What Can Be Done For Musculoskeletal Pain?
Musculoskeletal pain is something that all people experience in their lifetime. No matter what age you are, you would have experienced it once or more in your lifetime. It can be a very debilitating condition. The pain can be quite intolerable at times or it could be a dull but lingering pain which would make it very frustrating for you to bear. However, some red flag signs of musculoskeletal pain should not be ignored because there can be a serious underlying pathology. So, once all serious causes are excluded, symptomatic relief of pain should be attempted.
Identify Any Serious Underlying Pathology
If an elderly woman experiences back ache, it should never be ignored, but rather always be investigated. The incidence of multiple myeloma, a cancer of the bone marrow, is very common among this population and they almost always present with back ache. Furthermore, if a sports person experiences an injury during a game, they should always meet a physician and get it checked out. A simple sprain of a ligament can go on to become a dislocation of a joint or a fracture if the proper care is not given.
First Aid For An Injury Causing Musculoskeletal Pain
When you experience pain during some activity, the basic first aid steps should be followed, which is RICE. First the joint must be well rested. Whatever the activity that was being performed should be stopped immediately. Then you must apply some ice on the affected area which will reduce the inflammation, thus reducing swelling and pain. Then the area must be compressed with tying a bandage around the area. This too will reduce the swelling of the area. Lastly, the limb must be kept elevated. These simple first aid steps could make a big difference in improving the outcome of the injury.
Musculoskeletal Pain Experienced Due To Aging
Osteoarthritis is a condition where the cartilage between two ends of bones (at a joint) starts eroding due to aging. As a result, the two bones will rub against each other, which causes inflammation leading to swelling and pain, and in latter and worse cases, joint effusion. Commonly it affects the knee joints. This is very painful to patients, and they experience restrictions in their mobility and stiffness of joints. To reduce the incidence of this condition, people should be made aware of this condition.
It should be encouraged to maintain a healthy weight with a good diet and exercise. But once the disease sets in, the pain is managed by painkillers and physiotherapy. Physiotherapy will promote the increase of muscle bulk around the joint, which thereby reduces the weight on the joint, thus reducing disease progression and pain associated with it. Find a certified myotherapist in Melbourne to treat it.
Musculoskeletal pain can be due to various underlying causes. First, any serious underlying cause like cancers and fractures must be excluded. If experienced following an injury, simple first aid of RICE must be provided to improve the outcome of a disease. Osteoarthritis, commonly experienced in old age should be treated with painkillers and physiotherapy.