The Facts About Joint Pain: Symptoms, Diagnosing, and Home Remedies

Pain is a prevalent ailment that can strike people of any age group. Joints are the places where two or more bones meet and allow movement. Joints are a portion of our skeletal technique. They provide structure, stability, and mobility to the body. The most common joint is the knee joint.

The human body has two kinds of joints: cartilaginous joints and synovial joints. Cartilaginous joints are found in the ear and nose whereas synovial joint is found in the spine and on all other parts of the body except the ear and nose.

Joints are surrounded by a joint capsule and lined with synovial fluid, which provides lubrication. The capsule and synovial fluid help to cushion the joint during movement.

Joint Pain Can Be Brought On By Several Things, Including:

• Arthritis
• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Infection
• Degenerative joint disease
• Gout

Arthritis

Arthritis is a joint inflammatory condition that lasts a long time. It is a common condition, and it can be managed through a variety of treatments.

Arthritis is more common in adults over the age of 40. It affects more women than men, and white people more often than black people.

Osteoarthritis:

Osteoarthritis is a chronic, inflammatory disease that primarily affects the joints. It causes the cartilage to break down and leads to joint pain and stiffness. There are three types of osteoarthritis: primary, secondary, and adjuvant.

Primary Osteoarthritis is where there is no clear underlying cause of the disease, while secondary osteoarthritis can be caused by one or more injuries to a joint or due to diseases such as diabetes mellitus. Adjuvant Osteoarthritis can happen when damage in other parts of the body spreads to bone and joints resulting in arthritis.

Rheumatoid Arthritis:

Rheumatoid arthritis, also known as RA, is a chronic autoimmune disorder that affects the whole body. It can cause a person’s joints to swell and become painful. They may have trouble moving around and could have chronic fatigue. The disease is often misdiagnosed because it has similar symptoms to many other conditions like lupus or Lyme disease. Rheumatoid arthritis is a type of arthritis that most often affects women between the ages of 50-and 70 years old. It can also affect children and young adults but it is less common in these populations. Rheumatoid arthritis also causes fatigue, fever, weight loss, and joint pain.

It can affect any joint in the body but most often affects the fingers, toes, wrists, and knees. A doctor will diagnose the condition by examining a patient and performing blood tests for certain antibodies that only appear in RA patients. They will then be given medicine to dampen the symptoms of their condition such as pain medications or corticosteroids which will reduce inflammation in their joints.

Infection:

Nowadays, due to a lot of reasons such as injury or age-related wear and tear, people might suffer from knee pain due to infection or other causes.

Bacteria usually cause septic arthritis, which is also called infectious arthritis. Fungi and viruses can also cause it. The infection causes inflammation of the joint. 

When an infection spreads through your bloodstream to a joint, such as from a skin infection or a urinary tract infection, it leads to septic arthritis. Septic arthritis usually affects the knee or hip. Staphylococcus aureus (staph) is the most common cause of staph infection. It can live on healthy skin as well. 

Degenerative Joint Disease:

The multiple regular types of arthritis are the degenerative joint disease. It is a progressive condition that affects the cartilage and the joints. The cartilage can be damaged by the normal wear and tear of everyday life or by an injury, infection, or any other cause. According to WHO, about 1 in 10 adults aged over 40 years have some form of arthritis.

The symptoms include stiffness, pain, and swelling in joints, especially in the morning or after rest. Pain may be relieved by movement but can return with rest. There may also be a loss of joint mobility and muscle wasting (atrophy).

Gout:

A Gout is a form of arthritis that is caused by uric acid crystals in the joints. It usually affects the big toe and other joints in the feet. Gout can also affect other parts of the body, such as the elbows, wrists, fingers, and knees. Gout symptoms are often sudden and severe including swelling, redness, pain, and heat around a joint. These signs usually go out within 1-2 days.

Symptoms of Joint Pain

Joint pain can be categorized into two types: one that is caused by inflammation and another that is caused by degeneration.

The first type of joint pain, called inflammatory arthritis, can be triggered by infections or injuries. The second type of joint pain, called degenerative arthritis, happens when the cartilage around the joints breaks down. This can happen due to getting older or being overweight which puts more pressure on the joints. OR Joint pain can be caused by several things. Sometimes, it's the result of an injury. Other times, it can be a symptom of other conditions like arthritis and gout. Joint pain may be temporary or chronic.

The first thing that you should do if you're experiencing joint pain is to consult your doctor to rule out any underlying medical condition that may be causing the pain.

If you're experiencing joint pain for more than 14 days and it's not caused by an injury, then your doctor will likely diagnose it as being chronic and refer you to a specialist who will work with you on managing your symptoms.

A Method For Diagnosing Joint Pain

If pain and stiffness of the joints are common complaints, then it becomes important to know how to diagnose joint pain.

The diagnosis is based on the following:

1) The location and type of the pain.

2) Whether other symptoms are present.

3) There may be other tests like X-rays, MRI scans, or ultrasounds to confirm the diagnosis

Treatments For Joint Pain

It is important to know that there are various treatments for joint pain, from over the counter medication to injections and surgery. A physical therapist may be able to recommend the best treatment for an individual depending on their symptoms.

The first step in treating joint pain is identifying what type of arthritis or disease you have so that you can select the best possible treatment option for your condition. In many cases, non-invasive treatments are available and will give relief from joint pain quickly. However, some advanced treatments and technologies can be just as effective if not more so than more traditional methods like injections or surgery

Home Remedies To Relief Joint Pain

Many people are not aware of how their lifestyle choices can cause joint problems. There are many home remedies to joint pain that you can use for relief. Some of these remedies will work great for you, while others might need more experimentation on your part to find the one that is best for you.

Heat And Ice Therapy

Some people might use heat and ice therapy to relieve pain in their joints. This process involves applying heat or cold therapy to the area of concern using an ice pack or heating pad respectively. The therapy would be applied at specific intervals such as three or four times a day until the symptoms either completely

Methi (Fenugreek)

Methi is one of the common plants used in Ayurveda, Sanskrit, and other Indian traditional medicines. The leaves have medicinal values and can be used to treat many health conditions as well as joint pain.

The plant contains several nutrients that are essential for our health, like phosphorous, folic acid, calcium, and magnesium. One research found that the leaves have anti-inflammatory properties. They can be used to reduce pain caused by arthritis or osteoporosis while strengthening bones and joints

Foods like asparagus, almonds, and bananas have been labeled as aphrodisiacs for generations, but only a few have made it through clinical trials. Fenugreek may now brag about it. Researchers discovered that ingesting fenugreek increases sex drive by at least a quarter in males and it is good for MEN WELLNESS.

Cinnamon

It is known to have medicinal properties. Cinnamon is a spice that has been used for centuries to treat pain, inflammation, and other health conditions. It has a variety of benefits, including helping with arthritis relief. The active ingredients in cinnamon are called cinnamaldehyde and cinnamyl acetate, which have anti-inflammatory properties that can help to reduce pain and stiffness from arthritis. There are many ways in which you can use cinnamon as a natural form of treatment for your pain and discomfort.

How To Use: A teaspoon of cinnamon powder can be mixed with a glass of warm water and consumed immediately. This mixture can be consumed once every day to relieve pain

In addition to lubricating joints, strengthening muscles around joints, and improving circulation, cardio work benefits the entire body.

Turmeric

Turmeric, commonly termed yellow ginger, is the princess of spices and one of the most powerful home treatments for joint and muscular pain. It has anti-inflammatory and therapeutic effects that can help you get rid of aches and pains in your body. It will also strengthen your immunity, which will protect you from illnesses.

How To Use: In a glass of warm milk, dissolve a teaspoon of turmeric powder. Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and drink once a day. If desired, some honey can be added. Turmeric milk is beneficial in reducing knee pain.

Fish Oil

Only a small amount of vitamins and minerals are found in fish oil, including iron, calcium, B vitamins, and vitamins A and D. Fish oil may be of benefit to people with arthritis because of these effects. 

Medicine For Joint Pain

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) or naproxen (Aleve) can reduce inflammation and alleviate pain over-the-counter. 

Author bio: Dr.Rajender Singh has 18 Years of experience in Ayurveda. Have completed DMLT in 2003, then a Doctor of Pharmacy, and after that, have completed a Diploma in Panchagavya (Master). He is the founder and president of Jeevan Herbal Pvt Ltd. at Panchkula (Haryana). And also acknowledge that the multiple basics of Ayurvedic conventions can alter our entire lives.