Ease Knee Pain Naturally: Your Guide to Herbal and Physical Therapies

The knee – the body’s largest and most complex joint – gives you flexibility with grace – a flexibility that enables your body to mould into any position you desire. Even the slightest discomfort in your knee can make it difficult to walk, stand, or sit, thus hampering the quality of life. 

 

You may face pain in the knee owing to many factors, including an injury, a sprain, or some conditions like osteoarthritis. It can also result from ageing, lack of proper diet, or physical exertion. 

 

There are various OTC and prescription knee pain tablets and other medications. However, it is advisable to go for natural knee pain relief solutions to achieve non-invasive and long-lasting comfort from pain. 

Pain Assessment & Management 

It is vital to assess the level of your pain to understand & apply the apt pain management approach. 

 

• If the pain is mild to moderate, then you can very effectively manage it through well-tested home remedies. This covers knee pain due to a sprain or arthritis. 

• Similarly, pain due to swelling or minor injury can be effectively resolved through natural remedies without the need for medical assistance. 

• However, if the pain gets severe or starts worsening with time, it is essential to seek professional assistance.

• You also need to visit a healthcare professional if you start experiencing pain in other parts of the body as well. 

 

Natural Remedies That Can Do Wonders!

Physical Exercise 

Exercising is the best tool we all have in our arsenal! A guided exercising pattern can help regain your body strength and recover from body pain. Low-impact exercises like yoga, stretching, swimming, and cycling help rejuvenate your body. Hence, it is recommended to make exercising a part of your daily routine – after all, prevention is better than cure. However, if you are starting to exercise as a measure to get knee pain relief, then it would be good to consult a professional who can advise steps based on the problem. 

Take Rest to Give Your Best 

Most of the body pains at times result from physical exertion. It is important to give it proper rest to get knee pain relief. Avoid any heavy physical routine when you are experiencing pain. Additionally, rest in a way that ensures speedy recovery, i.e.,

• Put a pillow under the aching knee for comfort

• Try to protect the area that is injured (if injury is the cause of pain)

• Avoid using the painful knee

• Try not to indulge in any activity that might result in pain 

Weight Management through Diet

Your body weight plays a significant role when it comes to physical pain, especially in the knee. Excessive pain just adds to the problem, thus hampering the knee pain relief process. A well-managed & maintained balanced diet that includes anti-inflammatory foods like vegetables & fruits is much better than chemical knee pain tablets. This balanced diet also helps in weight management, thereby putting less strain on your knees. 

Ice Therapy 

You should apply an ice pack on the knee around 2-3 times a day.

External Support 

Depending on the severity of the pain, sometimes it helps to put a bandage on the knee that is aching. Applying an elastic bandage can help reduce the swelling. Make sure that the bandage is not too tight, as tightness can lead to other problems like numbness, more pain or swelling. 

Tai Chi – A Chinese Technique

Tai Chi is a mind-body exercising pattern that helps enhance the body’s flexibility and balance. It also helps in –

1. Increasing range of motion

2. Alleviating pain 

3. Stress reduction

4. Chronic pain management

5. Muscle relaxation

6. Improved breathing 

The technique has been found to be extremely helpful for patients with osteoarthritis. 

Use of Essential Oils

Essential oils like peppermint, eucalyptus, and lavender have analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. Natural gels or sprays composed of such oils and natural herbs provide long-term relief from knee pain. Massaging these onto the affected area can provide targeted comfort from pain. However, it is always advisable to apply on a small patch first so that you rule out the possibility of any side effects. 

Nothing like Home!

Home remedies can often cure the incurable! Here are some of the time-tested home remedies that can help with knee pain better than knee pain tablets. 

• Ginger – Ginger is composed of anti-inflammatory elements that help with swelling. Here’s how you should take it-

  • Grate ginger and boil in 1 cup of water

  • Strain and add honey & lemon

  • Drink it 2-3 times a day

• Turmeric – Curcumin is an active ingredient in turmeric and possesses incredible anti-inflammatory properties. It makes turmeric even better than OTC knee pain tablets. Having it with ginger would serve as the icing on the cake. 

Bye, Bye Knee Pain!

Staying on the go is the need of the hour & knee pain should never keep you lagging behind! It’s time you understand the reason, severity and impact of your knee pain & act on it now. 

 

Natural pain relievers are viable and effective alternatives to knee pain tablets, specifically if you are looking for something with minimal side effects. You can conveniently adapt these in your daily routine – either as a separate intake or in combination with other therapies. However, do consult a professional and physiotherapist (both) if the pain is severe, chronic, or worsening with time.

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