Tag: Pain

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Health Problems & Solutions

How to Prevent Lower Back Pain

Back pain affects about 8 out of 10 people. But there are many steps you can take to avoid it. One of the best things you can do to prevent back pain is to exercise regularly and keep your back and abdominal muscles strong.
click to see the pictures..>....(1)..…….…(2)..…..…(3).……..(4).…….(5).…..
Here are some quick pointers to prevent back problems: – CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES

•Always stretch before any strenuous physical activity (in fact it would be wise to engage in a regular stretching program like active isolated stretching, which is what I use every day)
•Don’t slouch when standing or sitting
•Sit in chairs or car seats with good lumbar support
•Switch sitting positions often and periodically walk around or gently stretch muscles to relieve tension
•Don’t bend over without supporting your back
•Wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes
•Sleep on your side to reduce any curve in your spine, and always sleep on a firm surface
•Lift with your legs, keeping your back straight
•Try to control your weight
•If you smoke, quit; smoking reduces blood flow to the lower spine and causes the spinal discs to degenerate .
Also, to keep your spine strong, as with all bones, you need to get enough vitamin D every day.

In most cases, it is not necessary to see a doctor for back pain because pain usually goes away with or without treatment. However, a trip to the doctor is a good idea if your pain is severe and doesn’t improve, or if you have pain after a fall or an injury.

It is important to see your doctor if you have pain along with any of the following problems: trouble urinating; weakness, pain or numbness in your legs; fever; or unintentional weight loss. Such symptoms could signal a serious problem that requires treatment soon.

CLICK & READ
You may click to see also:->

•5 Painful Facts You Need to Know
•7 Solid Health Tips That No Longer Apply
•Understanding the 10 Most Destructive Human Behaviors

Source : Live Science March 16, 2010

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Health Quaries

Some Health Quaries & Answers

Sensitive to sunlight :-…..CLICK & SEE

Q: I develop blotchy red patches on my arms and face which tingle and burn within 10 minutes of exposure to the sun.

A: Some people are inherently sensitive to sunlight, while others develop the problem as a reaction to medication like tetracyclines, sulpha drugs or even common painkillers and anti histamines. If you are on medication, consult your doctor about changing or stopping it.

In any case, try to avoid exposure to sunlight by leaving early to work and returning after sunset. Use a black umbrella to block the sun’s rays whenever you go out. Wear long sleeved, dark coloured clothing and covered footwear. For the exposed areas like the face, neck and hands, apply a sunscreen with an SF (sun filter) factor of 15 or more.

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Prostate surgery :-….CLICK & SEE
Q: I had prostrate surgery two years ago, after which I developed erectile dysfunction. It persists, causing me great anguish.

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A: About 80-90 per cent men have erectile dysfunction after prostatectomy. It is usually temporary and one recovers in 12-18 months. A small percentage does have a long-term problem, especially if the surgery is for cancer. That’s because the nerves in the area may have been cut during the operation. Consult the urologist who performed the surgery and discuss your options.

Corns on feet :-…CLICK & SEE
Q: There are two corns on the sole of my foot, which are very painful. What should I do?

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A: A corn is actually a thickened area of skin which develops because of uneven pressure. The commonest causes are faulty gait or ill-fitting footwear. But first confirm the diagnosis by consulting a dermatologist. A bony swelling, wart or abscess may appear like a corn to the untrained eye. If the swellings are really corns, you may use corn plasters to remove them. Follow the instructions on the packet. Corn plasters shouldn’t be used if you have diabetes; the corns will recur unless the causative factor is treated.

Burning skin :-
Q: I have lumbar spondylosis. Whenever I sit in the office or watch TV, I feel an uncomfortable burning sensation on the skin along the right side of my abdomen. It disappears upon moving.

A: Sometimes nerves leading to the skin become trapped as they leave the vertebral column. The pressure on the nerve causes it to tingle and burn, producing the uncomfortable sensation you mentioned. The abnormal curvature of your spine owing to the spondylosis is probably responsible. First, try conservative treatment with —

• Weight reduction, if obese

• Spinal exercises. These can be learnt from a physiotherapist or yoga teacher

• Learning proper postures

• Walking for 40 minutes a day.

Usually there is an improvement in three months which can be sustained if the lifestyle modifications are continued. If there is no improvement and the symptoms are incapacitating, you might need to consider surgery to correct the spinal deformity.

Anal fissure :-….CLICK & SEE
Q: I have had chronic anal fissure for the last six months. Every time I go to the toilet, I experience severe pain. An ayurvedic physician has guaranteed a cure but insists I allow him to perform surgery first.

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A: A fissure occurs usually as a result of straining and then passing a hard stool. It is difficult to heal as the pain causes a spasm in the anal sphincter perpetuating the cycle of straining and constipation.

Conservative treatment with a sitz bath (sitting in a basin of hot water), applying a local anaesthetic cream (xylocaine, lignocaine) before and after passing stool, drinking four litres of water a day, eating a high-fibre diet, and using a stool bulking agent like isapgol cures the problem in 90 per cent of cases.

If the difficulty persists, consult a qualified surgeon who can perform an anal dilation or actually cut the anal sphincter. This has to be done carefully as otherwise you may not be able to control your bowel movement. I do not think an ayurvedic physician is licensed or qualified to perform the surgery.

Small big query :-
Q: I am an 18-year-old man and would like to know what type of underwear I should use.

A: You have to make a choice depending on your comfort level. Underwear that is too tight may cause chaffing of the groin area. This can lead to secondary bacterial or fungal infection. It can also raise the temperature of the testicles, which can marginally lower your sperm count. Boxer shorts are most comfortable. But ensure it is made of a natural fibre.

Source: The Telegraph (Kolkata, India)

 
Categories
Health Problems & Solutions

Three Easy Ways to Soothe Stiff Joints

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Don’t you hate it when you get out of bed with a pain in your head, neck, and back? So before you nod off, do a quick posture check. There are Stiff joints  three positions that help the ease strain on these body parts…

Poses for relaxation :-
According to researchers, joint-friendly sleeping habits can help protect creaky body parts from developing a crick. Choose one of these postures: –

– If you sleep on your back, put a small pillow under your knees.
– If you sleep on your side, avoid tucking your neck and chin into the fetal position.
– If you sleep on your stomach, put a pillow under one side of your body, so your head and neck aren’t strained.

Did you know?
Rather than popping pills, eat healthy to reduce the risk of arthritis. Have a cup of green tea. It is great for bone cartilage. You can also make a daily routine of having a bowl of salad before each meal. It does a whole lot of good for your hands and knees.

Ice and Heat:-
Ice and heat therapy for sore backs and necks are effective treatments, albeit temporary solutions. If you injure or strain a muscle, use ice therapy for the first 48 hours after the injury takes place. Apply a cold pack or ice wrapped in a towel to the spot where you are experiencing the pain. Use a thin protective barrier such as a cloth or T-shirt between the ice and your skin to avoid ice burn. Hold to ice pack on the spot for 20 minutes, then wait for an hour. Repeat this cycle as needed throughout the day. Ice helps to reduce swelling and numb the pain.
After the initial injury takes place, heat therapy is generally a more effective option for treating the pain and facilitating the healing process. Use a commercial heat-wrap. Apply it to the injured area for 20 minutes at a time with a thin protective barrier between your skin and the heat-wrap. Heat relaxes the muscles, reducing stiffness and spasms. It also increases blood flow, stimulating the nerves and muscles in your neck and back. Remember that heat should not be used on injuries that are still swollen or bruised. Use a cold-pack if this is the case.

Stretching:-
Stretching exercises are important for the rehabilitation of your back or neck. Our bodies are composed of bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons and nerves. Specific stretching movements can help to recover flexibility and strength in injured areas. Start with neck stretches, and move down through the upper and lower back. Make sure to stretch to the point of tension, but stop if this is painful. Stretch slowly, holding each repetition for 10 to 20 seconds without any jerking movements. Morning, afternoon and evening stretching routines can help speed up your recovery.
For the neck, stand with your head straight forward and your knees slightly bent. Slowly pitch your head forward, bringing your chin down towards your chest. Turn your head right until it aligns with your shoulder, pause, then do the same to the left. Do three sets of 10 repetitions three times a day.
For your back, lie on your stomach. Put your hands out in front of you in the push-up position. Slowly push up, raising your upper body. Keep your stomach pressed to the floor, arching your back with you head and neck upright. You will feel the muscles in your back stretching and contracting as your perform this exercise. Do three sets of 10 repetitions three times a day.

Supplements:-
Certain over-the-counter nutritional supplements can help improve back and neck pain over longer periods of time. Taking the same group of supplements each day over the course of a few months can make a real difference in how you feel. Calcium is always necessary for strong bones, so drink plenty of milk. Also look for glucosamine sulfate pills, useful for repairing cartilage muscle tissue. Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B, another supplement that heals cartilage and has anti-inflammatory properties that reduce swelling. Flaxseed is also useful since it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, known for their anti-inflammatory properties.

Source: The Times Of India

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News on Health & Science

High-Flow Oxygen Can Reduce Headaches

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Fifteen minutes of treatment with high flow oxygen significantly eased cluster headaches, according to a new study:-

Cluster headache attacks, characterised by bouts of excruciating pain usually near the eye or temple, typically last for 15 minutes to three hours if untreated and have a frequency of up to eight attacks a day on alternate days.

High flow oxygen is given at a rate of six to seven litres per minute for 10 to 20 minutes at the start of a cluster headache.

Attacks usually occur in bouts, or clusters, lasting for weeks or months, separated by remissions lasting months or years, according to the study.

The current treatment for acute attacks of cluster headache is injection with the drug sumatriptan, but frequent dosing is not recommended because of adverse effects.

Another treatment option is the inhalation of high-dose, high-flow oxygen, but its use may be limited because of the lack of a good quality controlled trial.

Anna S. Cohen, of the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, and colleagues conducted a randomised, placebo-controlled trial of high-flow oxygen for the treatment of acute attacks of cluster headache.

The study included 109 adults (aged 18-70 years). Patients treated four cluster headache episodes alternately with high-flow oxygen (inhaled oxygen at 100 percent, or 12 litres per minute, delivered by face mask, for 15 minutes at the start of an attack) or placebo (high-flow air).

Patients were recruited and followed up between 2002 and 2007. The final analysis included 57 patients with episodic cluster headache and 19 with chronic cluster headache.

The researchers found that 78 percent of the patients who received oxygen reported being pain-free or to have adequate relief within 15 minutes of treatment, compared to 20 percent of patients who received air.

For other outcomes, such as being pain-free at 30 minutes or a reduction in pain up to 60 minutes, treatment with oxygen was superior to air. There were no serious adverse events related to the treatments, says a National Hospital release.

“To our knowledge, this is the first adequately powered trial of high-flow oxygen compared with placebo, and it confirms clinical experience and current guidelines that inhaled oxygen can be used as an acute attack therapy for episodic and chronic cluster headache,” the authors write.

Source: The study appeared in the Wednesday issue of JAMA

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Health Alert

Listen to Your Body

Neanderthal cave men and women had tremendous physical prowess. They excelled in all kinds of physical activities. We, on the other hand, do not do everything — we are selective and specialise. We choose and pick our jobs, and this means we repeat some tasks, day after day. As a result, certain muscles and joints in our bodies get overused, while others atrophy from disuse. This has resulted in a spate of new diseases and diagnoses, namely, repetitive stress injuries or RSIs.


RSIs are a common affair in the computer era. Be it a student or senior citizen, computers have infiltrated everyone’s lives. People who had perhaps never imagined that they would need a computer — including housewives, schoolteachers, clerks, typists and salespersons in shops — are now forced to rely on the new technology. Everyone is busy using computers for work, browsing the Internet or playing games, or using the tiny keyboard on a mobile phone for repeated text messaging. These persistent rapid movements do not give the joints and muscles sufficient time to recover, resulting in inflammation, swelling and eventual damage. In children and teenagers, the growing ends of the bones are particularly susceptible.

Early signs of injury are stiffness of the neck, tingling, numbness or pain radiating to the arms, and feelings of weakness or fatigue. The fingers and arm joints may start to “trigger”. They get fixed painfully in a bent position and then get released with a painful internal pop.

Long hours in front of the computer take a toll on the eyes as well. Eyestrain can cause headaches, neck pain and transient blurring of vision.

An unfit workforce naturally means loss of man hours. A new science has thus evolved to tackle this problem. It is called ergonomics or the scientific study of people and their working conditions, especially to improve effectiveness. An ergonomically designed workplace goes a long way in reducing RSIs.

The seating arrangement is important while using a computer. Since people vary in height, the entire workforce cannot use similar chairs. A one-size-fits-all policy cannot be followed unless the height is adjustable. Chairs should also have a contoured back support. The feet should reach the floor comfortably. To check if the height of a chair is correct, place a pencil on the legs while sitting. It should slide towards the body, not away from it.

…....CLICK & SEE

PROPER SEATING ARRANGEMENT WHILE WORKING  ON COMPUTER

The monitor should be placed at eye level, directly in front (not to a side), at an arm’s length from the eyes. If reading at this distance is a problem, increase the font size. The keyboard needs to be placed directly in front of the monitor. If it is angulated to a side, the eyes have to keep adjusting for different distances. Elbows should be placed close to the side of the body to prevent the wrists from bending. The fingers and wrists should remain at a 90-degree angle to the upper part of the arm.

Even if your work is hectic and engrossing, you should walk around or at least stretch your arms and legs every half an hour. If your work requires long hours on the computer, do static, seated exercises (you can get the information on the Internet).

To make it easier on the eyes, the lighting in the room should be soft, from the side and not directly overhead or from the back. You should also take eye breaks from time to time. Focus on a finger held a few inches in front of the face and then on something far in the distance and then back to the finger. Take eye breaks throughout the day. Consciously blink, as prolonged computer use can result in infrequent blinking and dry eyes.

Sports activities can also cause RSIs. If you walk or jog for an hour every day, you need to prevent RSIs to your lower limbs. Warm ups and cool downs taught in school are excellent. Unfortunately, these stretches are often forgotten or done half-heartedly as they seem unnecessary and time-consuming. They are vital to condition and prepare the muscles for exercise and for adequate recovery. To prevent repetitive injuries, it is also important at any age to try and vary the daily exercise. Alternate walking or running with bicycling or swimming so that different groups of muscles are used.

While exercising, wear appropriate footwear. Walking and jogging require running shoes or cross trainers, not Hawaii chappals or rubber sandals. Children require footwear suitable to the sport they are playing. Inexpensive, stiff plastic shoes or playing football barefoot can result in an injury.

Listen to your body and seek prompt medical advice for any discomfort during work, sports or leisure activities. Don’t concentrate on work alone. Incorporate aerobic exercises and stretches into your lifestyle. The benefits of regular exercise are immeasurable. Immunity and resistance to disease increase and the improvement in overall flexibility and strength can help prevent crippling RSIs.

Source: The Telegraph (kolkata, India)

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