Older members of the community know many things which their younger counterparts will only get to know about as they age. 
One of them is that those seemingly inconsequential injuries sustained while young will soon catch up to them. It is a well known fact that the vast majority of older adults have joint pain. Unfortunately, some of the available pain alleviation solutions may not be suitable for them due to one or more reasons. The causes of joint pain in senior members of the community need to be understood to determine the best remedies.
Causes of Joint Pain
i) Disease
There are a number of diseases which can cause joint pain. Arthritis, for instance, accounts for a big fraction of joint pain cases in older adults. Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis are the most prevalent types of arthritis which can be blamed for most joint pain cases. However, gout and bursitis are also known to cause joint pain.
While joint pain can affect any part of the body, the knees, hip, shoulders, back and ankles are usually the most affected. In many cases, joint pain caused by diseases can be managed by treating the underlying medical problem.
ii) Excessive Weight
Overweight and obese people often experience joint pain in a number of places, including; lower back, knees, ankles and hips. This is because the skeletal structure of the body is subjected to a lot of pressure. The pain can be much worse if the overweight or obese person has little or non-existent muscle tissue in the body. The best remedy for this type of joint pain problem is weight loss, but this might actually be somewhat challenging due to old age. Building muscle mass to help support the weight of the body might also be helpful.
iii) Physical Injury
One or more of your joints can be damaged as a result of physical trauma. If you have ever been involved in a car crash, odd tackle playing a contact sport or fallen down the stairs, among other types of accidents, you may experience serious joint pain later on in life, especially if treatment was incomplete or unsuccessful.
Natural Remedies for Joint Pain
When you go to a hospital to have your joint problem checked out, chances are high your doctor may recommend surgery or pain medication, depending on the underlying cause. Unfortunately, surgery is not always 100 percent successful and may also be beyond your financial reach. On the other hand, pain medication may only offer temporary relief, and you also risk becoming dependent on those drugs, which is not good for your well being. The following are natural remedies you may want to try out:
i) Massage
Massaging the affected joints is a great way of relieving pain and reducing stiffness. Furthermore, massage can help increase the range of motion of joints, especially if arthritis is the underlying cause of the joint problem. Massage can be performed by a massage therapist, but patients can also get training from a physical therapist on how to self-massage the affected joints. Since some joints are not within easy reach of older adults, scheduling weekly massage therapy sessions is recommended.
ii) Exercises
One of the best ways of managing joint pain is building muscle around the affected joints. The muscle tissue will help to support the weight exerted on the problematic joint, thereby reducing pain. There are several simple exercises which can help older adults build muscles and increase flexibility of joints. Ideally, low-impact exercises should be given preference over weight-bearing exercises, such as jogging and walking long distances. For instance, swimming and water aerobics are great exercises for improving flexibility without subjecting joints to further stress.
iii) Lose Weight
When you have joint pain, excess body weight will not help you in anyway, so you may want to consider shedding off a few pounds. In fact, this should be the first thing to do if excess weight is to blame for the joint problem. Since older adults cannot perform weight-training exercises to lose weight, diet plans should be considered. Ideally, any weight loss remedy should be pre-approved by a doctor before being implemented.
iv) Heat Therapy
Cold and hot treatments are great for managing joint pain. Hot treatments are great for easing stiffness and keeping joints loose. Moist heating pads and electric blankets can be used for heat treatment. Cold treatments, on the other hand, are often used to relieve joint pain. Whenever you start feeling pain in your joints, roll a pack of ice or frozen vegetables in a towel and place it over the affected joints for quick pain relief.
v) Acupuncture
This is a practice in traditional Chinese medicine. It has been used for a millennia to relieve all manner of joint pains. Acupuncture sessions can be very effective in managing joint pain caused by arthritis, but you have to find an experienced acupuncturist.
A healthy lifestyle consisting of healthy foods and increased activity might also help in reducing joint pain in older adults. While these natural remedies may work most of the time, older adults should also keep pain medication around the house to use when the pain gets out of hand.