Dr Chandrasekaran A

In Ayurveda, joint pain is known as 'Sandhigata Vata'. Arthritis and Joint pain are among the most prevalent problems faced by adults, mostly old people. As per ayurveda, 'vata Dosha' Is responsible for joint pains and other discomforts associated with it. Natural remedies and proper lifestyle techniques can be utilized to balance the 'vata' to lessen the occurrence and severity of joint pain. Factors including,old age, obesity, injury and strenuous physical activities (that require a lot of joint movements) are responsible for disturbing the balance of your 'vata'.

The following are some ayurvedic home remedies that can be utilized to treat joint pain:

1. Massage therapy - Warm coconut, castor, mustard, olive or garlic oil can be utilized to massage the affected areas to lessen the intensity of pain. If you massage the affected joints with natural oils, it improves blood circulation and relaxes the swelling and stiffness in the region.

2. Hot And Cold Compress - Cold and hot compresses can be utilized to ease your joint pain effectively. Heat compression decreases the pain, increases the blood circulation and relaxes the swollen joints and muscles. On the other hand, cold therapy lessens the inflammation of the affected joint. Place hot and cold towel alternatively on the affected area to achieve immediate relief from persistent pain.

3. Fenugreek - Ingest a teaspoon of ground fenugreek seeds and drink a glass of lukewarm water. Fenugreek has anti inflammatory and antioxidant properties that make it effective for joint pains.Follow this remedy every morning on a regular basis to achieve optimal results.

4. Turmeric - Add a pinch of turmeric and a teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink this solution on a regular basis for a week. Turmeric contains anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which makes it an excellent remedy for treating joint pains.
5. Apple cider vinegar - Add 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar and a little honey to a cup of lukewarm water. Drink this solution twice daily, before your meals. Apple cider vinegar has alkalizing effect, which makes it an effective remedy to remove the toxins that are responsible for causing joint pain.

6. Healthy diet - A balanced diet that comprises a lot of green leafy vegetables and fresh seasonal fruits is good for your joints. The uncontrolled intake of fatty food, dairy products, and high sodium diet must be avoided in order to avoid arthritis and joint pain.

Whether you are an athlete or a ballet dancer, you will appreciate the importance of having a stable kneecap. Medically known as the patella, the kneecap is a triangular bone that connects the upper thigh to the lower half of the leg. It sits in a groove in the bottom of the femur (thigh bone). When the leg is bent, it stays within the groove. When the leg is extended, it provides support to the quadriceps muscles.

That being the case, a dislocation of the kneecap is a very common injury. Subluxation is a state where there is partial movement of the kneecap out of its position, thereby making the patient’s kneecap unstable. When it completely moves out of its place, it is known as dislocation. Whether you fall on your knees during a sport or have a fall from a bike or get injured during dance or aerobics, it is common to have a dislocated kneecap. Some people are prone to repeated dislocations.

Symptoms:

The initial injury is very painful and there might also be damage to the surrounding structures. Other symptoms include:

1. Buckling of the knee, where your legs cannot support your body weight

2. Sliding of the kneecap to a side

3. Catching of the knee in the groove when trying to move it

4. Pain in the front of the kneecap with any activity

5. Painful while sitting

6. Swelling and/or stiffness of the knee joint

7. Crackling/creaking sound when trying to move the knee joint

8. Inability to straighten the leg

Treatment:

Though these sound scary, the good news is that in 90% of the cases, the knee returns to its position spontaneously. However, putting it back into its place is a simple and safe procedure and can be done by almost any seasoned medical practitioner. The first step is to confirm that the kneecap is indeed dislocated. This can be done by a combination of physical exercise and x-ray. If required, MRI can be used, but it is not required in most cases. Initial treatment would include the following steps in sequence:

1. Immobilizing the knee with splint by keeping the leg in a straightened position.

2. Calling for medical assistance immediately. They can replace the knee back in its position carefully (reduction). An injured kneecap can cause what is known as foot drop by putting pressure on the peroneal nerve. The toes drag on the ground, making it difficult for you to walk.

3. Use ice in the affected area for 15 to 20 minutes, and repeat after three to four hours throughout the day to reduce pain and swelling.

4. Surgical correction may not be required, if there is a damage to the ligament.

5. Flat femur and/or tissue laxity can cause repeated dislocations, where physiotherapy and strengthening exercises are useful.

Arthritis is inflammation of one or more of your joints. Pain, swelling, and stiffness are the primary symptoms of arthritis. Any joint in the body may be affected by the disease, but it is particularly common in the knee.

Knee arthritis can make it hard to do many everyday activities, such as walking or climbing stairs. It is a major cause of lost work time and a serious disability for many people. There are 2 types of arthritis the knee joint in the human body can get afflicted with. They are:

• Osteoarthritis: The form of arthritis which, with increasing pain, slowly wears down the joint cartilages is called osteoarthritis. This form of arthritis usually affects people after the age 40. The symptoms of osteoarthritis include:

  • severe pain in the knee joints

  • pain after walking up the stairs and it subsiding once you are on rest

  • severe pain after the movement of joints for a long time

  • pain that becomes worse in rainy days

  • joints becoming stiff after waking up in the morning but they improve in the latter part of the day

  • pain which also occurs in the thighs and the genital regions coupled with joints swelling and joints getting stiff after rest.

• Rheumatoid Arthritis: Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic form of arthritis caused because of the knee joint inflammations. This form of arthritis can occur at any age. Being an auto-immune disease, its symptoms include, but are not limited to:

  • severe pain in the morning

  • mild fever accompanying the pain

  • joints suddenly becoming swollen, red and warm causing, immense pain

  • sudden stiffness of the joints

  • pain that increases in cold weather

  • mild fever, extreme tiredness and weakening of the muscles

Doctors are still doubtful about what exactly causes the disease; but the deformation of the immune system might cause the damage of the joints, causing people who are already suffering from obesity, smokers, and women, in general, more prone to this disease.

When the knee pain is diagnosed as a form of arthritis, the following treatments are suggested:

1. If you are overweight or obese, losing some of those extra pounds can go a long way in reducing the pain.

2. Muscle-stretching exercises are effective in keeping the knee joints flexible.

3. Acupuncture and devices such as knee braces and knee caps can relieve the pain.

4. Prescribed dosage of anti-inflammatory drugs such as Tylenol, Motrin, and Advil or injections of hyaluronic acid might relieve your pain.

5. If regular treatments do not work, you might opt for knee-replacement surgery and osteotomy (the process of cutting a bone with the help of surgery) which might better the alignment of the knee by transforming the bone shapes.

Physiotherapy For Knee Arthritis

Physiotherapy treatment is aimed at improving the symptoms of the disease (i.e. knee pain, swelling, stiffness), and you should begin to notice a positive difference within one or a few physiotherapy sessions.

The main goals of physiotherapy for your knee arthritis are:

1. Reduce your knee pain and inflammation.
2. Normalise your knee joint range of motion.
3. Strengthen your knee: esp quadriceps (esp VMO) and hamstrings.
4. Strengthen your lower limb: calves, hip and pelvis muscles.
5. Improve your patellofemoral (knee cap) alignment and function.
6. Normalise your muscle lengths.
7. Improve your proprioception, agility and balance.
8. Improve your technique and function eg walking, squatting.

A neck strain and sprain is not a serious injury. However, they can still cause significant dysfunction and pain.

Causes of Neck Strain

The anatomy of the cervical spine is such that it not only houses, but also protects the spinal cord. Along with this it supports the head and allows it for mobility and motion. But this area, which allows the spine to be flexible can also leave it vulnerable for injury.

Triggers for the onset of neck muscle strain can be:

1. Too much time spent in an uncomfortable position, such as humping over the steering wheel while driving, bending over the computer monitor, talking on the phone while placing it in the crook of the neck.

2. Sleeping on a very high or too firm pillow can lead to an uncomfortable position of the head thus leading to the strain of the neck

3. Carrying heavy objects on one side of the body

4. Any trauma that might have impacted the neck, such as an accident, whiplash or a fall that might have had a head landing

Most events of a neck muscle strain or the soft tissue sprain, such as the tendons and ligaments lead to stiff neck along with pain in shoulders. There is also pain and difficulty in moving the neck or head.

Neck muscle strain remedies

Minor strains in the tendons, ligaments and muscles of the neck usually heal within a day or two. But till the symptoms subside, there are a few self care remedies that are effective in reducing the stiffness and pain. These are:

1. Application of cold or ice packs: The cold reduces the inflammation, which in turn allows the strain to heal. This ice pack should be applied for 20 minutes interval in the first 24 hours.

2. Application of heat: Heat helps in bringing the nutrient rich blood to the affected area in order to stimulate a healing response. Moist heat as well as heat from a hot shower or bath can be used. Some people might find relief from applying heat wraps such as thermacare.

3. Over-the-counter or OTC medications: Anti-inflammatory medication, such as naproxen and ibuprofen reduces inflammation, thereby leading to the reduction in pain. Pain relieving medicines such as acetaminophen can also be taken as this reduces the perception of pain.

4. Massage of the affected area: A gentle massage in the affected area helps in stimulating the blood flow of the area which in turn helps in a quick healing.