Five natural ways to relieve and prevent joint pain!

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Joint pain is a common problem and can be caused by a number of issues such as steoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, sprain or other injury of the joint or adjacent tissues.

 

It can occur in any part of the body, but is most common in the knees, shoulders and hips. The pain can range from mild to severe, making movement extremely difficult and painful.

In most cases, mild joint pain can be managed at home. However, you should see a doctor if your joint pain is accompanied by swelling, redness, tenderness, or last for more than three days. Here are some self-care tips to alleviate and prevent a mild joint pain:

 

Massage therapy: Massage therapy is an excellent and easy way to ease joint pain. It helps relieve joint pain by improving circulation and soothing inflammation. You can either have it done professionally or do it at home. Gently massage the affected area using some warm oil like mustard, olive or coconut.

Ice therapy: Apply ice to your painful joint for 15 to 20 minutes a few times each day. This is because cold temperatures reduce blood flow, and therefore reduce tissue swelling. This therapy is vital for joint pain relief.

Heat therapy: Similarly, place the hot compress on the affected area for about three minutes. Heat therapy is important as it helps decrease pain, increase blood flow and reduce stiffness in painful joints. However, you need to wrap both the compresses (cold and hot) in separate towels before using them as they should not be applied directly to the skin.

Medications: You can also try certain medicines such as ibuprofen which are great for joint pain relief.

Rest: Rest plays an important role in recovery. It allows the body to repair and strengthen itself naturally.