Easing Joint Pain

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One in every three adults in the US suffers from joint pain (1). It’s common for adults over 45, but people as young as 25 may also suffer from joint pain. If you’ve spent time running, playing tennis, or golfing, you probably know that ache.

Causes
If you have persistent joint pain, the first step is to see your healthcare provider. You may be suffering from arthritis; it can affect anyone at any age. The most common type of arthritis is Osteoarthritis (OA), afflicting nearly 21-million people (1).

OA occurs when the joint cartilage begins to deteriorate—from wear and tear, which causes stiffness and join pain, primarily upon waking (2).

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is another common condition that causes joint pain, and it affects just over 2-million Americans. RA symptoms include burning, inflammation, stiffness, and swelling around the affected joints. The difference between RA and OA is that RA is not the result of wear and tear, but an attack from the body’s immune system, which confuses healthy tissue with foreign matter (2).

While the joint pain from Osteoarthritis is attributed to wear and tear on the body, researchers believe that Rheumatoid Arthritis may be attributed to genetics, environmental factors, or even vitamin D deficiency (2).

A once common cause of joint pain is gout. Sufferers have a metabolic defect in which the body produces excess levels of uric acid-—or the kidneys are unable to process normal levels. The uric acid deposits in joints, primarily in the toes, and causes swelling, redness, and pain (3).

You may also have joint pain caused by an injury, such as a sprain or even a fracture. It’s important to see your healthcare provider if you experience persistent joint pain.

Treatment Options
Most physicians' treatment plans for arthritis include steroids, and research has shown long-term steroid use may prevent the liver from functioning properly (4). If you’ve ruled out an injury, you may be searching for relief over-the-counter. Recently, the market has been flooded with supplements for joint pain: Glucosamine, MSM (MethylSulfonylMethane), and Condroitin, to name a few. Glucosamine and Chondroitin are produced naturally in the body and have been well documented for easing pain, but there’s no proof that these therapies will repair damaged cartilage (5). MethylSulfonylMethane is a substance found readily in fresh produce, dairy, grains, and fish; like Glucosamine and Chondroitin, MSM is well documented for reducing pain, but researchers are still wary of its ability to produce any cures (6).

Arthritis is a serious condition, and as such, healthcare providers should monitor joint pain sufferers regularly. If you choose to take a supplement to ease your joint pain, remember to tell to your healthcare provider.

1.http://celebrex.com/understanding/arthritis.asp
2.http://www.ra.com/ra/rastore/cgi-bin/ProdSubEV_Cat_200635_SubCat_200635_NavRoot_303.htm
3.http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000422.htm
4.http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/archives2005/jun/06wimmer.html
5.http://www.arthritis.org/conditions/alttherapies/Glucosamine.asp
6.http://www.arthritis.org/resources/arthritistoday/1999_archives/1999_11_12explorations.asp
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