Live Life Team
While joint pains can be severe and debilitating, not all of them are caused by the same thing, and it is always worth bearing this in mind before deciding what course of action you want to take to help manage and get rid of the pain. For example, some can just be caused by sleeping funny, or by a minor injury, whereas some are far more chronic and need to be looked at differently to make sure the problem can be fixed quick enough before it becomes too much of a problem when interacting with everyday life. Therefore, picking joint pain treatments can be broken down into certain aspects.
Try not to be too active
When pain has flared up, one of the easiest ways to settle is to allow the problem area to rest. Of course, depending on what part of the body it is, this is sometimes much easier to do than with other areas.
If you are struggling with a pain on the foot or ankle, it is a lot harder to get around, and it may be necessary to accept that you just need to put your feet up for a while until the pain is manageable again.
When it comes to the legs, including the knees and the hips, sometimes a sudden twist or turn can leave you in agony, and sometimes it is just a continual dull pain that causes discomfort throughout the day. While you are trying to let things heal, there are some options to consider:
Putting hot or cold presses on the affected area
Getting tube bandages which can support the joint when moving
Wearing looser clothing which is less constricting on the joint
Managing pain through medication or therapy
All of these above will give your body more of a chance of recovery, but if it happens to be something where the pain is not dissipating fast enough, it may be worth looking into other options that can sort you out quicker.
Not all of these problems will need the strongest painkillers, but some of them will really benefit from it, and you may only need one or two for the pain to go away, and then you can be back to normal. Alternatively, physiotherapy, massages and various other physical treatments are often recommended by medical professionals to help get your body back into the right condition.
With this in mind, it is always worth looking into:
Speaking to your doctor or pharmacist about the right kinds of medication to treat the pain
Getting basic painkillers and rest to see if it helps
Strengthening the joints at home through basic exercises
Consulting medical professionals to get physio and other treatments
Naturally, not every problem can be fixed in the same way, and joint pain treatments can sometimes only be solved by something a little more difficult. While surgery is usually considered the last option in most cases, it is also thought to be a more immediate fix which is better than lying around in agony in particular circumstances.
Useful source: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/joint-pain/
