Muscle cramps often occur in the calf muscle of the back of the lower leg. It is often characterized by a momentary sharp pain along with a muscle lump beneath the skin. Just like its sudden appearance, muscle cramp disappears the same way without any botheration. However, a doctor should be consulted if you see any of the following symptoms:

    The pain keeps coming back
    The cramps result in weakening of the muscles
    It causes frequent discomfort
    It results in changed skin color, redness or swelling of the skin
    The condition doesn t improve with normal care
    Cramps are not associated with obvious causes such as playing, exercising and jogging

What causes muscle cramps?
Any strain on muscle, dehydration, muscle overuse or simply standing for a prolonged time can lead to muscle cramps. The exact cause of muscle cramps is not known in a lot of cases. There could be the following medical conditions that could lead to such muscle cramps:

    Blood supply: At times when the arteries narrow down resulting in an inadequate blood supply in the leg, a sharp pain can be felt followed by muscle cramps. This can happen while exercising or playing. It disappears as soon as one rests their legs.
    Mineral depletion: Shortage of magnesium, potassium and calcium in the body can lead to muscle cramps. Even medication for high blood pressure can lead to cramps in the legs.
    Nerve compression: Nerve compression of the spine can produce sharp pain on the leg muscles. The pain worsens with longer durations of walk. The symptoms, however, can be delayed a bit if the walking posture is changed, like the way one walks while carrying a shopping cart.

What are the risk factors associated to muscle cramps?

    Dehydration: Muscle cramps often happen among athletes when they get dehydrated and fatigued while performing in hot temperature.
    Age: People over the age of 60 often lose mass in the muscle. The remaining mass gets stressed out soon, resulting in muscle cramps.
    Pregnancy: Pregnant women face frequent muscle cramps due to the sudden increase of body weight and restricted movements in the pregnancy period.
    Medical conditions: Certain medical conditions such as nerve disorder, thyroid problems, liver failure, diabetes etc. greatly increase the chance of muscle cramps.

Some common ways to treat muscle cramps:

    A brisk walk followed by stretching relaxes the muscles and greatly helps in staying away from cramps.
    A diet consisting of magnesium on a regular basis gives relief from muscle cramps.
    A wet cloth soaked in hot water often shows magical results and gives instant relief from muscle cramps.
    Being hydrated throughout the day helps with muscle cramps. It is necessary to consume enough amount of electrolytes so that muscle contraction does not happen.

Why You Get Muscle Cramps?

Ever faced a nagging low back ache that just won't quit? You could be dealing with sciatica. Sciatica or sciatic nerve pain is not a diagnosis in itself, but is a symptom of a deeper problem. Conditions that trigger sciatica include degenerative discs, spinal stenosis, a herniated disc in the lumbar region or   spondylolisthesis. Whether your sciatica pain is persistent or sporadic, it can make routine tasks difficult to perform. The good news is that there are a number of remedies to ease this pain and improve the health of your spine.

1. Hot and cold therapy: Sciatic pain that extends down to the thighs can be relieved by alternating between a heat pack and an ice pack. Each pack can be applied for about 20 minutes at a stretch every two hours. However, this does not treat the sciatic nerve itself.

2. Pain medications and steroid injections: Over the counter pain medication like ibuprofen or muscle relaxants can help alleviate pain and reduce inflammation. In chronic cases, epidural steroid injections may also be prescribed to address the inflammation and pain. Pain relief provided by medication and steroid injections can last for a few days or a few months depending on the person.

3. Yoga: Sciatica patients looking for long term relief often turn towards alternative forms of treatment like yoga. Yoga helps strengthen muscles, increases flexibility and improves posture. This is more beneficial towards preventing sciatica problems from arising than treating ongoing sciatic pain. When practicing yoga with a sciatica problem, it is very important to understand your body's limitations and not over extend your back muscles.

4. Massage: A massage that treats sciatic pain is very different from the usual massage you may get at a spa. A massage to relieve sciatic pain involves putting pressure on the inflamed part of the back and the piriformis muscle. This is the muscle that sits over the sciatic nerve and triggers sciatic pain. In most cases, 3 to 4 massage sessions at intervals of 7 to 10 days can have effective results on sciatic pain.

5. Physical therapy: Sciatica patients often find the slightest movement extremely painful. While lying in a bad is tempting, it can actually worsen the pain. Exercise increases blood flow to the spine and helps flush out toxins. Going for a walk, light aerobics or swimming are ideal ways for a sciatica patient to exercise.

6. Chiropractic manipulation: This involves realigning the spinal column and is an effective way of treating underlying conditions that trigger sciatic pain. These spinal adjustments should only be performed by licensed chiropractors or osteopathic physicians.

Treatments for Sciatica Pain

Fibromyalgia is a condition characterised by extreme muscle pain that is followed by weakness, fatigue and issue with the state of mind. It is believed that fibromyalgia causes painful sensations by affecting the way your mind forms pain signals.

Indications now and then start after a physical injury, surgery, disease or critical mental anxiety. In different cases, side effects progressively show after some time with no single occasion that triggers it.

Here are some coping methods you can use to help yourself live well with fibromyalgia:

Minimize stress and tension in your life. Stress may play an essential part in activating fibromyalgia side effects and its symptoms. Many individuals with fibromyalgia tend to feel on the edge, anxious, and inactive around the time when the side effects fibromyalgia flare up.

Exclude yourself from unpleasant circumstances. People tend to amplify issues, making them appear to be far more prominent than they are. When you think of something to be a last chance situation, despite the fact that in reality, it is not, your body responds as though you are at risk. Work at treating your feelings as problems come by.

Make worksite adjustments. To continue working full-time, you should stay rationally and physically ready to handle your employment obligations. To keep away from stress and tension, you may need to give additional time during the day to complete your personal needs and sort out your problems. Converse with your manager and work out a timetable that allows you to manage your time.

Coordination. Coordination is important with an unending condition like fibromyalgia. Transparent conversations diminish the problems amongst you and your companion, family, friends and colleagues.

Figure out how to say no. Failing to say no to excessively numerous requests will make you overburdened. That will add to your anxiety level. To help yourself say  no  to a convincing companion, consider the circumstance before you reply and also think about the time you will be saving.

Keep a diary. Writing in a diary consistently can turn into a great channel for analyzing yourself and your situation. A few people can also figure out when their fibromyalgia symptoms started. That can help them see how and when the symptoms began.

Take a hot shower. Take a hot shower, a hot tub bath, or a steam bath. To begin with, it will help you to unwind the muscles that are tense. It will also decrease the pain and make your muscles more flexible and effortless to move.

Exercise frequently. As per physiotherapists, exercising routinely is vital to get rid of fibromyalgia. In light of the pain, delicate muscles, continuous weakness, and stiffness felt by individuals with fibromyalgia, many have turned out to be physically unfit. Hence, all of the above-mentioned treatments are very important in order to stay fit.

How To Deal With Fibromyalgia?

When the median nerve that runs through the palm and forearm is twisted or squeezed, a condition called the Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) occurs. This carpal tunnel is a passage that is narrow and is present in the ligaments and tendons. This nerve is responsible for offering a feeling sensation to the palm, index finger, thumb, and the middle finger. A part of the ring finger too shares the same. The median nerve is compressed when the tendons are irritated. This leads to pain in the forearm and arm, palm, and wrist. Additionally, this condition can cause numbness and weakness.

How it begins? 

This condition does not occur suddenly but gradually. In the initial stage, the sufferer experiences burning, itching, and numbness in the palm. The thumb, index and the middle finger feel these symptoms. The affected individuals may notice that the hands are swollen and rendered useless. You may feel pain and numbness in one or both the hands during sleep. Slowly, the numbness and pain keeps increasing and can be felt during the day. This is why you may want to shake off hands multiple times.

Factors responsible for this condition: 

Various factors can trigger Carpal tunnel syndrome. If you have had any injury to the wrist in the past that caused swelling, you may suffer from this syndrome. For instance, a sprain or fracture can trigger a Carpal tunnel syndrome. A thyroid gland that is overactive or underactive, arthritis, and overactive pituitary gland, too, can cause this condition. If your occupation involves an excessive movement of the wrists or if your lifestyle involves excessive work stress and the use of vibrating tools, then also this syndrome may affect you. Compression of the median nerve or narrowing of the space for the median nerve are the two other reasons. Fluid retention during menopause or pregnancy can also result in Carpal tunnel syndrome.

Will you be at risk?

Women are more likely to suffer from this condition as compared to men because the carpal tunnel is smaller in the former group. The symptoms are first seen in the dominant hand. The high-risk group includes diabetics and people who suffer from other metabolic disorders. People who are working with industries that deal with manufacturing, cleaning, assembly, sewing, or poultry or fish packing mostly face this disorder.

What can you do?

Surgical and non-surgical treatment methods are available for Carpal tunnel syndrome. When you are diagnosed with Carpal tunnel syndrome, undergo the treatment as advised by the doctor. Wear a splint at nights. During days, when you see swelling or redness of the palm, apply cooling packs. Take breaks from work, if it involves pressurizing the median nerve or if there is any narrowing of the space. Chiropractic therapies, acupuncture, and yoga are known to offer relief as well.

Prevention techniques: 

To prevent Carpal tunnel syndrome, always ensure you stay in the right posture. Use a fingerless glove as this keeps the wrist and palm warm. Take frequent breaks from the task that you are performing, especially the ones that require too much of the wrist movement. Job demands should be considered, however, rotating tasks with colleagues can provide an excellent relief. If your doctor feels that surgery is the only option left to provide relief, then you need to go for the same. With the two options of open release surgery or endoscopic surgery, you can expect symptoms to be relieved as soon as the procedure is conducted. 

Things You Need To Know About Carpal Tunnel Syndrome! 

Total Hip Replacement is also known as Total Hip Arthroplasty, in which the damaged cartilage and bones in the hip area are removed and replaced with prosthetic components. On the other hand, Total Knee Replacement, also known as Total Knee Arthroplasty or resurfacing, involves replacing the bone surface of the knee area. 

Causes of Hip and Knee Pain 

Arthritis is the most common cause of chronic hip and knee pain or disability. Other causes include: 

  Avascular necrosis or Osteonecrosis is a condition where there is an inadequate supply of blood to the femoral head due to a hip injury. The inadequate supply of blood may cause the bone surface to collapse and this can result in arthritis. 

  Rheumatoid Arthritis is the most common inflammatory Arthritis. In this condition, the synovial membrane surrounding the joint begins to thicken and become inflamed. This results in cartilage loss, stiffness, and pain. 

  Osteoarthritis is the type of arthritis, usually related to old age but can occur among young people too. The cartilage cushioning the hip and knee bones becomes soft and gradually wears off. The bones eventually start rubbing against each other which causes stiffness and pain in the knee and hip area. 

  Post-Traumatic Arthritis can follow a severe hip and knee fracture or injury. 

  Some children with hip disease or problem, even after treatment, can develop into arthritis later. This may be caused by uneven or unusual growth of hip which affects the joint surfaces. 

Knee Replacement Procedure 

  Bone Preparation: The surface of impaired cartilage at the end of the tibia and femur are separated besides a small extent of the underlying bone. 

  Locating the Metal Implants: The removed bone and cartilage are substituted by metal implants creating the joint surface. These metal pieces may either be press-fit or cemented into the bone. 

  Resurfacing the Patella: The undersurface of the kneecap or Patella is cropped and reformed with a plastic button. This process is variable depending upon the condition. 

  Inserting a Spacer: To form a smooth gliding surface, a plastic spacer of medical-grade is positioned between the metal components. 

Hip Replacement Procedure 

  Metal stem replaces the damaged femoral head and positioned into the femur s hollow center. 

  On the upper portion of the stem, a ceramic or metal ball is planted. This ball acts as a substitute for the damaged/detached femoral head. 

  The damaged Acetabulum or cartilage surface of the socket is discarded and supplanted by a metal socket. Cement or screws are used to sustain the socket in place. 

  A spacer, either metallic, plastic or ceramic is placed between the socket and the new ball for a smooth gliding surface. 

Take Away 

Knee and Hip Replacement are taken as the last option for the patient. The surgery and its outcome vary depending upon various factors. One should consult the doctor before undergoing for the Hip and Knee Replacement Surgery.

Primary Knee & Hip Replacement - Know More About Them!

Does you back hurt only when you wake up in the morning or is it a chronic problem? If yes, then you need to take immediate steps to treat it. Back pain, being the common physical anomaly for people primarily in the age range of 35-50, is one of the top causes for office absenteeism and mid-life lethargy and fatigue. Usually back pain indicates an underlying problem that involves the nerves, bones and muscles.

Here are some risk factors for back pain:

Pregnancy
Stress related to work
Leading a sedentary lifestyle
Anxiety and depression
Being overweight
Over exercising
Strenuous physical work outs
Smoking
There are varied reasons as to why back pain may occur. Discussing the causes of back pain is beyond the purview of this article; the focus is now going to be on some of the stretches one can practice to get relief from back pain: 

Downward dog: A classic yoga pose, the downward dog stretches the entire back, hamstrings and the whole of the leg. Begin the process in a classic push up pose with the palms and toes on the floor. Keeping your back straight, lift your tailbone up and straighten your legs. Push the heels to the floor and breathe to get the most out of this stretch.
Child s pose: A simple stretch, it begins with you sitting back on your buttocks and then stretching the arms in front of you. Keep your forehead on the floor and breathe slowly.
Cat cow pose: If your common complaint is that of a sore and painful back, then this is one of the best stretches for you. A very simple pose, you begin by sitting on all fours, then transitioning into the cat pose by pushing your spine upwards. Hold the pose for one breath and then go to the cow pose wherein you lift your buttocks and the head while scooping your spine.

Back Pain - 3 Stretch Exercises You Must Follow!

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