Taking into account the hectic lifestyle we lead, most of us end up suffering from aches and pains. But that does not mean we have to continue to suffer from them. There are plenty of easy exercises that one can follow in order to keep themselves healthy and problem free!

In order to avoid aches and pains, the first thing that a person needs to do is 

Practice hamstring stretches regularly: What this entails is that he or she needs to lie on the back, raise a leg and hold the back of it with both hands. While it may be called the hamstring stretch and one would probably normally think that the beneficial impact of doing it would be limited to the hamstring, it works quite a bit of special magic which has an ability to ease the pain in the lower back. Now, for an exercise which is so simple, is it not worth it?
Side Stretch: Talking about stretches, another form of a stretch happens to be the side stretch. Even this is rather simple and all that needs to be done is to lie on one s side and pull the ankle of the leg which is not in contact with the ground towards the back. While this is being done, the ankle of the lower leg should apply pressure on the thigh.
Straight leg raise: It may seem that most of the exercises which reduce pain are stretches! However, this is not really the case as there is a place for exercises such as the straight leg raise and the like. What exactly is the straight leg raise? Well, it can be done when a person is either in a sitting position or is lying on his or her back. The toes are to be kept pointed upwards and the leg is to be raised. It is to be kept in mind that the challenge of the straight leg raise is that the knee should not be bent, at all.
The cat and camel exercise: The terms cat and camel generally refer to members of the animal kingdom. However, jointly, in terms of exercises, the cat and camel is an exercise well worth remembering as it can save the individual quite a lot of pain. All that needs to be done is to alternatively arch one s back towards the floor and the ceiling while resting on one s hands and knees.
While our way of living may come with certain side-effects ,but it would not be right to say that we are helpless. We need to take charge and make little changes to enjoy a healthy and happy lifestyle.

4 Easy Exercises for Aches And Pains

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?

Being flexible is not always about doing splits or doing some random bending. It is about achieving a level of mobility that will not hold you back from doing whatever you are able to do. Most people think that stretching or flexing your muscles and body as the first method to defend you from pain. But if stretching and flexing can be done correctly, it can lengthen one's muscles and give one relief from pains and aches. Stretching is also done to increase the functional range of one's joints and muscles. There are various ways by which one can stretch their muscles. However, the question which looms over here is which is the correct procedure and which is the wrong one.

The Wrong Vs the Right Way: Before discussing about the correct way, let us talk about the various wrong ways in which stretching can be done. The first rule is that if stretching is causing you pain or if it is hurting you, then you are probably taking it too far. A muscle needs to relax as much as possible, if it needs to stretch. If one is stretching so hard that he or she cannot relax then the muscle will not lengthen. Stretching should never be painful.

One should also avoid stretching for an insufficient length of time. Only a few seconds of stretching will not hold the therapeutic effects of stretching.

The following methods are few of the correct ways to stretch:

Always start with the warm muscles. Warm your muscles by doing some aerobic movement or by applying heat with the help of a warm bath.
After warming your muscles, monitor your level of discomfort. Let it go once you feel pain.
Hold any stretch for at least 30 seconds.
Stretching the Correct Muscle: There are muscles, which need to be stretched and there are muscles, which should not be. So getting to know the correct muscles to be stretched is as important as knowing the correct procedure to stretch your muscles. Every muscle, which does not hurt should not be stretched. There are different types of muscles that cause pain like stiff, tight, short muscles and long muscles. Muscles that are tight should only be subjected to stretching. Stretching muscles that are too long is not a good idea.

Using Physiotherapists: Most people who cannot determine which muscle should be stretched and which should not be should consult a physiotherapist. Physiotherapists can quickly and easily diagnose muscular issues. They will also show ways to stretch which are most effective for particular needs.

Stretching should be made a part of one's life. It is a way by which one can become their healthiest self and avoid muscular imbalances.

Stretches for Tight Muscles 

The hand is one of the most commonly used parts of our body and is susceptible to damage, wear and tear as well as injury. Pain in the hand can be attributed to numerous causes, including damage and other conditions that can affect the joints, cartilage, nerves and other parts of the hand.

Causes

De Quervain's tendinitis: This is also known as de Quervain's tendinosis. It causes pain on the thumb side of the wrist. The pain may grow slowly or suddenly. It can also spread to every part of the thumb and up the lower arm. On the off chance that you have de Quervain's tendinitis, you may experience pain while performing the following actions:

- Clenching The fist

- Handling on or holding objects

- Turning the wrist

Treatment for this includes the following:

- Wearing a prop to rest the thumb and wrist

- Calming drugs

- Cortisone infusions

Carpal tunnel disorder: This is common amongst the well-known nerve issues. It can cause pain in the following parts of the hand:

- Palm and a few fingers

- Wrist

- Lower arm


The treatment methods includes the following:

- Resting the hand and wrist

- Painkillers

- Wrist support

- Steroid infusions

- Active recuperation

- Breaks

Fracture: It's a crack or break in a bone that can cause immense pain in the hand. Other than this, the hand may also experience the following:

- Stiffness

- Swelling

- Loss of proper motion and movement

The kind of treatment depends on the kind of fracture. Braces are usually used for small fractures. Sticks, wires, or plates might be used to treat severe fractures. Likewise, surgery may also be recommended to set the broken bone properly.

Arthritis: This is a disease causing joint inflammation and stiffness of the joints. It causes the joints to lose the ligament that permits them to move easily against each other. This tears the ligament, giving rise to crippling pain and swelling.

In the hand, the regions where this regularly happens are as follows:

- Base of the thumb

- Center joint of one or more fingers

- End joint, which is nearest to the fingertip

The treatment depends on the seriousness of the injury and the following may be used:

- Painkillers

- Props for the fingers or wrist

- Heat

- Non-intrusive treatment

Trigger finger: Also known as stenosing tenosynovitis, this defect causes the fingers or the thumb to bend. It can be difficult, particularly when bowing or fixing the influenced finger or thumb.

Knobs may form on the influenced ligaments. Also, the sheath itself may thicken. In the long run, the ligament may get to be adhered when you attempt to fix a twisted finger or thumb.

Resting now and again while wearing a support may help resolve the issue. Over-the-counter torment pharmaceuticals can facilitate the agony. Corticosteroid infusions can mitigate side effects. Surgery might be recommended for extreme cases.

Causes of Common Hand Pain and How to Find Relief

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!

Pain in the joint is an eventuality that only few can escape. It is an ailment that comes with age and promises to stay despite continued attempts at eradicating it. Being a problem that many are battling, it has provoked attempts at treating it. Various disciplines of medicines have tried in their own ways in dealing with this problem, but ayurveda with its strict reliance on natural products and aversion to chemicals has been most preferred. The various ways by which ayurveda treats joint pains are:
1. Massage: ayurveda focuses on massages as a remedial measure. Using few herbal oils and using them to massage regularly on the affected joints has been an accepted remedy for joint pains. A massage promotes blood circulation and creates a calming effect.

2. Hot and cold compresses: the effectiveness of this form of treatment has remained prevalent through generations. Extremely convenient and easy to use, you can use hot and cold compresses alternatively to ease the pain.

3. Fenugreek: fenugreek seeds have a long standing reputation of relieving you of pain. Boasting of antioxidant properties and the ability to reduce swelling, they must be finely grounded and swallowed with lukewarm water to enjoy best results.

4. Turmeric: in the hierarchy of ayurvedic medications, turmeric probably ranks the highest. It is packed with multiple benefits. Not only does it take care of the skin, it also helps in reducing joint pains. The most common way of having it is by mixing turmeric in a glass of warm milk and honey.

5. Apple cider vinegar: apple cider vinegar reduces joint pains by effectively eliminating the accumulated toxins. It is rich in magnesium and phosphorus and owing to its alkalizing effect, it has the ability to cure rheumatism.

Ayurveda and Joint Pain Remedies

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