Natural remedies for joint pain

Joint pain is mostly caused by arthritis, which is a group of degenerative and painful conditions that are characterized by an inflammation of different joints. The inflammation is known to cause pain and stiffness.

Osteoarthritis, which is the most common type of joint pain condition or arthritis, only worsens as the patient ages. It is caused by wear and tears as one age.

Rheumatoid arthritis is another kind of joint pain, which is caused by the immune system of the body attacking the joints.

Joint pain treatment

Doctors usually treat joint pain or arthritis with medicines which are anti-inflammatory or pain relievers. However, certain medications may cause side effects. If you wish to undergo joint pain treatment, you should consider the natural remedies as well.

A natural approach towards relieving pain is gaining popularity, owing to the fact that these remedies have no side effects. However, you must remember to consult your physician before trying out the natural remedies for joint pain.

• Exercise to maintain the right weight
  Being overweight or obese can have a huge impact on the intensity of pain that you experience from joint pain or arthritis. This is because extra weight exerts more pressure on the joints, especially on your hips, knees, and feet. As a joint pain treatment method, you can reduce the stress which your joints experience, by losing those extra pounds. Not only that, but losing weight will also result in improvement in your mobility, lessen the pain, and prevent any further damage to your weak joints.
• Stay active
  Your lifestyle impacts the quality of your joints and well-being in general. There are numerous benefits of exercising and staying active than just losing weight. Regular movement and physical, activities help maintain the flexibility in the joints. Staying active also acts as a joint pain treatment. You can try out certain low impact exercises, such as swimming or water aerobics, in order to flex the joints without exerting further stress on them. However, be careful with weight-bearing exercises, such as walking fast or running, which may be damaging if not done appropriately.
• The hot and cold therapy for pain relief
  Arthritis pain is known to subside with the hot and cold therapy. These are simple treatments which can make a lot of difference pertaining to joint pain. Take long and warm baths or showers, particularly in the morning, in order to ease the stiffness in the joints. You can also use a moist heating pad or an electric blanket at night while sleeping. This will help keep your joints flexible. Cold therapies are also effective joint pain treatments. These treatments are the best for relieving swelling, joint pain, and inflammation. You can wrap an ice pack or even a bag of frozen vegetables in your towel and apply the pack to your painful joints, in order to get quick relief from pain.
• The ancient Chinese treatment of Acupuncture
  Acupuncture is an age-old and effective Chinese medical treatment which comprises of inserting very thin needles into particular spots on the body. This treatment reroutes your energies and helps restore balance in your body. Acupuncture is known to be an impactful joint pain treatment. It is one of the most studied complementary treatment, which is also recommended by the World Health Organization as a therapy for more than a hundred different health conditions.
• Meditate to cope with the pain
  Relaxation methods and meditation are also known to help reduce the pain from arthritis. Meditation reduces stress and enables you to cope with the discomfort and pain better. According to research done by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the various practices of mindfulness meditation are helpful for many patients with painful joints. Researchers have also found that people with conditions of depression as well as arthritis benefited significantly from meditation. When the stress is reduced, the swelling, pain, and inflammation tend to drop.
• Include fatty acids in your diet
  To achieve the optimum health, you should include the right kind and amount of fatty acids in your diet. Every individual requires omega-3 fatty acids in the diet. These fatty acids help reduce pain from arthritis and aid in joint pain treatment. Another tried and tested fatty acid which can help reduce joint pain is gamma-linolenic acid, commonly known as GLA. This fatty acid can be found in the seeds of some plants, such as borage, hemp, evening primrose, or black currants. You can also buy oils of these seeds and have it as a supplement.

While trying out these natural remedies, ensure that you consult your doctor from time to time. Do adequate research and reduce joint pain with natural remedies.