Joint Pain 101

Joint pain, whether it’s caused by arthritis, growth spurts, sports injuries, or age, is never fun to deal with. Joint pain is most often felt in the hands, hips, feet, knees, or spine. While anyone can experience it, those most likely to deal with joint pain are those who:

• Have had previous injuries
• Repeatedly use or overuse a muscle
• Have arthritis or other chronic medical conditions
• Suffer from anxiety or depression
• Are overweight
• Suffer from poor health

Joint pain seems simple but can be pretty complex. So let’s break down what causes it, look at the symptoms, and talk about how to relieve it.

While there are a vast number of conditions that can cause joint pain, it’s important to note that most joint pain is caused by general wear and tear of the body. When we don’t properly care for our bodies, the wear and tear we experience from age, sports, or other activities can be a bigger issue than necessary. Some of the chronic conditions and issues that can contribute to and cause joint pain are arthritis, osteoarthritis, tendinitis, autoimmune diseases such as lupus, and more. 

The most common outcome of severe joint pain is some type of arthritis. And while people may think of arthritis as a single condition , there are actually multiple types.

This is the most common type of arthritis and is commonly seen in older adults. Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage around the joints wears out and breaks down, causing the bones to rub together.

This is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks joint tissue as if it was a disease-inducing germ. Over time, this can cause increased loss of function in the joints, and rheumatoid arthritis commonly comes with fever and other flu-like symptoms.

This is caused by a buildup of uric acid crystals in the joints, and most commonly occurs in the big toe. 

This is just a common way to describe arthritis in children. While children can develop the same types of arthritis as adults, the most common type affecting children is juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). It typically affects the hands, knees, ankles, elbows, and wrists. JIA arthritis types are autoimmune or autoinflammatory, and doctors are not yet sure why children develop them.

Whether it’s through exercise, diet, or vitamins and supplements—or a combination—it’s important to support your joint health long-term. This will help decrease any joint pain you currently have, and help prepare your body for any joint pain you may experience in the future (prevention really can be the best medicine here).

Maintaining an active lifestyle is one of the best ways to support your joint health! Working out regularly helps release the pressure on your joints, eases stiffness, and relieves fatigue. It also strengthens the muscles around your joints. Sitting at a desk all day can heavily wear on your joints, so it’s important to get up and move, even for little moments throughout the day—take laps on your lunch break, walk to the bathroom farther away, or take advantage of a standing desk if you have one! 

Building muscle also helps support your joint health, so in addition to just being active (walks, yoga, etc), doing weight training exercises a couple times per week will help alleviate the pressure on your joints and strengthen the muscles around them! 

Diet is a huge component of protecting your joints, muscles, gut health, and mental health. Eating an anti-inflammatory diet specifically can help with joint pain. While short-term inflammation is normal—like when you get sick or injured—long-term or chronic inflammation can lead to a wealth of issues. Some of the things an anti-inflammatory diet can help with are: recovery in athletic training, pain management, relief from rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, and more. 

A few of the best anti-inflammatory foods to enjoy are:

• Fresh fruit
• Broccoli
• Salmon
• Whole grains
• Leafy greens (like kale)
• Ginger
• Seeds (like chia seeds and flaxseeds)

We’re told throughout childhood to drink our milk because it makes our bones strong. And, it’s true to an extent. Increasing your calcium intake can help protect your bones against osteoporosis and other bone and joint diseases. And if milk isn’t your thing, other calcium-rich foods are yogurt, broccoli, kale, figs, and salmon. Vitamin D helps regulate the calcium intake in your body and is therefore also critical for bone and joint health. 

There are lots of natural ways to supplement your joint health through your diet and exercise. Additionally, there are also supplement options! So if you feel like your joint health needs a little boost, consider taking Previnex Joint Health PLUS! With a combination of NEM® and Boswellin®, the natural anti-inflammatory effects are powerful and clinically proven to be more effective than other supplements on the market. NEM® is clinically proven to reduce joint pain, joint stiffness, and improve joint flexibility in just 7-10 days! It’s also clinically proven to protect joint cartilage from breakdown during exercise—perfect if you’re looking for some preventative protection. Boswellin® is a natural anti-inflammatory and pain reliever, giving you the relief you need for your joints. 

It’s time to support your joint health and reduce any pain you may be feeling. So get up, get active, fuel your body, and take top-tier supplements.