Joint pain can affect hundreds of thousands of Americans. It can cause everything from minor discomforts to crippling disability. Although the causes and treatments vary, there is one thing that all people suffering from joint pain share: they would be more mobile and comfortable without it. Osteoarthritis, inflammatory arthritis like gout or rheumatoid, and physical injury to the joint can all cause joint pain. This can often lead to arthritis in the affected joints. Osteoarthritis occurs when the protective cartilage between the bone ends wears away, causing bone to grind against each other, which can lead to bone damage, deformation, and sometimes inflammation of the surrounding soft tissues.
Types
This type of arthritis is most common in seniors, and affects knees, hips spines, hands, and hands. It can be very debilitating and require frequent hip or knee replacements. Gout and Rheumatoid Arthritis are joint inflammations that cause severe, acute bouts and redness, swelling, and joint deformity. Although the exact cause of the condition is not known, it is believed that certain bacterial and fungal pathogens as well as diet may be involved. These diseases can be characterized by flare-ups or remissions that last for a variety of reasons.
Rheumatoid is a condition where an environmental factor triggers an abnormal reaction in the immune system. This causes the system to attack the body’s own cells. This type of arthritis can lead to joint fixation and debility. For obvious reasons, injuries can cause joint pain. A torn meniscus, or cartilage in the knee, is a common injury. This usually requires the removal of the damaged piece to prevent the joint from being impeded by the torn material. This can also cause a knee injury that leaves the knee with less protection than it should.
Cartilage
Depending on how much cartilage has been lost, intermittent pain from certain movements can last for years or even become a lifelong problem. Also very common in knees is the loss of ligaments. This can lead to a weakening structure that doesn’t hold the joint in a stable place. These problems can lead to arthritis over time. Joint pain can be prevented or relieved by protecting our joints. Avoiding movements that are not in harmony with the natural curve of the joint is the best thing. It makes sense!
Although anti-inflammatory medications can be helpful in decreasing pain caused by inflammation, many of them have side effects such as increased bleeding or bowel ulcerations. Not everyone can take enough. It is important to eat a healthy, balanced diet to ensure adequate bone, cartilage, and ligament production. This is especially true for the essential nutrients calcium, magnesium and vitamin D.
They can be found in large quantities in dairy products, fish oil, navy beans and turnip greens, tuna, whole wheat flour, and in milk products. Supplementation with certain substances, such as glucosamine or chondroitin, has been shown to be extremely beneficial in the restoration of damaged joints.