Pain Relief

Arthritis is considered a disease associated with aging bones and joints. Unfortunately, rheumatoid arthritis and specifically juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, affect millions of people and most are diagnosed under the age of 50. Rheumatoid arthritis, which is an autoimmune disorder that causes chronic inflammation of the joints, is the result of a confused immune system that destroys healthy cells, causing permanent tissue damage and cartilage depletion.

Rheumatoid arthritis may also damage other healthy organs of the body. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis affects approximately 50,000 American children between the ages of six months and 16 years. It is usually temporary, but causes permanent joint damage. This article will discuss some of the methods of juvenile and adult rheumatoid arthritis pain relief.

Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain Relief Methods

Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA) may begin with a fever, rash, or broken bone. It is diagnosed by blood work, bone scan, bone marrow sampling, or a test for the rheumatoid factor. Methods of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis pain relief include: medication, physical therapy, exercise, injection of steroids into joints and lifestyle changes. The goal of treating arthritis in children is to prevent long-term destruction of joints.

It is also important to keep children active and happy. Arthritis can cause significant pain, so many children may want to remain sedentary, but this is not a good option. Children must remain active to keep muscles strong. Arthritis pain can also cause depression. It is important that children’s emotional needs be treated as well as their physical needs. These are a few of the juvenile rheumatoid arthritis pain relief methods.

Adult Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain Relief Methods

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) may begin as swollen fingers, pain in the hips or knees, or difficulty holding a hair brush. It, like JRA, can be diagnosed by blood work, bone scan, MRI, x-ray, or a test for the rheumatoid factor. If the RA factor is not present, a patient can still obtain the RA diagnosis depending on his/her presenting symptoms. Methods of rheumatoid arthritis pain relief include medication, exercise/physical therapy, steroid injection and lifestyle changes.

Oral medications like ibuprofen, acetaminophen and naproxen sodium can be used to treat pain and swelling. Topical medication like aspirin creams and capsaicin creams can be useful analgesics.

Losing weight can reduce arthritis pain. Maintaining and even increasing overall strength, can also keep joints supported. Physical therapy can strengthen the body, make joints more flexible and ease pain by application of cold and hot packs. Injection of corticosteroids can reduce inflammation and swelling in joints. Moving to a dry climate, limiting certain types of physical activity and maintaining a healthy diet, are all excellent methods of rheumatoid arthritis pain relief.

Muscle pain has many different causes which are various and diverse. It can actually depend on the activities you do and your daily diet. Injuries are also some causes of muscle pains, as well as the way you sleep or rest. Muscle pain relief is not as diverse as the causes of this ailment.

Drugs for Muscle Pain Relief

In most cases of muscle pain, some over the counter muscle pain relief medication can relieve the aches and pains of less severe muscle pain. Some of the more common muscle pain relief medications are aspirin, ibuprofen and paracetamol. For more excruciating pain, muscle pain relief can be found in prescription drugs that need to be recommended by doctors.

Natural Muscle Pain Relief

There are several methods that can give muscle pain relief to individuals. A hot bath can be equivalent to a hot compress, that can soothe sore and aching muscles. This form of muscle pain relief is very soothing and can promote faster recovery time. Other forms of natural therapy to soothe muscle pains are massage, acupressure and acupuncture.

Massage is a very common form of muscle pain relief that we do even without considering it. We rub the muscles that feel sore and achy, even if we have no actual professional experience in massage therapy. It is best to be massaged by a professional who can address the aches and pains that you feel. This form of muscle pain relief not only soothes the tired and sore muscles, but it helps promote good blood circulation.

Both acupressure and acupuncture operate on the premise that touching on certain points of the body can effectively relieve pain. These two methods may share the same concept, but they are vastly different in their applications. Acupressure is restricted to the hands, feet and sometimes legs of the individual in need of muscle pain relief. Pressure is applied on the points of one’s body affected by the injured areas. On the other hand, acupuncture uses special needles to actually pierce the skin and reach the actual points of the body that affect the injured areas.

The outlined muscle pain relief methods are effective for some people and have been practiced for decades if not centuries by many alternative medicine practitioners. As with some conventional and alternative forms of pain relief, not all are as successful in relieving pain as others.