New Delhi, April 29 (IANS). Many people feel problems like stiffness in the body and waist strain while waking up in the morning and ignore it considering it to be a normal thing. But if joint stiffness persists for a long time after waking up in the morning, it can be a sign of inflammation in the body, autoimmune disease or joint-related problems.
According to doctors, when a person sleeps, the body remains in almost the same position for several hours. During this time, the synovial fluid present between the joints, which helps the bones to move easily, starts thickening a little. Under normal circumstances, as soon as the body comes into action, this fluid becomes normal again and the stiffness starts reducing. But if inflammation or joint disease is present in the body, this stiffness can persist for a long time. This is the reason why some people have a lot of difficulty in walking after waking up in the morning.
According to medical research, prolonged stiffness in the morning can be a sign of a disease like rheumatoid arthritis. It is an autoimmune disease. In this disease, swelling, warmth and pain may be felt in the joints of hands and feet. In many patients, morning stiffness persists for an hour or more. If timely treatment is not received, this disease can cause permanent damage to the joints.
Apart from this, osteoarthritis is also considered to be a major cause of pain and stiffness in the morning. This disease mostly appears with increasing age. In this, the cartilage of the joints gradually starts weakening. Its effect is seen more in knees, hips and spine. Although stiffness often subsides within a few minutes, persistent pain can raise concerns.
In some cases, morning stiffness can also be a sign of a problem called fibromyalgia. In this condition, severe pain is felt even when slight pressure is applied on some parts of the muscles. Doctors say that this problem can also be related to mental stress and poor quality of sleep.
Health experts recommend that doing light stretching after waking up in the morning can be beneficial. Slowly moving your arms and legs before getting up from bed improves blood circulation. Taking a bath with warm water or a light warm compress also relaxes the muscles. Including turmeric, ginger, flaxseed, walnuts and vitamin D rich foods in your diet can help in reducing inflammation.
–IANS
PK/AS