What’s The Deal with Joint Pain?

We all know the uncomfortable, achy feeling that is occasional joint pain. Whether the joint pain you experience is from an injury, a condition like arthritis or simply a result of the wear-and-tear of everyday life, it is no fun to deal with.

If you deal with occasional or chronic joint pain, don’t feel like you’re in this alone. Did you know one in five Canadian adults suffer from chronic pain? And shockingly, this isn’t a diagnosis that predictably comes with age, one in five Canadian children have weekly or more frequent chronic pains, one of the most common being muscle, joint or back pain. Joint pain is a major problem among the whole population!

We all deserve to feel our absolute best and suffering from joint pain definitely hinders us from achieving that goal. If you’re finding yourself frustrated with those aches and pains, look no further! Check out my tips for preventing, treating and dealing with joint pain.

Prevention

When it comes to preventing joint pain as we age, it is all about maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately, no magic concoction can guarantee that you’ll feel loose and limber well into your 90s. You have to make healthy choices apart of your everyday lifestyle so your body will have the strength to heal itself when it is injured.

For optimum bone health, try incorporating vitamin D and calcium rich foods into your diet. Reach for dairy products and dark, leafy greens for your daily dose of calcium and foods loaded with healthy fats like salmon and eggs for vitamin D. Not only will eating a nutrient-rich diet fight off occasional joint pain, it will also ward off more serious conditions like arthritis and osteoporosis.

Limiting your intake of alcohol, caffeine and soft drinks will also do your joints some good in the long run.

Exercise is vital at every age for healthy joints. Not only does exercise improve your bone health, it also increases muscle strength, coordination and balance which prevent injuries from occurring.

The best exercise for your bones involves weight-bearing, which forces you to work against gravity. Some examples of weight-bearing exercises include weight training, walking, hiking or jogging—basically any sport or activity that has you up on your feet and moving! Even if that means an evening walk around the neighbourhood, getting in a little bit of movement everyday is key to building strong bones. If you are suffering from severe joint pain, it is always best to consult with your doctor before beginning any fitness routine.

Treatment

For those of you dealing with joint pain who can’t seem to get comfortable, no matter how you sit, stand or lay, here are some recommendations that don’t involve popping pain killers.

Relax and soothe those achy joints in an Epsom salt bath. Epsom salt contains magnesium sulfate which is a fantastic substance when it comes to pain relief. A naturally occurring mineral, magnesium sulfate has been used to get relief from pain for years due to its high levels of magnesium. Add approximately ½ – 1 cup of Epsom salts to a warm bath and soak for at least 20 minutes to reap the full benefits.

For the occasional bout of joint stiffness, hot and cold therapy can work wonders. Alternating hot and cold treatments helps to ease pain and stiffness by reducing inflammation. For heat therapy try using heating pads, patches or taking a warm bath or shower, and for cold therapy, an ice pack will do the trick. This is one of the best methods of drug-free pain relief, though expect it may take some trial and error to figure out exactly what works for your particular kind of pain.

Incorporating Jamieson’s new range of supplements, BodyGUARD, into your daily routine is a great solution for nagging joint pain. This range has been developed specifically for people of all ages looking for effective and natural relief from joint issues and the aches and pains of everyday life. Enriched with vitamin D3 and Jamieson’s revolutionary NEM formula, this is the ultimate once-a-day supplement for joint and bone health.

The range includes the original BodyGUARD for joint and bone health, BodyGUARD Night for those who suffer from joint pain and have trouble falling/staying asleep at night as a result, BodyGUARD Sport for those with an active lifestyle who experience joint pain from physical activities and BodyGUARD Anti-Inflammatory which helps to relieve sufferers of joint and osteoarthritis pain caused by inflammation. This range is definitely worth trying out in hopes to achieve long-term joint pain relief!

I hope some of my tips work for you and provide relief from those pesky aches and pains!

Do you suffer from joint pain? Have you discovered any tricks or remedies that work for you? Let us know!

Wishing you a pain-free day, Ottawa Lifers!