The shoulders are the most mobile joints in your body. Shoulder joints undergo wear and a tear over time and hence become unstable. Shoulder arthritis is one of the painful conditions affecting the shoulder joints. Arthritis not only takes a toll on the tendons and muscles, but also affects the ligaments and joints too. They usually cause symptoms such as joint pain, resulting in limited mobility.

Treatment:

Nonsurgical or Lifestyle treatments:

Take rest or avoid the activities that provoke pain or change the way of your arm movements.
Physical therapy boosts shoulder mobility.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or aspirin alleviate pain and inflammation.
Corticosteroid injections in the shoulders can also help to ease the pain and inflammation, although temporarily.
Applying moist heat or ice packs over the shoulders for about half an hour at least thrice a day brings relief.
Drugs such as methotrexate can be administered in case one is suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (a chronic disease attacking multiple joints of the body).
Dietary supplements such as chondroitin and glucosamine may help reduce pain.
Surgical treatments (if your pain results in disability and does not lessen with nonsurgical options)

Join replacement surgery or arthroplasty involves replacing the damaged parts of the shoulder with a prosthetic (artificial) joint.
Few mild forms of arthritis may be treated using the Arthroscopic procedure (minimally invasive surgery). It requires a surgeon to ease the joint pain by making small incisions to  clean out  the joint. A tiny camera fitted into the joint guides the surgeon through the surgery.
Resection arthroplasty is a method that involves the surgical removal of the bone from the collar bone and substituting it with a scar tissue to treat arthritis of particular joints.

Everything You Need To Know About Shoulder Arthritis Treatment

Causes and symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, which is characterized by the inflammation of the joint lining and gives rise to pain, stiffness, warmth and redness in the joints. The inflammation occurs in the tissue that normally produces lubricating fluids for the joint. This condition is progressive in nature, and can cause the destruction of joints, leading to functional and locomotive disability.

Though rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that can last for years, patients may not experience any symptoms for a long time. In some cases, the disease may affect other parts of the body like the eyes, lungs, and the heart.

The severity and duration of the symptoms are unpredictable, and the symptoms experienced are:

- At times, people experience increased disease conditions called flare-ups.

- They may also experience alternating periods when the symptoms fade or diminish, which is referred to as remission.

- Some of the common symptoms of the disease include lasting pain and stiffness for more than an hour in the morning, inflammation, fatigue, fever, and a general sense of discomfort.

- Inflammation in the joints close to the hands like wrists and fingers and other parts like neck, shoulders, elbows, knees and hips can also be affected.

- In some cases, both sides of the body are affected at the same time, which is known as inflammation in a symmetric pattern.

Rheumatoid arthritis is usually caused by the body's weakened immune system, which produces antigens to attack itself. The trigger to this reaction is not yet clearly deciphered.

It is diagnosed by clinical examination (American association of Rheumatology criterion) supported by relevant Investigations.

Management

Management for Arthritis includes the following aspects:

1) To control disease activity and control of symptoms of pain, stiffness.

2) Medical treatment to prevent system effects of the disease.

3) Nonmedical treatments comprise of dietary therapy, physiotherapy, immunomodulation therapy.

4) Minimal surgical therapy like arthroscopic synovectomy to confirm the diagnosis as well as reduce disease activity. At times, with the advanced decline of joints, a major surgery like replacement therapy may be required for specific cases.

What's more important is to know that at any stage of the disease patient can adopt and live an active life with appropriate treatment.



What Really Causes Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Spine deformity refers to an abnormality of the shape, alignment, or formation of the vertebral column. The spine in the human body is composed of small bones or vertebrae, stacked on top of another. A healthy spine, typically, has gentle curvatures. A displacement or exaggeration of the spine leads to deformities.

Types of spine deformities:

The three major forms of spine curvature deformity are-

  Lordosis - Causes the lower back to turn inward
  Kyphosis - Leads to forward rounding of the back
  Scoliosis - Causes the spine to curve sideways

What are the causes of spine deformity?

The following conditions may cause the spine to be misaligned-

  Achondroplasia - A disorder, which impedes the normal growth of the bones, thereby resulting in short stature or dwarfism
  Spondylolisthesis - When the vertebrae in the lower back slip forward
  Osteoporosis - When the vertebrae become fragile and prone to fractures
  Scheuermann s disease - A developmental disorder of the spine that leads to abnormal growth of the upper back
  Spina bifida - A congenital disorder where the spinal column does not close completely while inside the womb

Symptoms associated with deformed spine:

Signs and symptoms of a deformed spine include-

  Uneven/misalignment of the shoulder and hips
  Uneven shoulder blades (one side is slightly higher than the other)
  Slight bending of the head over the body
  Difficulty in movement
  Discomfort and back pain

How is the condition treated?

The treatment of the condition depends on the severity of your spine deformity. Anti-inflammatory medications and drugs are prescribed to manage pain and discomfort associated with spine deformity/curvature. However, these cannot correct the deformity completely.

Severe cases of spine deformity need another line of treatment.

  Bracing - Back braces are recommended for children and adults alike, depending on the degree of curvature. This can help prevent the condition of your back from worsening.
  Body casting - The doctor places a cast that starts from the shoulders and goes all the way down to the lower trunk. This provides adequate support to the spine and strengthens the back.
  Spinal instrumentation - The surgeon will attach instruments like rods, hooks, and wires to the spine to keep the bones aligned following a spinal fusion.
  Artificial disc replacement - The surgeon replaces degenerated discs in the spine with artificial devices.
  Kyphoplasty - The surgeon inserts a balloon into the spine to stabilize and realign the deformed spine and relieve you from the pain.

Following the treatment, patients with spine deformity are usually advised to go for physiotherapy sessions. Physical therapy and exercise can help you build muscle strength and increase flexibility.

Deformity of the spine is a difficult condition to live with. Not only does it restricts your normal movement but also places you at risk of other musculoskeletal disorders. Therefore, it is imperative that you get the condition treated by a specialist.

Spine Deformity - Everything You Should Know!

Radiology is a special branch of medical science that uses various techniques of imaging for the diagnosis and the treatment of several types of diseases in the body. The different types of imaging techniques used in radiology are X-rays, Computerised Tomographic scan (CT Scan), ultrasound, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and nuclear medicine which includes Positron Emission Tomography(PET).

Role played in evaluating hip replacement
Hip replacement surgeries have become extremely common in the recent times, and radiological evaluation remains the mainstay of the overall hip replacement procedure. Thus, the role played by radiology is quite significant in such situations. All the specific anatomical landmarks and the measurements are used to make sure the placement is perfect during the hip replacement surgery. Radiological imaging helps in the assessment of the following conditions that are as discussed below.

The length of leg
The inequality in the length of the two legs is prevalent after a hip replacement surgery which can create a great deal of discomfort and inconvenience to the patients. A greater difference in the length of the two legs increases the chances of dislocation, and this is a situation where radiological evaluation plays a crucial role. With the help of radiological imaging, the length of the legs can be made almost equal.

The horizontal center of rotation
In this case, horizontal center of rotation helps in the assessment of the acetabular component of the prosthesis. This is calculated by the measurement of the distance between the center of the head of the femur and the acetabular teardrop. This distance should be bilaterally equal, and it is just not possible without the help of the imaging techniques of radiology.

Acetabular inclination
The acetabular inclination is the angle formed between the face of the cup and the transverse axis. If the angle is less, then it results in a stable hip, but the abduction is limited. On the other hand, if the angle increases then there are high chances of dislocation of the hip. Thus, with the help of radiological evaluation, proper and effective angular inclination is given which is optimum for the patient.

The stem positioning of the femur
The main aim of the stem positioning of the femur in a hip replacement surgery is placing the stem in a position which is neutral within the shaft. To get a proper idea of the positioning, the imaging techniques are of utmost importance which cannot be achieved perfectly without the imaging.

Thus, the crucial role the different techniques of radiological imaging plays during the overall procedure of a hip replacement surgery can be perceived. With the use of the different imaging techniques, the results obtained are closer to perfection.

How Radiological Evaluation Can Help In Case Of Hip Replacement?

Bell s Palsy is a form of facial paralysis that can leave the features or one side of the face completely frozen. This can also affect the patient s ability to eat and talk on a normal basis. As per medical science reports, this kind of a condition is brought on by the inflammation of the delicate facial nerves when a viral infection from the past comes back and gets reactivated. It can also happen due to sudden and debilitating change of air from hot to extremely cold without any proper acclimatization, as well as other factors like stress, anxiety, trauma and similar factors. 

There are many homoeopathic medicines that can be used for dealing with these conditions. These medicines are preferred as they are natural and do not usually have any side effects. So let us look at a few medicines that can be used in Homeopathy for treating Bell s Palsy.

Aconite: This is one of the most widely prescribed medicines for this condition. It is usually prescribed when the patient is facing symptoms like trauma due to sudden exposure to extremely cold and icy air without any kind of warning or a subtle change in temperature first. Also, those who have been suffering from chronic facial paralysis due to a variety of reasons can be given this medicine for some amount of relief in the long run. If the patient has had a history of complications when it comes to dealing with icy temperatures and cold air, then this medicine can also help.
Ignatia: This medicine is usually prescribed when the facial paralysis is brought on due to stress and grief. Ignatia is also a well-known medicine that is usually prescribed for any kind of grief and trauma besides being known as an effective treatment when it comes to depression, as well. Other symptoms treated by this condition include a constant biting sensation that one may feel in the cheeks as well as problems while swallowing and talking.
Cadmium Sulph: This medicine is used when there is some amount of haemorrhage at play when it comes to Bell s Palsy. When the facial paralysis happens suddenly due to such a condition, then this medicine is usually prescribed for the patient. Also, this medicine is prescribed in order to treat symptoms like a distorted face and problems when it comes swallowing food and water. The patient will also find that he or she cannot close the eye on the affected side of the face.
Bacillinium: This medicine is usually prescribed when the patient has suppressed the facial eruptions, which has then manifested itself as facial paralysis. This can happen when expressions and eruptions are suppressed by the constant use of certain medicated treatments and ointments. 

5 Homeopathic Medicines For Treating Bell's Palsy!

Do you know you can suffer from a torn bicep accidentally? A bicep is a muscle which begins from your upper arm and is attached to the shoulder via bones and to the elbows by tendons. If you do heavy lifting in the gym or somehow put excessive pressure on that area, chances are you may suffer from torn biceps.

There are two kinds of bicep tears you may encounter:

Complete Tears where the tendons are split into two parts resulting in tremendous pain.
Partial Tears result when the biceps are hurt but the tendon is not completely severed.
Among the various types of torn biceps, the muscle that is attached to the shoulder experiences the maximum number of bicep ruptures. Suddenly, the bicep tendons get detached from the bone resulting in pain and numbness. You will find a number of sportspersons suffering from this kind of torn biceps.

But why do your biceps get torn?

One of the reasons why you suffer torn biceps is a prolonged period of ignorance. If you have been putting continuous pressure on your shoulder, the biceps muscle can weaken over time. Overuse of the muscles can give rise to conditions of tendinitis (inflammation of the bone to muscle connecting tissue) and injuries in rotator cuff which, in future, might result in torn biceps.
A sudden injury like falling over your arms or hurting your shoulder can result in torn biceps.
Aging is another reason why you can have this complication. Added to this are unusually heavy tasks and overuse of shoulder which can result in this problem.
Some steroids such as Corticosteroids are directly related to the weakening of muscles and tendons.
When you suffer from torn biceps, you encounter symptoms such as:

Weakening of the elbow and the shoulder. You will find it troublesome to move your hand.
Swelling of the elbow with bruises visible on the elbow and the forearm.
You find trouble in twisting your forearm
You will experience spasms in the muscles.
You can also hear a snapping sound of the muscles.
What should you do if you face this problem?

Continuous applications of ice packs are a must. Repeat the activity 4 times a day with a duration of 20 minutes. You may need to do it for 2 or 3 days.
Avoid activities which put pressure on your hands and shoulders.
Consult a doctor immediately and get some painkillers as recommended.
If you have complete tears, you may need to undergo surgery. Talk to your doctor regarding that.

How to Treat Torn Biceps - Types, Causes, Symptoms

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