Many people experience chronic joint pain in their knees, hands, elbows, shoulders, and elsewhere. In the majority of the cases, this is caused by the most common type of arthritis, osteoarthritis. This form of arthritis affects almost one-quarter of people in North America.¹ Additionally, other individuals are impacted by autoimmune arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis. Other links to joint pain include injury to the ligaments, bursae or tendons surrounding the joint, infection, gout, food intolerances, and certain sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), chlamydia, and gonorrhea.

It is important to be properly diagnosed by your health professional team. Testing for joint health is important to assess other integrative approaches to help reduce pain, inflammation, and the progression of the cause of joint pain.

Symptoms and signs associated with joint pain can include:

• Joint redness
• Joint swelling
• Joint tenderness
• Joint warmth
• Limping
• Locking of the joint
• Reduced range of motion of the joint
• Stiffness
• Weakness

The principal risks of increasing your risk of developing joint pain include:

• Age
• Wear & Tear (hard physical labor, especially involving repetitive action)
• Injury
• Excess Exposure – alcohol, chemicals, drugs, medications, mercury dental fillings, heavy metal exposure
• Hormone Imbalance
• Infectious Agents or Diseases
• Low Nutrients
• Microbiome Imbalance
• Obesity
• Poor Lifestyle – diet, lack of sleep, stress, smoking

Your Naturopath or Nurse Practitioner will help assess which test is right for you, including an analysis of the most cost-efficient path of testing. We recommend a New Patient Visit with one of our Naturopathic Doctors for the most comprehensive approach to your health or a Pre-Lab Visit for a quick snapshot prior to lab testing as there are many tests available.  Lab testing alone is a one-dimensional picture of your health. The expertise of a health professional is required to create a three-dimensional picture for proper selection, and interpretation of lab testing. To complete your care, we recommend booking your Post-Lab consult 2 weeks after testing to review your results and receive your tailored health plan.

Most of the advanced joint testing is not ordered by your General Practitioner under OHIP-based services on routine screening tests. Our goal is to assess your health by evaluating high-risk factors and then work in prevention.

Third-party insurance companies may cover all or a portion of your consultations. Most of the other integrative testing is not currently covered by private insurance companies. Please check with your individual provider for details and how to submit claims.

Your Revivelife clinician will review all findings and create a tailored plan for you based on what are the root causes of your health risk imbalances. The use of tailored meal plans addressing food intolerances and or an anti-inflammatory menu, hydration, nutrients including omega-3 fatty acids (salmon, flax, and chia seeds), antioxidants, vitamins, minerals (oral or IV), herbs, probiotics, prebiotics, stress management and or acupuncture that promote healing and joint lubrication are often advised.

One therapeutic approach may include S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe) is a supplement commonly used to help with symptoms of depression and osteoarthritis. SAMe is naturally produced by your liver from an amino acid called methionine. SAMe helps the production and repair of cartilage and joint pain caused by osteoarthritis. It may be as effective as the anti-inflammatory drug Celebrex (celecoxib).²

We recommend a New Patient Visit for the most comprehensive approach to your health or a Pre-Lab Visit for a quick snapshot before lab testing and a Post-Lab consult to review your results and receive your tailored health plan.

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1. Zhang Y, D.Sc and Jordan JM, MD, MPH, Epidemiology of Osteoarthritis, Clin Geriatr Med. 2010 Aug; 26(3): 355–369.
2. Najm WI, Reinsch S, Hoehler F et al, S-Adenosyl methionine (SAMe) versus celecoxib for the treatment of osteoarthritis symptoms: A double-blind cross-over trial. [ISRCTN36233495], BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2004; 5: 6.