Dr. Karthick Gunasekaran

Joint pains or muscles cramps are the usual suspects when it comes to leg pain. Joint pains are usually a symptom of arthritis, a common occurrence during old age. Leg muscles are mostly affected by muscle cramps. From an Ayurvedic point of view, all pains are caused by the vata dosha.

What are doshas?
The doshas define the natural inclination of the body and they comprise the three main energies that affect your health and well-being. The three doshas are Pitta, Vata and Kapha. Thus in Ayurveda, pain is caused when the doshas are vitiated. In Ayurveda, ama is the name given to the toxic materials in the body that are caused by improper indigestion. Therefore, pain occurs when there is too much ama build-up in your body.

Useful herbs for treating leg pain:

1. Clove: It provides instant relief from pain, especially if they are due to muscle cramps. Apply clove oil in a poultice over the affected area.
2. Ginger: Since ginger has great painkiller properties, it can be added to a regular diet to deal with chronic leg pain.
3. Liquorice: Muscle aches can be treated with liquorice roots infused in water overnight.
4. Madhuca: Applying madhuca oil over leg pains, especially if they are due to rheumatism, then it can give great results.
5. Pepper: Pepper aids in proper blood circulation by helping dilating the superficial blood vessels.

Dietary regulations for leg pain: To help with chronic leg pain, leafy vegetables, green vegetables, Vitamin C-rich foods, plantains that are rich in potassium, magnesium and calcium must be consumed. Coffee and chocolate must be avoided at all costs. The consumption of water cannot be stressed enough as one of the leading causes of leg pain is dehydration of insufficient fluids in the body. Water helps flush out the toxins in the body, thus getting rid of the vitiated doshas.

Ayurvedic treatment for leg pain: For external use, Mahanarayana Tailam is extremely effective. Warming the oil before application will give best results. For internal use, Simhanada Guggulu, a mild laxative, Laxmi Vilas rasa and Pratapa Lankeshwara Rasa are prescribed.

Turmeric or haldi in combination with milk can have unimaginable effects on your health. It is also an amazing mixture for personal care. Haldi milk for long has been a great naturopathic remedy to counter your day-to-day issues related to health. The benefits of this concoction must have been drilled into your head by several bollywood flicks that use it as a potent trope. In case you are still unaware, go through the following points.

You can experience the advantages of haldi milk in these many ways:

1. It helps to treat common cold: A running nose and a clogged throat can be gotten rid of by drinking warm turmeric milk. Common cold is a recurrent problem bothering most people. It cures the soreness in one's throat and is also sought after because of its antibacterial or antiviral properties.
2. If you suffer from body aches, this drink will give you relief: Athletes are particularly fond of this golden drink as it adds strength to a person's overall structure. Haldi milk makes the joints of your body sturdy; especially your spine.
3. It is great for the health of your liver: If you have a problematic liver that keeps giving you a hard time, you should try drinking haldi milk. Haldi is known for its positive effects on one's lymphatic system. It can purify your blood by eliminating impurities in it, thus further accelerating liver function.
4. You must see how it stalls the growth of cancer cells: Cancer is one threatening disease that once contracted, is hard to be curbed. Haldi can effectively stall the growth and multiplication of cancer cells in case of breast, lungs, colon, and prostate cancers.
5. Painful menstruations can be taken care of now: If menstrual cramps turn you into an irritable, curled up mass, you should surely go for turmeric milk. There is no point in bearing with intolerable pain for ven a few days of the month when a solution as handy as this is available for you. It acts as an antispasmodic and pregnant women drink it to ensure smooth delivery.
6. Sleepless nights can be kept at bay: Amino acids are required for a good eight hours of sleep. Haldi milk contains tryptophan which is a sleep inducing amino acid.

Know how Knee and Back injuries can be treated

The bio-initiative reports of 2007 and 2012 have proposed a safe radiation density of 1 milliwatt/m{+2} for outdoor, cumulative radio frequency (rf) exposure and 0.1 milliwatt/m{+2} for indoor, cumulative rf exposure.

Adverse health effects occur within a few years of continuous exposure at 1 milliwatt/m{+2}. The most common complaints are - sleep disorder, headache, irritability, memory loss, depression, hearing loss, joint problems. More severe reactions include seizures, cardiovascular problems, miscarriage, irreversible infertility, and cancer.
 

Remember the old saying that prevention is better than cure. Women are often bombarded with information that includes many tests but there are a few which should never be ignored.

1)breast cancer screening: this should start when a woman is in her 20's and 30's by breast self examination done once in three months after periods. If you feel any lump, follow it up with your gynecologist. A mammography is recommended after 40 every year till 50 and every alternate year after that till 75 years of age. A person may require more frequent testing if she at high risk due to her personal or family history.

2) cervical cancer screening: cervix is the entry to the uterus where a baby grows. Cervical cancer is still the no. One cancer in sexually active women in india. It is important to have regular screening by doing pap smear tests after starting sexual activity and then if normal, once every 3 years till 65 years of age. The main reason this cancer occurs is due to hpv infection and after the age of 30 years every woman should have a hpv- dna test done once in her lifetime to assess her risk of getting this cancer.

3) osteoporosis screening: osteoporosis means weak and porous bones that are more likely to get fractured with smallest of falls and injuries. Bones start to lose their density after menopause in women. There are many high risk factors due to which the bones can start to weaken early but if none exist then at least a base line dexa scan which is an x-ray based test should be done at 65 years of age.

4) high blood pressure and cholesterol screening: high blood pressure is known to be a silent killer and it is important to get your blood pressure once a year after 30. But if you are overweight or have other high risk factors in your history, you can get it checked early to suit your lifestyle. Any blood pressure reading of more than 140 by 90 on two occasions means that you need to start treatment. High cholesterol is responsible for clogging our arteries and may lead to heart damage. Lipid profile should be done once in 5 years after the age of 25 years if normal.

5) blood sugar: if you are normal then a sugar testing should be done once every 3 years after 40 years. If there are risk factors like overweight, sedentary lifestyle or family history, one has to suit your individual needs. A fasting value of more than 125 or hba1c value of more than 6.5% suggests diabetes.