Those who suffer from frequent joint pain and stiffness, regular joint exercises can give relief and also prevent joint pain from occurring again. Doing joint exercises can also prevent symptoms of arthritis, gout, and other illnesses associated with joints and muscles. Joint exercises ensure that there is sufficient movement of the joints; this improves the range of motion of the joints and lowers the risk of pain and stiffness. Such joint exercises also increase the muscle strength and improve the overall health of the person. Mood levels are elevated, and the quality of life also improves. Here are a few exercises that help to strengthen joints and prevent joint pain.

• Walking
  Walking is the best form of joint exercise. It is the simplest way of exercising all the joints of the body. There is no special training required, and it can be done anywhere. However, ensure that proper shoes are worn that give the necessary support to the feet. Wear clothes that let the skin breathe and sweat to evaporate. Walking also helps in weight loss, which alleviates strain on the joints, especially in the knees and lowers back. Walking is a low-intensity cardio exercise, which helps to improve the heart health as well.
• Swimming
  Swimming is an effective aerobic exercise that soothes joints and strengthens them. Muscle strength also increases with regular swimming. When done for at least 16 weeks, swimming or water-based aerobics exercises reduces the instances of joint pain. Regular swimming also helps in weight loss, improves sleep cycle, and balances mood.
• Cycling
  Cycling has smoother motions that make it an ideal joint exercise for people with joint pain and stiffness. Cycling for at least three times a week is recommended to improve joint movement, specifically in the legs. Cycling also helps to strengthen muscles of the calves and thighs. However, cycling is not advisable for people who have low strength in their hands since they will not have proper grip while pedaling and steering the cycle.
• Tai chi and yoga
  Yoga and tai chi exercises improve balance and coordination through a better body awareness. A person becomes conscious of the position of the joints and their movements during various activities. This awareness helps to prevent joint injury and reduce joint pain. The various exercises of yoga and tai chi also help to improve flexibility and range-of-motion of the joints. There is an improvement in the body posture while walking, standing, and sitting.

A heel spur is a bone growth that develops on the heel bone, specifically on the underside of the bone. It happens due to calcium deposit that causes a bony protrusion of nearly half-inch to develop on the heel bone. The calcium deposition occurs gradually over months. An extreme, persistent strain on the ligaments and foot muscles, repeated instances of heel bone membrane tearing, and plantar fascia stretching are some of the common causes of heel spur. Also known as help spur syndrome, the condition is detected and diagnosed based on X-ray test results.

Painless, heel spurs are often associated with plantar fasciitis. Heel spur relief treatment options include cortisone injections, anti-inflammatory medications, exercise, customized orthotics and so on. In certain cases, surgery may be required. Here are a few effective treatments for help spur relief:

• Stretching exercises: If the heel pain persists for more than a pain, consult a physiotherapist. The therapist will recommend a set of stretching exercises that will help to provide heel spur relief by alleviating the pain. The goal of such physical therapy is to treat and give relief from plantar fasciitis, which aggravates the symptoms of heel spur.
• Orthotics and shoe recommendations: Orthotic devices are used to correct biomechanical imbalances that cause arch and heel pain. The devices such as heel cushions, heel pads, insoles, shoe inserts, and special orthotic shoes give relief from the excess pressure exerted on heels and the Achilles tendon. Such devices also control additional movements that put a strain on the plantar fasciitis ligament. Special shoes help to alleviate the effects on inflammation on the tendons and muscles of the heel.
• Anti-inflammation medications: Most often heel spur is caused due to plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis occurs due to inflammation of the plantar fascia that is located at the bottom of the foot. Popular over-the-counter medications such as naproxen, acetaminophen, and acetaminophen are often used to get heel spur relief. It is recommended that a doctor is consulted before taking any medications. Doctors may also suggest cortisone injections to alleviate the symptoms of pain.
• Surgery: When none of the non-invasive heel spur treatments work, doctors may recommend surgery. Surgery is done in only 10% of the cases since most people get heel spur relief from conservative treatments. Surgeries are done to release stress from the plantar fascia or to remove the spur. Post surgery, a person may be required to use surgical shoes, crutches, bandages, splints, and so on.

Commonly affecting athletes who frequent activities include running and jumping, heel spur is caused due to calcium deposits on the underside of the heel bone. The symptoms include inflammation of tissues and tendons near the spur, pain while walking or jogging, formation of calluses, swelling or redness of the affected part of the heel. The pain that is experienced is often sharp and stabbing. Sometimes that pain can go away to be replaced by a dull throbbing that aggravates while doing activities such as walking, jumping, jogging, or running.

The initial treatments for heel spur relief involve a lot of conservative and non-invasive methods. Doctors may recommend cortisone injections, anti-inflammation medications, or ice compressions to get heel spur relief, especially to get relief from pain. To alleviate pressure on the affected muscles and ligaments, orthotic devices such as heel pads, insoles, heel cushions, and special shoes can be used. These non-invasive treatments for heel spur relief are done for a period of 9 to 12 months. If there is no relief from the inflammation or pain after this period of treatment, surgery is recommended.

To make the non-invasive treatments of help spur relief effective, the following natural tips can be followed:

• Magnesium: Magnesium in the body is essential for the formation of bone and the utilization of calcium. Magnesium-based Epsom salt has been known to be anti-inflammatory and an effective pain reliever. Epsom salt can be added to bath water and the foot affected by heel spur can be soaked in this water for some time. Gently massage the affected heel. Adding magnesium-rich foods such as avocados, bananas, black beans, dried figs, and pumpkin seeds can also help to alleviate inflammation and pain caused due to heel spur.
• Vitamin B5: Vitamin B5 is essential for an effective healing process. This vitamin prevents nerve damage and impairment, improves muscle strength, reduce pain in the joints, and alleviate joint or muscle fatigue. Foods rich in vitamin B5 include salmon, eggs, lentils, sunflower seeds, and so on. These should be made a regular part of the diet to get heel spur relief.
• Diet rich in alkaline: Am appropriate balance of acids and alkaline is required in the body to maintain a healthy pH balance in the body. This avoids inflammation and build-up of calcium that leads to the formation of heel spur. Most diets are rich in acid levels; the body also generates acids during digestion. This makes it essential to include alkaline-rich foods in the diet for proper maintenance of pH balance. Such foods include green drinks, lemon or lime water, and raw foods.

A chest pain does not necessarily mean that you have a heart attack, it can have many other causes and symptoms. Apart from the heart issues, there are also many other components that can cause a right-side chest pain. It could be due to a cold, infection, an injury to your ribs, or an issue with your lungs. An issue in the lungs can be the most likely to cause right side chest pain. A problem with the lungs can also induce various types of chest pain.

Let us look at some conditions in the lung that can cause chest pain:

• Pleuritis: If there is an inflammation or irritation of the lining of your chest, then you are probably facing pleuritis, also known as pleurisy. You might feel a sharp pain in your chest when you sneeze, cough or breathe. The most common causes of this condition are viral or bacterial infections, pulmonary embolism, and pneumothorax. There are also some lesser-known causes like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and cancer.
• Pneumonia or lung abscess: A deep and long-lasting chest pain is one of the most common symptoms of this condition. It can also come by without any warning symptoms, in fact, pneumonia is known to come suddenly and harm the lungs or the chest. It usually causes fevers, chills, cough, and pus coughed up from the respiratory tract.
• Pulmonary embolism: If a blood clot manages to travel through your bloodstream and lodge straight into your lungs then it can cause a pulmonary embolism. As mentioned above, this a condition of acute pleuritis. The common symptoms include a right-side chest pain, trouble in breathing, and a rapid heartbeat, if it is prolonged, it can also cause fever and shock. A pulmonary embolism is the most likely to occur after a deep vein thrombosis. It can also happen if you have been immobile for a long time after a surgery or a cancer complication.
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease: This condition is also known as acid reflux, it occurs when the contents of the stomach move back upwards to the throat. This could also lead to vomiting and the sour taste in the mouth and a burning sensation in the chest. There are some factors that can trigger this condition, including, smoking, obesity, pregnancy, and spicy or fatty foods. Heart pain and acid reflux as the heart and esophagus are quite close to each other.

When we encounter a chest pain, the first thing that strikes our head is the possibility of a heart attack. This is to an extended level if you witness right side chest pain. Well, not every pain in your chest counts as a symptom for heart attack. There are many more conditions that can be induced by a right-side chest pain, and most of them are not as fatal as a heartache. Chest pain is not something that you must ignore, even if it leads to a heart attack or not. The idea is to educate yourself about all the condition that could be associated with a chest pain.

Here are some common causes of right side chest pain:

• Coronary Artery Disease (CAD): A coronary artery disease is the result of a blockage in the heart vessels, thereby reducing the blood flow and oxygen to the heart muscle. The pain caused by this condition is called angina and is towards to the right side of the chest. CAD is the symptom of heart disease, but it is not known to cause permanent damage to the heart. Although it can be seen as a disclaimer that a heart attack might be a possibility in the near future. In a CAD, the chest pain can spread to the shoulder, arm, as well as the back.
• Pericarditis: Pericarditis is the inflammation or infection of the sac around the heart. The pain, in this case, is very similar to the pain caused by angina. Although, unlike CAD, the pain, in this instance, is sharper and can spread to the upper neck as well causing a lot of unrest to the sufferer. Lying on your back, eating, breathing and running can make this pain worse in some conditions.
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: This condition can change the size of the heart muscle, making it thicker than usual. This can lead to issues in the blood flow from the heart in some cases. If you indulge in a tedious activity, you can encounter shortness of breath along with the chest pain. If this problem is not addressed with the urgency, it could also lead to heart failure in the future, if the heart muscle thickens further.
• Mitral valve pro-lapse: This is a condition where a valve in the heart fails to close properly. There are a variety of symptoms that are associated with this condition, including right side chest pain, palpitations, and dizziness. The prolapse can also be mild in some cases and cause only a slight chest pain.

The meniscus cartilage in the knee prevents the bones of the upper leg and the lower leg from grinding against each other. Each knee has two menisci; lateral meniscus and medial meniscus. The menisci on the outside of the joint is called lateral meniscus and the one on the outside is called medial meniscus. Due to aging, sports, and sudden injuries, the medial meniscus may tear.

A torn meniscus is caused when the entire body weight is on the knee and a sudden activity causes a forceful twisting or rotating of the knee. An intense sharp pain will be experienced at the time of the injury and a popping will be heard or felt. The following are some of the common symptoms of a torn meniscus:

• There will be extreme pain the inside part of the knee.
• A dull ache may be experienced all over the joint.
• There will be swelling of the knee within 24 to 48 hours after the injury.
• There will be catching or locking of the injured knee.
• It is difficult to bend the knee fully.
• There might be stiffness or tightness of the knee muscles.
• There might be muscle weakness.

For torn meniscus relief, treatments depend on the severity of the condition, the percentage of the tear, and the age of the person. The treatments for torn meniscus relief can be non-invasive or invasive. Here are 5 ways to take care of the pain and swelling:

• The initial and immediate treatment for torn meniscus relief involves keeping the injured knee at rest. Avoid any physical activity or movement that exacerbate the pain and swelling. Use walking stick or crutches while walking. This may help to relieve the pressure from the knee.
• In the first 48 to 72 hours of the injury, keep the swelling down by applying cold compresses. Ice packs can be applied in intervals of 20 minutes after every 3 to 4 hours every day. This should be done for the first two to three days or until the swelling subsides.
• In case, the pain does not subside after a week, consult a doctor immediately. There might be a need for surgery. A doctor may suggest an arthroscopic surgery for long-term torn meniscus relief.
• If no surgery is required, it may take 6-8 weeks to recover from a torn meniscus. In the case of surgery, the recovery period may range from 3 to 4 months. In either case, a doctor might suggest a knee brace or a sleeve to be worn for protecting the meniscus from further injury.
• Consult a physiotherapist who will suggest exercises and physical routines that will help to get back the normal motion of the affected knee.

A very common knee injury, a torn meniscus is caused due to forceful twisting or rotating of the knee. Menisci is a C-shaped piece of cartilage that provides cushioning between the thighbone and the shinbone. There is one meniscus in each knee. The damage is extensive when the full weight of the body is on the affected knee. There is stiffness, pain, and swelling of the knee joint. There might be some difficulty while moving and stretching the knee.

A torn meniscus is also caused due to aging or overuse, which can occur due to excessive playing of sports. This happens due to slow wear and tear of the cartilage. When one of the menisci is torn, connected bones do not glide smoothly over each other during any knee movement. This causes inflammation and pain whenever there is a knee motion.

Nearly 6 out of 10 people over the age of 65 years tend to suffer from a torn meniscus. There are no prior symptoms or problems of a torn meniscus. However, there can be acute knee pain, and there might be an audible popping sound from the knee when torn meniscus occurs. Depending on the severity of the damage, the patient’s age, and overall health, a doctor will prescribe a treatment plan. Here are some of the initial torn meniscus pain relief plans that are non-invasive and do not require surgery:

• Keep the knee at rest: Do not take up activities that cause physical strain on the knees. Avoid running and jumping. Walk as less as possible. If needed, use crutches or a walking stick to relieve the pressure from the knees. This will provide torn meniscus pain relief.
• Use ice compression: One of the most effective torn meniscus pain relief techniques is to use ice compressions on the affected knee. A gel ice pack can be used for this purpose. Otherwise, ice can be packed in a towel and pressed against the affected area. Ice compress should be applied for about 15 to 20 minutes after 3 to 4 hours daily. This can be done for 2 to 3 days or until the swelling and pain goes away.
• Compress the knee: The swelling can be controlled with a neoprene knee sleeve worn around the knee. Or an elastic bandage can be wrapped around the knee. Consult a doctor or physiotherapist and ask what would the best option.
• Use elevation: The swelling and pain symptoms can be alleviated to a great extent by keeping the knee elevated while sitting or sleeping down. This can be done by placing a pillow under the heel of the foot.
• Exercise to alleviate stress from the knees: Consult a physiotherapist who can recommend strengthening and stretching exercises that will help to reduce the pain and alleviate pressure from the knee.

There are a number of causes when it comes to rib pain, which affect the individual bones or the cartilage that joins the bones to the sternum. There are treatments to provide relief from severe discomforts like bruising or fractures. However for mild discomforts and rib pain, these home remedies will work well.

Raisins with black pepper drink: Chest congestion can be one of the causes of rib pain which is why this home remedy can work as an effective rib pain treatment. A simple drink to make with raisins and black pepper, throw in five of each in boiling water and let it reduce down to a thicker consistency. Consume this preparation lukewarm and continue the treatment till you feel the symptoms fading away.

Dry ginger drink: Use just about 30 gms of dry ginger for this recipe to be effective. Mix it in boiling water and then divide the doses to be consumed throughout the day. A simple and effective recipe to get rid of ribs pain with no side effects whatsoever.

Homemade oil massage: Turpentine oil mixed with camphor can be used as a nice massage oil to relieve ribs pain. This process, when repeated at least four to five times in a day, can prove to be a very effective rib pain treatment. The gentle massage will provide much-needed relief from aching muscles and ribs.

Basil leaves drink: Yet another very effective rib pain treatment which can be ingested without any side effects. A strong recipe prepared with basil, ginger, black pepper and cloves. Most of these ingredients contain anti-inflammatory properties which will help relieve the swelling. Crush all the ingredients to be boiled and reduced in water, to be consumed a couple of times in the day.

Turmeric: One spoon of turmeric mixed with honey will provide the much-needed comfort from chest pain and rib pain. This is a home remedy which happens to work faster than most over the counter drugs or even prescription NSAIDS. If you can manage to overlook the strong taste mixed with sweet honey, this concoction works well as a home rib pain treatment.

Cold therapy: A simple ice pack will do the job when used properly. If you happen to notice any pain and swelling during the first couple of days after noticeable symptoms show up, place an ice bag over the affected area for a couple of minutes to reduce the inflammation. This process can be repeated several times during the day until the pain and swelling subsides.

NSAIDS: Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory drugs are a class of medication which is available with a doctors prescription only. Although this is not exactly a home remedy, sometimes prescription medications will serve the purpose compared to certain over the counter drugs.

Fingers are one of the most important parts of our body, and we can barely imagine a day without our fingers in a functional condition. Swollen finger pain can be a reason for us to be unable to use our fingers effectively or at all. Fingers can swell due to various reasons like, heat, injuries, cold, excess salt, arthritis and many other reasons. Getting rid of the finger pain at a fast pace is what we need, whenever we have swollen finger pain and here are some home remedies for the same.

Contrast hydration

Contrast hydration refers to soaking of fingers in warm as well as cold water. The procedure involves soaking your fingers in hot and cold water to help free the arteries from blockages or any other issues. The procedure demands you to soak you swollen fingers in warm water for 3-4 minutes and the immediately soak them in cold water for about a minute. Continue this for about 15-20 minutes and repeat this activity 3-4 times a day for relief.

Warm oil massage

A warm oil massage can be soothing for swollen finger pain. Warm up some mustard or olive oil and take it out in a bowl. Use your thumb and forefingers of one hand to massage the oil onto the other hand. Massage in the outward direction, from the knuckles to the nails, to get effective relief. Massage helps blood circulation and encourages drainage of excess fluid, thereby helping swollen finger pain.

Gentle exercise

Stiffness and stress as well as an improper blood flow can be the reason for swelling on your fingers. To improve this, you practice some simple exercises to improve the blood flow and provide some relief to your fingers. Get rid of any rinks or jewelry that you wear on your fingers, now close them in a fist and hold for a minute. Slowly release your fingers, do this whenever you get a chance to do it to have best effects.

Turmeric

Turmeric is known to heal cuts, but it can work on swellings as well. This is with regards to its active ingredient cur-cumin that offers anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It is said to help with arthritis, injuries and other many conditions causing swollen finger pain. Mix about ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder with olive oil and apply it on your swollen fingers, wash it with lukewarm water and repeat this about 2-3 times a day.

A sudden swelling on your fingers appears, what do you do? Do you panic? No. A swelling on your fingers is common during the heat, and is not a cause of concern in most cases. Although there can be a serious problem if your swelling persists for a long time, and especially if it comes along with a stinging pain. If you are suffering from swollen finger pain, here are some reasons that might be causing it.

Hot summer days

If you step out on a hot summer day, it is likely that you could have swollen finger pain. This is inclined with the fact that your body reacts to the heat by expanding blood vessels. This allows more heat to escape your body and help you keep cool. As the blood vessels stretch, the fluids can leak and seep into your soft tissues causing the swollen fingers.

Excess salt in your body

A hike in the salt levels of your body can lead to a swelling on your fingers as your body is unable to maintain a stable salt-to-water balance. This extra salt can come in through fried food that we consume on a daily basis. As the level of salt rises, the body starts to retain more water explaining the swelling. This swollen finger pain ideally lasts for a day or two depending on the level of extra salts in the body.

Osteoarthritis

If there is a swelling on the joint of the fingers or the knuckles then osteoarthritis could be the reasons for your swollen finger pain. This is caused by the wearing down of the tissues around the joints and is usually an age issue as it is common among older adults. Apart from osteoarthritis, there are other forms of arthritis that could cause swollen finger pain or puffy fingers.

Raynaud’s disease

Just like a rise in the temperature can be the cause of swollen finger pain, a drop in it could also lead to the swelling. When the temperature drops below a certain parameter, it can cause your arteries to narrow down thereby limiting the blood circulation. The swelling on the fingers also comes along with a pain in this condition, it is more common among women as compared to men. Along with the swelling and pain, if you see your fingers turn blueish or pale, it could be a sign for Raynaud’s disease.