.
Creams and Gels
You can use topical pain medications to treat joint soreness and pain. According to the Mayo Clinic you should look for over-the-counter creams that contain capsaicin, salicylates or menthol. When you massage the joint area using these creams, the pain-relieving substances will penetrate the skin and help ease inflammation and pain.
