Im only 18 and i have chronic joint pain, what do i do? ?

Question

im only 18 and i have had chronic joint pain for a while now, im a former butterfly and freestyle swimmer as of high school, also softball, i currently work at a dog daycare boarding facility that requires lifting dogs frequently all the way up to like 98 pounds its stressful on my joints to say the least, also i dont know if its a factor in this or not but i am double jointed in almost all my joints and the are constanstly popping in and out of place, just curious as to anyways to reduce the amount of pain and or stress put on my joints? thanx

Answer 1

I don't know what you could do to reduce the stress on your joints other than maybe wear some type of brace when you're working but, I would recommend going to see a homeopath/naturopath/acupuncturist regarding the pain.

I had chronic pain in my bones and joints for many years, from the time I was approx 3 years old til I was about 26 years old. It was excruciating to the point that I would be up all night thrashing around and screaming. When I was a younger child, the doctors attributed this to 'growing pains'. Meaning they didn't have a clue. By the time I was 13 years old, they had me on all sorts of medications. Nothing the doctors gave me worked and it really affected the quality of my life. They even tried shaving the cartilage in my knees when I was 12, saying that there were some tiny torn bits in there. That didn't work either. I became really depressed and hooked on pain killers and muscle relaxants. In my mid 20s, I finally went to see a homeopath/naturopath about this. He used a combination of  a homeopathic remedy along with acupuncture; he ran a slight current of electricity through the needles for extra stimulation. He also used a tens machine around areas that were particularly painful, to exercise those muscles without further irritating the sore areas. It's the only thing that worked. Previous to being treated by him, I was on painkillers constantly. After his treatments, I didn't have the need of painkillers anymore. Oh, and he helped me get off the painkillers as well, quite easily.

Keep in mind that homeopathic meds are prescribed on a personal basis. The remedy that worked for me might not work for you. You'd have to go in and have a personal assessment for the doctor to decide which would be the most effective remedy for you. Since that time, the problem I had did not reoccur.

Answer 2

First of all, I would say to find another job that doesn't require heavy lifting. Second, I know your situation I've had chronic pain since I was 18 and I'm 22 now. Go see your primary care doctor first, then they may recommend you to see an orthopedist.If they cannot find any physical cause of the pain (by looking at Xrays, CT scans, or MRIs) they may recommend you to see a pain management specialist (which I see). You may also be prescribed physical therapy (which can range from strengthening your muscles, massage, or ultrasound massage). I would recommend getting a physiatrist (who is a medical doctor who specializes in physical medicine, rehabilitation, and pain medicine) if your primary care doctor refers your to another doctor. My physiatrist helped coordinate all my doctors, appointments, and such until I found the right treatment.

Bottom line, see your primary care doctor soon and in the meantime take ibuprofen, use ice packs or heating pads, and rest as much as is possible.

Answer 3

Fish oil is supposed to be good for joint pain and you can find further information in a web search for "fish oil" + "joint pain".

Answer 4

not sure what to say. i would prob see the doc maybe he can give u something.

Answer 5

Hello there,

One of the best things I found for dealing with stress was meditation.

I went through a period of my life where I literally had a breakdown because of stress and was off work for months because of it.

During this time I was offered all sorts of drugs and the like by doctors which I turned down.  One of my friends mentioned meditation and how they had heard it was really good with stress.

I found a local group, signed up and started to learn to meditate.  I now attend a group every week and meditate daily and found that my stress levels have dropped significantly and that I am able to cope through situations where I wouldn't have in the past.

If you're suffering from stress, then try meditation, it's a really good way of reducing your stress levels.

Hope that helps you out! :)