You don’t have to be over the age of fifty to suffer from stiff and aching joints. Whether it’s acute or chronic, the pain from throbbing joints can be excruciating and debilitating. It can be difficult to go about your daily life, move or even function normally. Finding out the cause of your pain is important. It could be arthritis, inflammation or a nasty bout of flu. The reason for your stiffness will dictate the course of action you need to take. If you are suffering from aching joints, take a look at these simple ways to relieve some of your symptoms.
Weight
If you are a few pounds overweight, it’s time to cut down on those sugary snacks and get a little leaner. Excess weight and fat around your joints can lead to inflammation. If you have aching hips and knees, it could be that you are carrying too much bulk putting undue pressure on your joints. You need to head to the gym, try some gentle walking and eat a balanced diet. By doing all of these things, you will inevitably slim down. Ensure that you work some ginger into your diet every day as this spice has natural anti-inflammatory properties that could see an improvement in your symptoms.
Head To Your Doctor
There’s no need to try and save face and cope alone with your pain. It’s important to see a medical professional, especially if your symptoms are not improving or getting worse. You never know when aching joints could be a symptom of something more serious. By heading to a bulk billing medical clinic, you can save money by receiving lower consultation fees that are charged directly to the government. If your condition turns out to be chronic rather than acute, you may find that you need to visit the doctor more regularly and you may have more medication to take.
Hot And Cold
By using heat and cold compresses directly onto your aching joints, you could receive immediate, if not long-lasting relief. By swapping heat and cold packs every half an hour or so you are giving your muscles time to relax and then allowing circulation to increase. While not a cure, if your joint pain is down to a sports injury or a fall, by doing this for a few days, you could speed up your recovery.
Get Supple
While you may think yoga is all about gurus, sandalwood incense sticks and dreadlocked hippies, you couldn’t be more wrong. Yoga is an effective way to strengthen your core and gently exercise your muscles and joints. As well as the physical benefits of yoga, you will learn breathing techniques to help manage pain better. Some doctors now prescribe yoga as an alternative to pills believing that by keeping your joints flexible you can limit the degeneration of the cartilage in your knees.
Whether you have only recently started feeling a little niggle in your joints or whether you’ve been suffering for years, it’s time to follow this advice and manage your joint pain more effectively.
