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JOINT PAINThe most common cause of joint pain is arthritis. The joint pain caused due to arthritis may come from different sources. These may include inflammation of the synovial membrane, the tendons, or the ligaments, muscle strain and fatigue. Factors that contribute to the pain include swelling within the joint, the amount of heat or redness present, or damage that has occurred within the joint. Some of the common steps you can take to help alleviate this joint pain are as follows-- • Medications Because people with osteoarthritis have little or no inflammation, pain relievers like acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol®) may be effective. People with rheumatoid arthritis generally have pain caused by inflammation and often benefit from aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (e.g., Motrin® or Advil®). • Heat and cold The effectiveness of either heat or cold for joint pain depends on the type of arthritis; before using these methods for pain relief, discuss them with your doctor or physical therapist. Moist heat, such as a warm bath or shower, or dry heat, such as a heating pad, may relieve pain if placed on the painful area of the joint for about 15 minutes. An ice pack or bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel and placed on the sore area for about 15 minutes may help to reduce swelling and stop pain. • Joint protection Using a splint or brace to allow joints to rest and protect them from injury can be helpful. Ask your doctor or physical therapist for recommendations. • Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) TENS works by blocking pain messages to the brain and modifying your perception of pain. A small electronic device is used to send mild electric pulses to nerve endings beneath the skin in the painful area. This technique may relieve some joint pain. • Massage A therapist lightly strokes and/or kneads the painful muscle, to increase blood flow and bring warmth to a stressed body area. However, arthritis-stressed joints are very sensitive; so the therapist must be knowledgeable about arthritis. • Acupuncture This procedure should only be done under sanitary conditions by a licensed acupuncture therapist. The therapist inserts thin needles at specific points in the body. Scientists think that this stimulates the release of natural, pain-relieving chemicals produced by the brain or nervous system. • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) These drugs, which include aspirin and ibuprofen, reduce pain and inflammation and may be used for both short- and long-term pain relief for people with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. • Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) These drugs are thought to influence and correct the abnormalities of the immune system that are responsible for diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. They include methotrexate, hydroxychloroquine, penicillamine, gold injections and newer, recently approved drugs. Treatment with these medications requires careful monitoring by a physician because of possible side effects. • Corticosteroids These drugs reduce inflammation, and can be very effective in treating arthritis, although they also may have significant side effects. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis may take prednisone by mouth, while patients with either osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis may receive injections of corticosteroids directly into the affected joint. Since frequent injections may damage the joint cartilage, this procedure should be done only once or twice a year. • Weight reduction Being overweight puts extra stress on weight-bearing joints such as the knees and hips. Studies show that losing only 11 pounds can substantially reduce the risk of developing osteoarthritis in the knees -- and even if a person already has osteoarthritis in one knee, weight reduction will reduce the risk of it occurring in the other knee. • Exercise Swimming, walking, low-impact aerobic exercise and range-of-motion exercises may reduce joint pain and stiffness. In addition, stretching exercises are helpful. Your doctor or your physical therapist can help plan an exercise program that will give you the most benefit. • Surgery Surgery may be necessary in certain patients with arthritis. Surgeons can perform operations to remove inflamed joint tissue, realign the joint or replace severely damaged joints with artificial ones. These joint replacements have disadvantages, but in appropriate cases they can provide not only pain relief but also improved motion in the involved joint. |
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