When you suddenly feel sharp pain after straining or stretching it may be tendonitis. Tendons are what connect muscle to bone and are a vital part of the body’s skeletal structure. Muscles are responsible for each movement when ever we jump, walk, run, lift something, twist, and move in most any sort of way. Tendons are the fibrous tissue, similar to rubber bands that hold bones and muscles together and allow them to do the work required. Tendons may be large or small and the body contains hundreds of them, each responsible for movement in some area. Within these tendons are many nerves which conduct messages to the brain when there is stress involved. If the stress is due to over use of the tendons the results will be noted as sharp and prolonged pain and perhaps swelling of the area. Pain occurs when ever the tendon is stressed too much, resulting in the painful condition known as tendonitis. The areas most commonly affected by tendonitis are the wrist, fingers, ankles, and the Achilles tendon (in the heel).

Causes of tendonitis

Although strain and overuse are the most common reasons for developing tendonitis, it may also be due to some anatomical cause. If the tendon in question cannot glide smoothly along its path, and movement is restricted, it may become inflamed or irritated and become swollen. In some instances surgery may be necessary to relieve the cause however generally the best cure is preventative and resting the area may be all that is necessary. People in the forty to sixty age group are most commonly affected by tendonitis because their tendons and muscles become less elastic and less prone to forgiveness for over use and stress even though they may use their muscles groups just as frequently as younger people.

Among the hundreds of tendons found in the human body, only a small amount may be affected by the condition called tendonitis (literally means inflamed tendons). The areas most prone to this condition are known as “watershed zones” which are simply areas in which there is a limited blood supply to that tendon. Areas such as fingers and the wrist have smaller tendons and the blood supply is small enough that it may not be enough if that tendon is over worked and strained. These watershed zones are responsible for supplying sufficient nutrients and oxygen to the area but often fail due to limited circulation.

Tendonitis diagnosed according to symptoms

The painful condition known as tendonitis brings many to their doctor to find the cause and get some relief. Most commonly the patient will display swelling and perhaps heat in the area. Closer examination will reveal tenderness directly on the tendon and movement will be restricted within the muscles and tendons. Tests such as an MRI or X-ray will often not detect tendonitis or its cause because they do not show up.

Some common remedies for painful tendonitis

When the diagnosis for painfully strained muscles is tendonitis there are a wide assortment of remedies or treatments that will help relieve the painful condition, depending on the type and area of tendons involved.

1) Wrist Tendonitis: Commonly caused by stress of lifting, pressing, pushing, pulling, and even typing or writing too much. Wearing a wrist brace for a week or two often helps as the tendon has a chance to heal. Ice may be helpful if swelling is evident.

2) Achilles Tendonitis: The Achilles tendon is at the back of the foot just above the heel and subject to much stress and pulling when jumping or running. Pain may show up on the inside of the ankle. Ice packs, elevating the foot, and resting a day or two will help with the pain.

3) Rotator Cuff Tendonitis: Often called bursitis of the shoulder, this form of tendonitis is usually caused by overuse or strain on the shoulder in question. Ice works well or try an anti inflammatory medication such as Ibuprofen or Motrin.

Also consider cortisone injections because of their powerful anti inflammatory capability. When injected directly into the site pain can be lessened in minutes.

4) Lateral Epicondylitis or Tennis Elbow: a form of tendonitis affecting the elbow or wrist area and generally related to playing the game of tennis. It is often due to the repetition of movements that are stressful to the tendons and muscles and benefit primarily by ice application or an anti inflammatory medication such as Ibuprofen or Motrin.

The most effective method of preventing a recurrence of tendonitis is to strengthen muscles by exercise and use of physical therapy. Easing into a workout along with taking frequent breaks will help by easing your body in to how you wish it to perform. The older an individual is the more care must be taken to prevent over strain of muscles and tendons. The wearing of protective braces will be useful if tendonitis is a common occurrence.

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Many people suffer from a malady commonly known as frozen shoulder a.k.a. frozen shoulder syndrome (FSS).  The clinical name for frozen shoulder is adhesive capsulitis where the entire arm is ‘frozen’ in place and unable to be moved in a full range of motion.  For most people, it is only experienced in one shoulder, although approximately 20% of the people afflicted with FSS report the condition moving to the other side of the body.  The condition is named for its symptoms.  Adhesive alludes to the sticky or ‘frozen’ state and capsulitis, meaning an inflammation of the shoulder joint capsule. 

Those who are most commonly affected include diabetics and women entering menopause.  There have been no sure diagnostic determining factors to find the cause.  Some postulated that the hormonal imbalances in menopausal women was the main problem, except that there are also men who suffer from the condition.  Some have postulated that the condition arises from acute subluxation of the vertebrae and that a visit to a qualified chiropractor can alleviate the condition within a few visits.  There have some been some success stories stemming from this type of treatment, however there have been just as many that have not seen any improvement after participating in this type of treatment. 

In some cases, there seems to be no contributing factors that cause the condition.  In these cases, the FSS is called ‘primary’.  This means that there is no good reason for the pain and/or stiffness in the shoulder joint that should be causing the loss of range of motion.  In other cases, the individual has suffered some sort of trauma that could be considered a contributing factor leading to the condition.  This type of FSS is considered secondary FSS because there is a condition, such as an illness, accident, or even a surgery that could have caused the condition to arise.  Whichever the type, primary or secondary, the symptoms seem to be fairly consistent.  Common medical thought is that the joint capsule suffers inflammation thus forming scar tissue, which restricts movement and can cause pain in the area.

Phases of Frozen Shoulder

There are three basic phases of FSS.  This will help in identifying the condition, because the symptoms of each phase are different.  This differentiation in symptoms can be a cause of confusion for both doctors and patients unless the phases are well understood.

Phase 1—Pain Phase

This can start with a slow but gradual increase in stiffness and aching in the shoulder.  This aching can increase to a point where the pain increases and begins to radiate to a larger portion of the shoulder area.  This can develop into drastic pain that is exacerbated (made worse) at night by lying on the affected side.  This phase can last as long as 9 months or as little as 2 months.

Phase 2—Stiff Phase

In this phase, the shoulder becomes very stiff and hard to move at all, almost as if the shoulder is frozen; hence the name of the phase and the syndrome.  The pain level does not typically change very much, though some people notice a great deal less pain during this phase.  Daily chores become difficult if not impossible for many people.  Things like washing and combing hair, brushing teeth, carrying groceries, and other normal daily chores.  It can become so debilitating that some people cannot perform their regular work related duties.  Due to the lack of use that occurs during this stage of the syndrome, muscle atrophy can occur.  Atrophy means the muscle begins to weaken and lose mass.  This phase of the syndrome can last as long as 1 year or as little as 3-4 months.

Phase 3—Thawing Phase

Just as it sounds, this phase is when things start to get better.  Pain begins to subside, movement begins to be restored and things slowly begin to get back to normal.  This phase can last as long as 1 year or as little as 5 months.

Remedies for Frozen Shoulder Syndrome

There are a range of things that can be done to ‘fix’ FSS.  Some involve physical therapy and massage to steroid injection and even surgery.  Many people try multiple solutions before seeking pharmacological or surgical options.  If you begin to exhibit the symptoms of FSS, you should immediately seek professional medical attention to see what the doctor can find.  You can always relay your wishes to the doctor about avoiding drug therapy and surgery only as a last resort.  Too many people opt for drugs, injections, and surgery far too quickly.  The body is an amazing mechanism that has innate healing abilities. 

Some have theorized that diet, exercise, and general health can contribute to the onset of such symptoms.  Diabetics in general should focus on eating properly and taking their medications and insulin along the prescribed lines.  This line of thought seems to be the most logical, since diabetics suffer more often with FSS than do any other group.  Trying to make your body healthy through diet, exercise, and proper rest can go a long way to speeding up the healing process for FSS.

If you engage in physical therapy, make sure you are dealing with a professional physical therapist.  It is probably wise to make sure there have been x-rays taken to ensure there is not a physical obstruction that is causing the pain and ‘frozen’ feeling.  You should not engage in range of motion therapy without professional supervision.  The last thing you want to do is cause an injury that could have been avoided.

There are many non-traditional methods of attempting to deal with FSS, before you engage in any of them, make sure you know the possible dangers.  You will probably need to do a great deal of research in order to find the most information possible.  There is no harm in speaking with your doctor about your concerns or ideas on possible treatments and therapies.  Most people tend to think they have no choice but to do what their doctor tells them.  You are the final arbiter of your body and as such, you should not let anyone force you into anything.  If your doctor does not think you should engage in a certain type of treatment or therapy, open a dialogue with him or her and find out why they object to the option.

In the case of ‘all natural’ solutions that involve ingesting specialized types or amounts of vitamins, minerals, or other products, you should be certain that you consult your doctor to make sure that they will not interact badly with any of your current medications.

FSS can be a difficult problem with which to live.  Rest assured, it will end and it will become better.  Have patience and explore the options that you and your doctor believe are the best course of action for you.

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Since our back bears the most stress of the body, so having back pain is a common phenomenon. But back pain should never be taken lightly. So whenever you feel pain on back you should immediately get it checked by doctor or specialist. There are many a reasons due to which back pain is aroused. Some of the common reasons are bad sleeping posture lifting heavy burden and doing some stressful activities.

Sometimes people misdiagnosed back pain as sciatica and treat it like sciatica is treated. Doing so can endanger the situation. In such a case, you should consult your doctor and specify all the symptoms accompanied by the back pain so that he could suggest you the right treatment to cure the problem.

Are you also suffering in back pain? Don’t worry I have some treatment to cure back pain.

This treatment is very easy; all you need to do it is:-

1. just take some pillows and a chair. Place the chair in front of you and put feet on the chair. Take pillows and put them underneath your knees and bend your knees and hips. Don’t use chair, if you are not comfortable with chair. This exercise is really helpful that can relieve stress from your back. Repetition of this exercise for three or four days will help you to come over the back pain. But if you don’t feel improvement or back pain persist then you should immediately contact to your doctor. Also, don’t practice this exercise for many days since it may lead to weakening of the muscles that may further leads to slower recovery from the back pain.

2. Using heating pads is also very supportive for the back pain. These heating pads are used for at least 20 minutes. In addition to that massage by ice pack can also help to come over the back pain.

3. You also can add pills, if there is any sort of swelling in the back muscles.

Perhaps exercise is the most effective and efficient methods to cure back pain.

There are two types of exercises to treat back pain, physical exercise and stretching exercise:-

1. Let’s know how physical exercise works to relief from back pain.

Unlike from other treatments, it first strengths your body muscles to bear the pain. Strong muscles also support to spine and provide relief from the lethal pain. More over, exercise makes make your muscles flexible and create balance in your muscles; and thus helps to eliminate the back pain.

2. Second type of exercise is known as stretching exercise.

Since generally back pain is due to imbalance in the muscles as a result stretching is mostly suggested to people in case of back pain. So, whenever you feel back pain, go for body stretching exercises. Studies reveal that people, nine out of ten, got benefited from stretching exercise. Not just old one, there many stretching excesses to treat back pain.

You also can get the assistance of Physiotherapist to choose a best stretching exercise method to cure back pain. First of all he would examine the case, and would suggest you a good exercise to cure your type of back pain.

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Bone skeleton forms the support system of a body. Just imagine how a human body would look without the bones! Thus it is very important to take care of bones to avoid complications in later life. “Osteoporosis” is a common bone disease, often misunderstood as low calcium disease or postmenopausal disease. “Osteon” in Greek means bone and “porosis” is a condition of bone weakening. It is a disease of bone which results into deterioration of the bone, making them brittle and weak.

A bone is formed mainly of calcium, protein and collagen which strengthen the bones. Diseased bones are easily broken by a minor injury. Though all the bones in body are at the risk of fracture; hip bones, wrists and spine are the common affected areas.

This disease can remain hidden for years; because you won’t know you have Osteoporosis until and unless you break your bone. Therefore patients may not be aware of the disease in their body. Osteoporosis mainly occurs due to decrease in “Osteoblast” function which is the result of decreased calcium absorption, lack of Vitamin D due to less sun exposure, genetic factors, anorexia, low level of sex hormones, hyperthyroidism and kidney diseases.

There is no way to cure Osteoporosis completely but there are some preventions you can take to slow down the process of Osteoporosis or considerably reverse the process of bone weakening. Few changes in the lifestyle can keep your bones healthy.

1. Maintain a healthy lifestyle: Avoid excess coffee, alcohol and fats as these habits spoil the bone health.
Obesity and crash dieting are responsible for osteoporosis. So one should exercise regularly and stay fit. Avoid rapid weight loss treatments.

2. It is seen that excess protein intake is as harmful for bones. So never fall prey for fad diets instead have a balanced diet

3. Medications containing corticosteroids, antidepressants and acid blockers also damage the bones.

4. One should always test his / her Bone density. This test can predict your chances of bone fractures due to low bone density. If you have a history of Osteoporosis in your family then keep checking your bone density regularly.

5. For strong bones, proper levels of minerals like calcium, magnesium, boron, zinc and manganese are very important.

6. Also, vitamin D is important which helps in calcium absorption. Richest source of vitamin D is sunlight. This is the only vitamin which can be synthesized inside the body with the help of sunlight.

7. Vitamin K – in the form of K2 (MK – 7), is another bone strengthening factor. It also prevents calcium from hardening the arteries.

8. Vitamin A, even if essential for body should be limited to 5000 IU per day. As high dose of Vitamin A is dangerous for bones. Remember a rule; nothing should be consumed in excess even if it is good for your health.

9. Exercise can improve your bone’s health. Be active physically. Climbing stairs, running, weight lifting and walking exercises are helpful in maintaining bone density. However, swimming is not that helpful in Osteoporosis.

10. Women in their postmenopausal stage are prone for bone loss. Basically lowering of Estrogen hormone in women is the reason for Osteoporosis. So women should check their health status periodically.

A healthy body keeps mind healthy and happy.

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Knee surgery is one of the important surgeries of the whole human body. Everybody wants to go for a knee surgery without any hassle and difficulty. The main thing which matters is the positive view by which a patient has to see the life after the knee surgery. Rest is the main part after a knee surgery has taken place because it will help the body to recover after an important surgery. Early mobilization is also important because body needs rehabilitation through mobilizing. Strengthening of the muscles through physiotherapy is also necessary.

Physiology becomes an important part after the knee surgery and mild exercises are very necessary to make the body back on track. The new joint should be touched carefully without any strain on it. A role of a physical therapist becomes important in this case and his guidance proves to be f utmost importance for the patient. Apart from this pain should be tackled carefully and proper pain management is necessary. Pain is inevitable after a surgery and proper pain relieving techniques are important. Proper medication makes this very easy and pain killer tablets or capsules prove to be effective.

Blood thinning medicines are also necessary because they thin the blood going to the joints and it helps in maintaining the blood pressure easily. Moreover, the antibiotics also play an important part in life after the knee surgery. Appetite loss is also one of the post operation ailments. Vitamins and protein supplements are important and liquids should be taken in a great extent. A walk with a walker helps in maintaining the body posture and it is of a great help because it assists in walking without any help of other person. Weight should also be reduced so that the weight on the joints should be reduces and body will help itself in regaining the lost muscle power.

Time to time X-rays of the knee also gives important clues to the doctors that everything is going right. Proper care is in the routine work and everything is important related to diet too. Patient should avoid going on a long walk as it may cause infection in the affected area. A strengthening program is necessary because it will give strength to the muscles easily. Regular needed items should be kept in reach so that the patient does not have to stand up again and again.

Thus it can be concluded that knee surgery is not that much dreadful which most people think about it. If you will follow all the guidelines given by your doctor and take proper care after surgery then there is nothing to worry. Moreover you can walk normally like other persons with a little care. Although it takes time to recover but following your doctor’s suggestions will be beneficial for you otherwise it can lead to complications. It is also advised to take regular medication. Apart from this you should always consult your doctor before taking any other medicines.

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“When Sakshi Banerjee, 47 , a housewife in Pune (India) her tibia (the bone between the knee and the ankle) after a minor fall (her foot twisted while she was hurriedly climbing the stairs), her family was surprised. Investigations revealed the reason: Her bones had become extremely soft. The culprit – an almost zero intake of milk and milk products since childhood. The doctor’s verdict: osteopenia (the beginning of osteoporosis).”

What is Osteoporosis ?

‘Worldwide statistics show that one in three women and one in five men above 40, suffer from osteoporosis,’ says Dr.Sushil Sharma, osteoporosis surgeon and chairman, Arthritis Foundation of India. Osteoporosis means you have bones that are thin and brittle, with lots of holes inside them much like a sponge. ‘Bones are made of framework of protein (matrix). In osteoporosis, this framework becomes weak, and bones are liable for fracture,’ explains Dr. H.S Chhabra, orthopaedic surgeon, chief of Spine services Services and medical director, Indian Spinal Injuries Center, Delhi. ‘Indian women must get screened for osteomalacia (a deficiency of vitamin D3 and calcium that leads to the inedequate deposition in the protein matrix of the bone) as well since this is rampant in south-eastern countries ‘he adds.

Traditionally, these problems usually affected older women but now it’s being seen in younger women as well. The problem with osteoporosis is that it is a “silent” diseaseand does not cause any symtoms till it gets full-blown.

Regular bone-density tests should begin from age of 45 if you are in high risk category (treatment with steroids, early menopause and family history) even if there are no symptoms, and much before 45 years if there are any symptoms such as pain in the bone, multiple fractures and so on.

Good to know: Bones are build during childhood and the teen years, and bone density is generally maintained during 20s, 30s and 40s . The key to build as much bone as you can during  your formative years to protect against bone loss later on .

How to prevent it ?

1. Get daily exercise .

2. Get plenty of calcium .

3. Don’t forget the vitamin D .

How is it treated ?

Treatment is usually two-pronged: Lifestyle modification – nutrition supporting bone health and regular exercise combined with medicines. Medicines such as bisphosphonates, which can be taken once aweek, one a month, or once year come in oral and injectible forms; plus there are hormone-simulating drugs: and there’s also an expensive parathyroid hormone (PTH therapy), an injectible therapy that helps in bone formation.

Tips that helps

* Have figs everyday

* Up your veggie intake

* Don’t overdose on steroids

* Quit smoking

* Drop the soda!

* Watch that salt

STRENGTHEN YOUR BONES WITH…

- AYURVEDA

- NATUROPATHY

- HOMEOPATHY

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