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

Arthritis is a disease in which the joints in your body swell. Inflammation or swelling can be caused due to body's natural response to injury or disease. It can cause discomfort in the form of pain, stiffness as well as difficulty in movement. Major types of arthritis are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and gout.

Causes of arthritis

Arthritis is generally caused by a combination of factors. It can happen due to genetic factors in case the disease runs in the family. Sometimes it can be caused due to injuries of the past; it can also be a by-product of your lifestyle. Some of the common causes of arthritis are:

1. Genetic makeup in which arthritis can be a hereditary trait
2. Physically taxing work life or injuries caused in an accident
3. Imbalance in the immunity system
4. Infections in the joint.

Risk Factors associated with arthritis

1. Family history - You can be prone to develop arthritis if it runs in the family. It can occur due to its hereditary trait hence making you more vulnerable to the environmental factors which contribute to developing arthritis.

2. Age - The risk of arthritis can increase with age. Types like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout are more common in the old age.

3. Gender - Your sex is an important factor as women are more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis while men are prone to suffer from gout.

4. Joint injury - Joint injury caused due to accidents or due to sports activities can trigger arthritis. People with previous joint injuries can develop arthritis in that joint.

5. Obesity - Excess weight can put a lot of pressure on the joints, on the knees and hips in particular. Hence, obese people have more chances of developing arthritis than fitter people.

Causes and Risk Factors Associated with Arthritis

A stinging pain in the neck that makes you feel broken from the neck joint could be a reason to worry. It is often accompanied by an aching head or a throbbing shoulder joint. Neck pain, such as this occurs due to an injury in the area resulting from sudden back and forth movement of the neck. It is referred to as whiplash as the nature of the pain and subsequent discomfort resembles the snapping of a whip. The pain is more like a sprain, but not exactly so. This can affect athletes or even any person in general who has faced an accident in recent past. Whiplash is characterized by a tearing of ligaments and tendons that connect one bone to another.

Causes of whiplash:

1. Sports that involve contact- any extracurricular activity involving collisions or other forms of physical contact can cause neck injuries. Football and rugby players frequently suffer from whiplash.

2. Road accidents- public transport has a host of disadvantages. Reckless driving can make the tendons of your neck tear. Auto accidents cause immense strain on your neck; it can also lead to whiplash.

3. Any kind of physical abuse- if you have gotten into a violent fight with someone your neck could suffer from a whiplash. Instances of physical abuse where the neck is jerked or punched at can also result in neck strains. Domestic violence often leads to instances of neck strains.

Symptoms related to this condition:

1. You may or may not suffer from tinnitus. Tinnitus is a physical disorder where you hear ringing sounds. It is quite distracting.
2. Your vision might get blurry.
3. You can experience irregular sleep patterns.
4. You can find it hard to concentrate on any one thing for more than a while.
5. You can grow irritable at the drop of a hat.
6. Your memory may fail you. You might find it next to impossible to trace back a day's activity.

Some of the other direct symptoms are:

1. Your neck might turn stiff preventing you from moving it left, right, up or down.
2. Pangs of pain can be felt in and around your shoulders.
3. Your upper arms can grow numb and tender.
4. Your head can spin repeatedly or you could feel dizzy.
5. Whiplash can also result in serious fatigue.

All About Whiplash

Bursitis is a disorder that is characterized by inflammation of a fluid filled sac called the bursa. Bursa is present in between various tissues such as muscles, tendons and bones where friction may occur. This sac cushions the tissues and prevents friction. The usual areas that are affected by this condition are hip, shoulder and the elbows.

The symptoms of bursitis are:
1. You will experience pain in the affected area
2. Tightness and stiffness in the area
3. Local swelling of the muscle
4. Redness of the area
5. Any physical contact with the area causes pain

Bursitis may also occur due to the following reasons:
1. Ageing results in loss of elasticity of the tendons, thus impairing their ability to tolerate any stressful activity
2. Sports such as baseball where you are required to throw the ball with force may lead to bursitis
3. If you do tasks that require kneeling down on a regular basis
4. Sitting on hard surfaces for extended periods of time
5. Abnormalities such as improperly placed joints
6. Inflammation from other conditions such as gout, thyroid disorders and rheumatoid arthritis may lead to bursitis

Treatment
The condition is treated by using a variety of methods such as exercise and medication. Antibiotics are used to treat any underlying infection causing bursitis. Injections may be administered to reduce inflammation in the affected area along with exercises to strengthen the affected muscle. In severe cases, the doctor may resort to surgery to treat this condition.

Prevention
You may use certain preventive measures to stay clear of bursitis. Some of them are
1. Lift with proper form: If you are lifting something heavy, then make sure you keep the spine straight and bend your knees slightly.
2. Take breaks: Don t remain in the same position for long duration, take small breaks and walk around to release the stress from your legs.
3. Exercise: Do strength building workouts to build strength in the joints. Include mobility and flexibility stretches in your routine to keep your joints healthy, thus increasing the range of motion.
4. Maintain optimal weight levels: If you are obese, then take steps to reduce your weight. Maintain a proper diet to check your waistline.

Bursitis - 4 Ways You Can Prevent it

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

Unlike muscle aches, neuropathic pain or nerve pain is usually a lifelong condition. This usually affects the feet. In some cases, it can get better over the years but in most cases, nerve pain stays persistent or worsens with time. Neuropathic pain is caused by nerve damage and commonly triggered by conditions such as diabetes or is a result of the side effects of medication or chemotherapy.

Medication is usually the first line of treatment when it comes to dealing with neuropathic pain. Medication prescribed for such conditions can be categorized as:

Antidepressants
Anticonvulsants
Local anesthetics
These may be prescribed individually or in a combination of two or more types of drugs. additionally, topical creams may also be prescribed for pain relief. Conventional medicine can provide temporary relief from nerve pain. However, in the long run, making a few lifestyle changes can help control nerve pain. Here are a few tips.

Exercise: Nerve pain may tempt you to sit in one place, but you must force yourself to walk about and exercise a little on a regular basis. Exercising increases blood flow to the extremities of the body and releases endorphins that act as natural painkillers. It can also expand blood vessels and nourish damaged nerves.
Avoid alcohol: If you suffer from nerve damage, alcohol can aggravate the damage and increase pain. Hence it is best to skip alcohol and all other kinds of stimulants.
Heat therapy: Soaking your feet in a warm bath or using a heat pack can be very effective when it comes to dealing with nerve pain. The heat temporarily increase blood flow and reduces pressure on the nerves. However, be careful to avoid burning yourself.
Get a good night's sleep: Nerve pain is usually aggravated at night, thus disturbing your sleep. To get the required 8 hours of sleep a day, try maintaining a schedule of going to bed and waking up at the same time everyday. Drinking a cup of warm milk may also help you fall asleep faster. Ensure that the last cup of coffee you drink is in the afternoon.
Massage: As with muscle pains; a massage can help ease and reduce nerve pain. Your choice of oils also has a role to play in the effectiveness of the massage. While lavender oil helps people relax and takes their mind of the pain, geranium oil can help directly reduce nerve pain.

Ways to Control Nerve Pain

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