Pain Archive

Walking may be hampered for a number of reasons, such as arthritis, a joint sprain, or muscle strain. Most often people already have pain from these conditions even before they begin walking. But individuals who are pain-free and then experience pain when walking that gets worse as they walk faster or longer could suffer from one of three conditions: peripheral artery disease, sciatica, or lumbar spinal stenosis. Ironically, the best strategy for any of these is to keep walking and staying as active as possible.

Most people experience occasional acute musculoskeletal pain as part of daily living, such as an injury caused by exercising or a minor household accident. Acute pain is short-term and often becomes manageable with home remedies and over-the-counter medication. However, when symptoms persist there is greater chance that it will become chronic pain, which lasts two to three months or longer. That's when medical advice is needed.

Stretching keeps the muscles flexible, strong, and healthy, which is needed to maintain a range of motion in the joints. If possible one should stretch daily, focusing on the lower extremities. It's important to stretch after a workout, not before.

The pain reliever acetaminophen is safe when used correctly, but people can become very ill or die if they take too much.

Tooth, gum, or jaw pain can stem from many health problems. For example, tooth pain can result from a cavity, cracked filling, or an infection. Gum pain can come from irritation due to tooth brushing, food, dentures, gum disease, or infection. Jaw pain can be triggered by disorders of the temporomandibular joint, narrowed heart arteries, or even a heart attack. All persistent tooth, gum, and jaw pain should prompt a call to a dentist as soon as possible. Sudden neck or lower jaw pain can signal an emergency and warrants a call to 911, especially in a person with known heart problems.

Many strategies that reduce chronic pain are activities that support a healthy lifestyle. Examples include exercise, meditation, deep breathing, mindfulness, yoga, tai chi, stretching, sleeping seven to nine hours per night, staying socially connected, and managing stress. There are lots of free or low-cost ways to practice the activities or get better at them, such as apps, online videos, classes, and support groups. Strategies that require a little financial investment include physical therapy, dietitian services, acupuncture, therapeutic massage, in-person exercise classes, and talk therapy.