Joints are systems of tissues that form the flexible connections between bones. Joints provide shock/impact support and allow your bones to move. Some main joints in your body include your shoulders, hands, hips, knees and feet. Any damage to the joints from disease or injury can interfere with your movement and cause a lot of pain.
Causes of Joint Pain
Joint pain is an extremely common complaint in adults of all ages, though as you get older, painful joints tend to become increasingly more common. Joint pain can be caused by injuries like repetitive use, or underlying conditions like arthritis and gout. And there are certain people who are more likely to suffer from stiff or painful joints: depression, stress, poor health, age and being overweight can all lead to joint pain. Age is also a huge factor – the damage that time and use does to your body affects everything, including your joints.
Symptoms of Joint Pain
Musculoskeletal pain of any kind (ligaments, tendons, joints, muscles) can be acute or chronic. An acute cause of joint pain might be injury, and will probably heal after a few weeks. Chronic joint pain, especially pain that worsens over time, can be caused by damage from repetitive use, or an underlying condition, making the pain last months to years. Pain in the knees and hips are very common complaints, especially in older adults. Decades of constant use wears down the cartilage between these major joints, essentially causing bone-to-bone friction, which can be extremely painful and even debilitating. If you can still totally straighten your joint, and bend it 100 degrees or more, there is no possible way your joint is bone-to-bone.
There are symptoms of joint damage besides pain that warrant a visit to your doctor, as they could be dangerous. These symptoms can be signs of an underlying condition causing your joint pain, or that you’re at risk for causing catastrophic damage to your joints:
- The pain is severe enough to be debilitating.
- The pain is accompanied by a fever and/or significant and unexpected weight loss.
- You’ve just suffered a severe injury.
- The joint swells for no reason, or looks misshapen.
- You hear clicking, popping or grinding sounds when you move the painful joint.
- The joint feels red and warm.
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, you should seek medical attention to rule out any underlying causes of your joint pain aside from normal wear and tear. Any underlying issues need to be dealt with to make treating your joint pain safe and effective.
A Cincinnati-Based Health and Wellness Center for Joint Pain Treatment
Dr. Blatman is a Cincinnati regenerative medicine doctor who specializes in state-of-the-art, holistic treatments for joint pain. Regenerative medicine intends to heal the underlying cause of your pain. This is opposed to typical Western remedies like surgical procedures and opioid regiments, which merely attempt to neutralize the source of the pain or cover the symptoms, respectively. For instance, medical marijuana for pain has been a successful treatment in individuals with chronic joint pain that has no underlying cause. Stem cells for pain are effective; Dr. Blatman has seen many patients’ symptoms abate after stem cell injections, which work to repair the damaged and worn cartilage. Similarly, PRP therapy uses a patient’s own plasma injected at the painful joint to spur the body to heal the joint. It is possible to recover from joint pain without resorting to invasive procedures and dangerous pharmaceuticals; holistic approaches to joint healing and pain relief are available right here at Blatman Health and Wellness Center.
Contact Blatman Health & Wellness for Cincinnati Joint Pain Relief