Arthritis is a condition in which one or more joints in the body become inflamed, leading to swelling, heat, redness and pain. The disease can be caused by autoimmune, degenerative, traumatic or infectious causes.
The two most common types of arthritis are:
- Rheumatoid arthritis: An autoimmune disease, when the immune system mistakenly attacks the synovial membrane of the joint, causing chronic inflammation and damage to cartilage and bone.
- Osteoarthritis: Common in older people or people who have had joint injuries, occurs when the joint cartilage is worn away, leading to bone-to-bone friction and causing pain and stiffness.
Osteoarthritis is a form of osteoarthritis that progresses over time, characterized by cartilage wear, changes in bone structure and reduced joint function. This is the leading cause of chronic joint pain in older people.
Why do you have joint pain in the middle of the night?
There is nothing more uncomfortable than suddenly experiencing joint pain while you are sleeping. You open your eyes in the middle of the night, the room is quiet but your knees, hips or hands are aching or throbbing, making it almost impossible to go back to sleep. This condition is very common in people with arthritis or osteoarthritis, when the inflammatory response is more active at night and the body is less active, causing poor circulation of joint lubricants.
Here are the 3 main causes of this condition:
- Changes in temperature and blood circulation: At night, body temperature drops slightly, blood circulation slows down. Joints that have been damaged by inflammation or degeneration become less flexible, the amount of oxygen and nutrients supplied to joint tissue decreases, causing increased pain and stiffness.
- Cortisol and inflammation: The hormone cortisol is considered the body’s natural anti-inflammatory shield and it is usually at its lowest around 2-4 am. When cortisol decreases, inflammation in the joints becomes more intense, causing the tissues around the joints to swell slightly, increasing pressure on the pain-sensing nerves.
- Neural mechanism and sleep: When sleeping, the parasympathetic nervous system is active to restore the body, but if the joints are inflamed, the pain receptors (nociceptors) are more easily stimulated. The pain signals sent to the brain will become “clearer” in the quiet environment of the night, making it easier to wake up.
Tips to help relieve pain immediately
Here are 5 effective tips to help reduce pain that you can apply:
1. Change position gently
If you wake up because of pain, don’t get up suddenly. Try turning your body gently, slowly stretching and flexing your joints. This helps blood circulate again and reduces stiffness. Sometimes just adjusting the angle of your bed, using a pillow to raise the painful joint, or changing the direction you lie down will relieve the pain.
2. Use heat to relax the joints
A warm compress or warm towel placed on the painful joint for a few minutes can help relieve muscle tension and promote blood circulation. Warm heat is especially effective when the pain is accompanied by stiffness and cramps.
3. Stimulate circulation with massage
Use your hands to gently massage around the painful joint. Moderate pressure will help relax the muscles, stimulate blood circulation and reduce pain signals to the brain. You can combine it with warm oil or pain-relieving cream to increase the effectiveness.
4. Move the joint to a minimum
Perform gentle stretching movements, slowly rotate the joint in bed to “wake up” the synovial fluid, help lubricate and reduce friction. For example, with the knee joint, you can gently bend and stretch your leg 5–10 times before trying to sleep again.
5. Keep your mind relaxed
Pain and waking up in the middle of the night can easily make you anxious, causing your body to tense up and increase the feeling of pain. Try taking deep, slow breaths, or focusing on a pleasant image. A relaxed mind will help your muscles and joints relax as well.
