Dr. Khalid Fiyaz M

A whiplash injury usually occurs when your neck gets strained after an accident that causes it to jerk. In spite of the fact that it is normally connected with car crashes, any effect or blow that causes your neck or head to jerk forward or backwards can cause whiplash injury. The sudden shock or force extends and tears the muscles and ligaments in your neck.

Whiplash is usually caused by vehicular accidents. After the effect, the lower cervical vertebrae are constrained into a place of hyperextension while the upper cervical vertebrae are in a hyperflexed position. This leads to an irregular S-shaped in the cervical spine.

The pain of whiplash is regularly difficult to overlook. The symptoms of a whiplash injury may include the following:

1. Pain, diminished scope of movement, and snugness in the neck. The muscles may feel hard or stiff.
2. Pain while shaking your head from side to side or backward and forward.
3. Pain or stiffness while moving your arms to move your shoulder.
4. Delicate to touch.

Headache at the base of the skull.
Now and again, pain from the whiplash is very common. In different cases, it can take about a few hours to days before your neck starts to hurt. Over a course of time, a whiplash can be easily healed on its own. To help with the recovery, one needs to consider the following treatments:

1. Ice your neck to lessen the pain and swelling when you can after the harm. Do it for 15 minutes every three to four hours for two to three days. Wrap the ice in a thin towel or material to avoid damage to the skin.
2. Take painkillers or different medications, as suggested by your specialist. Non-steroidal mitigating drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve) will help in relieving the pain and swelling.
3. Use a neck prop or neckline to give support, if your specialist prescribes it. However, they are not suggested for the long-term since they can easily stiffen the muscles in your neck even more.
4. Apply a heating pad to your neck. However, do so after simply following two to three days of icing it first. Use warmth on your neck only after the underlying swelling has gone down.
5. Different medications, with a back rub, may likewise offer assistance.

The time of recovery relies upon how serious your whiplash is. Most cases are relieved in a couple days. However, other neck strains may take weeks or longer to recover. Keep in mind that everybody recovers at a different pace.

Once the intense indications of neck strain are gone, your specialist will most likely require you to begin exercising. This will make your neck muscles more flexible and stronger. It will help you both recover and decrease the chances of straining your neck again later on. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Knee is a hinge joint where the lower leg bone tibia meets the thigh bone femur. During osteoarthritis, cartilage or ligament defects and degenerative arthritis, knee replacement surgery is recommended worldwide to get relief from extreme pain. Knee replacement surgery, also known as knee arthroscopy, is a surgical procedure, in which the affected knee joint is replaced with synthetic material. The most likely candidates for total knee replacement are the patients with severe destruction of the knee joint coupled with progressive pain and impaired function.

Modern technological advances have made computer assisted knee replacement surgery extremely popular around the globe. In this surgery, the surgeon is assisted by a computer to remove the optimum amount and angle of the bone, which otherwise is done by inspecting manually. This is an excellent example of surgery through a small incision and it eliminates the chances of human error. A perfect alignment and balance is achieved and hence longevity is also increased to 20 - 30 years. Knee replacement surgery is also specific to gender as the anatomy of male and female patients is different.

There are many types of knee replacements, most common being the Total Knee Replacement or Total Knee Arthroplasty. In addition, there is a partial knee replacement, bilateral knee replacement, revision knee replacement and knee arthroscopy.

In knee replacement surgery, the worn out surfaces of joints of knee are replaced with artificial implant of plastic and metal. The lower end of the femur bone is removed and replaced with a metal shell. The upper end of the lower leg bone (tibia) is also removed and replaced with a channeled plastic implant with a metal stem. A plastic ball is also added under the kneecap depending on its condition. These artificial components are commonly referred as prosthesis. The design of these highly flexible implants replicate knee, with the rotating knee replacement implants assist in backward and forward swing of the legs.

Patients whose knee joints have been damaged by either trauma or progressive arthritis should consider total knee replacement surgery. Post-surgical hospital stay after knee joint replacement is usually three to five days. The surgery has a very high success rate and shows dramatic improvement after a month. This improvement is most notable one month or more after surgery. The pain caused by the damaged joint is reduced significantly when the new gliding surface is constructed during surgery. Initially, patient will walk with the help of a walking aid until the knee is able to support full body weight. After six weeks, patient can walk comfortably with minimal assistance. Patients with artificial joints are prescribed to take antibiotics during the course of any elective invasive procedures including dental work. Physiotherapy is an essential part of rehabilitation and it will increase the muscle strength and patient can enjoy most activities, except running and jumping. If you wish to discuss any specific problem, you can consult an orthopedist.

Lower back pain is a very common discomfort causing condition that occurs anywhere on the back below the ribs and above the legs. The pain is very common and it is faced by most individuals at least once during their lifetime.

The most basic measures to cure your lower back pain are exercising well, eating healthy and maintaining a good body posture at all times. Here are some of the common treatment options for reducing back pain.

Spinal Manipulation: It refers to an ancient form of therapy in which your back pain is treated externally. This form of treatment is quite similar to a massage treatment and helps to relax the muscles in the lower back area, thereby reducing the pain. It is usually done by osteopathic physicians, chiropractors, occupational therapists and physical therapists.

Neurostructural integration technique (NST): The main role of this type of treatment is to naturally reset the affected area of the body in order to allow it to regain its normal form. The results usually begin to appear after at least 2 sessions of the therapy and the effects are long lasting in nature.

Acupuncture: This is an old technique which uses small needles at strategic locations on your skin. The main aim of the acupuncturists is to re-balance the flow of energy in your body and to ensure that you have an optimal level of energy in all parts of your body. This in turn helps to regain the normal state of your lower back if the right points on the body are targeted.

Other measures: Some preventive measures which ensure that the lower back pain does not recur are as follows:

1. Keep your spine straight and posture correct
2. Avoid excessive bending, stretching or weight lifting
3.  Avoid heavy physical activities like sprinting
4. Regular and light exercising. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Orthopedist.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disorder in which the small joints of the hands and feet of the affected person get inflamed. It affects the lining of the joints and causes pain and swelling that may lead to joint deformity and erosion if left untreated.

This disorder of the autoimmunological system occurs when the body's immune system attacks the body's own tissues.

Although this medical condition usually causes joint problems only, sometimes it may go on to affect other body organs like skin, lungs, eyes and blood vessels as well.

Some of the signs and symptoms that are indicative of rheumatoid arthritis are:

1. Problems in the joints

One of the most common symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis is swelling of the joints that become tender and painful. During the early days, only the smaller joints are affected, especially the finger and toe joints. However as the disease worsens, the symptoms spread to other body parts like knees, wrists, elbows, ankles etc. Joint redness and warmth are also characteristic features of rheumatoid arthritis. It is also recognized by joint deformity and stiff joints.

2. Fever, fatigue and loss of weight

Fatigue is a common symptom of rheumatoid arthritis. It may be a result of the body's reaction to insomnia, anemia, and inflammation. It may also be caused due to loss of appetite and the consequent and unintended weight loss. Sometimes rheumatoid arthritis is also accompanied by fever.

3. Rheumatoid nodules

Another symptom of rheumatoid arthritis is the presence of firm bumps of tissues under the skin on the arms. These bumps are known as rheumatoid nodules and may be painful. The nodules may come and go depending on the severity of the disease at a particular time. During flares, they may appear, and they may subside during the periods of remission just as all the other symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an orthopedist.

Are you aware of a disease called osteoarthritis that is more likely to develop in case you are aging? Osteoarthritis is a disease, which affects the joints of your body. It occurs when the cartilages that protect and cushion your bones break down, causing swelling and pain, and may make you immobile. The chances of developing osteoarthritis increase with age as your cartilages start breaking down. Women who are beyond menopause are at a higher risk of getting this disease as they do not produce estrogen, which is essential for bone growth. There are several precautions you should follow for the prevention of osteoarthritis, especially if you are aged. They are as follows:

1. Manage your occupational risks
   • Certain jobs involve repetitive motions, which cause stress on your joints.
   • If your job or occupation involves a lot of lifting, twisting, kneeling, and walking, you should consult a doctor.
2. Exercise
   • It is important for you to undertake exercises of low impact, which is very crucial for improving joint health, even if you are aging.
   • You should choose activities that involve strength training along with stretching and aerobic exercise.
   • Regular exercise helps in the slowing down or prevention of osteoarthritis. It helps you in maintaining healthy joints, reducing fatigue and pain, increasing your bone and muscle strength, and relieves stiffness.
3. Maintaining a healthy body weight
   • Excess weight is a primary risk factor for osteoarthritis, especially if you are aged. It cxauses extra stress on your joints that boosts the deterioration of your joint cartilage.
   • If you are obese and overweight, your chances of developing osteoarthritis are more. Hence, you should lose extra weight for improving the symptoms.
4. Rest
   • Although exercise is important for keeping your joints and muscles healthy, you should avoid overdoing them.
   • Have a balanced lifestyle, and when your joints become achy or swollen, give them a break.
   • Abstain from using your swollen joint for at least 12 to 24 hours after experiencing them. Letting your injured joint rest helps in reducing your risk of osteoarthritis.
   • Fatigue increases pain in osteoarthritis patients, and hence you must sleep properly.
5. Control your blood sugar
   • Diabetes is considered to be an important risk factor for osteoarthritis in aged individuals.
   • High glucose levels may boost the formation of molecules that make your cartilage stiff.
   • Diabetes also triggers inflammation, and promotes cartilage loss.
   • It is important for you to keep your diabetes and blood sugar levels under control for preventing osteoarthritis.

In spite of no specific cure for osteoarthritis, there are several ways of preventing and managing its symptoms. It is very important for you to maintain a healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet, and also to try and keep away from becoming obese.

Myelopathy refers to any neurological deficit pertaining to the spinal cord. The three most common types of myelopathy are Cervical myelopathy, Lumbar myelopathy and Thoracic myelopathy. Here are the causes and symptoms of myelopathy.

Causes:

1. Injury: This is a very common cause of myelopathy. Any type of accident or even a traumatic event can cause myelopathy and perhaps even paralysis.
2. Spinal stenosis: This is a condition in which the spinal cord narrows and is one of the leading causes of myelopathy.
3. Degenerative disc disorders: As you get older, disc disorders are more likely to occur, as well as other conditions which affect the spinal column, such as osteoporosis, etc. 
4. Tumor: It is a little known fact that tumors very often do cause myelopathy. 
5. Multiple sclerosis: There are many other diseases, which may cause myelopathy and multiple sclerosis is one of them.

Symptoms: 

There are many indications that you are suffering from myelopathy and should consult a medical expert. Here are some of them: 

1. Change in coordination: It refers to the state, wherein, all of a sudden you may find it harder to move certain limbs the way you want to. Sometimes, it may affect your whole body as well. 
2. Sudden muscle weakness: It is highly likely, that if you have myelopathy then you will experience sudden weakness in your muscles. 
3. Decreased hand-eye coordination: This is perhaps the biggest indicator of myelopathy since hand-eye coordination is directly linked to your spinal cord and brain and if they are not functioning properly then hand-eye coordination will be affected.

These are just some of the symptoms of myelopathy, however, the doctor cannot diagnose myelopathy until he conduct certain tests. These tests include MRI scans and other tests as well as a regular physical check-up along with a check of your medical history.