I Told You I Was Sick

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), somewhere close to 50 million Americans suffer from some type of joint pain, most notably arthritis. There are many expensive drugs and treatments experts offer to heal joint pain, but it turns out that many patients need only to look to their own homes for pain relief. This article contains several easy, natural remedies for joint pain. There are many more complicated natural and homeopathic remedies as well, and many of them are very beneficial. This article, however, is focused on some entry level remedies that could very well make a big difference in the life of someone suffering from joint pain. As always, please consult whoever you look to for your health care needs before changing your diet or exercise routines drastically.

Bananas and Carrots

Let’s start with diet. Bananas contain potassium, and while it’s somewhat rare for adults to suffer from potassium deficiency, a slight increase in potassium might help with joint pain. Start with one banana and see if it makes any difference. The key here is to go slowly—starting on a potassium supplement out of the blue might actually increase your joint pain. As for carrots, there is no danger of taking in too much carrot juice or too many of the vitamins and nutrients contained within. It has been long thought that carrots help to reinforce ligaments, which are a key factor in joint pain. Carrot juice can be mixed into other juices or consumed directly.

Ginger

Ginger is another valuable thing that grows from the Earth and it can greatly help with joint pain. Basically, ginger contains an enzyme that helps to reduce inflammation and suppress pain triggers. It’s recommended that ginger is consumed in capsule form, and that initial the initial dose taken is small. A drastic increase in a patient’s ginger intake can cause some stomach problems. If you start slowly, however, ginger can alleviate some joint pain.

Proper Shoes

If you’re suffering from knee or ankle pain, you don’t need to look much further than your shoes for a good starting point. Look for shoes with a heel of less than one inch with comfortable padding around the inner side of the sole and a design that cups the heel. It’s also important to buy shoes for the athletic endeavors you participate in: walking shoes for walking, basketball shoes for basketball, etc. Also, this cannot be stressed enough—replace your shoes when they start to wear out, which is about every 6 months or 200 miles.

Exercise in Water

In general, water allows easy movement and supports your joints during exercise. Exercise restores mobility, strength and coordination to your joints, and its emotional benefits are also well recorded. When exercising in water, it is best to remember your own physical needs (do you need help getting in or out of the pool or hut tub?) and the temperature of the water (children and older people overheat more easily) before leaping into action. Water temperature should always feel soothing and should never feel too hot. Consult your health care specialist if you are concerned about the exact temperature of the water, but a good water exercise program can have you feeling better quickly.

Drink Water

This might seem like it falls completely into the realm of common sense, but it’s astounding how many people don’t drink enough water. Hydration is one of the key elements of health, so of course it can affect your joints and if they hurt or not. The cartilage in your joints is mostly made out of water. As the cells deteriorate in your joints, water is used to carry the nutrients that maintains and rejuvenates them. Staying hydrated is a way to make sure that your cartilage is constantly maintained and repaired, which should lessen joint pain.

There is a much larger world of joint care out there, and there are many amazing home remedies. These are simply surface level ideas and remedies that will get you on your way to better feeling joints with a minimum of effort and expenditure. As always, do your research and ask your health care provider as many questions as you can to find out what’s exactly right for you.

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Guest Post by: Ken Stanfield is a passionate blogger who spends his time researching and writing about health care, geriatric healthcare needs and humanitarianism. He is an online producer for the medical walkers supplier Justwalkers.com.