Breaking a bone no matter how small is painful. This pain is caused both by the actual break in the bone and the damage to surrounding muscles, ligaments, nerves and other soft tissue. There are three stages of pain caused by a fracture:

Acute Pain: Pain that occurs immediately after a bone is fractured
Sub-Acute Pain: Pain experienced while the one and soft tissues heal
Chronic Pain: Pain experienced after the fracture has healed
Any kind of fracture can cause these types of pain. However, it is not essential for everyone who has had a fracture to experience all the three kinds of pain. Many people experience pain only when the fracture occurs but in few cases, a person may break a bone and not realize it. Each type of pain needs to be dealt with in a different way.

Acute Pain: Acute pain reduces as the fracture heals. For this, the fractured bone must be reset in place and held together with a splint, brace or cast so as to immobilize it. In some cases, surgery may also be needed. Over the counter pain medication is often prescribed to help deal with this type of pain. The patient is also advised to rest the broken bone and avoid certain types of movement that could worsen the break. A broken bone takes a minimum of 6 to 8 weeks to heal. However, in cases of other conditions such as osteoporosis, this time period could be much longer.
Sub-Acute Pain: As the injury heals, the sub-acute pain experienced reduces. Immobilizing a broken bone to help it heal causes the muscles and soft tissues around it to stiffen and weaken thus triggering this type of pain. Physical therapy can be very helpful in dealing with this type of pain. Along with strengthening the muscles and reducing stiffness, physical therapy also helps reduce inflammation and scar tissue. Physical therapy can be provided in many ways including exercises, electrical stimulation, ultrasounds, massage etc. It is important to remember that at this stage of treatment, the more the affected limb is used, the faster it will heal. However, it is advisable to avoid putting too much pressure on the bone.
Chronic Pain: Some people may experience pain for several months and even years after a fracture has healed. This is usually caused by nerve damage or the development of scar tissue. Underlying conditions such as arthritis could also trigger this type of pain. Management of chronic pain varies from individual to individual. Treatment usually takes the form of medication, exercises and physical therapy. It is important not to avoid this type of pain and consult a doctor to ensure that it is not being caused by any other condition.

Fracture Pain - How To Deal With It?

Osteoporosis is a condition wherein the bones become brittle and weak; so much so that even mildly stressful activities such as coughing, bending over or even a slight fall (such as the one from a high rise chair) can result in fractures. Osteoporosis-related fractures commonly occur in the spine, hip or the wrist. The human body has a continuous mechanism of bone absorption and removal. In case of osteoporosis, the creation of new bones doesn t happen in accordance with the removal of old bones.

Spinal Fractures:

The bones of the spine get extremely vulnerable to breakage and even cracking open. The fractures in the spine, also known as vertebral compression fractures can cause a sharp stinging pain in the back that may make sitting, standing, or even walking a very tardy task.

Risk Factors:

Increasing age

Abnormally less or high body weight

Smoking

Menopause or low levels of sex hormones

Gender: This disorder is more likely to affect women as compared to men. Also women, who are above 50 are more likely to suffer from this debilitating disorder.

Race is a significant risk factor of osteoporosis. If you are of Asian descent, you are more likely to be affected by it.

Having a family history of osteoporosis will put you at a greater risk of this disorder.

Symptoms:

Fractured or collapsed vertebra causing back pain

A stooped posture

A shrunken appearance (as if one has had loss of height)

Very fragile bones, thus increasing risks of fractures

Severe and sudden pain in the back

Difficulty in twisting or bending the body

Lower spine fractures are way more troublesome as compared to fractures in the upper spine. Fracturing more than a bone in the spine also remains a huge possibility.

Diagnosis and Treatment:

Firstly, an X-ray or a computerized tomography (CT scan) will be done to have a closer look at the bones. A bone density test is another commonly used method of diagnosing osteoporosis. 

Steroids and medications: Some medications may be used to prevent or combat osteoporosis. These include alendronate, ibandronate, risedronate and zoledronic acid.

Physical therapy: Just like muscles, bones get stronger too when you exercise. Weight-bearing and muscle- strengthening exercises are the most helpful in this regard and are considered best for the treatment of osteoporosis. Cardiovascular exercises such as walking, jogging or even swimming can prove to be immensely beneficial.

Diet: Make a diet chart that includes high-calcium food items, dairy products such as yogurt, cheese, and low-fat milk, tofu, green vegetables such as collard greens and broccoli, sea fish such as salmon and sardines.

Salt: Limit salt intake

Therapy: Hormone replacement therapy (treatment method consisting of estrogens to alleviate and treat symptoms of osteoporosis) is another method of treatment that can be recommended by the doctor.

Osteoporosis Spine Fractures: Risks, Symptoms and Treatments

Women tend to develop high levels of blood sugar during their pregnancy (especially within the 24th and 28th weeks), irrespective of whether they already had suffered from diabetes prior to their pregnancy. However, gestational diabetes, if not taken proper care of, might escalate the risks of developing diabetes in the near future for both the mother and the child, accompanied by complications in pregnancy or labor. Gestational diabetes is usually characterized by mild symptoms such as excessive urge to urinate, excessive thirst, blurred vision and fatigue.

Causes:
Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, allows for the utilization of the glucose for energy. The food consumed is broken down by the digestive tract of the body, converting carbohydrates into glucose before releasing it into the bloodstream. The glucose is then absorbed by the cells to be used as an energy source. Now, at the time of pregnancy, the placenta (organ nourishing the fetus) connecting the baby to the blood supply also produces various other hormones in high levels, for instance, estrogen and human placental lactogen. Most of these hinder the normal functioning of insulin in the cells, hence raising the blood sugar count. With subsequent growth of the baby, the placenta keeps on producing more amounts of such insulin resistant hormones to an extent that they are capable of meddling with the development of the baby.

Treatment:
1. Monitoring the blood sugar count at least four to five times a day and keeping it under control might help to ease the complication.
2. A healthy diet consisting of whole grains, vegetables and fruits in the right proportion and limiting sugar or other highly refined carbs meets the nutrition and fiber requirement of the body. Guard against additional weight gain during pregnancy as that hampers the entire process.
3. Exercise or regular physical activities help to normalize blood sugar level by boosting glucose absorption in the cells. Furthermore, exercises also enhance the sensitivity of the cells towards insulin. This means that only a little amount of insulin production by your body would be enough for the transportation of sugar.
4. Medication, If exercise and diet fall inadequate, insulin injections are often administered to control blood sugar count.
5. Keeping the baby under close observation with the help of repeated ultrasound and other tests to record its growth and development is an essential part of the treatment plan.

Gestational Diabetes - How It Can Be Treated?

When there is a fracture of the bone, the affected site may be plastered for the fracture to heal. In some cases, this may not be enough to mend the bones and surgery may be required along with bone grafting to rectify the condition. A new form of therapy, involving a less invasive procedure has been developed. It involves culturing the stem cells and using the same to mend and regenerate parts of the bone.

What does the treatment involve?

In this process, one cultures cells from the patient s body. The cells are extracted from the bone marrow. These cells are cultured in the lab and injected back to the affected region of the body. Research has shown that after the injection, the treatment takes anywhere between 7 to 8 weeks to repair the fracture completely.

Since stem cells are being harvested from the patient and not from a third-party, the treatment does not have any ethical constraints. However, more studies are being conducted to prove without a doubt that the same does not cause any damage to the body of the patient in the long run.



It is likely that this procedure will replace rudimentary surgical techniques, such as bone harvesting, in the future. It is far less invasive and does not result in extreme pain or prolonged hospitalization.

The future of the treatment: 

While stem cell culture has been around for a few years now, the use of the same procedure to treat fractures is The Latest Technology. It is in its early stages, which is why such a form of treatment is not offered by all hospitals across the globe and very selective surgeons having experience of the procedure would perform it.

Additional research and studies are being conducted to further confirm the efficacy of the treatment. Research has revealed that stem cell insertion in the bone can be used to regrow defects and heal non-unions of a bone. In some cases, repeated stem cell insertion may be required. The bone that grows as a result is as strong as the other bones in the body.

Stem Cell Culture For Broken Bones - What Is It?

Sugar is present in all your beverages, smoothies, cookies, desserts, food items and more. But the not so sweet truth is that too much sugar in your diet can turn your life topsy-turvy. It increases your risk of obesity, diabetes, heart diseases, deters the immune system and even harms the brain function. So, in order to break the addictiveness of sugar that can rob you of your health, all you need is a clear path to detox from sugar.

Here are some pointers on how to detox your body off excess sugar:

Turn away from sugar: Sugar is more addictive than cocaine. So you need to develop a strong will power to eliminate sugar completely, as you would do if you are trying to come out of alcoholism or other intoxications. You should not just avoid table sugar, but also keep away from all the sneaky sugars available in processed food and beverages. Ideally, a time period of 10 days is suggested to give up on any kind of sugar.
Stack up on proteins: Eat meals that contain lots of good protein and fat. Since they are difficult to digest and take more time to absorb, it will make you feel full for a long time and sustain your energy levels. The key to balancing blood sugar and insulin levels, without much cravings can be achieved through a high protein diet.
Eat the right carbs: Avoid refined carbs and starchy foods like potatoes, white bread, pasta and baked goods. Instead opt for natural carbohydrates present in vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, leafy greens, eggplant, and artichokes. It is also good to avoid grains and beans during your detox period.
No artificial sweeteners: You might be tempted to replace sugar with artificial sweeteners, but this is not really beneficial. Artificial sweeteners are just temporary solutions when weaning from sugar and we do not know about its long term benefits. In the long run, it might be just as addictive as sugar. If at all you crave for something sweet, go for natural fruits.
Consume whole foods: Foods that don t come in boxes, cans or bottles. Whole foods like vegetables, fruits, lean meat, nuts, fish, seeds and healthy fats will help a great deal to curb cravings and also keep you satiated.
Sleep well: Last but not the least, get quality sleep time to beat cravings for sugar and suppress hunger hormones. Sleep your way to fight against the desire to overeat and improve your energy levels. A good night s sleep will do wonders for your overall well-being.

Excess Sugar In Body - Know How You Can Cleanse It!

5 common myths on dandruff you?ve probably fallen for

Dandruff is not only an embarrassing condition but also a major cause for hairfall and hair weakening. It is estimated to affect as many as one in five individuals in india. Even though this is such a common issue, there?s still heaps of misleading conceptions about dandruff.

Myth1: ?all flakes in your hair is dandruff?

Fact: sometimes flakes are only a consequence of dry skin on your scalp. While the difference between dryness and dandruff might be unclear to the common individual, medical experts do make a distinction between the two. If your flakes are relatively small and white, chances are you?re dealing with a dry scalp - dandruff flakes tend to be larger and yellowish in colour.

Myth 2: ?dandruff is contagious?

Fact: dandruff is not something that you can catch from someone else. The fungal bacteria that can lead to the appearance of dandruff are present on everybody?s scalp, which means all our scalps are naturally predisposed to the condition.

Myth 3: ?dandruff results from bad hygiene?

Fact: while regular shampooing can help keep dandruff under control, this condition does not stem from a lack of hygiene?even the most diligent hair washers can find themselves suffering from it. This is because dandruff is caused by various components, which include a characteristic overproduction of hair oil or an excess of parasitic microorganisms that live normally on our scalps.

Myth 4: ?dandruff only occurs on the scalp?

Fact: it's true that your scalp is the most widely recognised spot to experience dandruff, yet it's by all account not the only possibility. A few individuals additionally observe that areas such as the eyebrows, ears, and around the nose are inclined to flaking too.

Myth 5: ?dandruff can cause hair fall?

Fact: hair fall is at some point connected with dandruff and an irritated scalp; however, these conditions are not mutually exclusive. Hair fall is not brought about by dandruff, but rather might be prompted by the incessant need to scratch a bothersome scalp. When we scratch our heads, the activity causes breakage in the hair. The root cause of hair fall includes anxiety, diet and the overall health of your scalp.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on'consult.


5 Common Myths about DANDRUFF Busted!

Don't wait any longer, manage your Home Remedies For Face online with a Lybrate doctor today

Consult for Home Remedies For Face - Online and Easy!

FilterClear All

COMMON SPECIALITIES

COMMON ISSUES