by Kayla Bachand, MSN, AGNP-C

Most people will experience joint pain and inflammation at some point in their lives. Joint pain and osteoarthritis, which occurs when the cartilage between bones deteriorates causing less cushion in the joint, can significantly impact a person’s daily life. Both can make it increasingly hard to walk, bend or find a comfortable position to rest — especially considering it commonly affects the joints that are needed for mobility: knees, hips and spine.

There are several ways you can reduce and control joint pain, so you can get back to a more normal standard of living. It may not go away permanently, but any improvement is likely to make a considerable difference in your everyday life.

Here are 7 helpful tips to reduce and alleviate joint pain:

1. Diet

Many of the foods we consume increase the amount of inflammation in our body and joints. By decreasing consumption of certain foods, you can help ease symptoms of joint pain. Reduce your intake of processed foods, gluten, alcohol and fast food. Loading up on healthy, fresh foods when grocery shopping is a good way to limit your intake of foods that could increase joint pain. Consider starting an anti-inflammatory diet; it can be a great start to learning more about how food impacts our body.

2. Weight Loss

Losing weight can greatly decrease joint pain and even slow the progression of osteoarthritis. Reducing your weight by even 10 percent can have a huge impact on functionality and pain management. Combining an anti-inflammatory diet with portion control will give you a head start in managing your weight and helping reduce symptoms in your joints. It’s also important to not categorize foods as “good” or “bad,” but rather to think about food from a moderation perspective. Approaching food and weight loss from an incremental and moderation mindset decreases overwhelming feelings while positively impacting your long-term success.

3. Exercise

Start a workout routine to help build muscles and decrease joint pain by getting your body used to movement and exercise. Start out with easy, slow, 20-minute workouts three times a week. Aerobic, resistance, flexibility and range of motion trainings are good, practical types of exercises. You may also consider a lower impact activity, like walking or swimming, that can have a variety of positive benefits. It’s important to warm up and cool down each time you work out. Failing to do so can hurt your joints and muscles and could cause more pain or serious injury.

4. Supplements

Supplements can help reduce inflammation. You should always talk with your health care provider before incorporating supplements into your diet. Your provider can recommend the best amount for your specific health situation. Below is a general guideline for helpful anti-inflammatory supplements:

• Omega-3 (fish oil) – 3,000-4,000 milligrams daily. Store this in your freezer to help reduce the fishy taste.

• Turmeric – 1,000 milligrams daily (equivalent to ½ teaspoon). Take this with pepper to help your body absorb the nutrients. You can also mix ½ teaspoon of turmeric in a ginger tea. It may take a few days to feel any improvements in your symptoms.

• Glucosamine sulfate (GS) – 500 milligrams three times a day and Chondroitin sulfate (CS) – 400 milligrams three times a day for a minimum of six weeks. Manufacturers will often combine these two into one pill or tea.

5. Over-the-counter Creams

Several creams and gels can help relieve inflammation and pain. Gels are generally more suited to help with joints because they work directly where they’re applied to your skin instead of being absorbed into your whole system.

• Diclofenac (Voltaren) gel can be applied to your joints up to four times per day. It helps reduce inflammation and pain and works best for joints in your hands and knees.

• Capsaicin cream can also be applied directly to your joints to reduce pain and inflammation. It needs to be applied daily to achieve the best results. Since this cream comes from chili peppers, apply it while wearing gloves or thoroughly wash your hands after application.

• Aspercreme and Bengay can also help.

6. Temperature

Our muscles can react differently to varying temperatures. Heat can help relax tight muscles; a moist heat is best for pain relief. Cold can be used after extreme exercise to help relieve any aches that you may be experiencing.

7. Other Alternatives

• Acupuncture

• TENS unit

• Massage

Debilitating pain can leave you unable to move or enjoy simple everyday activities. It can sometimes feel that there are no ways to get back to your normal way of life. Incorporating new habits of eating better or exercising can take time, but you can use each of these tips interchangeably and use them to meet your pain management needs where you’re at. As the pain dissipates, you can adjust your routines and strategies or even try out new tactics that were previously impossible for you to try out. Joint pain and inflammation don’t have to leave you unable to enjoy life. You can empower yourself and reclaim your health by implementing the simple tips above.

If you or your loved one lives with a chronic illness, House Calls may be able to help. House Calls brings primary care to your front door for individuals who have difficulty leaving their homes for routine medical appointments. Contact us today to learn more.

Kayla Bachand is a certified adult-gerontology nurse practitioner with House Calls.

by Kayla Bachand, MSN, AGNP-C

Constipation, the inability to pass your body’s waste through a bowel movement, is a common occurrence for many adults. There are two types of constipation: occasional and chronic. Occasional constipation means having less than three bowel movements a week, while chronic constipation is described as frequent, persistent difficulty passing bowel movements for an extended period.

According to the American Gastroenterological Association, constipation affects approximately 16 percent of adults and 33 percent of adults older than 60 years of age. As we age and our bodies and habits change, constipation can become more frequent and lead to more concerning medical issues.

Common causes of constipation include decreased water intake, changes in diet, medication, lack of physical exercise and more.

Constipation by itself is not typically life-threatening, but it can become more serious when a person has one or more underlying health conditions. This is especially true for the older population.

5 Ways to Help Ease & Prevent Constipation

1. Adequate Water Intake. The average person doesn’t consume enough water, which causes dehydration and makes you more prone to constipation. It’s recommended you drink half of your body weight in ounces of water, unless you have a medical condition that advises against it. For example, someone who weighs 200 pounds should drink at least 100 ounces of water per day. When you start consuming the recommended ounces, you will need to use the bathroom more often, but eventually your body will adjust to the extra water intake. Unfortunately, no other liquids can replace water—not even coffee, energy drinks or soda.

TIP: Try using a large glass or water bottle with the ounces clearly visible on the vessel. This will help you track how many refills you need to drink to reach your goal.

2. Physical Activity. Moving your body helps get your bowels moving, too. Movement as simple as a stroll around your house or apartment can impact the function of your digestive tract.

3. Fiber Intake. The recommended daily fiber intake is 20-25 grams. Fiber can be found in the form of whole grain breads, unrefined cereals, flax meal or bran, vegetables and fruit. Make sure you are drinking enough water while consuming fiber. (Examples of 20-25 grams of fiber: 2.5 cups of raspberries, blackberries or blueberries; four medium pears or apples; three large bananas; one cup of Fiber One cereal by General Mills or All-Bran or Raisin Bran by Kellogg’s; beans provide lots of fiber, 1.5 cups of lima or pinto beans)

TIP: Try to increase your fiber intake slowly over a two to three-week period. An increase in too much fiber too quickly can lead to abdominal bloating or gas.

4. Abdominal Massage. Gentle abdominal massage can encourage bowel movement if done properly. Use the “I Love U” technique in three passes.

1. I – It’s important to start in the lower right side of your stomach and gently massage your stomach with one or two hands making small circles and slowly moving up the right side. This is the “I.”
2. Love – Then stop, and start over again, but this time continue across the upper portion of your stomach, below your rib cage. This is the “L” in love.
3. U – Then stop, and start over, this time you will continue down the left side and then stop. This is the “U” pass.

5. Medications. There are several different medications that can help with constipation. You should always discuss medications with your medical provider before starting new medications; this includes over-the-counter medication. Although medication can assist in relieving constipation, it’s recommended to only use them after other techniques have failed because of the side effects that come along with any medication. Medications used to help with constipation include bulking agents, osmotic laxatives, stimulant laxatives and stool softeners.

• Bulking laxatives: These add bulk to the stool by absorbing water into the gut, which makes the stool soft and easier to pass. The most common is psyllium (Metamucil). This should be taken with plenty of water to avoid a bowel obstruction.
• Osmotic laxatives: These soften and ease stool by gently attracting water into the colon. Magnesium hydroxide (Milk of Magnesia), polyethylene glycol (MiraLAX) and lactulose are examples of this type of laxative.
• Stimulant laxatives: These work by causing the intestinal muscles to contract and push out, or “stimulate” a bowel movement. Sennosides (Senna) and bisacodyl (Dulcolax) are two types of stimulant laxatives.
• Stool softeners: Stool softeners are blended into the stool mass and provide lubrication for easier passage of the stool. Docusate sodium is an example of a stool softener.

Simple adjustments to your daily routine can help prevent constipation and are the most effective way to treat it. Incorporate the tips 1-3 from above into your daily habits with support from tips 4-5, and you should see improvement in your personal comfort as well as your bowel movements.

If you or your loved one lives with a chronic illness, House Calls may be able to help. House Calls brings primary care to your front door for individuals who have difficulty leaving their homes for routine medical appointments. Contact us today to learn more.

Kayla Bachand is a certified adult-gerontology nurse practitioner with House Calls.