April Showers Bring May Flowers and Joint Pain

By: Suzanna Harmening

Joint pain is one of the most common complaints among Americans, according to Health United States, 2006, released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics.

How healthy are your joints?  Ask yourself the following questions. 

1.       Are you more than 10 pounds overweight?

2.      Have you ever had any hip problems?

3.      Are you over 45 years old?

4.      Have you ever had an injury to your knee?

5.      Have you or are you currently involved in any daily activity that requires more than 2 hours of lifting, bending, or carrying things?

If you answered “YES” to any of these questions than your joints are at risk.

Joint pain can be explained in many ways.  Generally it is known as a discomfort or tenderness when touched, a bruised feeling, swelling or inflammation of the area, or restriction from movement.  The leading cause of joint pain is derived from the cartilage in our joints that wears thin as we age.  The most commonly diagnosed cause of painful joints is arthritis.

Causes

§  Arthritis- acute or chronic inflammation of a joint, often accompanied by pain and structural changes and having diverse causes, as infection, crystal deposition, or injury.

§  Tendinitis- inflammation of a tendon

§  Bursitis- inflammation of a bursa which is a pouch, sac, or vesicle, especially a sac containing synovia, to facilitate motion, as between a tendon and a bone.

§  Joint Injury- harm or damage that is done or sustained to a joint

§  Joint Strain- to impair, injure, or weaken a joint

*All definitions are derived from http://dictionary.reference.com/

Solutions

There are several ways to alleviate the symptoms of joint pain.

1)      Get Moving!  Exercise is one of the best things you can do for your overall health, including your joint health.  It strengthens the tissues and muscles around the joints, helps to maintain bone strength, and can control your weight to ease the pressure on your joints. Chemicals called “endorphins” are released during exercise that can actually block pain signals from reaching your brain.  According to Dr. Edward Laskowski, the co-director of the Sports Medicine Center at the Mayo Clinic in Minn., “Endorphins are the body’s natural pain-relieving chemicals that in many cases are more powerful than morphine”.  The following exercises should be done at least three times a week for 20 to 30 minutes for optimal results; stretching, yoga, dance, walking, bike riding, swimming, elliptical machine, and cross country skiing.

2)   Supplements and a good diet!  3 things are needed for healthy joint cartilage: water, collagen, and proteoglycans.  Proteoglycans are a type of molecule found in the connective tissue of our body.  First is glucosamine.  This is a natural amino acid already found in your body. It helps to repair cartilage and can stimulate collagen growth.  It is said to increase the amount and thickness of fluids in the joints, which allows the joints to hold more water for shock absorption.  The recommended dose of glucosamine in 1500mg each day for one to two months.  The second is chondroitin.  While glucosamine helps proteoglycans that sit in the space in the cartilage, chondroitin acts like ‘liquid magnets’.  It draws in necessary fluids while helping the present cartilage from breaking down.  The recommended dose of chondroitin is 800 mg each day (400 mg twice daily) for one to two months.  And the third is MSM.  It is said that methylfonylmethane (MSM) supports healthy, flexible ligaments.  The recommended dose is 1000 to 3000 daily.

* http://orthopedics.about.com/od/nutritionandsupplements/tp/supplements.htm

Fun Fact

April showers not only bring May flowers, but also joint pain for many.  Have you ever had a grandparent who could predict a rainfall based on their joints?  It’s true.  Scientific studies found that our body’s joints have sensory nerves called baro-receptors that respond to changes in the atmosphere.  The barometric pressure will drop and make the air moist and signal for a chance of rain.  Our body’s nerve receptors then react to this low or drop of pressure.  When this happens, the fluid surrounding the joints changes and people with joint problems will feel this change because they have less cartilage that cushions the body’s joints. So the next time your grandparents say it’s going to shower, pack an umbrella.