If you are suffering from joint pain, you know just how debilitating this symptom can be. Joint pain refers to discomfort, aches, and soreness in any of the body’s joints. This can make movement more difficult and painful, and limits someone’s abilities to do the things they would like.
There are many possible causes for joint pain. Sometimes it is a result of overuse, inflammation, injury, arthritis or other illnesses. This is not necessarily a life threatening condition, but finding ways to reduce this pain will help improve the overall comfort and quality of life.
If you are experiencing problems with your joints, here are some simple steps you can take at-home in order to reduce the pain.
Improve Your Nutrition
Many people don’t realize how impactful our diets are on our bodies, minds, and joints. Eating foods that contain processed sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial trans fats, or refined carbohydrates can lead to high levels of inflammation in the body’s joints. Inflammation can then cause swelling, difficulty moving, along with pain and aching.
When seeking to improve your diet in order to reduce joint inflammation, it is important to avoid eating excessive amounts of the foods listed above. Learning how to read food labels will help you with this goal.
In addition to limiting your intake of foods that cause inflammation, it’s very important to add anti-inflammatory foods to your daily diet that can give your body the proper nutrients it needs, such as:
– Berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cherries, and blackberries)
– Fatty fish (salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, and anchovies)
– Broccoli
– Avocados
– Peppers (bell peppers and chili peppers)
– Tomatoes
– Grapes
– Turmeric
– Garlic
– Ginger
– Leafy greens (spinach and kale)
– Nuts (almonds and walnuts)
Not only does changing to a healthier diet significantly help reduce inflammation, but it also can help ease symptoms for those suffering from arthritis.
Include Regular Exercise into Your Week
If you are experiencing joint pain due to an injury, surgery, or arthritis, gentle stretching and strengthening exercises may help ease the pain while also improving your flexibility and range of motion.
Exercising a joint that’s injured or arthritic may seem counterintuitive, however, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), regular exercise can help ease joint pain and lessen symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Gentle stretching and strengthening exercises can build the muscles that support your joints and can reduce the impact and stress that everyday activities can put on them. Below is a list of low-impact exercises that can help strengthen your joints:
-Stretching
-Walking
-Yoga and Tai Chi
-Swimming
-Cycling
-Pilates
However, before you start an exercise program for joint pain, schedule an appointment to talk to Dr. Nelson to make sure that these exercises are safe for you. Depending on your situation, he may recommend some modifications.
If you implement these changes into your daily routine, you should see some improvements start to take place within your joints. However, even with proper diet and exercise, there can be times when other underlying issues persist that require medical attention. Dr. Nelson specializes in total joint replacements and has helped many people gain relief from their joint pain. He also specializes in non-surgical treatments if the problem isn’t as severe. If you are suffering from prolonged joint pain, it’s time to schedule an appointment with Dr. Nelson today at 435-787-2000.
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