Padma Shree Clinic

For some people, the simple act of walking can be very uncomfortable. This is because they may be suffering from a heel spur. Heel spurs are calcium deposits that cause a bony protrusion on the underside of the heel bone. Heel spurs themselves may be painless but walking or jogging can make the person like a knife or pin is sticking into his or her sole. This may also be felt while standing up after being seated for a long time. Heel spurs do not heal on resting and usually need medical attention. Some ways of treating a heel spur are-

1. Stretching Exercises: Heel spur exercises help strengthen the tissue in the heel and increases the fascia and Achilles tendon flexibility. This, in turn, helps reduce the pain and prevents a recurrence of the condition. Try standing with both feet apart and flex your knees while squatting. Keep your heels on the ground for as long as possible.

2. Wearing The Right Shoes: Wearing shoes that do not fit well is one of the leading causes for heel spurs. When buying shoes look for a firm heel counter, a ¾-1 1/2 inch heel, a long vamp, semi-rigid or rigid shank and a toe box that is wide enough to accommodate your toes without pinching them.

3. Taping or Strapping to Rest Stressed Muscles and Tendons: Taping or strapping your foot tightly can help protect the fascia and allow the spur to heal. It also rests the muscles and tendons and distributes the pressure being put on them.

4. Shoe Inserts or Orthotic Devices: Using an insole can help cushion the heel and reduce the pain of a heel spur. It also reduces the impact felt while walking or standing.

5. Physical Therapy: Physiotherapy for heel spurs aims at strengthening the foot and calf muscles. Your doctor will try and gradually increase the possible range of motion and restore muscle control in the foot arch. You will also be taught how to improve your running and landing techniques.

6. Medication: Over the counter medication like ibuprofen may help temporarily ease the pain caused by heel spurs. In some cases, corticosteroid injections may also be prescribed to reduce the inflammation and pain.

7. Surgery: If there is no improvement in a heel spur within 9 to 12 months, surgery may be considered to remove the spur or release the plantar fascia. However, this is rare and most heel spurs do not need surgery.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Diabetes is a condition wherein, the level of sugar in your blood increases significantly. This happens when the sugar you consume from foods is not efficiently processed by the body thus, a rise in the level of your blood sugar. An excess concentration of sugar in the blood can make you prone to various health complications.

Symptoms

The symptoms of diabetes include frequent urge to urinate, increased thirst, increased hunger and rapid weight loss, combined with fatigue and irritability. Diabetes can also cause problems in the eyes, such as blurred vision as well as make you prone to cataracts and even glaucoma (in very rare cases). With diabetes, any injury or body sore tends to take a lot of time to heal.

Causes     

Diabetes is a disorder that occurs due to impaired insulin functioning. Insulin is a hormone that is produced by pancreas, which is located right below the stomach. Diabetes, when occurs as a result of insufficient production of insulin by the pancreas, is known as Type 1 Diabetes. In this type, the immune cells in the body attack the cells in the pancreas, which produce insulin thus, discouraging insulin secretion.

Another kind is the Type 2 diabetes, which occurs when the cells in the body become insulin resistant. Most cases of diabetes are of this particular type, as one of the major reasons behind this is following an erratic lifestyle devoid of healthy habits.  

Gestational diabetes is the third type, although it isn’t very common. During pregnancy, the various hormones that are secreted in the body can play spoilsport with the functioning of the pancreas, thus the production of insulin. This leads to a drastic rise in blood sugar levels.

How to treat it with Ayurvedic remedies

1. Eat healthy: Eating healthy assumes the maximum importance; you need to eat healthy in order to control diabetes effectively. Include plenty of fruits and vegetables in the diet, but make sure to pick foods that contain little sugar. Fruits such as bananas and grapes are not the best options for a diabetic. Rather, one should consider cucumber and bitter gourd in such circumstances.

2. Exercise regularly: Regular exercise can keep your body weight at optimal level, which goes a long way in preventing and controlling symptoms of diabetes. Besides being good for your heart, cardiovascular exercises such as running bring down the excess glucose levels in the blood.

3. Limit stress: Stress is very harmful for the body as it reduces your immunity against diseases and infections. Leading a stressful life can make you prone to a variety of disorders, diabetes being one of them. Relaxation techniques such as meditation and yoga can help one deal with stress effectively.

In this article, we have seen the general considerations about diabetes. Ayurveda has its unique point view to look at its diagnosis and treatment. It goes beyond blood sugar and insulin. There is need of a time to include Ayurvedic principles and treatment strategies to fight this escalating epidemic of Diabetes. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

A nasal reconstruction surgery is required to correct deformities in the nasal area formed as a result of birth defects, injuries, trauma etc. It is also used to correct missing parts of the nasal anatomy if required. Recent developments in techniques such as microsurgery, expansion of the tissue and so on, have helped surgeons improve the methods of nasal reconstruction surgery to a great extent. At this point, a patient has a great number of reconstruction methods to choose from, depending on his/her particular case. 

Types of Nasal Reconstruction Surgery: 

1. Local flaps 
2. Regional flaps 
3. Secondary Intention Healing 
4. Simple Suture closure 
5. Skin grafts 
6. One stage nasolabial flap 
7. Two stage nasolabial flap 
8. Forehead flap Bone and Cartilage frame work reconstruction 

Indicators of the need for Nasal Reconstruction surgery 

1. One indicator of the need for this type of surgery is fractures in the nose that have changed the shape of the organ. Patients opt for this kind of surgery in order to improve their overall appearance. 
2. Another indicator is fractures or other deformities that lead to breathing problems. Living with such problems is difficult; hence it is important to get nasal reconstruction surgery. 
3. The presence of the Deviated Nasal Septum prevents proper breathing and increases vulnerability to ENT infections. Nasal reconstruction surgery can be used to fix this problem. 
4. Deformities formed as a result of treatment of skin cancer can be fixed with the help of nasal reconstruction surgery. 

Things to know about recovering from Nasal Reconstruction Surgery 

1. Medication taken orally can help to counter the discomfort experienced right after a nasal reconstruction surgery. 
2. Usually, splints are used inside the nose during the surgery. 
3. These are generally removed within a week. Patients are able to get up and walk about within a few days. Normal daily activities may be resumed upon the doctor's instructions. 
4. At times, a swelling may be observed in the nasal area, but this goes away within a few weeks.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!