Treatment of frozen shoulder varies depending on the stage it is at, and how severe is the pain and stiffness. There is no outright cure and the aim of treatment is to keep the joint as mobile as possible. The most effective treatment is that which maintains a good range of movement until the shoulder starts to heal. 

Treatment may Include the following:

1. Shoulder exercises: Regular, gentle exercise can help to keep the shoulder joint mobile. If your shoulder is very stiff, exercise may hurt, and it should only be carried out with the guidance of your doctor or physiotherapist. If you are able to, continue using your shoulder as normal saving' the shoulder can cause the muscle to waste and may make stiffness worse.
2. Painkillers: Over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol or prescription-only drugs such as codeine may be taken to ease pain and you should discuss this with your general physician or pharmacist.
3. Anti-inflammatory painkillers: Such as ibuprofen and diclofenac, are often prescribed to ease pain and inflammation. Any medication that you take should be discussed with your general physician or pharmacist.
4. Steroid injections into or near the shoulder joint may be effective at relieving pain and inflammation for a few weeks. However, injections are not a cure, and symptoms may return.


Treatment of frozen shoulder

5 Ways to Stop Muscle Cramps

Muscle cramps are feared and loathed by all of us alike – they hurt, they slow us down and they just give us a helpless feeling! The most common cause of these cramps is premature fatigue which affects the reflex control of muscles. Here are 5 ways guaranteed to beat these troublesome muscle cramps:

1. Take rest
The most easy and sure-shot way to kill a muscle cramp is to take rest. Just rest your body, be at one place and the cramp will not last more than 3-4 minutes. Moving around will only cause the pain to be aggravated and eventually affect other areas as well.

2. Consume solutions rich in salt
Whenever you encounter a troublesome cramp, the first instinct is to reach for water. However, studies have shown that salt solutions are far more effective in countering cramps as compared to plain water. You can have pickle juice and similar drinks which have a high salt concentration.

3. Be physically active
The most common reason for muscle cramps is over-straining of the body. If you are planning to indulge in an extremely intensive physical activity, make sure to train well in advance. Also, keep the duration and intensity of the training at a similar level to that of the actual activity.

4. Keep your body hydrated
Dehydration is the root of a number of troublesome conditions, muscle cramps being one of them. Make sure to always carry a water bottle with you and drink a minimum of 7-8 glasses of water on a daily basis.

5. Indulge in light passive muscle stretching
When faced with a muscle cramp, in addition to resting, try and gently stretch the affected muscle. This continuous and light passive stretching lets the brain know that it can relax the muscle and help it return to normal.




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5 Winning Ways to Stop those Nasty Muscle Cramps

The core muscles, mainly concentrated around the abdomen, hips, lower back, trunk, and glutes, are indeed a powerhouse that gets you going. The stronger the core muscles, the fitter you stay. Without a proper core strength, a lot of the day to day activities including lifting or bending gets affected. Certain health conditions can weaken the core muscles. But how to know if the core muscles are weak? There are many signs and symptoms associated with weak core muscles. 

Mentioned below are some important signs that may be an indication of weak core muscles.

For your posture to be correct, the spine and pelvis need to be stable: The muscles of the lower back and the abdomen does exactly that, ensuring a steady and correct posture. However, when the core muscles weaken, they are unable to provide stability to the spine and the pelvis resulting in a poor posture. Left unattended, poor posture, in turn, can trigger a myriad of complications and discomfort.
The body loses its balance: As already mentioned, the core muscles go a long way in stabilizing the body and helping you to maintain the body balance. You can perform a small test to know if your balance is affected. Close your eyes and stand on one foot. Repeat the procedure with the other foot as well. If you have a developed core, you will be able to hold the position for at least 10 seconds, if not more (both the legs).
A pain concentrated to the lower back: Do not ignore a lower back pain. It could be an indication of your core muscles not being strong enough, especially the ones adjacent to the spine. The weak muscles fail to provide the necessary support to the discs and the vertebrae resulting in pain (mild to severe depending on the severity of the condition) and discomfort. Timely medical intervention may help improve the condition.
Weakness throughout the body: The strong core muscles are an indication of a healthy and fit body. When the muscles start to lose its strength, the entire body gets affected. A person finds it difficult to even lift things. Doing even a small and regular work leaves a person weak and tired.
You can also perform the Hollowing Test to check your core strength: Sit in a comfortable position. Starting breathing in and out. As you breathe out or exhale, try to pull your stomach inwards towards the spine for at least 10 seconds. Unable to pass this test (can't hold the position for 10 seconds) indicates weak core muscles.
You can also try the plank test: Get yourself in a push-up position with the entire body resting on your elbows, arms, and toes. The hip should be level and steady. Failing to stay in this position for 50 seconds is indicative of weak core muscles

Core Muscles - How To Know If They Are Strong Or Weak?

Stress is sometimes good for you. When you stretch yourself beyond your capacity, your body accepts challenge and increase the capacity to cope up with challenge. To a certain extent, it is good for body. But when the stress crosses the limits, it starts hurting you. That's the bad stress for you. Moderate stress for too long a time also is bad for you. Most of the hormonal diseases like diabetes, thyroid etc. Occur because of long standing underlying moderate stress. 

Stress can be physical or mental. Physical stress is due to long and continuous physical activities like walking, jogging, travelling, cycling. Mental stress is mainly because of financial tension or relationship distress. Both types of stress cause similar damages to body. Stress is the main underlying cause behind diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease, thyroid, diabetes, kidney disease, peptic ulcer, bleeding disorders, cancer, recurrent infections etc. 

Finding out the reason of stress and removal of cause of stress should be the main line of treatment of such diseases.

Stress - Good and Bad

Muscle sprains and ligament tears are one of the most common injuries that medical practitioners encounter on a regular basis. These injuries are painful and can also limit one s movement, needless to say. However, there are simple things that can be done as soon as the injury happens so that the impact of the injury can be reduced, the symptoms minimised, and recovery improved.

A sprain is a tear of the ligament. The ligament is responsible for connecting the tissue strands that connect the bone to the muscle. When this sprain affects the muscle or even the tendon, it is known as a strain.
Sprains are very common and can occur due to a fall, twist, or impact. Most commonly affected areas are the ankles and wrists. Sprains happen when there is a pull or a twist of the ankle or the joint. This is very common in athletes and can be caused by repetitive motions in the knees, wrists, elbows, etc.

The most common symptom is pain, swelling, limited movement, and sometimes bruising. The degree of these injuries depends on its severity. The most common ways to treat such injuries are as follows.

RICE therapy: RICE is an acronym for rest, ice, compress, and elevate. Rest the affected area immediately by stopping any further activity. Ice the area using an ice wrap, with the ice cubes wrapped in a towel or a cotton cloth. Repeat this exercise if possible for every 20 minutes. This will reduce the swelling and pain. Compress the area using a sling or a wrap. This will help in reducing the swelling. Elevate the affected area if possible above the heart. This will help control the blood flow and thereby reduce the swelling and pain.
Pain control: If there is pain that needs medication, go for the non-steroidal drugs like ibuprofen or acetaminophen. If it is a child that is injured, it is advisable to give non-aspirin ones.
Seek professional help: Most sprains can be self-limiting over a couple of days. However, it is advisable to seek medical help if there is significant pain, swelling, or numbness, open wounds or bruises, or inability to move the joint.
The doctor may decide to do the following.

Scanning or imaging to rule out any internal hard/soft tissue injury like fracture or tear
Immobilise the joint with a splint or a cast
Start physical therapy if there is severe pain and immobility
Surgical repair if there is a ligament injury
A word of caution to athletes or people who are very active physically is to go easy on the joint. In an eagerness to quickly get back to their routine, more and severe damage may be caused. This can be avoided by allowing time for complete healing.

Muscle & Ligament Sprain - Tips To Help You Deal With It!

The pectoral muscle is the large muscle in the chest; that appears just below the collar bone and runs down through the sixth rib. This muscle is used when you flex and raise your arms over your head.
A strain on this muscle is self-treatable in most cases. The most common cause of pectoral strain is its overuse. Bodybuilders who perform extensive strength training are more prone to pectoral strain due to heavyweights they lift on a regular basis.

Lack of adequate warm-up before exercising can be another cause of this condition.

Symptoms
Pain in the chest is one of the most significant signs of pectoral strain. At times, shoulders and front of the arm may also be hurt if one has ruptured the pectoral muscle. Injuring the pectorals makes it difficult in moving the arms. According to diagnosis, although first degree strain on the pectoral muscles does not lead to a loss of muscle power, a more serious second or third degree tear in the pectoral muscles can cause significant weakness in the muscle strength.

Treatment and cure
A natural treatment for treating pectoral muscle strain at home is to put a temporary hold on all the workout regimes and allow the muscle to heal on its own. During this time, icing the inflamed zone can also help to control the pain. Icing the inflamed pectoral muscle for two to three days along with an application of a compression bandage helps in reducing the swelling.
In worst cases, surgical intervention may also be required for third degree muscle tear in the pectoral zone, especially when other tendons are also involved in the injury.

Prevention
One should always remember to stretch the muscles properly before any extensive workouts, to prevent this particular condition. Doing a chest stretch exercise helps in loosening the pectoral muscles in a faster and effective way.

Pectoral Strain - Signs You Are Suffering From It!

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