Millions of Americans live every day with chronic joint pain that can make moving the joints in the body unbearable. Most of the time this type of pain is due to osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or degenerative disease. Joint pain is sometimes caused by acute injuries, which can cause the joints to swell, ache, grow red and tender, and feel stiff and weak.
Regardless of the reason for your joint pain, there are ways to help reduce the pain you feel. Let’s talk about some of the simple ways in which you can minimize your joint pain and start feeling better again.
Stay in Control of Your Joint Pain
Always be aware of how your joints feel and how they respond to certain movements, whether you are sitting, standing, or walking. You can help reduce stiffness and pain by moving around and engaging in physical activity.
As always, you can take over-the-counter pain medication to help reduce your joint pain. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are excellent for short-term pain relief. Ask your orthopedist which one would work best for your body, because other medications you are taking or other pre-existing conditions can influence this decision.
Ask your orthopedist about whether physical therapy might help you. A physical therapist can show you how to exercise safely, as well as proper posture when sitting, standing, and walking. Also, if you have been favoring a leg or a joint, your therapist will help you stretch and strengthen it properly in order to regain some range of motion.
How Can I Reduce My Joint Pain?
For most people with joint pain, the best thing to do in order to help lessen your pain is to lose weight. Extra weight is damaging to your joints by putting extra pressure on them.
It is also an excellent idea to add daily stretching to your schedule to help loosen up those painful joints. It might seem counterintuitive to move around when it hurts, but keep your movements gentle and no-impact or low-impact – such as swimming or walking.
If you smoke, it is best to quit in order to reduce or eliminate your joint pain. Smoking causes stress on the connective tissues in the joints.
Arthritis Pain in the Hands
To determine whether the joint pain in your hands is caused by arthritis or another condition, your doctor will likely order some diagnostic exams and/or blood tests. Imaging tests can show how much deterioration or deformity of the hands is present.
If you are diagnosed with arthritis, there are many treatment options available to you. Medications have been extremely successful at quelling arthritis pain in the hands. Your orthopedist may also recommend that you go through a course of hand therapy in order to learn exactly how to use your hands with less pain.
Joint Pain Doctors in Maryland
If you have arthritis or a similar painful condition, learn how to better manage the joint pain by seeing Maryland’s most accomplished experts in the field of orthopedic medicine.
Contact our friendly team today at Greater Chesapeake Hand to Shoulder by calling us at (410) 296-6232 or request an appointment online, and get the treatment you need so you can get back to enjoying an active lifestyle.
