Hip And Knee Pain: Tips To Overcome Your Pain When OTC Medications Don't Work

When pain strikes your hips or knee joints, and nothing you take relieves it, you might give up and accept your fate. Although body pain can be debilitating and troublesome, you can find ways to alleviate it. You can eat more omega-3 fatty acids and see a family doctor for care. Here are ways to overcome your pain when over-the-counter medications don't work.

Eat More Omega-3 Fatty Acids

You might know it, but the things you eat and drink can help relieve or lessen your pain. Some types of food contain properties that fight inflammation in the body's muscles and other tissues, including sardines, salmon, and other fatty fish. The fish contains omega-3, fatty acids known to stop or prevent inflammation.

A number of studies show that omega-3 fatty acids can help relieve the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions. These conditions often develop when your immune system overreacts and attacks the soft tissues covering your joints. In response to the attack, the tissues swell or become inflamed. Once omega-3 enters your body, it converts to a special compound or chemical that tells your immune system to calm down and stop attacking your joints.

You should strive to consume between 250 and 500 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acid a day. Mackerel, tuna, and sardines are good sources you can try during the week. But if you don't like fish, you can substitute it with soy beans, cashews, and dark green leafy vegetables.

Along with a good change in your diet, see a family care doctor for an exam.

See a Family Care Practitioner

A family care doctor may not automatically diagnose you with arthritis. A doctor will need to rule out other possible causes of your discomfort, including muscle and nerve pain. Sometimes, the muscles and nerves that support the lower body tissues can cause hip and knee pain. The nerves can pinch between the bones and joints of your hips and knees, or the muscles can weaken from stress and overuse. Pain can shoot through your hips, knees, thighs, and buttocks, even when you don't use them.

If a doctor's exam doesn't reveal any of the issues above, they'll examine your joints for arthritis. The exam may include taking fluid samples from your hip and knee joints and inspecting them for high white blood cell counts and other signs of inflammation. If the test reveals that you have arthritis in your hips and knees, a doctor may instruct you to take anti-inflammatory and pain medications to relieve the swelling or fluid-buildup between your joints. If the muscles supporting your joints are stiff or sore, the medications may relax them.

A doctor may refer you to a physical therapist for additional treatment. A therapist may use exercise and stretches to improve the flexibility between your joints. Some therapists use water and heat therapy as treatments for arthritis. Depending in the condition of your joints, you may need to attend regular therapy sessions to keep your pain at bay.

If none of the treatments work well for you, a primary care doctor may use knee and hip joint replacement surgery to replace your arthritic joints. One of the most common types of knee surgeries is arthroplasty. This type of procedure removes damaged or diseased bone tissue from the knee joint and replaces it with an artificial cap or covering. A doctor will generally discuss what you might expect from your surgery before they schedule it for you.

You can overcome your hip and knee pain by adding omega-3 to your diet and by contacting a primary care physician, like one from Advance Medical of Naples, LLC, for an appointment.

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