What you must know about body ache


Affecting your entire body, body ache is usually an indicator of a condition that requires your attention for the pain to stop or a reaction of your body's immune system to an infection. Understanding the symptoms and the cause of the pain is the first step towards getting the right treatment for your problem.
The causes of body ache can be any one of these:
  an increase in your body's lactic acid as a result of overused muscles (that you normally experience when you perform strenuous exercises) leads to body aches that are not severe but temporary in nature.
  temporary body aches can also occur if you suffer from flu caused by the influenza virus and other medical conditions like fever and viral infections, among others.
  a cause of body aches can be the presence of a serious condition such as Lyme disease or pneumonia that brings about major infection affecting your entire body.
  inflammation of body cells or damage to your body's nervous system in the form of chronic ailments like autoimmune diseases and psychiatric problems can also cause pains and aches to develop all over the body.

What can you do to manage it?
There are simple ways that you can employ to relieve your body aches based on the root cause and these are:

  if the cause of your body ache is the flu, the best way to alleviate your condition is to take a hot bath. The hot water works by eliminating the body pains you may be suffering from. Even a gentle massage can soothe the ache affecting your entire body.
  for body aches that are caused due to overused muscle, you need to apply ice packs for 2-3 weeks on the affected area to bring down the inflammation. Even the application of a heating pad can help in relieving body aches brought on by muscle soreness.
  shoulder and neck pains can be easily prevented by performing simple exercises from time to time such as shoulder shrugs or head turns. Also, the practice of using wrist and forearm rests can reduce your chances of getting shoulder and neck aches.
  reducing your stress levels can also help in effectively lowering the instances of body ache. From sleeping on time to meditating for about 20 minutes a day can help in lowering stress.

In case, you do not get relief from any of the suggested ways, you need to consult a qualified doctor who will guide you on the right treatment course. 

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Related Tip: Why does PAIN occur? Understand the Mechanism of Pain

Body Ache? Here's What You Must Know about Body Pain

6 Bodily Pains You Must Never Ignore

Any pain in the body is an indication and demands attention. Some pains go away by themselves or by home treatment, while few need medical attention. 

Here are 6 types of pains which should never be ignored.

Chest Pain - Chest pain that doesn't go away and is accompanied by shortness of breath can prove to be fatal if not treated at the earliest. Do not wait for it to subside, nor should you try self medication. Consult the doctor immediately.
Abdominal Pain - While abdominal pain could be because of various smaller reasons, if it is unbearable, consult a doctor at the earliest. This pain could be because of ruptured appendix, stomach ulcer, problems in your pancreas or gallbladder or even intestinal blockages.
Severe Headache - Normally we tend to take headaches lightly, believing that all we need to do is pop a medicine or rest it out. However, if the pain is excruciating, consult the doctor as soon as possible.
Prolonged Backache - If you are experiencing pain in the back with tingling in your toes, this could be associated with your discs. Give it medical attention at the earliest, as it could turn fatal.
Lower Abdomen  - Appendicitis' indicator is sharp pain on the side. If you feel a sharp pain in your lower abdomen on the right side along with symptoms like nausea, vomiting, fever, shaking, constipation and diarrhea, reach out for medical assistance as soon as possible.
Leg Pain - Yet another pain one should not ignore is deep vein thrombosis which is blood clots in the legs? deep veins.

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6 Bodily Pains You Must Never Ever Ignore

Shoulder pain can be a persistent dull and nagging sensation in the upper arm or shoulder area. It can be easily differentiated from neck pain as it is related to the movement of shoulders i.e. it will increase and decrease with shoulder movements, especially overhead activities. The other signs to identify shoulder pain is if your shoulder movements are reduced.

If you find it difficult to scratch / wash your back, comb your hair or reach your back pocket, it clearly shows you are suffering from shoulder pain. Shoulder pain can happen due to various reasons, it varies from person to person depending on the activities he/she is involved in, for e.g. sports, manual job etc. It can be a single major injury or multiple small injuries due to repetitive usage patterns. Also, degenerative changes in various parts of the shoulder can lead to shoulder pain.

In case of middle to old age, injuries that can cause shoulder pain are:

    Biceps Tendonitis
    Acromio-clavicular Joint arthritis
    Scapular Dyskinesia
    Trapezitis
    Suprascapular nerve entrapment In young age, injury due to sports or gym activity can cause shoulder pain
    Superior labral anterior/posterior (SLAP tear)lesion

Also, traumatic or repeated dislocations of shoulder can cause shoulder pain due to:

    Bankart lesion

Diagnose Shoulder Pain

Shoulder pain can be diagnosed only after thorough history taking and clinical examination. However, some imaging studies can be very helpful like:

    X-rays: Through an x-ray one can view the shoulder in many different views.
    Ultrasound: With an ultrasound, you can also check the damaged caused to the tendons and muscles of the shoulder but the quality of reporting depends upon the expertise of the doctor.
    MRI: MRI gives a clear picture of the shoulder as it shows everything related to a shoulder joint that is joints, vessels, tendons and muscles that too from different angles.
    Diagnostic Arthroscopy: A surgical procedure often used by orthopaedic surgeons to diagnose and treat issues inside a joint. Arthroscopy has the big advantage that one can use it to diagnose as well as treat at the same time.

Treatment for Various Types of Shoulder Pain

    For Shoulder Impingement or Rotator Cuff tear: Give rest to the shoulder for a few days only Dedicated Physiotherapy Protocol Bursal injections If these fail then, (Surgery)Arthroscopic sub-acromial decompression If Cuff tear is found, then one can go for Arthroscopic/Mini-open repair
    Labral Lesions: For anterior Labral lesions (Bankart's) following anterior shoulder dislocation then surgery in the form of Arthroscopic Bankart's repair is the only option to reduce risk of recurrence and degeneration.

SLAP Lesions

    Pain relief and physiotherapy as first step If this fails then following surgical options are available
    Arthroscopic debridement or repair of labrum
    Biceps tenotomy or tenodesis

Arthritis

In this case, the joint is already destroyed and has to be resurfaced for pain relief and to maintain ROM. If Rotator cuff muscles are working, then Shoulder resurfacing hemiarthroplasty (preferred in young people), that has a life of 10 to 15 years, Total shoulder replacement (preferred in middle aged to old people) has a life of 10 to 15 years. But, if rotator cuff muscle are not working then Reverse Geometry Shoulder replacement is recommended, that has a life of 10 years.

It is always advisable to get yourself diagnosed properly in case of shoulder pain as management changes depending on clinical situations. Neglecting shoulder conditions can lead to bigger problems later on.

Always remember 'a stitch in time saves nine'

Shoulder Pain: Causes, Diagnoses & Treatment

Vaginismus is a condition characterized by significant pain in the vagina generally during sexual intercourse. This pain occurs on penetration due to the contraction of the vaginal muscles.

Causes

The exact cause of Vaginismus is not exactly known to the doctors. But some researchers suggests that the pain might result from severe anxiety or illogical fears before sex.

Vaginismus can be primary or secondary depending on the concerned woman s previous sexual experiences. Vaginismus can be linked to an earlier sexually painful experience, sexual trauma or psychological factors. In some cases, the pain tends to exist without any direct physical cause. The causes of the pain might vary from women to women and might occur in some cases with only one specific partner and not with others.

Sometimes the pain might stem from underlying infections or any other underlying complications.

The symptoms of Vaginismus are as follows:

Severe pain during intercourse.

Severe pain during insertion of tampons or during any medical check-ups.

The following treatments can be useful to treat Vaginismus:

If the pain arises due to anxiety or fear, counselling sessions can help you to a remedy.

If the pain arises whenever something penetrates the vaginal walls, progressive desensitization can be useful to treat the pain. The process aims to loosen the vaginal muscles so that you don t experience any pain during sexual intercourse.

Kegel exercises (at least 20 of them) can help in the initial stage to relax the vaginal muscles. After you exercise for a few days, you should try inserting one finger inside your vagina while doing the exercises. Try doing it gently and if it still hurts, try doing it with a lubricating jelly. This continuous procedure will help in the contraction of the vaginal muscles which eventually relax.

Vaginismus - Things You Should Be Aware of 

Pain in the joints continues to bug mankind till this very day. There are different types of joint pains, which might occur all of a sudden, with no signs of receding. The most common of them all are arthritis, tennis elbow, frozen shoulder, back pain and repetitive muscular strain. These joint pains are sometimes impossible to diagnose properly by the regular modes of diagnosis. In those cases, resorting to the homeopathic mode of medication might be a good idea as it is a medication based on treating the actual cause of the disease and sustained use might result in complete remission of the pain.

Some commonly used homeopathic medications for pain in the joints are as follows:
1. Rhus Tox: This is the most commonly used in homeopathic preparation for severe joint pains, the symptoms of which include severe pain after relaxation, pain triggered by slightly wet weather and pain after walking or running for a long time.

2. Arnica Montana: When the symptoms are pain in every joint of the body resulting in body aches and pertaining injuries due to accidents, Arnica Montana serves as the perfect medication.

3. Actea Spicata: This medicine is primarily used as a remedy for pains in the small joints of the hands. The symptoms for which the medication can be implemented are rheumatoid arthritis in the joints of the finger and swollen wrists after usage of the hand.

4. Colchium: This medicine can be used in case of Rheumatoid Arthritis (inflammatory and chronic form of arthritis).

5. Bryonia Alba: This medication can work wonders if the symptoms include severe pain in the knee joints while walking, severe swollen joints and osteoarthritis (affects the flexible tissues present at the bone ends).

However, it is always advisable to take medication as prescribed by your doctor, as the potency and frequency can only be decided by your doctor.

Homeopathic Treatment for Pain in the Joints

Hemorrhoids or piles are diagnosed by swelling of veins in the lower part of anus and rectum. Due to swelling, the walls of rectum and anus are stretched and thus become irritated. Hemorrhoids are of two types: Internal and External hemorrhoids.

Internal Haemorrhoids: As the name suggests, the piles are not visible from outside. These are present deep inside the rectum, located above the pectinate line and these are covered with the cells that are present through the rest of intestines. Internal hemorrhoids are normally painless. The first sign of internal hemorrhoids is rectal bleeding. However, straining can push internalhemorrhoid and it protrudes through the anus and this can be painful.

Causes of Haemorrhoids
The swelling of hemorrhoid occurs only when the pressure in the small vessels of rectum and anus is increased and is engorged with blood. The size of the hemorrhoids is also increased. The increased pressure may be due to various factors:

Consuming low fiber diet and pushing or straining while passing stools, thus blood vessel pressure is increased.
Pregnancy also is a cause of swelling as there is the increased pressure of the uterus on rectum and anus.
Sitting for long on toilet also increases pressure.
Obesity is also a cause of hemorrhoids.
People suffering from diarrhea, both acute and chronic.
A person having colon cancer might have hemorrhoids.
Signs and Symptoms of Haemorrhoids:

The most common symptoms of hemorrhoids are painless bleeding, itching in anal, swelling and feeling of the presence of lump at the anus.
All these symptoms are associated with inflamed hemorrhoid.
Inflamed internal hemorrhoid can cause swelling, but is painless as there are no fibers attached to veins above the pectinate line that cause pain. However, passing hard stools can scrape off the thin lining of hemorrhoid, which can cause the painless bleeding.
Spasms of the rectum and anal muscles caused by these swollen hemorrhoidscause pain, especially when they are protruded through the anus.
Internal hemorrhoids can form a clot or thrombose resulting in severe pain.
The presence of has inflammation, stool,and constant moisture and these can lead to itching and burning sensation in the anus among patient of internal hemorrhoid.
Treatment of Haemorrhoids

Diet: Haemorrhoids can be treated when individuals consume a fiber-rich diet in order to soften the stools and ease their bowel movements. Fiber-rich foods include fresh fruits, dry fruits, grains, vegetables, and cereals. About 20 to 30 grams per day of fibrous foods is recommended. Dietary fiber will help create bulk in the intestines which will help in softening of stools and ease bowel movement. Supplemental fiber available in the marketincludes psyllium husk, methylcellulose, and calcium polycarbophil. Other recommendations include increased intake of liquids and having stool softeners. Drinking enough water and liquids will prevent stool from hardening.
Over-the-counter topical treatment: There are various products available to treat hemorrhoids, such as gels, hydrocortisone creams, ointments, foams, pads, and suppositories.
Home remedies: Soaking anus in a warm sitz bath might also help in hemorrhoids for about 10 to 15 minutes per day. One should practice good hygiene and clean anus with warm water while showering. Avoid using soap and dry toilet paper. One can also use a cold compress on the anus.
Minimally Invasive Procedure for Hemorrhoids (MIPH)

Out of the various types of medical and surgical interventions available to treat Piles, Minimally Invasive Procedure for Hemorrhoids (MIPH) 0r painless stapler surgery is known to be very popular since it acts an alternative approach to surgical interventions made for piles.

MIPH is defined as a minimally invasive surgical technique in which a band of loose or prolapsed mucosa and sub mucosa in the rectum is excised, proximal to the piles and disrupted mucosa is fixed by  stapled end to end mucosal anastomosis.

This will ultimately occlude the blood supply to the superior hemorrhoidal artery above the hemorrhoidal tissue, resulting in the retraction of prolapsed mucosa back to its original anatomical position. A special circular stapler known as PPHO3 is used in the anastomosis and the whole maneuver will take around 30 45 minutes.

Internal Haemorrhoids - Best Ways They Can Be Treated!

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