Joint Pain Relief

J is for joint pain relief There is a long held and widely spread misconception that joint pain is inevitable as we age. Physicians, healthcare providers, and patients alike have been taught to expect pain as we get older.Studies show that self-perception influences our pain – especially …

There is a long-held and widely spread misconception that joint pain is inevitable as we age.

Physicians, healthcare providers, and patients alike have been taught to expect pain as we get older. Studies show that self-perception influences our pain – especially after 50 years old.

“Through a process known as stereotype embodiment, widely held misconceptions about the inevitability of pain among older patients influence expectations, cognitive function, health practices, and autonomic responses.” – [REF]

A positive self-perception about life and aging has been shown to increase lifespan by an average of 7.5 years. Our thoughts are powerful and may have more influence on our overall well-being than we have thought in previous years. The increase in the notion of mindset and how it can control our health has forced researchers, healthcare providers, and scientists to look at the role the brain has in every aspect of living.

Have you heard this sequence before?

Your thoughts become words
Your words become actions
Your actions become habits

The string of if/thens has several variations, but the basics remain the same.

You become what you believe.

I use a gratitude and goal journal to help me align my thinking with more positive outcomes.

Scheduled downtime (guided meditation) is a great way to give your brain the rest it needs.

Scientifically proven benefits of scheduled downtime

Decreased blood pressure
Decreased heart rate
Decreased muscle tension
Increased blood flow

Sometimes we need a little more help. Brain Health Restoration is a non-medication solution to those thoughts that keeps us from being our best. (All without nasty side-effects of traditional methods)

A few facts about joint pain and chronic pain

Chronic pain actually occurs less frequently as we get older – low back pain, neck pain, headaches, and abdominal pain.

It’s well known that increased pain can lead to increased depression and/or anxiety, as well as a decreased reported quality of life.

BUT all stress is not the enemy. Chronic stress is the enemy

Chronic stress leads to decreased immune function, poor sleep, increased cortisol (stress hormone), increased adrenaline (think flight or flight), and increased muscle tension.

Start with your mind

Minimizing chronic stress is key. Not all stress is bad -just chronic stress.

Unchecked chronic stress leads to

Decreased immune function
Poor sleep
Increase cortisol
Increased adrenaline (fight or flight)
Increased muscle tension

THAT muscle tension can cause joint problems and pain.

When a joint hurts, we tend to hold it still.

Not moving a joint will cause increased stiffness and pain. It can be a vicious cycle.

Now that you’ve convinced your mind that you have some control over your joint pain, what else can you do?

None of us want to end up like this guy

Food Choices

Protein, healthy fats, and water are vital to joints working well.

Protein helps our body heal and supplies our body with lasting energy. It also help you build strong muscles to keep those joints where they should be.

Healthy fats like salmon, trout, avocado, olive oil, almonds, and walnuts provide Omega 3 fatty acids that help reduce inflammation throughout the body.

Water keeps our muscles and fascia moving better.

Ideally, to create and maintain healthy less-painful (or pain-free) joints, sugar and alcohol (liquid sugar), preservatives, and vegetable oils should be removed as well.

If an autoimmune disease or disorder is present, more food items may need to be removed until the gut is fully healed.

Bottom line: Gut health = Joint health

Exercise

Joints don’t have a direct blood supply to bring healing nutrition to help soothe and heal. Motion is the only way to get all the good nutrients you’ve been eating to your aching joints.

A sedentary person will have more joint pain than an active person. For those of you who have more pain in the morning, start slowly within a less painful range of motion and gradually work your way into bigger motions. I tell my patients it’s like ‘greasing up the joints’.

Gaining and maintaining a healthy weight is not about the number on the scale. It’s so much more than that!

Losing extra weight has a major impact on your joints.

For every 1# lost = 4# of pressure off your knees

For every 1# lost = 6# of pressure off your hips

If you have problems with your knees, hips, or back that just don’t seem to go away, start with these 3 simple steps to reduce joint pain. I recommend tackling them in this order.