Pain in the joints is one of the most common ailments in the elderly. The pain is usually so bad that it prevents you from living normally. In this case, not only tablets will help. Check how to relieve joint pain in seniors.
Elderly people who suffer from rheumatic diseases, e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, gout or other similar ailments, must be under the care of a rheumatologist, take medications that stop the progression of the disease and benefit from appropriately selected rehabilitation .
Over-the-counter drugs can be taken on an ad hoc basis and under the supervision of a doctor in order not to lead to dangerous interactions between different drugs. In the case of degenerative disease, one of the causes of which is the gradual wear of the articular cartilage, we use over-the-counter medications more often.
Common symptoms of this condition are pain, swelling, and deformities in large joints, mainly the knee, shoulder and hip joints. But degenerations can also appear in the spine and fingers. The exact causes of the disease are unknown. It is also known that it is favored by mature age, gender (women suffer more often), overweight and obesity, overload and micro-injuries, as well as competitive or intensive sports, e.g. running.
How to relieve joint pain in the elderly? Drink tran
Regular consumption of this cod liver fat reduces joint pains, so you can reduce the intake of painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. Fish oil has many beneficial effects on human he alth, in the case of joints it delays the processes of cartilage degeneration and strengthens the body's natural repair mechanisms.
How to relieve joint pain in the elderly? Cold compresses
If the pain is accompanied by swelling, you can apply cold compresses or showers. When we know that there is no inflammation in the joint, heat therapy will help, which promotes the expansion of blood vessels, thus improving the blood supply to the tissues and relieving pain. Heat also increases the elasticity of collagen fibers, preventing tendon stiffness.
Warm therapeutic baths are beneficial (water temperature: 36-38ºC). You can add essential oils and camphor to the water, which enhance the therapeutic effect. It can also be added to watersulfur, but such a bath smells bad. The treatment should take 10 to 20 minutes. The treatment should be repeated daily for several days. Contraindications to heat or cold therapy are, among others blood supply disorders.
How to relieve joint pain in the elderly? Take care of cartilage
The most important role in maintaining good condition of the joints is played by articular cartilage. When the joints are constantly overloaded, it is damaged, and then enzymes are released that increase inflammation and degenerative changes. Once damaged, articular cartilage never fully regenerates, but defects in its surface are covered with time by a connective tissue scar, which resembles cartilage.
The scarring process can be slightly accelerated by taking glucosamine and chondroitin - substances that are responsible for the strength, cohesiveness and durability of cartilage. It is best to choose preparations containing 1000 mg of glucosamine and 500 mg of chondroitin.
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How to relieve joint pain in the elderly? Can be smeared on
Many painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs are preparations in the form of ointments, creams and gels. They contain diclofenac, ketoprofen, naproxen, weaker ibuprofen and anti-inflammatory indomethacin. These preparations relieve pain a little less than tablets, therefore they are recommended for not very severe ailments. Their advantage is a lower risk of side effects.
Ointments and gels often contain capsaicin, which increases the secretion of substance P (it is a peptide hormone accumulated in nerve endings, which is responsible, among others, for vasodilation), thanks to which they effectively reduce pain, but can also cause irritation skin.
How to relieve joint pain in the elderly? Pain relief tablets
In the case of joint pains, we most often use painkillers and anti-inflammatory pills. The active substance may be ibuprofen, acetylsalicylic acid or paracetamol. If the effects of these drugs are insufficient, you can take a combination drug in which these active substances are combined with ingredients that enhance their effects, e.g. caffeine or codeine. But the dosage of drugs from this group should be agreed with your doctor in advance.
In people with sensitive intestines, peptic ulcer disease or acid reflux, unwise use of anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs may aggravate the symptoms of the underlying disease. In people with medical conditionscardiovascular disease or after a heart attack, significant cardiac complications may occur. Self-treatment with these preparations should not exceed 7-10 days.
ImportantWhen to see the doctor?
Joint pain should prompt you to see a doctor when
- pain, fever, chills, severe fatigue, skin changes or difficulty moving
- redness of the skin, fever and swelling of one or more joints will appear along with the pain
- morning stiffness occurs
- pain has to do with injury
- the pain persists after a few days of self-treatment or recurs