12 Nov Joint Pain
Joint pain is a common complaint as people age. It is a relatively common occurrence, especially as medicine has allowed people to live longer. Joint pain has a wide variety of causes and can affect a person mildly, or make it so the person can no longer perform daily activities. With joint pain as such a common ailment in today’s day and age, there has been a lot of research focused on how to give those suffering a better quality of life. While joint pain is uncomfortable, there are fortunately many treatments available to get people back to their everyday lives.
Joint pain can be caused by anything from an injury to infection to illness. The key to treating joint pain lies in accurately identifying the underlying cause of the pain. With so many causes possible, this process can take time and be complicated. However, without identifying the true underlying cause, it is impossible to accurately treat and rid the patient of the pain.
There are three main treatments for joint pain. These treatments include site-specific injections, physical therapy, and medication. Some patients will only require one treatment, whereas others may require a combination of all three. Site-specific injections allow a physician to inject some form of anti-inflammatory steroid medication into the specific joint that is experiencing pain. Relief can be felt relatively quickly, and injections are a great alternative to surgical intervention. Physical therapy is often used in conjunction with other forms of treatment. Physical therapy helps the patient maintain a good range of motion, despite any pain he or she may be feeling, and helps the patient to strengthen muscle groups, which may help the affected joint. Medication may also be used to help with doing pain. Prescriptions usually include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, and antidepressants, which may help reduce nerve irritation.
The main goal of treatment should be to avoid surgery and treat the underlying cause. Surgery comes with a plethora of side effects and is not guaranteed to help with the pain. In addition, treating the symptom of pain by itself may reduce pain for a period of time, but it will always end up reoccurring. Identifying the cause of joint pain, whether that be arthritis, injury, gout, tendinitis, overuse, or bursitis, is key to developing a holistic plan to help fix the core problem, and thus, the pain associated with the problem.
As people continue to live longer and longer thanks to modern medicine, it is more common to see a breakdown of the human body. One of the most common ways this presents itself is through joint pain. Joint pain may start mild, but it can easily escalate to the point it dramatically diminishes a person’s quality of life and prevents them from carrying out daily activities. Fortunately, there is a wide range of treatment options available, such as site-specific injections, physical therapy, and medication, which can all be used in place of surgery. Joint pain is problematic. But, it is important to remain hopeful and speak to your doctor about the best course of action for whatever the underlying problem is causing the joint pain.