Tips for Treating Joint Swelling at Home

Swollen joints are limiting when it comes to your daily activities. They can certainly be a deal breaker when it comes to having fun. They are painful, uncomfortable and can put a damper on anything from dancing at a friend’s wedding to the simple daily walk up and down the stairs. The cause of swollen joints is inflammation due to a variety of reasons ranging from injury to disease. Check out these tips on treating joint swelling at home.

Massage

Treat yourself. Treat your joints. A massage will help relax your muscles, in turn easing your joint pain. This may not be a long-term cure; however, few will complain about having multiple spa days in their future.

Stretching

Go ahead and sign up for that yoga class you’ve wanted to try.   Over time, stretching increases flexibility and the ability to move. Yoga is a great low resistance way of practicing this. Plus, it has the added benefit of calming your mind. Something you may need when dealing with the frustration of painful joints.

Take a Warm Shower

Similar to the above-mentioned massage, taking a warm shower or bath can be simply relaxing. It also helps promote blood circulation, releases muscle tension and ultimately eases joint pain.

Exercise

It is important to find a daily exercise routine that works for your schedule. It will help improve strength and stamina. There are also the added benefits of releasing feel-good endorphins and clearing bad toxins from your body.

Eat More Fish 

Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids help reduce swelling and inflammation. This healthy fat is found in salmon, sardines, mackerel, trout, flaxseeds, and walnuts. Try eating 3 to 4 ounces of fish, twice a week. If you don’t like fish, try a fish oil supplement.

These tips will help you manage your joint pain and swelling. However, at what point should you decide to go into the doctor for a more in-depth treatment? If you are having any of the following symptoms associated with your joint pain, consider seeking medical attention.

  • Rapid swelling
  • Immobility of joint
  • Loss of function
  • Unable to exercise without pain
  • Severe pain
  • If you are frequently taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory pain medications for joint pain

Do you suffer from joint pain? Solstice Health may have a solution for you.  Call us today to schedule an appointment. 262-354-3101

Exercise Tips for Optimal Joint Health

Exercise is important for all of us. Whether you are in perfect shape or have painful joints, it is important to tailor your workout routine to your body’s needs. Exercise is meant to nurture your body, not hurt your body. That said, if you have painful joints, don’t let this stop you from giving your body the workout it needs. In fact, regular exercise can help ease your pain. Research shows that regular exercise helps reduce inflammation and even increase pain tolerance. Here are some helpful exercise tips for optimal joint health.

Always Warm Up

Jumping on a machine immediately after entering the gym can be detrimental to your joints. You must first warm up your body to loosen your muscles and tendons. Working out when these are still tight is what can lead to joint pain. Your warm-up can be as simple as light movement for 5 minutes to get your blood flowing. Perhaps try an easy walk.

Low-Impact Cardio

The more you move, the less stiff your joints will be. If you are looking to get your heart rate elevated but want a low-impact exercise option, try swimming, bicycling, rowing, exercising on an elliptical or even walking. These are the best options to protect your joints.

In addition to these low-impact exercises, you might want to try practices like yoga and Pilates. These help strengthen your ab and back muscles, which ultimately help maintain balance and lessen your likelihood of injury by falling.

Strengthen Your Muscles with Weights

Stronger muscles help to lessen strain on your joints. Add in some weight training to your exercise routine. Weight machines, free weights and resistance bands are all helpful in getting stronger and building muscle mass. You should take things slowly at the start. Always listen to your body. Try to incorporate weight training 2-3 times per week and alternate between upper body and lower body workouts.

Change Things Up

Overuse injuries are another culprit of joint pain. To avoid this, try not to do the exact same routine every day. Mix up your workouts. Perhaps you could try swimming one day and biking the next.

Stretch

It is important to keep your muscles and tendons flexible. After your workout, make sure to stretch all of the muscles you used that day. You’ll want to try and hold each stretch for 20 to 30 seconds.

It is important to find a daily exercise routine that works for your schedule. It will help improve strength and stamina. Added benefits include releasing feel-good endorphins and clearing bad toxins from your body.

Do you suffer from joint pain? We may have a solution for you. Call Solstice Health today to learn more! We have three convenient locations in Wisconsin: Oconomowoc, WI (262)-533-0322, New Berlin, WI (262)-505-6260, and Mequon, WI (262)-533-0322.