Your doctor can help you decide whether drugs might be worth trying. These sudden muscle contractions, which often have no apparent cause, can hurt so much that they wake people from sleep. Up to 60 percent of adults report nocturnal leg cramps. What to do: First, tell your doctor so that he or she can check for underlying causes such as dehydration , nerve disorders, vascular disease, and calcium, magnesium, and potassium deficiencies.
One of the best fixes is stretching : Keep an old tie on your nightstand, and before bed or when a cramp strikes, wrap it over the ball of your foot. Holding both ends and keeping your leg straight, gently pull the ball of the foot toward your head. Quinine an anti-malaria drug was once used to treat cramps, but the Food and Drug Administration has warned against that practice because of the potential for severe side effects, such as heart problems.
Pain or numbness that radiates down a leg with tingling, burning, or weakness, and which worsens with movement, could be the result of a herniated or protruding disc in the spine. What to do: The pain usually subsides on its own within three months. In the meantime, try alternating the use of ice and heat, or take an over-the-counter pain reliever such as acetaminophen Tylenol and generic or an anti-inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen Advil and generic.
Stretching can ease pain and help prevent its recurrence. If the pain is severe, spinal steroid injections or newer nerve-targeting drugs might help. Or try massage and acupuncture. Consider surgery only if you have severe symptoms or the pain lasts longer than 12 weeks. A blood clot in your leg, known as deep vein thrombosis, can feel like sudden pain in a calf or thigh accompanied by swelling, redness, or warmth.
Clots that break loose can be fatal if they reach your lungs; repeated clots that remain in your legs can cause skin ulcers. What to do: Call your doctor or go to an emergency room.
PEMF has helped to reduce pain in the feet , lower back , knees and more. Instead of taking a body-wide approach to pain relief like OTC or other drugs , the Oska Pulse works locally.
You can place it virtually anywhere on your body, under or over your clothes. It essentially reduces inflammation and increases blood flow at the pain site, encouraging cellular repair. TENS stands for "transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation," which is the science-y way of saying it "blocks pain signals. Unlike TENS units that tether your body to them, Omron's device is tiny, offers wireless pain relief by transmitting electrical impulses to your nervous system through your skin at the pain site.
These impulses flood your nervous system with new information, reducing your body's ability to send pain signals to your brain. TENS units can effectively reduce back pain, neck pain, labor pain, and more. The Quell 2. Rather than a small patchlike wearable like the Omron Avail , the Quell 2. This product could be particularly convenient for people who experience knee or elbow pain and want some relief while on the go.
Additionally, according to the Quell website, the Quell 2. So if you experience pain that wakes you up during the night, this might be the device for you.
Some treatments involve medications, and some do not. Your treatment plan should be specific to your needs. Most treatment plans focus on both reducing pain and increasing ways to support daily function while living with pain.
Talk with your doctor about how long it may take before you feel better. Often, you have to stick with a treatment plan before you get relief. It's important to stay on a schedule. Sometimes this is called "staying ahead" or "keeping on top" of your pain.
Be sure to tell your doctor about any side effects. You might have to try different treatments until you find a plan that works for you.
As your pain lessens, you can likely become more active and will see your mood lift and sleep improve. Your doctor may prescribe one or more of the following pain medications.
Talk with your doctor about their safety and the right dose to take. As people age, they are at risk for developing more side effects from medications. It's important to take exactly the amount of pain medicine your doctor prescribes. Don't chew or crush your pills if they are supposed to be swallowed whole. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you're having trouble swallowing your pills. Mixing any pain medication with alcohol or other drugs can be dangerous.
Make sure your doctor knows all the medicines you take , including over-the-counter drugs and dietary supplements , as well as the amount of alcohol you drink. Remember: If you think the medicine is not working, don't change it on your own. Talk to your doctor or nurse. In addition to drugs, there are a variety of complementary and alternative approaches that may provide relief.
What should you eat to stay healthy with arthritis? Which foods should you avoid? Turmeric, the yellow spice common in Indian dishes, contains a chemical called curcumin. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Research suggests it may help reduce arthritis pain and inflammation. In an animal study that the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health cited, scientists gave turmeric to rats.
Results showed that it reduced inflammation in their joints. More research is needed to show how turmeric works, but adding a small amount of this mild but tasty spice to your dinner is likely to be a safe option. Spice up your life by grabbing some online today. Massage can provide an overall sense of well-being. It may also help manage joint pain and discomfort. They add, however, that massage is unlikely to pose a risk and may provide indirect benefits, such as reducing stress.
Ask your doctor to recommend a massage therapist who has experience in treating people with arthritis. Alternatively, you could ask a physical therapist to teach you self-massage. Some of these herbs include:. Be sure to buy from a reputable source. Always talk to your doctor before trying a new supplement, as some can cause side effects and dangerous drug interactions.
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