A joint is the point of contact between two or more bones, between a bone and cartilage, or between a bone and teeth. There are several types of joints: fibrous, cartilaginous, and synovial.
Synovial joints are the most numerous, and their function is to allow for mechanical body movements in a flexible way while providing stability. They are covered by cartilage and, in turn, contain a substance called synovial fluid, which prevents friction in the joint, thereby avoiding bone injury caused by movement, and provides nutrition to the cartilage. Due to the constant pressure these joints are subjected to, they can suffer damage, resulting in pain and inflammation.
What is joint pain?
Joint pain, or arthralgia as it is termed in medicine, is characterized by stiffness that may or may not be accompanied by inflammation. It can affect various parts of the body such as the elbows, shoulders, wrists, hips, knees, and the fingers and toes.
Why does joint pain occur?
It usually occurs due to chronic diseases or degenerative processes such as osteoarthritis, which consists of the progressive wear and tear of joint cartilage, causing pain and stiffness that are triggered by movement of the joint. On the other hand, rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease that generally affects multiple joints symmetrically, causing inflammation in the joint lining, leading to pain, difficulty moving, stiffness, deformity, and weakening of the joints. Other diseases that cause joint pain include osteoporosis and systemic lupus erythematosus.
How can joint pain be improved?
The choice of products to help us improve joint pain should be focused on:
- Slowing down the degeneration of the cartilage that covers the joints
- Improving pain and inflammation in the joints
There are different alternatives available, among them collagen, a protein produced naturally by the body that is fundamental for the proper functioning of the joints, but whose production begins to decrease progressively over time. For this reason, it is necessary to supplement its reduction to help improve worn-out joints by strengthening the resistance and elasticity of the cartilage.
However, the reduction of pain and inflammation is fundamental for improving the quality of life in people with joint pain. Devil's claw, as it is commonly known, thanks to its analgesic and anti-inflammatory medicinal properties, is an ally in improving the symptoms of arthritis and rheumatoid osteoarthritis, as it reduces pain and helps restore movement by decreasing inflammation.
Diana Londoño
Pharmaceutical Chemist
University of Antioquia