Aching joints - Sign of aging ?

More and more people are finding that aching joints are not a necessary evil of aging. In fact, it can be avoided or mitigated with a little attention to the way you live. When you suffer from aching joints, it is best not to assume that this is a sign of aging.

understanding joint pain

You may be interested to know that the vast majority of people living with aching joints have never taken the time to learn what is casing it. Aching joints is a perfect example of a condition people will ignore and treat with OTC medications rather than visiting their doctor to find out what causes their discomfort. It may be that people assume that as they age, it is natural to experience aching joints. However, it is not an inevitable consequence of aging and can prevented with an active lifestyle and healthy diet. 
84% of people surveyed on a national phone survey admitted they were taking pain medications without understanding what was causing their pain. 19% of those surveyed suffered from chronic pain which they associated with causes such as arthritis.

Why aching joints ?

Because many of us suffer from chronic pain, we tend to prescription pain medications which we take without question. However, the more medication you take the more you can be masking symptoms. A visit to your doctor can help you identify why you have aching joints and make sure that the pain medication is appropriate and not cause more harm than good. You can have even sustained an injury without realizing it and the pain can be alleviated through different means. Knowing what is causing joint pain will lead to appropriate treatment, including things like physiotherapy, exercise and proper stretching.

The correct diagnosis for aching joints

A visit to your doctor will allow an evaluation of your symptoms and X-rays to investigate what is behind your pain. Aching joints are often a result of arthritis, but arthritis is a general term applied to inflammation of joints. There are many conditions that can cause this hemochromatosis, which can lead to heart disease and diabetes. Some cancers can also cause aching joints, if it has been allowed to spread.

Avoid aching joints as you get older

So what is the secret to avoid this as you age ? There are a number of changes you can make in your life to help maintain joint pain :
• Maintain a healthy weight. Every extra pound you carry places four pounds of weight on your knees.
• Drink milk for vitamin D and calcium, and eat fish like salmon omega-3 fatty acids.
• Stay active using low impact exercise to avoid injury, such as walking, cycling and swimming.
• Stretch and move throughout the day if you are sitting or standing at work to improve circulation.
• Use good posture while sitting and standing.
Following these simple rules will promote healthy joints and help avoid living with discomfort.