How to Stop Aches and Pains as You Age

As you age, it is inevitable that you will be more prone to aches and pains in certain areas of your body, such as the hips, wrists, and knees. Although some older people may be in need of surgical procedures, there are many more natural treatments that you can use to try and improve the pains that you are experiencing. In this article, it will detail some of the more common aches and pains in old age and how you can combat these in order to live your life to the full.

Back Pain

Back pain is an extremely common condition in older adults that can occur when the joints degenerate, leading to pressure on the lumbar spine. This can be caused by a variety of factors such as illnesses like osteoarthritis and spinal stenosis. However, individuals may experience back pain due to other, more natural causes such as a poor sleep position, poor posture when sitting or standing, and heavy lifting. These activities are more likely to cause pain in older people due to their weaker joints and bones. To combat back pain, there is a range of natural solutions that you can experiment with, including chiropractic care, anti-inflammatory drugs, and back stretching through activities like Yoga, and exercise.

Aching Joints

Aching joints are common in older people as their muscles become stiffer and less flexible over time, especially if you do not regularly partake in exercise regimes. This does not always have to be caused by arthritis, although this condition can worsen the pain you experience. If aching joints are affecting your daily life, you should consider alternative ways to combat this, such as using a sleep chair. The Perfect Sleep Chair adjusts the way that you recline to reduce pressure on your joints by distributing your weight evenly across your body. This is called the ‘Zero Gravity’ Position and can help to reduce aching joints by changing your posture during sleep. Not only this, but sleep chairs can also decrease the symptoms of back pain and improve your sleep patterns, which can promote your body’s healing systems and naturally reduce the pain that you are experiencing. 

Arthritis 

More than 54.4 million Americans have ever been told that they have arthritis, and this means that it is important that you know how to ease the pain of this condition. Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage in the joints wears away, causing an increased amount of friction on the joints, and Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease where your immune system attacks healthy cells in your body, leading to joint pain. To ease the discomfort of arthritis, you can ask your doctor for medication such as anti-inflammatories, use steroid injections or topical medication, or try different types of physical therapies to stimulate the joints and reduce stiffness. You should also take part in regular exercise regimes, even if this only puts a moderate strain on your body, such as walking or gardening. 

Headaches

The risk of headaches increases as you get older and these can be caused by medications that you are already taking, show signs of underlying illnesses, or simply be caused by tension or migraines as in younger people. Headaches and migraines can be treated by gently massaging the area, considering medications such as ibuprofen, applying menthol cream, or avoiding the activities that are causing the headaches, such as computer vision syndrome.

Having to live with chronic pain is not a side-effect of getting older, and you should always seek treatment if pain is affecting your daily life and impacting your ability to perform your usual routine. Whether you want to use medication or try natural cures, there are a huge variety of ways to help chronic pain in order to find a solution that suits you and your preferences.