Understanding Joint Pain

Joint pain affects millions of people every day across the US. It can range from a mild pain caused by joint inflammation that goes away with over-the-counter medication like Tylenol or Advil to severe pain from arthritis or chronic pain that prevents you from completing your day-to-day activities. According to the CDC, one in four people report having severe arthritis or joint pain that interferes with their daily lives.

Joint pain is very common in the US, with 54 million people suffering from some form of joint pain. And you don’t have to be in an accident or suffer a sports injury. It can occur from repeated activities like lifting heavy objects or typing and sitting for eight hours a day. Most cases of joint pain are mild, and many people use home remedies and supplements for their joint pain relief.

There are numerous joint pain supplements you can use to treat joint inflammation that are very effective when combined with other at-home treatment options like eating a healthy diet, weight loss, and exercising. These simple changes and others can help reduce some of the painful side effects and allow you to get through the day with little to no joint pain.

What Is Joint Pain?

Joint pain happens when inflammation of the joints occurs due to repetitive motion, age, lack of use, or a car accident or sports-related injury. Joint inflammation can cause mild to severe pain depending on the cause and location of the joint pain. Knees and shoulders may feel stiff and achy in the morning after a full day of activity and feel better after some motion. In other cases, more motion can make the affected area feel worse and limit your ability to get around on your own.

Some of the common types of chronic joint pain include:

• Osteoarthritis (OA) – A common type of arthritis that happens over time with repetitive motion.
• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) – RA is an autoimmune and inflammatory disease where the body’s immune system attacks healthy cells and causes joint inflammation. Typically, this disease happens in the fingers and wrists.
• Gout – Gout is when crystals form and collect in your joints like your big toe and cause debilitating pain and swelling.
• Bursitis – Bursitis occurs when the bursae sacs, which are fluid-filled sacs that cushion your bones, tendons, and muscles in your joints, get inflamed and can cause severe pain. This happens most commonly in the hips, elbows, and shoulders.
• Viral infections – Sometimes, other medical conditions can lead to joint pain when it causes inflammation in your body. You can still use natural joint supplements to help with joint inflammation while your body battles the virus.
• Injuries – Broken bones can heal, but arthritis is common when there is a break or fracture to the bone.
• Tendonitis – Inflammation of the tendons that connect bone and muscle together can cause joint pain due to injury or overuse. Mild cases of tendonitis can be treated with home remedies and stretching. 

Some people are more likely to suffer from joint pain more than others, including people who:

• Have a history of depression, anxiety, or stress
• Have a previous injury from childhood
• Work a repetitive job
• Are overweight
• Are generally in poor health
• Have a history of arthritis or other chronic conditions.

If you are suffering from chronic joint pain, there are other treatment options for joint pain relief that you can do at home and help reduce your joint inflammation.

Most Common Body Parts Affected by Joint Pain

Joint pain can happen anywhere where two or more bones meet and rub up against each other if the muscle around the joint is inflamed or the cartilage is worn. The most common body parts that are affected by arthritis and joint pain include:

• Hands
• Feet
• Hips
• Knees
• Spine

Joint Pain Symptoms

If the cartilage between your bones is worn or desiccated, the bones will rub together and cause mild to severe pain with symptoms that include:

• Burning
• Throbbing
• Grating or rubbing sensation
• Stiffness
• Swelling
• Numbness
• Trouble bending or standing
• Redness of the skin

Over-the-counter medications can help with some mild pain relief, along with stretching and using heat or ice to help reduce the inflammation. If these and other home remedies mentioned below do not help relieve your joint pain, you will need to see your primary care doctor or physical therapist for other treatment options for reducing your joint pain.

Home Remedies for Joint Pain Relief

When you first begin to feel joint pain anywhere in your body, it may be a sign that you need to take a break or that you are putting too much strain on yourself. While there is no cure for joint pain, there are some simple things you can do at home to manage your pain and reduce joint inflammation.

Weight Loss

If you are overweight, you are putting more stress on your joints, putting you at risk for increasing joint pain. Reducing your weight even by 5 to 10 pounds can significantly reduce the strain on your joints and give you some much-needed pain relief.

Start a Low-Impact Exercise Routine

Exercises like walking, swimming, and biking are great low-impact exercises that can help keep you limber and your muscles strong. Even those who follow a strenuous workout routine can benefit from adding a low-impact exercise routine to give their muscles time to recover and keep them from stiffening up.

Hot and Cold Therapy

Using heat and cold therapy to reduce inflammation is a great way to help reduce pain and swelling after strenuous activity or a long day at the office. There are heating and cooling gels that you can apply directly to your skin if using a heating pad or ice pack is inconvenient.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese method that has many therapeutic benefits and is conditionally recommended by the American College of Rheumatology and Arthritis Foundation (ACR/AF). Thin needles are inserted just below the skin to increase blood flow to the area and help reduce pain, muscle stiffness, and inflammation.

Meditation

Most people are not aware of the connection between depression and joint pain. Stress, anxiety, and depression can all lead to joint pain if left untreated. If someone feels stressed every day, that long-term stress can build up and lead to joint inflammation. Meditation and low-impact practices such as Tai-chi can help reduce your stress levels and give you a great low-impact exercise routine you can practice at home.

Follow a Healthy Diet

A healthy diet filled with whole foods, fresh fruits, and vegetables can give you added protection against joint pain. A diet that includes a lot of vegetables will provide you with extra antioxidants which help reduce inflammation. At the same time, a diet rich in meats, processed foods, and sugar can increase inflammation and your weight and lead to other health issues.

Weekly/Bi-Weekly Massages

Treating yourself to regular massages will help you relax physically and mentally. A masseuse can work at the area where you are experiencing pain and help break up tight muscles and improve blood flow.

Ginger

Ginger is a powerhouse spice that tastes great in your food or drink and is very beneficial for joint pain relief. It helps reduce inflammation by blocking the pain-causing chemicals that are common with joint pain. You can use it in a tea or mix it in with your meals. You can crush raw ginger and apply it directly to your skin as a poultice or take ginger supplements as part of your daily joint pain supplements.

Best Joint Supplements for Pain Relief

There are plenty of herbal joint pain supplements on the market that can help with joint pain relief, but few combine many natural ingredients to create a synergistic inflammation-reducing effect.

Edica Naturals takes a holistic view of joint pain using six all-natural ingredients blended to reduce joint pain, strengthen joints and improve flexibility. The synergistic effect of combining these ingredients makes the difference in reducing pain and inflammation.

NEM®

Nem, or natural eggshell membrane, is a natural supplement that is extracted from the hen eggshell membrane. The membrane contains glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) glucosamine, chondroitin, and hyaluronic acid. These compounds maintain healthy cartilage synovium and connective tissue

Protects cartilage.

• Improve range of motion
• Support joint comfort
  

Black Cohosh

Found as a root, black cohosh is classified as a medicinal ingredient. Expressly noted, the root contains several chemicals that may strengthen the immune system and reduce inflammation in tissue throughout the body.

Anti-inflammatory & prevents bone degeneration.

• Improving mood-related symptoms
• Support anxiety reduction
  

Bambusa Vulgaris (Silicon)

Bambusa Vulgaris extract comes from the bamboo plant. This natural extract is shown by research to provide the body with increased antioxidants.

Strengthens bones & protects connective tissue.

• Powerful antioxidant
• Keeps your skin safe from damaging free radicals
• Keeps your skin comparatively supple and moisturized
  

Vitamin D3

Vitamin D is one of the essential vitamins. This compound helps regulate how calcium and phosphorus are used in the body. Vitamin D3 helps create and maintain typical bone structure by increasing the amount of calcium that your body can collect from food.

Reduces inflammation & supports bone health.

• Enhances the absorption of calcium in the small intestine
  

Magnesium

Magnesium is a naturally occurring mineral found all over the earth, in seas, plants, and animals, including humans. Almost 60% of the magnesium in our bodies is contained in your bone, while the remaining 40% is found in fluids and tissue. (1Trusted Source) 

Magnesium is found inside every cell of your body, making it an essential requirement for optimal function. 

Magnesium maintains muscle and nerve function.

• Boost Exercise Performance
• Anti-Inflammatory Benefits
  

Ascorbic Acid

Ascorbic Acid is also known as Vitamin C, is a vitamin that is required by the body daily. Vitamin C supports proper immune function.

Ascorbic Acid reduces free radicals.

• Boosts immunity
• Supports reduce uric blood levels

This ingredient section Maybe move up or go without, will that hurt ranking? I’m adding product specific ingredients.

Curcumin

This compound is from the Curcuma longa plant species and is the main component in Turmeric. Curcumin blocks the enzymes and proteins that produce inflammation and pain. Several reports show just 2mg of curcumin has the same pain relief as 800mg of ibuprofen.

Boswellia

Boswellia serrata, aka Indian Frankincense, has shown to be very effective in treating knee pain. Some patients are reporting up to seven days of pain relief over other osteoarthritis-relieving supplements.

Collagen

Collagen is an abundant protein found in the connective tissues between bone and muscle. It plays a significant role in treating joint pain and can help protect the cartilage in your body and potentially increase your bones' strength.

Vitamin D

Low levels of Vitamin D may produce bone, joint, and muscle pain. Vitamin D helps you absorb calcium, which is a major building block for your bones. It can also help with your range of motion as it helps facilitate phosphates, which are good for the muscles around your joints.

PEA

PEA stands for Palmitoylethanolamide and not the vegetable, although both are good for you. PEA was discovered in the 1950s as a potent anti-inflammatory that showed promise for helping patients with lower-back pain, chronic pelvic pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome. PEA is a cannabinoid and is in egg yolks, soybeans, and milk.

Devil’s Claw

Harpagophytum procumbens, or Devil’s Claw, is an herb native to South Africa and is a popular joint pain supplement for treating inflammation, low-back pain, and arthritis in Germany and Europe. Research has shown that taking Devil’s Claw for 8 to 12 weeks can positively reduce pain and improve joint mobility in patients with osteoarthritis.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What kind of doctor should you see for joint pain?

When you first experience minimal joint pain, you can see your regular doctor and get an initial diagnosis. They may prescribe an anti-inflammatory or pain medication for temporary relief and recommend physical therapy. If you have severe joint pain due to an accident, sports injury, or arthritis, your primary care doctor can recommend you to a:

• Rheumatologist – Specializing in arthritis and diseases in the muscles, bones, and joints.
• Orthopedists – Orthopedists specialize in disorders and treatment of the skeletal system and the joints holding it all together.
• Orthopedic surgeon – A surgeon can help repair torn ligaments and joint replacement when other options cannot relieve your joint pain.
• Regenerative – A new option for joint pain relief is through a non-surgical option that stimulates the body’s natural healing abilities to repair damaged tissue and reduce joint pain.

2. How do you know when joint pain is serious?

When joint pain begins to interfere with your daily life and you cannot complete simple tasks, it is time to see a doctor about your joint pain. You should also make an appointment to see a doctor if your joint pain includes a fever or you have a sudden unexplained weight loss.

3. How is joint pain diagnosed?

When you first experience joint pain, schedule an appointment with your primary care doctor for an initial examination. They will examine the affected area for pain and range of motion. Your doctor may order additional tests to look for fluid in the joints, deterioration, and bone spurs. If your family has a history of joint pain, be sure to let your doctor know so they can get you the right treatment for your joint pain.

4. What happens if you ignore joint pain?

Ignoring your joint pain is a bad idea. If you suffer from continuous joint pain and do not treat it, you can expect increasing pain and less range of motion. An injury to your knees, hips, or other joints should be checked by a doctor immediately. If left untreated, you are risking further damage and chronic pain to the area.

5. Are joint supplements really effective?

Joint supplements are very effective in treating all types of joint pain due to arthritis, injury, or genetic conditions. Your primary care doctor may have you try natural supplements first if the pain is mild and not interfering with your activities.

Knowing Which Natural Joint Pain Supplements are Right for Treating Your Joint Pain

There are plenty of natural joint pain supplements that have shown to be effective in treating joint pain and helping people get through their days pain-free. Before starting any new supplement or exercise routine or changing your diet for joint pain relief, check with your doctor to get their recommendations, as they may be able to suggest other home treatment options that you can try.

Doctors today understand the benefits of natural supplements and home remedies and will work with your treatment options to ensure you get the best treatment for your joint pain relief.

Edica Naturals was developed specifically to provide natural, safe and effective remedies that we use on ourselves and families.