Did you know?

• A recent study showed that more than 65% of older adults reportedly experienced joint pains, out of which women were more susceptible to the diagnosis.
• Another study also proved that as of 2022, 15 million Indians suffer from osteoarthritis and about 50 million people are more prone to osteoporosis, especially post-menopause.
• It was also found that the winter tends to exacerbate the occurrence of arthritis. However, unlike popular opinion, the former does not lead to this condition.
• On World Arthritis Day in 2022, researchers further testified that approximately 14% of Indians seek medical attention for this common joint condition, every year.

A prevalent health concern affecting a wide range of the global population, joint and muscle pains are a multifaceted issue that can be attributed to numerous reasons such as injuries, family history, degenerative diseases, trauma, and lifestyle factors. If left untreated or not managed properly, it can majorly influence one’s mobility and quality of life. While, joint pains often come with the territory of the process of aging, today’s fast-paced lifestyle habits can lead to early deterioration. From home remedies to medical intervention, luckily, today there are many ways to prevent the same. But before you delve deep into the same, let’s understand the basics.

Causes and Types of Joint Pains

As we all know, a joint refers to the junction in our body where two or more bones of our bodies connect. The discomfort or pain caused in your joints can be encountered in your hands, feet, hips, knees, or spine. From feeling stiff or sore to experiencing intense burning or throbbing, joint discomfort can manifest in several ways, which can also give rise to muscular discomfort and disorders as they are often interrelated.

Extending to myriad forms of joint issues, the most common causes that can severely impair functioning in extreme cases are as follows:

1. Arthritis: Originating from the Greek words, ‘arthro’ meaning joint, and ‘itis’ meaning inflammation, arthritis is known to exhibit its symptoms in two forms, namely:

• Osteoarthritis: Popularly regarded as the non-inflammatory ‘wear and tear’ disease, this common form of arthritis is characterized by the breakdown of cartilage because of aging or injury. It most often affects the neck, fingers, lower back, hips, and knees. With such a diagnosis, one is prescribed maximum rest as its sharp, intermittent, and lingering ache gets hampered by constant movement.
• Rheumatoid arthritis: In this inflammatory disease, one’s immune system strikes the tissue that covers the joint. Its symptoms include tender, stiff, swollen, or warm joints, fever, fatigue, and a loss of appetite.

2. Gout: This painful condition is characterized by unbearable pain and swelling that occurs because acid crystals in the body accumulate in the joints, especially in one’s big toe.
3. Burisitis: This joint concern happens when sacs of fluid cause inflammation in the cushioned layer that protects your joints.
4. Tendinitis: As the name suggests, this condition refers to the inflammation of your tendons- the flexible connecting band that joins your bone and muscle.
5. Myositis- A condition characterized by the inflammation of muscle tissue, myositis causes the weakening of muscles, pain, and swelling leading to reduced circulation of blood in the body.
6. Fibromyalgia: A chronic disorder, fibromyalgia is indicated by acute musculoskeletal pain and fatigue that leads to one’s cognitive impairment, sleep disturbances, and brain fog or mental imbalances.

Essential Note: Often arising from injury, infection, disease, or other health incongruencies, muscle pain or myalgia can be either short-term or chronic

Moreover, now that we know some of the conditions associated with joint and muscle pains, it is equally important to know the risk factors that give us an underlying idea of the demographic most prone to the same. They are as follows:

• Overuse of a muscle
• Previous, untreated injuries
• Psychological factors like depression, anxiety, or stress
• Being overweight or obese

Well, well! Now that we know what causes these debilitating, ‘grating’ pains, isn’t it better to act smart and take the necessary precautions to avoid long-term impairment? After all, prevention is also better than cure!

Treatment Options for Joint Pains and Diseases

While it is a well-known fact that there may not be a steadfast cure for joint pain, there are numerous ways to manage or ameliorate its effects. While over-the-counter (OTC) medications often help during periods of unmanageable pain, it is advisable to practice healthy habits like performing simple exercises to increase your threshold or to manage your condition. In extreme, undesirable cases, physicians often prescribe surgery. Overall, these are some of the ways to reduce joint pains.

1. Exercise: Maintaining an active lifestyle with the help of low-impact exercises such as walking, swimming, or mild aerobics, along with gentle stretching exercises enables the strengthening and efficient functioning of your muscles. Exercises constituting a part of your physical or occupational therapy are highly beneficial for boosting your quality of life.
2. Dietary Supplements: Maintaining a healthy, balanced diet ensures that your body, and therefore, your joints are getting the desired nutrition in the form of proteins and minerals that it requires to ensure optimal functioning and a healthy immune system, which helps our ability to tackle illnesses, Supplements such as ingestible vitamin tablets or even glucosamine can relieve your pain.
3. Weight Loss: Losing weight gradually and healthily can help to decrease the strain on your joints
4. Medication: Considered as the last resort for the longer run, medicines such as Tylenol or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs- these are still safer options) can ensure to substantially decrease your pain. Often stronger doses such as steroids require a prescription and are not advisable for those patients who may have a history of comorbidities such as stomach ulcers, and kidney, or liver ailments.
5. Adjuncts: These include medications such as anti-depressants or related pills for improved emotional functioning that can help you rest peacefully.
6. Home Remedies: Popularly referred to as ‘grandmother’s elixirs,’ haven’t we grown up listening to naturalistic, herbal, or easy-to-follow solutions that have proven to reap short-term and long-term benefits? From using simple remedies like applying a heating pad or ice onto the affected area or using herbal ingredients that are known to have soothing or anti-inflammatory properties such as rubbing clove or peppermint oils that are known to have analgesic and antispasmodic properties as well.
   
   Elevating your internal health and balancing your mind, body, and spirit, did you know that certain essential oils used in aromatherapy are the perfect, enticing, all-natural, and organic concoctions that can calm your muscles and alleviate your pain levels significantly? Yes, it sounds too good to be true. Read on to know more!

(Insert Relief Pic here)

Scented Serenity for Joints: Aromatherapy’s Gentle Embrace

Well, well, there’s time for some essential facts!

• According to the findings of a recent study, patients who underwent knee replacement surgery highly benefited from inhaling eucalyptus essential oils for three days at three-hour intervals by reporting lesser pain.
• Another review showed that turmeric extracts successfully decrease the symptoms of arthritis.
• A meta-analysis of several studies has shown that certain essential oils such as lavender oil, peppermint oil, and eucalyptus oil helps to soothe deep, throbbing muscular pain

With multiple studies testifying to the efficacy of using this age-old alternative method of aromatherapy in treating joint tension and muscle discomfort, did you know that the plant and herbal extracts from which the essential oil is extracted and distilled have heightened medicinal value? Their strong aromas stimulate our nervous system and the epicenter of the limbic system in the brain that helps awaken our senses, healing our bodies and balancing our mental psyche.

Approaching every ailment from an inside-out, holistic entity that believes that you should concentrate on treating the functioning of the entire body rather than just one part, the principle of aromatherapy suggests that an imbalance between our physical and emotional selves causes diseases and ailments. Embracing synergy to the core, we at SA understand what it means to be healthy. Abiding by the eminent quote, “Good health is true wealth,” we strive towards championing one’s self-care and holistic health through our therapeutic concoctions of essential oils.

From migraines to stress and more, our carefully crafted blends of potent essential oils evoke an oasis of complete relaxation and tranquillity. Treating this disruptive condition of joint and muscle aches, our Joint Pain Oil, Relief emanates your vital, rejuvenating aromas of comfort, whilst deeply relaxing your joints and muscles.

Filled with therapeutic, natural ingredients like clove, coconut oil, rosemary, and thyme, apply the oil to the affected area and gently massage until the pain subsides gradually. Using it daily will give you the best results. Indulging your senses in a state of serene bliss, the Relief imbues the following advantages:

• Soothes the muscles
• Conditions of the skin
• Boosts blood circulation
• Alleviates joint pains

Interrelated to each other, while aromatherapy does not pose to cure your ailment, we promise that our pain-dampening Relief Oil lives up to its name and will not disappoint.

So, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and go pain-free by purchasing SA’s Joint Pain Oil, Relief!