Exercises to cure long hours of sitting
Most of us are used to sitting throughout the day, willingly or unwillingly due to work or otherwise. We spend more hours sitting, and most of our work is done in this position. The downsides of this are many, one of them being a stiff back which not only causes a lot of pain but also initiates many other health problems.
Train yourselves on these highly effective exercises which minimise the pain and keep your muscles active.

1. Back press: put towel on your back and press the towel with the back. Hold that position for 10 sec. Repeat 10 times. Do not hold your breath while applying pressure at the back.
2. Bridges: lie on the floor, bend your knees and secure your feet on the ground. Raise your hips upwards so that your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Release and go back to previous position.
3. Knee to chest exercise: just lie down on an exercise mat, bend your one knee while lying and try to touch that knee to the stomach. Hold it for 10 seconds. Repeat this with the other leg. Alternate the legs each time.
4. Bilateral knee to chest: bend both the knees while lying on bed. With support of your hands try bringing both bent knees to touch the stomach. Hold that position for 10 seconds. Repeat 5 times.
5. Static abdominal exercise: lying on your back, try to contract your stomach without holding your breath. Hold it for 10 seconds. Repeat the exercise for 7 or 10 times.
6. Knee to opposite chest: lying on your back, bend your knees. Try bringing one knee to opposite side of the chest and hold that position for 7 sec. Do this for 7 times and repeat the same for the other leg too.
7: leg swings: these are easy and fun. Stand by the wall, hold on to a rod or something similar to keep balance. Now with the leg that is not towards the wall, swing. Swing your leg from front to back, left to right. Do not be too quick, do this at a mediocre pace. Repeat with the other leg.
8: static glutei: lying on the stomach, squeeze your buttock and hold it for 10 seconds. Repeat 10 times.

General precautions:
1. Avoid bending instantly after or during the exercises. Incase you have to bend, first bend your knee then bend your back to pick up anything from ground.
2. While getting up from bed first turn to one side while lying, sideways then get up from bed slowly.
3. Apply hot pack in back whenever there is pain.
4. Try to sleep in hard part of mattress not in soft mattress.



Long Hours Of Sitting? Try This Permanent Relief From Back Pain

Meniscus refers to the soft ligament in your knee joint, which cushions your bones and protects it from wear and tear. It is vital for the fulfilment of regular activities and the health of your bones. Thus, a damage to the meniscus can be extremely painful. Meniscuses are exposed to injuries and shocks in case of rigorous activities and this is a fairly common syndrome faced by athletes and sports person. It can cause a substantial amount of hurt and generally impairs movement to a large extent. It potentially gets worse as the inflammation sets in and the swelling grows. The risk of a meniscus tear increases with age. The treatment for a torn meniscus depends upon the degree of tear. While minor tears repair on their own, for graver injuries, the following therapies may prove effective.

Symptoms of a torn meniscus
1. You might be able to experience a popping sensation in your knee joint
2. Stiffness and swelling
3. You will experience pain, especially while you are trying to twist your knee
4. You might not be able to straighten your knee completely

The treatment for a torn meniscus depends upon the degree of tear. While minor tears repair on their own, for graver injuries, the following therapies may prove effective:
1. Light exercises: For slightly serious meniscus tears, there are certain knee exercises which are recommended to abort any further damage as well as to repair the wound. Limiting the activities which might exert pressure on the knees, getting adequate rest, using ice packs and wearing neoprene sleeves always aid in recovery.
2. Anti-inflammatory medications: Often, meniscus tears are cured with the help of anti-inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen. They not only reduce pain but also enable the mending of the injured tissue. However, one needs to be aware of a few side effects which often become natural repercussions of such drugs. Possibility of ulcers and bleeding get increased by leaps and bounds on the intake of such drugs.
3. Surgery: For all other forms of meniscus tears, if healing is not obtained through non-surgical methods, the only option available is that of surgery. Such a situation arises when the pain becomes unbearable and the meniscus tear does not respond favorably to superficial treatments. These surgeries are less complicated than replacement surgeries. They usually do not involve any life threatening hazard and cautious and efficiently conducted surgeries release all pains and handicaps.

Torn Meniscus Knee Treatment - Exercise, Anti Inflammatory & Surgery

Sciatica pain arises from the sciatic nerve which is the single largest nerve in our body. It consists of individual nerve roots, which branching out from the lower back of the spine to the back of each leg and combining together forms the sciatic nerve. The origination of the sciatic pain lies in the lower back of the body and radiates down the buttock to the sciatic nerve.

Causes of the sciatica pain

Arthritis: If an individual is diagnosed with arthritis, then he or she can expect a throbbing pain or numbness down till the leg.
Herniated disc: Another cause could be a herniated disc in the lower back of the body.
Spondylosis: Spondylosis in the lower back would also be a reason for the development of the sciatica pain.
PIVD/DISC bulge
Other causes are a spinal injury, diseased degenerative disc, infection on and around the lower back. The pain would worsen, if an individual is in an occupation where he or she has to stand or sit for hours at length. The lifting of heavy things would strain the sciatic nerves as well.

How to identify sciatica pain?
Sciatica pain varies from infrequent to a constant throbbing down the lower back. So initially it is difficult to detect whether it is sciatic pain or not. But when the constant pain in the lower back leads right down till the toes and foot, it is really time for an individual to get in touch with a doctor. The pain can give a burning sensation almost searing making it difficult for the person to stand up or walk properly. Along with the pain, one can feel fatigued. An involvement of the spinal cord is rare in the sciatic pain but is possible.

Treatment for sciatica pain
Sciatica can be treated in both surgical and non-surgical way. Surgical treatment is rare as sciatica tends to respond well with non-surgical treatments. If the pain continues for over a month despite treatment, surgical treatment will be considered. The non-surgical pain treatment would include physical exercises and oral medications along with natural treatment.

Medications: Painkiller medications prescribed by the doctor can be used to reduce sciatica. Medicines like aspirin, non-steroidal or oral steroids can help reduce the pain.
Steroid injection: Epidural steroid injection acts faster as it is injected in the affected area, thus providing relief from the pain quickly.
Exercise: Early morning exercises can be quite helpful.
Percutaneous Endoscopic Discectomy: The surgical treatment of Percutaneous endoscopic disc dissectomy constitutes a large part of interventional pain physicians and it has evolved considerably in terms of surgical technique and instrumentation. Percutaneous endoscopic discectomy is a relatively new technique for removing lumbar disc herniation. It involves using an endoscope to visualize the disc removal. The discectomy is performed through a posterolateral approach using specially developed instruments. The advantage of percutaneous endoscopic discectomy is that the disc is approached posterolaterally through the triangle of Kambin without the need for bone or facet resection thus preserving spinal stability. The procedure is day care and is done under local anaesthesia.

Sciatica Pain - 5 Ways You Can Treat It!

Calcium is known for its role in maintaining the bone health, from keeping your teeth stronger to normal functioning of the cells.  But there are various factors, which lead to a deficiency of calcium in the human body and paves the way for several complications.

Here are the top three signs that indicate you are suffering from calcium deficiency.

Difficulty in sleeping: Sleep is essential for your bone health and calcium is directly associated with your sleep cycle. The level of calcium in your bones rises and falls when you are asleep and it reaches its peak when you are in deep slumber. This indicates that when you are unable to sleep properly, it is a warning sign of calcium deficiency. There are various researches that have confirmed, that by increasing the level of calcium, it is possible to restore the normal sleep cycle of an individual. This is also related to the role that calcium plays in the production of a sleep hormone called melatonin. When the calcium content in the body is really low, this hormone is not produced, thus, making it difficult for a person to sleep.
Difficulty in losing extra pounds: Yet another frustrating aspect of any individual s life is the inability to shed off excess pounds. This issue is also linked with the lack of calcium supply in the body. The calcium that s stored in the cells assists in the processing and storage of fat. So the fat cells with high calcium content burn faster, making you lose weight. Thus, if you have trouble losing weight in spite of having a well-regulated diet and regular workout, it s a sign that you are suffering from low calcium.
Paresthesia: Though this ailment is not much heard of, it could be a sign of calcium deficiency. Paresthesia is a nervous disorder, which causes tingling sensation, tremors, numbness and loss of sensitivity. It could also lead to poor concentration, amnesia, confusion, hearing impairment, twitches and other physical as well as neurological impairment. This is because low calcium in the blood is connected with the health of your nerves.
The deficiency of calcium can manifest itself in different intensity, ranging from the non-existent to minimal to severe levels. Chronic calcium deficiency can lead to life-threatening diseases like rickets, osteopenia, and even osteoporosis. Therefore, you shouldn t ignore these signs and consult an expert without delay.

Calcium Deficiency - 3 Signs You are Suffering from it

Why does PAIN occur? Understand the Mechanism of Pain

Pain is an unpleasant and distressing physical sensation caused by disease or injury, which induces hurt and anxiety in those suffering from it.
There are many different manifestations of pain, ranging from short term (acute pain) to long term (chronic pain). Other classifications include pain in the internal organs (visceral pain), injured tissue (inflammatory pain), nerves (neuropathic pain), etc.

The reason for the occurrence of pain depends on the cause and kind of pain being experienced. In most cases, pain acts as a warning sign that the body has been afflicted by a disorder of some sort, which may have arisen due to internal sickness or external wounding. Acute pains are generally cured on their own through rest or simple medication. Chronic pains, on the other hand, are more complicated in nature and the treatment requires more elaborate diagnosis.

The mechanism of pain

Pain is an extremely personal and subjective experience and affects each individual to varying degrees. The pain signals, which can arise in any part of the body, travel through the spinal cord to the brain along thousands of specialized nerves and nerve fibres. In the brain, it is processed in the centres associated with anxiety, emotions, memory, appetite, etc. Signals and pain inputs are then returned from the brain to the spinal cord, which may heighten or diminish pain.

In some cases, pain may also be induced by damage to the brain and spinal cord, which happens after a stroke.
A constant barrage of pain signals may cause the cells at the end of nerve fibres to become over-sensitized. This is known as 'wind-up' and is one of the most common causes of chronic pain that occurs even though the root of the problem has been identified and treated.

The causes and effects of pain differ from case to case depending on the signals received by the brain and its interpretation. It affects the individual's day to day activities and if persistent, can also have a harmful impact on mental health and psychosis. Pain is always handled, diagnosed and treated differently in all patients by drawing out the best possible solution to the problem.





Why does PAIN occur? Understand the Mechanism of Pain

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!

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