Joint Pain

Overview

Joints refer to the parts of the body where the bones come together. They allow the different bones of the skeleton to move in sync. The four major joints of the body include shoulders, hips, elbows and knees. Joint pain refers to aches, discomfort and soreness in any of the body’s joints. According to Bone and Joint Initiative, in the USA alone 63.1 million people reported to be suffering from chronic joint pain. Of these, 40 million people reported knee pain, 18.7 million people suffered from shoulder pain and hip pain was reported by 15.3 million people.

Causes of Joint Pain

• Rheumatoid Arthritis: It is a chronic inflammatory disorder that affects the joints, primarily the joints in hands and feet. Rheumatoid arthritis affects the lining of the joints, which can lead to joint inflammation and swollen joints. Over time, the inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis can cause bone erosion and joint deformity.

• Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis: It is the most common type of arthritis in children under 16 years of age. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis can cause persistent joint pain, swelling in joints and stiffness. Arthritic episodes can last for several weeks and may also recur.

• Osteoarthritis :It is a degenerative condition caused by the wear and tear of the joints. It occurs when the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones wears down over time, causing the bones to rub together. This leads to inflammation of the joints. Osteoarthritis most commonly affects the joints in the arms and legs, including joints of fingers, wrists, knees, ankles and hips. The condition can cause stiff joints, pain, tenderness, swelling, loss of flexibility, grating sensation and bone spurs.

• Ankylosing Spondylitis: It is characterized by the inflammation of the spine, large joints as well as toes and fingers, resulting in joint pain and stiffness. It is an inflammatory condition that, over time, can cause some of the small bones in the spine to fuse. This can make the spine less flexible and can result in a hunched-forward posture.

• Gout: It is a form of arthritis that causes sudden, severe attacks of pain, swelling, redness and tenderness in the joints. It commonly affects the big toe joints, but it can occur in any joint. Gout occurs when high levels of uric acid in your blood crystallize and accumulate in your joints, causing inflammation and intense pain.

• Fibromyalgia: It is a chronic pain syndrome that causes muscle, joint and bone pain. It can lead to widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue and problems in sleep, memory and mood. It can have a significant impact on the person’s quality of life.

• Psoriatic Arthritis: It is an autoimmune condition where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the healthy tissues. It can cause pain, swelling and stiffness because of the inflammation in the joints. If left untreated, the inflammation can damage the joints and the tissues.

• Leukemia: It is a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow. Leukemia can cause bone or joint pain, usually because the bone marrow becomes overcrowded with cancer cells. In a survey conducted by a support organization Leukaemia Care, 20% of the people experienced bone or joint pain as a symptom prior to their diagnosis.

What if the Patient is Left Untreated?

• It can lead to permanent deformities and degeneration.

• The pain can progress to other joints in the body.

• Long term use of pain killers can cause depression, addiction and loss of brain matter.

• Chronic pain can lead to restriction in mobility, which can result in loss of work hours. Conditions like juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis occur in the prime of the life and can have long term psychological effects. Thus, it can adversely affect the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQL).

Importance of Homeopathy Treatment and its Benefits

When it comes to the treatment of chronic conditions like joint pain, homeopathy is the safest medium. This is because homeopathic medicines are made from natural ingredients and are thus free from side-effects. The medicines are non-addictive and can be safely taken by people of all age groups, including children and the elderly. The natural remedies for joint pain in homeopathy go to the root cause of your joint pain and treat it to ensure long-term relief. Homeopathic treatment also takes into account the different underlying ailments that may be responsible for your joint pain, thus providing holistic relief. When it comes to joint pain relief, homeopathic treatment can help in the following ways:

• Control and eventually reduce pain.

• Improvement in the stiffness of joints.

• Improvement in symptoms like fatigue and anaemia.

• Improvement in strength.

• Reduced dependence on the use of conventional medications like steroids.

Four randomized controlled trials were conducted with 406 patients with osteoarthritis as part of a study published in the journal of the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Two of the four trials presented positive evidence for the effectiveness of combination homeopathic preparations in comparison with conventional medications. A fourth trial showed that a topically applied homeopathic gel was as effective as a conventional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug gel. Thus, there appeared to be a positive trend towards the effectiveness of combination homeopathic preparations for the treatment of patients with osteoarthritis.