Joint pain is no joke. It is bothersome, an interference in our lives, and downright excruciating in some cases. However, just because it is a painful problem doesn’t mean you’re powerless to defeat it.
Whether it’s a needling knee or a sore thumb, this list will help you overcome your joint pain – even #7, which looks like something straight out of ancient China.
1. Ice Therapy
Cryotherapy is a great way to alleviate pain by reducing blood flow. Placing an ice pack or bag of cold peas on the hurting area for 15 minutes every hour will reduce tissue swelling by a significant amount.
However, be wary of the cold. Ice burns are a real thing, so be sure to wrap your iced peas in a towel before placing it on your skin.
2. Hydrotherapy
If the coolness of ice is less your speed, hydrotherapy should be right up your alley.
This form of joint relief is centered around the idea of increased blood flow. The higher an increase in flow, the more healthy nutrients can course through the body to the joints. Taking a warm bath will erase the stress in your bones.
3. Medication For All!
While an over-reliance on medication can build bad habits, sometimes pills are simply the best method for treating pain.
Ibuprofen is perfect for dealing with inflammation while muscle relaxers will put the kibosh on any constricting muscle spasms. As always, it is crucial that you consult your doctor before taking any medication.
4. Herbs And Spices
Pills are effective at eliminating existing pain, but herbal supplements are kings when it comes to preventing joint pain in the first place.
Drinking certain herbal teas promises to decrease your chances of joint issues. Tea seems simple, but it works – and it goes hand-in-hand with the exercise at #8.
5. A Gym Membership
Exercise is often touted as the cure-all remedy for every illness under the sun – and for good reason.
While it can alleviate pain, exercising improperly can actually do more harm than good. This is why it is important to work out within your limits. If you have a sore back, maybe refrain from deadlifting 500 pounds just this once, okay?
6. Physical Therapy
Definitely one of the more expensive options on this list, physical therapy will treat any lingering joint pains you have with care and precision.
This should only be reserved for people who have either had pain lasting for quite some time or are painful to the point of severely limited movement. Physical therapy isn’t a home remedy, but that doesn’t mean it’s not highly effective.
7. Pins And Needles
Despite its somewhat new-agey reputation, acupuncture has been shown to work wonders when it comes to increasing a person’s range of motion. The horrific-looking technique has even been reported to prevent joint pain entirely.
For those who are looking for a treatment that is less Hellraiser, more relaxing, #11 is the perfect fit for you.
8. Yoga
The physical aspect of pain relief is important, but the mental side of things must be balanced as well.
Studies have shown that mental relaxation during activities such as meditation, visualization, and yoga have a correlation with decreased pain. The more yoga you do, the more your brain can tolerate pain.
9. Splint It Up
Sometimes, when an injury becomes too painful, a splint or a brace is required. Being unable to move a limb because of a splint is uncomfortable, but occasionally necessary.
Immobilizing a painful area gives it time to heal. There is no interference in the mending process from awkwardly moving your arm – the chances of re-injury are slimmed down greatly. Your joints will thank you for this later.
10. Rest And Relaxation
Ah, nothing beats good ol’ R-n-R. Perhaps the simplest, yet most important item on this list, shut-eye is vital when it comes to eliminating joint pain.
Sleep restores your energy and allows your body time to naturally mend itself. In combination with #12, sleep will make you the most energized person on the planet.
11. Massage Your Pains Away
Like hydrotherapy, massaging functions around the principle that it quickly provides your body with the healthy nutrients to heal properly.
Pressing too hard into a joint is a recipe for a bad time. However, easing into a deep-tissue massage allows your body to loosen and forces the stiffness in your joints to vanish.
12. The Right Diet
Many chalk up joint pain to old age or over-exercising, but it also stems from something far less innocuous: your diet.
Eating anti-inflammatory foods like ginger (two to three teaspoons a day) works wonders in releasing inflammatory-fighting enzymes. Ginger is great, but the food at #15 has it beat by a long shot.
13. Tai Chi
This is definitely the most ancient form of pain relief on this list, but it surprisingly still works.
Studies have shown that people who practice tai chi (a very archaic form of meditation) reported less discomfort in joint pain. It may be its mental powers at work, but many believe Tai Chi’s success in the pain-relief arena is because its practitioners frequently use gentle stretching to keep limber.
14. Watch Your Weight
Obesity is a killer in more ways than one. In addition to having an increased risk of heart attacks, overweight people have increasingly-stressed joints due to the extra weight they carry.
Doctors claim that, if you are overweight, losing just 10 to 15 pounds is enough to cut your risk of osteoarthritis in half.
15. Fishes Against Inflammation
The ultimate inflammation killer isn’t ginger, but fish. Or, more specifically, the oils present in fish.
Given that fish oil is extremely rich in omega-three fatty acids (the acids which fight inflammation), having fish at least two times a week will do wonders when it comes to fixing your joints.
