How to Alleviate Joint Pain at Home

For someone living with joint pain, daily activities can be a burden. Simply taking your dog for a walk or dancing at a wedding can seem impossible to enjoy. There are a number of reasons for painful joints. Joint pain can be the result of an inflammation from an injury. This can limit joint movement and cause stiffness. Another common cause of joint pain is disease of the joint. For example, arthritis. If you find yourself in pain, here are some helpful tips for alleviating joint pain at home.

Weight Loss

Losing weight can alleviate pressure on your joints. Try low impact exercises such as swimming and biking to avoid further irritating your joints. Swimming is another good exercise to try that doesn’t put pressure on your joints.

Take a warm bath

A long warm bath or shower will help relieve stiffness in your joints. This can be particularly helpful in the mornings. You can also try using a warm blanket or heating pad to keep your joints loose.

Healthy diet

A healthy diet is always beneficial to your overall health and wellness. There are several foods you can add to your diet to help with joint pain. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids help reduce swelling and inflammation. This healthy fat is found in salmon, sardines, mackerel, trout, flaxseeds and walnuts. Try eating 3 to 4 ounces of fish, twice a week. Foods rich in vitamin D promote healthy bones. In addition to your fish, try to add some more milk or cheese to your diet as well.

P.R.I.C.E

Whether your joint pain stems from disease or injury, it is helpful to remember the acronym P.R.I.C.E.

· Protection: When dealing with joint pain, you want to make sure and prevent further injury.

· Rest: If you are in a lot of pain, give your body plenty of time to rest to allow it’s natural healing abilities to kick it. You don’t want to push your body too hard and further irritate your joints.

· Ice: A cold ice pack can help reduce inflammation and swelling.

· Compression: A compression wrap will also help reduce swelling to the affected area.

· Elevation: Elevate the joint to reduce the amount of blood flow reaching the area. This helps with swelling. Make sure to raise the affected joint above your heart.