Oh, My Aching Joints!

Seventy percent of women and men aged 50-80 in the United States report some type of joint pain, according to a National Poll on Aging. About 60% of them were diagnosed by a physician as having arthritis.

Although arthritis is the most common source of joint pain, arthritis itself is merely an umbrella term that covers more than 100 types of joint pain. Arthritis affects all ages, sexes, and races, and is the leading cause of disability in the U.S.

If you have joint pain, the first step is to understand why. At Modern Wellness Clinic, our team of knowledgeable providers first determines the factors involved in your joint pain by conducting a thorough investigation, which may include:

• Physical exam
• Medical history
• Blood tests
• Urine tests
• Joint fluid tests
• MRIs
• CT scans
• Ultrasound

In addition to arthritis, joint pain could be caused by a number of conditions and diseases. Some possibilities include:

• Broken bones
• Bone cancer
• Lyme disease
• Pseudogout
• Rheumatic fever
• Sprains or strains
• Tendinitis
• Being overweight or obese

Once we make a diagnosis, we then customize a treatment plan. Depending on your particular type of joint pain and underlying conditions you may have, you could benefit from a combination of therapies.

Change your lifestyle

Sometimes joint pain resolves when you make new choices in the way you eat and move. Eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as healthy sources of proteins and fats, while avoiding processed foods may help ease the pain in your joints.

Exercise, too, is an excellent way to help your joints help themselves. When you move your stiff, painful joints, they release a lubricating synovial fluid that helps them glide smoothly, easily, and painlessly.

Treat yourself

Some easy home remedies for joint pain include the RICE protocol. If your joint pain is the result of an injury or a sprain, simply Rest your joint, Ice it throughout the day, Compress it, and Elevate it.

You may find that athletic tape (also called kinesiology tape) gives you relief, too. When you apply the tape to your joints, it supports your muscles and other tissues, and increases circulation to the area. Taping can help you move with greater ease and less pain.

Try physical therapy

Athletes use kinesiology tape to improve their performance and help heal injuries. They also rely on physical therapists to help them learn to move more efficiently to avoid injury and wear-and-tear.

Your physical therapist helps you build strength in the muscles, tendons, and ligaments that support your joints. They also strengthen your core, which releases stress on your lower joints.

Inject support

When your joints ache because of aging or other reasons, you may be missing hyaluronic acid, which your body produced in youth to keep your skin and joints flexible and moist. We may recommend hyaluronic acid injections to replenish your joints.

Swelling and pain can be diminished with corticosteroid injections. By controlling inflammation, you control pain.

Reinvigorate your joints

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and other regenerative medicine therapies help your joints rebuild themselves by providing them with proteins and growth factors from your own blood. We also offer certain types of stem cell therapies to help your body heal.

Get relief with prescription medications

When you’re in pain, you need relief right away. Some therapies, such as PRP, may take weeks to work. We may prescribe pain killers or medications that slow the progression of your disease.

You may need surgery

When your joint pain is due to a severe injury, surgery may be your best solution. We can treat fractures, repair damaged tissues, and also administer PRP therapy to help you heal. In some cases, surgery can restore your joint’s structure and thereby improve its pain-free function.

If you have joint pain, get the answers and customized therapies you need to start feeling better. Contact our helpful office staff by phone at 702-463-9159 today. Or use our online booking form.