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Informative Articles

Diet and Exercise Evolution: Adaptation (part II) -- Examples and Practical Advice
Understanding the theory of adaptation (see previous article, Adaptation I) will give you the tools to evaluate your diet and daily routine. If you have any question about whether something is good for you, always examine both the immediate...

How Much Is Enough?
HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH? There is a lot of information on just how much protein you need to eat to gain the muscle you want to. It is true that protein builds muscle mass, but it can also be burned as energy instead of being used to build and recover...

How To Overcome Workout Plateaus
Humans are habitual. They strive on routine and rituals. While it’s true that routine can provide a sense of ease and security, I think we’d all agree that the same old, same old can also turn to boredom. And when it comes to working out,...

Spice Up Your Workouts With Interval Training
There’s been a lot of buzz recently about Interval Training. So, you may be wondering what it really is and, more importantly, why you should incorporate it in your fitness workouts. Well, if you want a workout that can help propel you to the next...

Weight Loss Secret -- Think Bodybuilding
This little known secret has been used by bodybuilders for sometime now to achieve astounding results, including healthy weight loss when necessary. Keep in mind, however, that bodybuilders also practice the diet basics of healthy weight...

 
Joint Pain Relief: An Overview

Your knees, shoulders, and elbows are all large joints. Your hands and feet contain many tiny joints. Our joints are used for almost every movement we make. Half of adults over age 65 - or more than 20 million Americans, endure recurrent or chronic joint pain, stiffness, and sometimes swelling. Joint pain can be so severe that ordinary daily activities of sufferers, such as eating a bowl of cereal or washing one’s hair, become difficult or even impossible.

For many years, treatment options for joint pain relief were limited to two types of medications: acetaminophen (Tylenol) or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Both are effective treatments for mild joint pain, and the latter reduces joint inflammation too.

Recent medical studies show that sufferers themselves can greatly improve their condition through exercise. Exercise builds strength and flexibility, and toning the muscles that surround the joint helps to stabilize it. Exercise can reduce stiffness, increase blood flow, and aid in weight loss, which takes the stress off of joints. Patients should determine a safe level of exercise with their doctor, and together develop a routine individually tailored to provide the optimum benefit to the sufferer.

Heating pads, ice packs and topical creams, rubs, and sprays provide


short-term joint pain relief. For persistent, chronic joint pain, injections of the steroid glucocorticoid can provide relief for about three weeks, and injections of hyaluronic acid, a substance naturally present in joints, can last up to a year.

Surgery may be necessary for patients with debilitating joint pain. Surgeons may elect to realign the joint or completely replace the damaged joint with an artificial one. Total joint replacement can bring dramatic joint pain relief for many patients.

Natural supplements such as glucosamine (derived from crustaceans’ shells) and chodroitin (a part of connective tissue from cow tracheas) may help alleviate joint pain as well. Alternative treatments like supplements and acupuncture have become increasingly popular in recent years, so much so that the National Institute of Health is currently conducting research on both to determine the effect they have on joint pain relief. Results of this research may validate supporters’ claims or even alter the prescribed course of treatment. Pain Relief Info provides detailed information on arthritis, back, joint, lower back, natural, chronic, neck, sciatica, knee, fibromyalgia, and muscle pain relief. Pain Relief Info is the sister site of Acid Reflux Web.