Joint inflammation can cause significant pain and swelling throughout your body. You might be wondering what causes joint pain and how to manage it. This guide can help you understand joint pain and how to cope with it.
What Contributes to Joint Pain?
Many factors cause joints to become painful and restrict your range of motion. We’ve listed a few of the most common reasons that cause joints to become painful.
- Inflammation from arthritis or injury
- Overuse or lack of use
- Poor alignment
- Damaged connective tissue
Common Areas of Joint Pain
While every joint in the body can be a potential target for joint pain and arthritis pain, the major areas of concern are:
- Knees and hip joints
- Back or spine
- Shoulders
- Elbows
These areas are the most prone to joint pain that can complicate your daily life. Knees and hip joints might ache when you sit, stand, or walk. Back, shoulder, and elbow pain can dictate how much you can lift or carry. The joint pain can be mild, moderate, or severe and debilitating.
How Can You Manage Joint Pain?
When joint pain becomes a problem, you will need to learn how to manage it. There are multiple ways you can manage joint pain. Some of the methods to manage joint pain might include:
- Pacing yourself with physical activity (carry less weight, take breaks, etc.)
- Using hot or cold packs as thermal treatments
- Managing weight through dieting
- Quitting smoking to promote overall health
- Using physical therapy to strengthen the body
- Seeking alternative treatments (biofeedback, nerve stimulation, etc.)
- Finding a professional chiropractor to improve posture
These are all useful ways to manage most types of joint pain for most people. Not all joint pain is alike, though, and some joint pains may require a bit more than simple physical therapy. While surgery may be a tempting possibility for some individuals, the surgical process doesn’t always provide pain relief.
When you’re ready to take proactive action in managing your joint pain, call {phone number} to make an appointment with Sarasota Spine and Joint