The body has around 206 bones that form close to 360 joints. Our joints are also made up of ligaments, muscles, cartilage, and other types of soft tissue. This series of mechanisms allow us to move our limbs, go to work, drive our cars, do exercise, and conduct all other types of physical activity. Furthermore, by having healthy joints, you’ll be able to spend time with your family and achieve the professional goals you set for yourself.

Staying in good shape can help maintain healthier joints, but there are many elements that can affect the performance of bones and soft-tissue. Whether it’s an infection, physical trauma, or a genetic condition, getting these issues diagnosed and treated by a healthcare specialist is the best way to get lasting joint pain relief.

Olympic Spine and Sports Therapy, we provide a wide collection of prolonged joint pain solutions to patients in North Seattle, Edmonds, and throughout other parts of Washington.

What is Chronic Joint Pain?

As the name suggests, chronic joint pain is discomfort that never seems to vanish, at least not in the long run. This issue affects millions of Americans and it can hinder almost any part of the body.  In most cases, any type of recurring discomfort that lasts more than six months is considered chronic pain and this condition can reduce our patients’ quality of life, depending on its location and intensity.

Chronic pain in the joints can recede and appear periodically or it can be a constant issue. Moreover, it can be caused by a variety of reasons, so you need to identify the source in order to achieve joint pain relief that lasts. The most effective course of action is to contact a joint care specialist that can run tests and assess your condition in order to make a proper diagnosis.

Common Causes for Chronic Joint Aching

Recurring joint pain can be caused by a huge variety of reasons. Because of this, we take the time to thoroughly evaluate our patient’s condition and make an accurate diagnosis. Understanding what is causing discomfort will help our joint care specialists determine the right course of action.

Some of the most common  chronic aching and joint pain causes include:

Soft-Tissue Inflammation

Tendons, ligaments, and muscles make up a large portion of the joints. This soft, connective tissue allows us to flex our arms and other joints. However, when the connective tissue in the joints starts swelling up for long periods of time, it can result in chronic discomfort. For example, many athletes that experience chronic knee joint pain have damage in the ligaments and can benefit from restorative treatments.

Arthritis

Arthritis is a condition that affects the cartilage that’s present in all of our joints. This cartilage works as padding that protects bones from rubbing against each other. However,  patients that experience arthritis pain and inflammation have little to no cartilage left in their joints. This can produce intense discomfort, severe inflammation, and even grinding sounds depending on how bad the problem is. While there is no cure, the symptoms of this condition can be minimized with the help of a joint care specialist.

Injuries or Infections

Injuries and infections are two of the most common prolonged joint pain causes. Car collisions and similar accidents can produce severe traumas that produce symptoms immediately or long after impact. In addition, certain types of infections target bones as well as soft tissue,  which can directly affect the condition of your joints.

Bone Diseases

Bone diseases can produce a weak skeletal system, which in turn affects your joints. Conditions like osteoporosis can weaken the bones and make them more susceptible to fractures. It also produces bone pain that is usually difficult to treat. These types of disorders can greatly diminish a patient’s quality of life, which is one of the reasons our specialists focus on the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis.

Other Conditions

In addition to osteoporosis and chronic arthritis pain, there are many other conditions that can produce joint issues in different parts of the body.  This includes gout, severe stress, rickets, tendinitis, fibromyalgia, or injuries due to repetitive motion. If you are starting to notice signs of possible joint problems, contact our team today and we’ll be happy to help.

Understanding Your Body

Whether it’s caused by joint inflammation, a physical condition, or trauma, it’s important to find effective pain relief methods for chronic aching. The most important thing you should pay attention to in these cases is your current physical state.

Our weight has a direct impact on the performance of our joints. People who are overweight are more likely to develop joint pain in knees and other joints. Therefore, to maintain healthy joints, you should aim to stay fit and avoid putting a lot of pressure on your joints. This is by far the most natural way to avoid any joint issues in the long run.

In addition to working with a physical therapist, people who are also struggling with weight fluctuations may also benefit from working with a nutrition specialist.

Tips to Help Decrease Prolonged Joint Pain

In order to find the most effective treatment, you should consult with a physical therapist that can diagnose the problem and create a tailored solution plan. However, there are some pain relief tips that may help soothe chronic pain of different types.

Here are some tips that can help control long-term discomfort.

Reduce Sugar Intake

Sugar and refined carbohydrates, which are transformed into glucose in the body, can result in a high level of advanced glycation end product or AGEs. AGEs are toxins that are produced when foods are cooked and they have the tendency of increasing inflammation in different areas, including the joints. People looking for joint pain relief should avoid refined carbs and sugars in order to reduce swelling from AGEs.

Hot and Cold Packs

Both heat and cold therapy can help some instances of pain and joint stiffness. Hot packs help dilate blood cells in order to promote blood flow. This can help the healing process and give stiff joints more flexibility. Cold packs, on the other hand, can reduce inflammation and help numb pain as well as throbbing. Some find that cold packs are more effective while others see better results with heat therapy. so the right choice depends on each individual patient and the cause of the problem.

Don’t Sit for Long Periods of Time

Sitting or staying still for long periods of time may sometimes lead to pain in joints and muscles. If you have an office job or hobby that requires sitting for hours, getting up and walking around for a few minutes every once in a while can help prevent stiffness or chronic pain flare-ups.

Stretch Regularly

Most people relate stretching to yoga and other physical activities. With this in mind, stretching is also an important part of joint pain treatment for many patients.

Depending on the cause and location, stretching regularly may relieve pressure and provide pain relief for recurring joint aching.

How a Physical Care Specialist Can Help

Patients who experience prolonged joint pain understand how limiting this issue can become. In these cases, working with an experienced medical specialist can accelerate your recovery and help you find a long-term solution without relying on over-the-counter drugs or painful treatments.

At Olympic Spine and Sports Therapy, our patients enjoy many benefits when working with our team of healthcare experts. These include:

Diagnosing the Issue Properly

The only way to find the right treatment is to identify the potential causes of joint problems. Our team has the knowledge, experience, and equipment to diagnose joint injuries as well as conditions quickly and accurately.

Instead of prescribing anti-inflammatory medications, our first step is to conduct a thorough examination and produce an accurate diagnosis of the patient.

Reduce Pain and Discomfort

At Olympic Spine and Sports Therapy, our team has spent years performing different therapies that help control pain and keep discomfort to a minimum. These joint decompression, chiropractic adjustments, and functional rehabilitation whenever necessary.

Enhance Mobility

Prolonged pain in the joints can cause mobility issues. Fortunately, a physical therapist specializes in restoring the range of motion of the affected joints. Whether it’s a case of osteoarthritis or injury caused by an accident, our team will take the steps to restore mobility in your joints as much as possible.

Prevent Future Problems

Taking the time to heal and maintain your joints in good condition can help protect your body against future problems. As we age, it’s normal to experience joint issues more frequently. If you are starting to notice mild discomfort and aching joints, taking care of them now will help prevent long-term complications later on.

Contact Olympic Spine & Sports Therapy Today

Finding a reliable joint pain relief doctor is the only way to find a long-term solution that keeps your bones and soft-tissues in good condition. If you want to learn more about working with Contact Olympic Spine & Sports Therapy, contact us today and our team will be glad to help.