Pain is some kind of a warning telling you that something is wrong with your system. Pain can be frustrating and even disabling especially if it affects the joints. Joint pain can be the worst of all. It can drain you and it can disturb your everyday routine. The pain is just a symptom of the real cause that is why it is important to identify the cause so that proper treatment is given.
Joint pain can be illustrated in several ways and the most common of all is discomfort or tenderness when touched, inflammation or swelling in the affected area, limited in movement and bruised feeling. These symptoms can be linked to different kinds of conditions. It is not because you are advance in age does not mean that your joint pain is a sign of arthritis although it is a common cause of joint pain.
The most common cause identified for painful joints is Arthritis. There are hundreds of different types of arthritis which causes inflammation of the joints. Among the most common types are Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Septic Arthritis.
Another contributor to painful joints is injuries. You may find redness and swelling around the affected area when bones, cartilage or ligaments are affected by some kind of activity like accidents, outdoor activities or sports. As first aid, it is important to put ice in the affected area and seek medical attention immediately so that you will know the extent of the injury.
Joint pains can be cause by infectious diseases like influenza, bursitis, hepatitis, chicken pox, mumps and rheumatic fever. Inflammation and soreness of joints also cause Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. If this condition is left untreated it can develop into a much serious problem than just pain. If your pain is accompanied with bulls eye rash, tiredness and headache then you can be affected with Lyme’s disease.
Another cause of joint pain is Gout arthritis. Pain is specifically located in the legs, ankles or feet. This condition can simply be treated with a change in diet. Changing your diet with foods high in fiber that is to include plenty of vegetables and fruits, eight glasses or more of water every day plus exercise will certainly lessen the pain and get rid of it in time.
Thus it is vital that the cause of painful joints should be accurately identified. Doctors usually diagnose the cause through physical examination, medical history of the patient, MRI, X-rays or bone scans and urine tests.
Relieving the pain is the major concern but knowing the cause and treating it is the main goal of every physician. Consult your doctor fast if joint pain is combine with chills or fever; upset stomach and severe headache. Make sure to tell your doctor all of the symptoms so that the condition will be diagnose correctly.
There is one supplement today that is widely known that is the Glucosamine sulfate. It is know to lessen the progress of arthritis according to large study published in the United Kingdom’s popular journal that is The Lancet. In these study participants suffering from knee osteoarthritis is given either 1500 mg of placebo or Glucosamine for a period of three years.
The result is participants who received placebo has experienced narrowing in the joint space resulting to more loss of cartilage while Glucosamine showed no further narrowing of the joint space and has improved the patients movement. Researchers have further concluded that Glucosamine can lessen the progress of osteoarthritis.
This is just one of the studies that are being done to support the effectiveness of this supplement in reducing pain brought about by Arthritis. There are still a lot more studies and research you can find with Glucosamine supplement.