Joint Muscle & Pain Relief

Muscles near the joints are called tendons and inflammation in this area is known as tendinitis. Tendinitis can cause muscle joint aches, burning and inflammation in the neck and back vertebrae, shoulders, elbows, wrists, fingers, knees, feet and even the hips. The best way to treat muscle joint pain is through rest, ice, heat, medications, supplements, massage and exercise.

Rest, Ice & Heat

• Anyone with joint muscle pain needs a certain period away from physical activity. This prevents further aggravation of inflammation and pain. During the first 48 hours, apply ice to your affected joint at 20-minute intervals throughout the day (every 3-4 hours). Ice causes vasoconstriction (narrowing of blood vessels) which reduces inflammation by limiting the flow of blood and lymph to the muscle joints or injuries. Ice should be compressed directly against the joint. Once the initial inflammation has subsided, you can use heat to promote blood flow to the affected joints.

Medications & Supplements

• Anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve) can help you reduce muscle joint inflammation and pain. These medications are Cox-2 inhibitors which reduce inflammation and pain by minimizing the effects of Cox-2 enzymes and prostaglandins, the body's natural inflammatory response to muscle joint pain. In more severe cases of muscle joint pain, your doctor may prescribe oral steroids or a cortisone shot.

  Supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin have been known to help muscle joint pain and inflammation. Glucosamine is an amino gluten which helps build additional cartilage in the joint. Chondroitin, a complex carbohydrate, can replenish synovial fluid in the muscle joints which helps lubricate the joints and alleviate bone friction-causing tendinitis.

Massage

• According to the staff at Mayoclinic.org (see ref.1 below), massage can reduce pain, improve circulation, release endorphins (natural pain healers), relieve tension and minimize scar tissue in muscle tendons in the joint area. Massage also increases blood flow which increases the supply of oxygen and nutrients that are necessary to heal joint muscle pain.

Exercise

• Exercise also increases blood supply to your joint muscles to help relieve inflammation and pain. If you have pain in your lower back vertebrae, you can lie down and press your lower back against the floor to build strength in that area. You can also pull one or both knees to your chest, holding the position during multiple repetitions of the exercise. Simply moving the fingers and wrists in different directions or making circular motions can help alleviate joint muscle pain. Hanging your shoulders loosely down in front of you and making circular motions will help alleviate shoulder joint muscle pain. And bending your knee behind you can alleviate joint muscle pain in that area. You can also do resistance exercises (i.e. lifting light dumbbells) for various joint muscles or tendons, too. (For more details on these exercises, see refs. 2 and 3 below)