Healthy Tips For Better Life

How to Minimize Joint Pain Swelling Due to Sports Injuries

Joint pain swelling associated with sports injuries can keep you sidelined and out of the action. While you may hear the "no pain, no gain" mantra from sports enthusiasts, the truth is that pain is a warning sign of something more serious. Ignore it, and you could be setting yourself up for a lot of pain and grief in the near future.

For instance, many people associate joint pain as a stepping stone to getting fit, especially if you're a runner. However, joint pain that last more than 48 hours could indicate that something serious is going on, and you should immediately contact your physician.

If you feel pain when you push on a specific joint, it's also time to call the doctor. Joint pain that is specific and direct should not be ignored, particularly if you feel pain on one side of the body but not in the correlating joint on the other side.

Painful swelling within a joint is often accompanied by heat--a warming of the skin. Sometimes you'll see redness or hear the tendons clicking against each other. If this happens, you'll need to seek medical treatment as well.

If you're experiencing any of these symptoms, the first course of treatment is usually rest, ice, compression and elevation, also known as RICE. Most sports injuries don't require hospitalization, so you may want to use this tried-and-true treatment first. However, there is another step you can add that can drastically reduce inflammation and pain. You can use a topical cream loaded with Cetylated Fatty Acids (CFAs) or take the oral supplement.

CFA supplements--available in a topical cream or oral gel caps--are used by top athletes around the world to alleviate and eliminate pain, swelling and stiffness due to sports injuries. In fact, the International Federation of Sports Medicine (IFSM) endorses the use of CFA supplements to reduce pain, swelling and inflammation due to physical injury and stress. IFSM works with Olympic contenders and uses CFA supplements to treat pain and swelling caused by physical stress and strain.

Cetylated Fatty Acids are all-natural and work by lubricating joints and deep muscle tissue. The result is reduced pain, swelling and stiffness. The good news is that CFA supplements are available over the counter, so you won't have to see your doctor to feel the relief. Many athletes use CFA supplements as part of their daily workout routines.

Furthermore, results are quick. In clinical studies, most individuals felt relief begin within 30 minutes or less. Participants who used CFA supplements over a period of two months said that improvement was consistent with time.

Instead of suffering through joint pain swelling caused by sports injuries, you might want to use CFA supplements to promote overall joint health. While you may not completely eliminate the pain involved with sports activities, you can lessen it with an ounce of prevention. With this all-natural healing ointment and dietary supplement, there's no need to be sidelined with pain any longer than you have to be.

• Family Health Plus