Immediate first steps for common joint pain

Joint pain can keep you back from your daily routine. With common culprits like knee pain, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, the remedies are simple. And trying some of them is a good start to taking back your life.

• Pain slows us down, and interferes with our lives.
• You might endure it without seeking remedy, but that only makes things worse and can lead to chronic issues.
• Here's a look at a few ways to address common joint pain and the conditions that cause it:

• If there's swelling, hold an ice bag on your knee for 20 minutes at a time to help relieve both swelling and inflammation. This also helps keep the swelling down.
• Ibuprofen or naproxen can help relieve the pain. Follow the dosage instructions on the label unless your doctor tells you otherwise.
• If your knee doesn't get better within three to seven days, see your doctor. Head to the doctor's office immediately if you can't stand on or bend your knee, if you have a lot of swelling or pain, if your knee looks deformed, or if you have a fever.

• If a joint's aching, avoid taxing it. As much as possible, give the joint a 24 hour hardship break. Just be sure to get up and move around gently for 10 minutes every hour, giving your joint and surrounding muscles a change of pace and position.
• Hold a cold pack or ice bag to your sore joint for 20 minutes several times per day to relieve pain and muscle spasms. Alternate with 20 minutes of a hot water bottle, a heating pad, or warm bath to relieve pain and stiffness.
• Creams and gels containing salicylates, which is an ingredient in aspirin, can help relieve pain and inflammation. Creams containing capsaicin, which gives chili peppers their kick, help kill pain over time (give it a few weeks for full effect) by decreasing a chemical that sends pain signals to the brain. Another option is creams that contain ingredients like menthol, wintergreen, or eucalyptus oil, whose icy or hot sensation temporarily relieves pain. Only use the amount prescribed on the package, and don't use the creams with ice or heat packs.
• If you've had pain, stiffness, or swelling around a joint for more than two weeks, your doctor should examine you to find out what's going on.

• This is by far the most important first step: See your doctor. The sooner you are on prescription medication, the less damage you'll have to your joints and the more control you'll have over your pain.
• Anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve) can both ease inflammation and lower pain. Don't take more than directed on the package unless your doctor advises you to.
• A 15-minute hot shower or bath or 20 minutes with a heating pad can ease stiffness and pain by relaxing your muscles. Alternate heat with a cold pack, an ice bag, or even immersion in a cold bath, if you can stand the goose bumps.
• Cold lessens pain and muscle spasms. Limit cold treatments to 20 minutes as well.