Mind Your Weight and Keep Osteoarthritis Away!

Obesity is generally on a rise among Indians and therefore becoming a health concern. We all know obese person is always at an increasing risk of developing various other health problems. Among all these problems which is always linked to obesity is Osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis is a joint disorder in which the cartilage or cushion between the joints becomes worn out or damaged, which leads to pain. The primary symptoms to identify Osteoarthritis are pain and stiffness in joints especially after waking up in the morning and after resting, weakness in joint muscles, mildly swollen joints, reduced joint movements and cracking sounds from the joints. If any of these symptoms are observed by you, do get yourself examined. Clinical diagnosis of Osteoarthritis involves X-ray and MRI of the affected joint.

Though, the causes behind the occurrence of this ailment may vary from aging to joint injury but in some cases, even genetic factors are involved. But, obesity is undeniably a prominent factor causing Osteoarthritis.
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Watch your back while you drive

Travel has become an intrinsic part of our routine these days. Our life style has undergone a tremendous change with driving becoming a primary means of transportation. Whether it is a daily commute or an extended road trip, we generally end up spending a lot of time behind the wheel and most of the time, unaware of our posture which ultimately leads to back and neck pains.

Long driving hours often cause stiffness in the back and neck. Also, sitting in the same position for long affects the blood circulation of our body and can cause severe back pain. People, many a times, modify their car seats on their own. For instance, removing the head rest which can be extremely risky as it makes your neck more prone to pain. Remember that our vehicles are designed in a way that they provide an ideal sitting posture to the driver. So, it is better not to modify the basic structure of seat that may lead to any spinal problem.
Don’t slouch while driving.Some people try to drive in a posture as if they are sitting comfortably in a sofa in their home and driving alongside.This posture if carried on for a long while is sure to cause back and neck pain.And if persisted it can turn into a permanent pain.
It is important to sit in a posture where both your knees and hips are at the same level. Another thing, adjust your seat at an angle of 100 to 110 degrees, in order to support the upper part of your body.
One more thing that should be kept in mind while driving is to have proper leg space between steering and the driving seat.Some people move it too closer to the steering,some too far.Before driving make sure the seat is properly adjusted and that you don’t feel any strain while driving.Also, your rear view mirror should be adjusted properly so that you can easily view it without causing any problem to your neck.
When going for a long journey, it is good to take frequent breaks in between to relax your back. If possible, doing some stretching can be a great relief.
In case you are already experiencing pain in your back, you can use cushions to support your spine. A great variety of cushions and lumber supports are available in market that can help relieve and prevent back pain by providing adequate support to your back.
Most of the time, these simple yet essential things are not given due attention. A healthy spine is crucial for a healthy body and there is only one way to maintain spinal health which is proper posture. One’s posture while driving can either contribute to or alleviate back discomfort.
Any ignorance can be damaging to our overall bone structure and specially the spine. As it is said ‘prevention is better than cure’, it is better to look after your body before it cries for attention.
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Understand the plight of those who go through chronic back pain

When we talk of chronic back and neck pain very few normal people are able to relate to it.Just imagine you have a flu for few days and how sick you feel.And what if you continue to suffer from this flu for years and years together ,how will you feel then.This is what a person with chronic back and neck pain goes through.They may walk sometimes for about 10 minutes,but this is once in a blue moon.They may look healthy from appearance but only they know how difficult it is for them to cope up with this pain.Fortunately the medical science has advanced so much that there are almost no conditions in which medical intervention can not make a difference to the patients condition.Non invasive techniques,special injections,surgeries so many options are available.And when ever one has a pain which qualifies to be called a chronic one,such medical interventions can be quite a boon.
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