As an undergraduate who is studying IT, you might think that I don’t partake in much physical activity (aside from my fingers rapidly moving for many hours each day, writing assignments and typing on the computer) However, I find that when my study schedule becomes too much, and my part-time IT support work is stressful and overwhelming, my one escape is sport. I love the physical exertion of running, the competitive struggle of reaching for the soccer ball as your opponent does the same, and the relief and relaxation that washes over your body once you’ve hit the showers and are recovering with a post-workout protein shake.

Recently, while training (not even competing!) I twisted my ankle and had to take it easy for a few days. It put me off, but luckily I had a lot of work to do at the time, so even though my health was on the way down, my checking account was on the way up. You win some, and you lose some. If you’re unfamiliar with treating aches and sprains, I’m going to share some advice with you in this article. I didn’t need to visit the hospital, because this was a minor joint injury, however there was a lot I could have done to make it easier for myself. Now that I’ve done this research, I’m going to share it with you here.

Let’s start with the basics. Joints in the body are the regions where bones meet, and they often handle the complete weight of the body. Whether through sport (as in my case), or just after a certain age, we suffer from constant pain in the joints because of the accumulated damage to the bone and cartilage that occurs over many years.

It’s possible to take care of joint pain in the body with the help of the right over-the-counter medications. One of such options is Flekosteel, which is a natural-made balm.

Joint Pain
Here are some of the common reasons for joint pain.

• Gout
• Osteoarthritis
• Ligament sprains
• Bursitis
• Muscular strains
• Rheumatoid arthritis

Many people complain about joint pains in the below-mentioned regions.

• Hips
• Knee
• Shoulders

Treatments

Let’s outline a few at-home treatments that can be applied for minor sprains and ongoing joint pain.

Applying Ice

This is the best way of relieving the swelling and pain in the injured joint region. You should keep the ice pack for more than 15 minutes in any particular region for excellent effects.

Heat

After a day of injury, you can take help from the heating pads to reduce the swelling in any particular region. This will help with reducing pain because of muscle spasms.

Supplements

Some of the supplements such as chondroitin and glucosamine are the best solution for taking care of joint pains. These supplements are ideal for not only reducing inflammation but also joint pain in the initial stages.

Rest

If you feel inflammation or pain in any joint region, then it is best suggested to let it rest as much as possible. Minimize the activities that can cause stress on that particular joint region. After you feel like the pain has subsided, you need to exercise so that the injured joint will get back to its normal working mode.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is rapidly becoming a popular alternative medicine, and is used to treat all kinds of body and joint pains. One source of pain and stiffness of the muscles is a condition called fibromyalgia, which can be treated with the help of acupuncture.

Inflammation-reducing foods

It is often cited that the burning sensation produced by eating peppers, chilli and other spicy foods can successfully reduce pain and inflammation. The main components that are the cause of the strong taste in such foods are used in the preparation of many pain-relieving ointments.

Stabilize the joint

Using bandages, splints, or medical slings are the best way to make sure that the injured joint region is physically stabilized while healing. Wrapping the joint region that is in pain can reduce the unnecessary movement of the joint, which will offer enough your body the opportunity to mend itself, without further damage occurring due to movement.