Easy Treatments For Everyday Pain
Given the ongoing controversy over the use and misuse of prescription pain pills, many people are looking for safer and more natural ways to manage everyday pain from conditions like sore muscles and mild arthritis. These ailments, while certainly not debilitating or even highly obtrusive, are serious enough to distract from everyday activities, such as writing a report at work, a weekend camping trip, or a wedding with family and friends.
In this modern there’s-a-pill-for-that culture, the first reaction to mild everyday pain almost always involves a trip to the medicine cabinet or drugstore. However, there is a better way to handle many types of everyday pain.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to treat or diagnose any condition. It is recommended that you speak with your doctor before starting any exercise program, changing your daily nutrition, or adding any supplements to your regimen.
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What Causes Everyday Pain in the Neck, Knees, and Back?
Neck, knee, and back pain can have a wide range of causes, and it’s important to note that individual experiences of pain may vary. That said, everyday pain should never be ignored.
Below are some common causes for each of these types of pain:
Everyday Pain in the Neck
- Muscle Strain: Overuse or poor posture can lead to strained neck muscles.
- Cervical Herniated Disc: When one of the discs in the neck’s vertebrae ruptures or bulges, it can press on nerves and cause pain.
- Arthritis: Conditions like cervical spondylosis can cause neck pain due to degeneration of the cervical spine.
- Whiplash: Often resulting from car accidents, whiplash can cause neck pain due to the rapid back-and-forth motion of the head.
- Poor Ergonomics: Sitting at a desk for extended periods with incorrect posture can strain the neck.
Everyday Pain in the Knees
- Osteoarthritis: The most common cause of knee pain, this occurs when the protective cartilage in the knee joint wears down over time.
- Injuries: Trauma to the knee, such as ligament tears (e.g., ACL, MCL), meniscus tears, or fractures, can result in knee pain.
- Tendonitis: Inflammation of the tendons around the knee, such as patellar tendonitis, can cause pain.
- Bursitis: Inflammation of the bursa sacs in the knee joint can lead to pain and swelling.
- Overuse: Repetitive stress on the knee joint, common in sports or certain occupations, can lead to pain.
Everyday Pain in the Back
- Muscle Strain: Overexertion, poor lifting techniques, or sudden movements can strain the muscles in the back.
- Herniated Disc: Like in the neck, a herniated or bulging disc in the spine can press on nerves and cause back pain.
- Spinal Stenosis: Narrowing of the spinal canal can put pressure on the spinal cord or nerves, resulting in pain.
- Arthritis: Conditions like osteoarthritis and ankylosing spondylitis can lead to chronic back pain.
- Poor Posture: Slouching or maintaining poor posture over time can strain the back muscles and lead to pain.
- Sciatica: Compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve can cause lower back pain that radiates down the leg.
- Scoliosis: Abnormal curvature of the spine can result in back pain, especially in severe cases.
- Kidney Stones: Sometimes, kidney stones can cause severe back pain as they move through the urinary tract.
It’s important to consult a healthcare professional for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan if you’re experiencing persistent neck, knee, or back pain, as the appropriate treatment can vary widely depending on the underlying cause. Physical therapy, medications, lifestyle modifications, and in some cases, surgery, may be recommended to manage and alleviate pain.
What Can Be Done to Alleviate Some of The Everyday Pain You May Suffer From?
Below are some of the ways you can help treat everyday pain at home for various common body parts:
Neck Discomfort
Stiff necks, sore necks, and other such issues affect almost everyone from time to time. Typically, these issues go away on their own after a few hours. But sometimes, the everyday pain is just a little more severe or comes at exactly the wrong moment. For these occasions, time alone may not do the trick.
Related Article: Can Osteopathy Help Reduce Painful Headaches and Migraines?
For those dull, throbbing pains, try an ice pack. To find the best ice pack for your neck pain, visit this link. Ice is a very good analgesic (pain reliever) because it numbs the nerve endings, cutting off pain signals at the source. Moreover, an ice pack is a good way to give yourself a time-out, and that rest may have been the only thing that your body really needed.
Tension and overuse typically cause those throbbing pains, and inactivity usually causes stiff necks. It’s very easy to sit at a desk for hours at a time and not move hardly anything other than your eyes and hands. When it comes to stiff necks, an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure, so try some simple preventative exercises like these recommended by the Mayo Clinic. Set reminders on your phone or computer as well to alert you to get up and move around regularly to help prevent everyday pain in your neck.
Knee Discomfort
In addition to occasional and mild arthritis, some people struggle with very low-grade muscle sprains. Both have basically the same effect, which is usually that subtle twinge with each step which firmly reminds you that something is not quite right and may be causing you everyday pain. If these things happen to you often enough to be annoying yet not so often as to warrant a doctor visit and pill prescription, try something like:
- Tai Chi: There is evidence that this Chinese martial art is effective at relieving everyday pain from osteoarthritis, probably because this discipline stresses balance and range of motion. Moreover, the mental focus that comes with tai chi also helps reduce chronic everyday pain in some individuals.
- Hot/Cold Therapy: Alternate the aforementioned ice pack with a heating pad, because as the ice decreases swelling and pain, the heat increases the range of motion and boosts blood flow to flush out built-up toxins and waste. If you injure your knee, use more cold than heat during the first day or so.
- Natural Ointment: Aspirin, Doan’s Pills, Aspercreme, and other such remedies are essentially salicylates. There is evidence that a topical mixture of ginger, mastic, cinnamon, and sesame oil is just as effective.
Weight loss usually reduces knee pain as well by relieving the pressure and stress placed on the joint. This can help alleviate some of your everyday pain.
Back Pain
Lower back discomfort is incredibly common for everyday pain. If your back hurts, physical therapy may not be the answer. According to a 2004 study, one advice session about healthy habits did as much good as six physical therapy sessions. Typically, the therapist told people to engage in activities like swimming, walking, jogging, and other forms of moderate physical activity. If there is some lingering discomfort, try an ice pack or heating pad. If the pain gets worse, consult a doctor.
Life is painful sometimes. But there are some ways to manage that everyday pain and discomfort so it does not interfere with living.
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