Joint pain is very common in people from several different age groups and is often times associated
with more serious conditions such as osteoporosis or arthritis.
Whether or not these conditions are associated with bone diseases, joint pain may also be
a result of the person’s lifestyle, especially if the person works an office job and has
to sit for long periods of time or constantly carries heavy items.
In this video, we’ll see how you can deal with joint pain, using tips that can be easily
incorporated in your day to day routine:
Apply ice
Ice helps to reduce inflammation in sore muscles.
For it to have the desired effect, ice must be applied as soon as there is any sign of
pain.
All you have to do is wrap ice cubes in a cloth or plastic bag and apply them to the
desired location for 10 to 15 minutes.
You can take a cold bath, as long as the pain isn’t so bad that it affects your mobility.
Heat therapy
If the ice application doesn’t reduce your joint pain, that means that the pain is not
a result of inflammation.
If that’s the case, change your strategy and try heat therapy.
Take a very hot bath—as hot as you can stand—to relax your muscles.
You can complement your heat therapy with Epsom salts or a bubble bath.
Steam baths are also a very good way to use heat therapy.
They relax tension and reduce muscle pain.
Saunas are the most common steam baths, but you could also do them at home.
Massages
Trying to give yourself a massage isn’t recommended, however, not everyone has access
to a professional masseuse.
To treat joint pain, all you have to do is softly press the affected area and make circular
movements to relax it.
It would be ideal if you could visit a professional once a week, if joint and muscle pain is frequent
or common, since professional masseuses know effective techniques and will use creams,
oils, or gels that will help lessen the pain.
Massage oils
You should massage the affected areas with natural and easy to find oils.
The most effective oils have main ingredients with anti-inflammatory properties such as:
Ground black pepper Rosemary
Apple cider vinegar
Stretching
Stretching your muscles is a very common and simple exercise used in gyms, since it helps
you avoid pulling muscles before or after exercising.
Stretching for about 10 minutes can help reduce joint pain caused by being in the same position
for extended amounts of time.
Keep in mind that stretching will not help if your muscle is injured or if your exercise
routine is very intense.
Every morning, you should stretch for about 5 minutes, focusing on your arms and legs.
This way you can avoid joint pain.
Walking
One major benefit that comes from walking is that it helps you avoid a sedentary lifestyle.
You don’t have to walk a lot to treat joint pain.
Jut start with at least 20 minutes 2 or 3 times a week.
Take advantage of this time to roll your shoulders, move your arms, and loosen up your neck for
better results.
Yoga
Yoga is a one-thousand year old technique that prevents and treats joint and muscle
pain.
Practicing yoga regularly improves your body’s flexibility, alleviates stress, and prevents
cramping.
If it’s not possible to attend a yoga class, you can always do yoga at home by watching
YouTube videos.
Good nutrition
In some cases, the lack of certain nutrients makes us more likely to cramp up and have
joint and muscle pain.
Be sure to maintain a balanced diet, and eat from the main food groups: healthy fats, proteins
and carbohydrates.
Stay hydrated
When your muscles aren’t properly hydrated, they can’t recover their elasticity and
they hinder the treatment of joint pain.
The lack of water in your body paired with a sedentary lifestyle or over-exertion, increases
the risk of joint pain.
You should drink 2 liters of water per day, but be flexible.
In the summer that amount may go up, depending on the weather and the amount of time spent
exercising, so you should always make sure to stay properly hydrated.
Rest
Getting a good night’s sleep is essential, since all of our daily obligations cause stress,
and stress is a big source for joint pain.
Always sleep at least 8 hours a day, and maintain a regular sleep schedule.
Remember that muscles repair themselves during the night, while we’re sleeping.