Arthritis:It's causes and cures

Popular belief associated with Arthritis is that it is a health issue related to bones and muscles.It is not true,it is inflammation of joints.Generally it is seen in elderlies but it is no fixed rule and can happen in any age.Osteoarthritis is the commonest form,other types include Rheumatoid Arthritis.
 Osteoarthritis is caused by reduction of cartilage in the tissues where as
Rheumatoid Arthritis is more associated with immune system.
Arthritis can seriously impact a persons ability to perform daily chore activities.It's causes include injuries,unusually active immune system,disturbed metabolism,hereditary factors and obesity.Usually it is not one factor alone responsible for Arthritis and it is a combination of factors.Physically active people are generally not found to be suffering from it.Its treatment includes medication,physiotherapy(most effective) and in some cases surgical intervention too.
Generally this is more prevalent in women as compared to men.
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Avoid these sitting mistakes in office, to avoid back pain

A common mistake that most office goers make while working in their offices is either sitting tad too straight or in a bending position. Both these postures are bad for our back health and often result in lower or upper back pain. Choosing a correct chair that properly supports your back is of extreme importance in order to avoid conditions that lead to backache. Sit back comfortably and make sure that the height of the chair that you are sitting on, is properly adjusted so that your feet lie parallel to the ground.

How obesity increases the risk of Arthritis and worsens existing Arthritis

We have all heard of those Obese are at high risk of heart and diabetic problems.Which is actually true too.But besides these, it  equally increases the risk of developing life long Arthritis .But there is not much awareness around it. It is absolutely confirmed that Obesity worsens Arthritis.Excess weight puts more pressure on the joints increasing their stress and aggravation,ultimately leading to severe pain in the joints.

Besides fat is an active tissue which creates and releases inflammatory chemicals.
So to stay free from several of the health problems,see that you don't put on excess weight.

Sharing some tips below,which can help you with weight control and at the same time keep you free from Athritis

a) If you are non exercising types,gradually start walking.If you have stairs with in your home,go up and down few times on a daily basis.Don't go whole hog in one single go,probably you will get tired and won't have any urge left to indulge in exercise.If you start by doing up and down three times a day ,then take it to fifteen times in a months time.By this time,resilience in your body will be built.
b)Increase in take of fluids,the fluids will reduce your urge to eat more and would indirectly reduce your diet.It is important that physical exercises and the diet control go hand in hand.
c)Eat food like banana,nuts ,egg which gives you adequate proteins and as well as reduce the urge to go on binge.Avoid noodles,pizza ,coke,oily food.
These measures if adopted in all seriousness can go a long way in keeping our weight in check and keep the threat of joint problems away.

Irregular back pain;get examined for Spinal Stenosis

                                               Watch out against irregular back pain-It might be Spinal Stenosis

Spinal pain is one of the major health problem being faced by the people. Young or old,office goer or blue colared worker,all are affected by the pain,with the type and severity being the only differentiators. One such pain,is Spinal Stenosis,a problem which occurs when bulging discs, arthritic spurs, and thickened tissues combine to compress the nerves traveling through the spinal cana .Most commonly seen so far in the elderly, a disturbingly high number of youngsters have recently been started being diagnosed with this problem. It was known to be commonly caused by wear-and-tear changes in the spine related to aging but in youngsters life style issues are playing a major role.

In Spinal Stenosis, the open spaces within the spine (backbone) gets narrowed which causes pressure on the spinal cord and nerves. The narrowing process, which is gradual, reduces the space available for the spinal cord and nerves. In most cases, the narrowing of the spine is associated with stenosis which ultimately compresses the nerve root. It may cause leg pain, numbness, tingling and weakness in body.

Spinal stenosis can be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms can be caused by other conditions. Usually, people who develop stenosis have no history of back problems or any recent injury. It symptoms generally includes irregular pain which goes away on resting.The pain is pronounced while walking.The condition is caused by years of wear and tear and not generally by sudden injury.

There are two types of spinal stenosis lumbar stenosis and cervical stenosis and unless and until very severe and complicated,it can be non surgically treated.It is important for the patient to be physically active and exercises may not cure but play a major role in quicker recovery. Change in daily activity like using a recliner instead of strait jacketed back seat are other important measures which can be taken.

Another treatment which works in about fifty percent of the cases is set of epidural injection.These have a further role as those require surgery,the one’s who have taken these injections have quicker and better recovery.If despite all these measures the patient continues to suffer from debilitating pain,then surgery is one such good option.Infact the result of the surgery in the case of Stenosis is second only to removal of Herniated discs.But there are due considerations which should be taken care of before the surgery and only best of the surgeons who is very sure of his craft should undertake it.

The surgeon should be sure of damaged stenosis.No other nerve should be pinched during the surgery.Also the physical condition of the patient should be considered before hand.If such precautions are undertaken the surgeries are generally safe and lead to good outcomes for the patients.   

After the surgery, pain may persist for a few days, requiring the use of pain medications and inflammatory drugs to reduce swelling. Walking and strengthening exercises will be prescribed for the lower back and abdomen which will help stabilizing the spine. Hot showers and hot compresses or the use of an ice pack also will help removing pain.

Correct posture for sleeping

We all know know the importance of sleep in keeping us fit and healthy.But we forget how important a role sleeping in the right posture plays.Wrong sleeping posture can lead to neck,back pain and can cause stomach troubles too.It is said that eighty percent of the back pain is either caused by wrong sleeping posture or gets aggravated because of it.

Best sleeping pose

Now the question arises is what is the best sleeping posture. Scientifically it is considered the best sleeping posture is to sleep on the back as it keep head,neck,spine in a linear position and thus avoid pressure on your back.It also helps in better digestion.

The other posture is to sleep like star fish.
Second best sleeping posture is to sleep on the sides.It has several benefits as it is comfortable for pregnant women,sleep apnea patients as this keeps spine in elongated position.The only flip side is that it may lead to premature wrinkles on the face as pressure builds up on the face.
The worst is to sleep on stomach as it is contrary to natural shape of the spine and its puts pressure on joints and muscles which leads to pain. 
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Sitting for long hours can wreck your body

Do you sit in an office chair or on your couch for more than six hours a day?Then watch out for your general health and specifically your back.While sitting,your back faces the maximum pressure.The muscles have to expand to hold the whole body weight.With constant pressure they wilt, leading to a situation known in medical parlance as Disc prolapse which in simple language means on set of back pain.Infact if you compare,the back muscles of a typical office goer to somebody who does hard labour,such as Railway porter(coolie),you will find that office goer back muscles are much thinner and prone to pain where as the porter has stronger muscles and keep the back healthy.So constant sitting poses health risks against the popularly held belief that that sitting job involves rest.
So if your job involves long sitting work,please get up,walk a bit after every one hour and give your back some rest.


Simple tips which can be followed in order to avoid sitting for long hours at workplace-
  Keep a watch on how much you walk a day. It should be 1 mile at least, if not so then you should better start worrying about it before the conditions get deteriorated. In order to keep a watch on your footsteps one can purchase pedometer. 
 Set a target for yourself. Say “I have to walk for 20 minutes a day”. This will help you to boost your energy and mood and will also make you feel relaxed at the same time. If you are working in office for long hours then you can try these simple things-

·         Park near the back of the parking lot.

·         Stand up to visit the file cabinet instead of rolling your chair.

·         Walk over and talk to a coworker instead of emailing them.

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Vitamin D deficiency, a major reason for back ache in office going youngsters

Almost every youngster into work life, these days after some time, starts complaining of back ache.Major reasons leading to this are improper posture,bad diet and stress.These issues have already been highlighted a lot in the past.Another reason which plays a significant role but not discussed as much as others is lack of vitamin D.Youngsters are being diagnosed with insufficient Vitamin D.Lack of Vitamin D,makes bones prone to aches and damage.And it is ironical,that it is happening in a country blessed with adequate sunshine all through out the year.What it indicates is largely sedentary life being led by youngsters.They go to offices in the morning(which have only AC air) ,come back at night.Then on holidays they get up late and after that go in a closed door place like Mall or a movie theater.This way they deny themselves adequate sunshine ,which ultimately shows up in the form of a backache.
This condition is more seen in working women then men.As compared to men,women have more requirement for Vitamin D  as they bear kids,bring them up and now in addition to their traditional roles they are working and supplementing family income.They are recommended D tablets but best is to have it naturally from the natural source.
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Challenges of medical tourism in India

Times of India recently carried an article according to which an Australian Citizen got treated in India at much lower cost in India as compared to what it would have cost him in his own country.Such articles indirectly indicate the scope of medical tourism in India .In terms of medical treatment,facilities we are at par with the best in the world.Our Doctors are sought after world over for their skill and dedication.Still neighbouring countries like Thailand ,Singapore,Korea's are taking away much of the medical tourism business.The reason is lack of matching infrastructure.Hospitals would be all modern but the road approaching it would be full of pot holes or you can find garbage next to it.This issue is actually a stumbling block,hope our governments would in real sense do something to ease doing business.
The government has introduced Evisas,this has helped a lot.But the real thing,the infrastructure is missing and that is a big handicap,despite all the strengths.

Non surgical methods for relief from back pain

There are several non surgical ways to get relief from back pain.There are pain management medicines,epidural injections and life style management techniques which include maintaining right posture in all activities,doing appropriate physical exercises and ofcourse eating the right food.Ninety nine percent of the people can get well on the basis of these treatment measures alone.It is only in one percent of cases,that surgery is recommended and that too after careful analysis.


What is required is that an early stage itself, meet a specialist who can recommend the treatment option the individual should undergo in order to get relief.Further it would be wrong to believe that a surgeon would recommend a surgery.No a good surgeon would always recommend primary methods only.As said before only in very cases surgery is recommended.Here too it is in the patients interest that they they take second opinion.

So please be relaxed,most of the back pain can treated by non surgical methods. 

First aid for victims of Spinal injuries

If a person falls from great height or suffers a head on collision ,there is every possibility of the person having serious Spinal injuries.Symptoms of Spinal injuries are person being conscious but unable to move his head or neck.In such a case, those attending the injured person should see that injured person is not moved around as there is a risk of permanent damage or paralysis.Besides put a heavy piece of cloth around the neck on both sides so as to provide cushioning affect.While shifting the patient to nearest medical centre,extreme care needs to be made.First a hard board should be used,secondly head and neck should be lifted together.Any mishandling at this stage can be critical.It has been noticed that more than the injury itself,it is post accident mishandling which causes long term damage.Similar precautions need to be followed while the person is moved down at the Hospital itself.

No matter how much we may try,accidents do happen.But what we can do is to minimise the impact of the injury and do our best to save precious human life.

Causes and treatment for Degenerative Disc Disease

Degenrative disc disease as the name suggests is a general wear and tear of disc which leads to abnormal pain.it was generally seen in old age but owing to lifestyle changes youngsters can also be found to be suffering from this disease. Sudden injury ca also cause this pain. Classic symptoms of this includes- relief from pain while walking or running and experiencing shooting pain while sitting. It is also characterized by severe pain while bending, lifting and twisting. Treatment invovles- conservative therapy in the first stage, followed by one short surgical injection, surgery is tried only when first two fail. One thing would like to add here, surgery in this case offers very good result.

Exercises and that too specialised one can help in preventing and providing relief from this disease.

Avoid sitting long hours for better back help

Do you sit in an office chair or on your couch for more than six hours a day? It is believed that more than half of the average person’s waking hours are spent sitting: watching television, working at a computer, commuting, or doing other physically inactive pursuits. But all that sitting could be sending us to an early grave, even those folks who exercise up to an hour a day. It might be hazardous for your health.  People who sit for prolonged periods of time has a higher risk of dying from all causes — even those who exercise regularly. The negative effects can even be more pronounced in people who do little or no exercise. You are putting your body at high risks. Watch out for it before it is too late. Your risk of heart disease has increased by up to 64 percent and you're shaving off seven years of quality life. You're also more at risk for certain types of cancer. Try to Sit less and stand more as it can help in burning up to 30% calories

In the developed world, our lifestyles have become so sedentary. Each and everyone of us has become so addicted of sitting at our workplaces that we ignore our back pains and never realize or even give a thought, that how we are wrecking our body.

One of the most common reasons why people get back pain is due to ‘Disc Prolapse’. In most cases it occurs because of weak musculature. If the muscles of the back are weak, the pressure will fall on the vertebral discs. The discs have gel called Nucleus Pulposus inside them, when it slips out it puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves, producing pain. A work involving lot of sitting , is one of the main reasons of ‘Disc Prolapse’.

How sitting a lot contributes to poor health isn’t clear yet. But it may also have harmful effects on sugar and fat metabolism, both of which affect a person’s risk of diabetes and heart disease.

As right after we sit down, the electrical activity in our muscles slows down and our calorie-burning rate drops to one calorie per minute. This is about a third of what it does if we are walking. If we sit for a full 24-hour period, we experience a 40 percent reduction in glucose uptake in insulin, which can eventually cause type 2 diabetes and can also worsen cardiovascular health.
Within five days of changing to a sedentary lifestyle, our body increases plasma triglycerides (fatty molecules), LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol), and insulin resistance. This means our muscles aren't taking in fat and our blood sugar levels go up, putting us at risk for weight gain. After just two weeks, of following the same routine, our muscles start to atrophy and our maximum oxygen consumption drops. This makes stairs harder to climb and walks harder to take. Even if we are working out every day the deterioration starts the second we stop moving.
Apart from spending too much time at the desk, improper diet that lacks in sufficient proteins, calcium and vitamin D supplements can also be the reason for back and neck pain and wrecking of our bodies, which can result in weak back muscles and bones.
With every passing day, younger and younger patients can be seen complaining about lower back pain. So, here are some ways that can be followed in order to avoid it.

Be Aware. Your child might be putting his whole life in danger, without you even knowing about it

Are you aware of what your child is doing? Is he really safe or is he causing some serious damage to his spine without you even knowing about it. Don’t ignore it. He might be putting his whole life in danger.

Older children tend to be more aggressive in their activities and sports, thereby increasing the risk of injury to the bones, nerves and soft tissues in the spine. Teenagers are also more likely to test the limits of their bodies, often being exhorted by commercial advertising and/or peer pressure to push the envelope. At this point, compression fractures are more commonplace and also spinal cord injuries can take place.

Acute spinal cord injury (SCI) is caused due to a traumatic injury that either results in a bruise, a partial tear, or a complete tear in the spinal cord. Acute spinal cord injury (SCI) is a common cause of permanent disability and death in children.

There are many causes of SCI in children. The more common injuries occur when the area of the spine or neck is bent or compressed as in the following:
 

·         Birth injuries, which typically affect the spinal cord in the neck area

·         Falls

·         Motor vehicle accidents

·         Sports injuries

·         Diving accidents

·         Trampoline accidents

·         Violence (gunshot or stab wounds)

·         Infections that form an abscess on the spinal cord

After a traumatic event, a person may have varying degrees of symptoms associated with the severity and location of the SCI. The location of the injury on the spinal cord will determine how severe the injury will be. The extent of the damage to the spinal cord determines whether the injury is complete or incomplete. A complete injury means that there is no movement or feeling below the level of the injury. An incomplete injury means that there is still some degree of feeling or movement below the level of the injury.

The symptoms of SCI may include:

·         Muscle weakness

·         Loss of voluntary muscle movement in the chest, arms, or legs

·         Breathing problems

·         Loss of feeling in the chest, arms, legs, or buttocks

·         Loss of bowel and bladder function

·         Abnormal autonomic regulation (poor blood pressure control, sweating, shivering, abnormal function of the stomach and intestines)

To diagnose it following tests may be conducted including: Blood tests, X-ray, Computed tomography scan (also called a CT or CAT scan), Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). 
Specific treatment for an acute spinal cord injury will be determined by a child's doctor based on:

·         Child's age, overall health, and medical history

·         The extent of the SCI

·         The type of SCI

·         Child's tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies

·         Expectations for the course of the SCI

·         The opinion or preference of the parents.

Further treatment may also include:

·

     Observation and medical management in the intensive care unit

·         Medications, such as corticosteroids (which may help decrease the swelling in the spinal cord)

·         Mechanical ventilator. A breathing machine used to help the child breathe.

·         Bladder catheter. A tube that is placed into the bladder that helps to drain the urine into a collection bag.

·         Feeding tube. This is placed through the nostril to the stomach or directly through the abdomen into the stomach to provide extra nutrition and calories for the child.

A child may also suffer from lifelong SCI which requires frequent medical evaluations and diagnostic testing following hospitalization and rehabilitation to monitor his or her progress.