Care for shoulder pain and related problems

Shoulder problems usually happen because of internal problems or external trauma. People who are into any form of manual labour, pick up a lot of heavy things regularly or play sports experience shoulder pain at some point of time or other. Shoulder pain can be detected by physical examination, mri, x-ray, ultrasound and medical history.

The most common types of shoulder problems are arthritis, fracture, dislocation, frozen shoulder, rotator cuff tear, and rotator cuff disease. Cures for the different shoulder pains are different. Follow these simple ways to help you manage the pain.

1. Rest the hurtful shoulder: you need to take ample rest. Using the arm which is affected is not a good idea and needs to be avoided. If your job involves manual labour, it is advised that you stay at home to rest.

2. Ice pack healing: applying ice pack on the wound is also advised around 3-4 times in a day. This varies as per the kind of shoulder pain, so doctor's advice must be followed.

3. Be consistent with exercise: depending upon the source of pain, physiotherapist will advise certain sets of shoulder exercises. It is very important that they should be performed diligently for fast recovery.

4. Support it well: wearing a sling is extremely important and should not be taken lightly at any point of time. A good support will ensure there is no mislocation and faster recovery.

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


Shoulder Pain Care - 4 things you must not ignore!

The bones are the bits and pieces which form the framework of the body. Each bone is placed in the correct position to give your body the structure it has. It is of utmost importance for you to have healthy bones so that the structure or frame of your body is maintained. A lot of times, due to the stress of your daily life, you tend to neglect the health of your bones. But remember that if you want to have a fit body, you will have to keep your skeletal system fit as well. Here are a few tips on how to keep your bones healthy:

1. Family history: Having a knowledge of your family history is extremely important as there may be cases where you might suffer from a particular disease which is hereditary. If your family has a history of osteoporosis, there is a high chance of you suffering from it. 

2. Increase your regular calcium and vitamin D intake: Calcium is extremely essential for your bone health. If you want your bones to be healthy and strong, you need to take a regular calcium dose in order to achieve that. But there is a catch to this. Although you might have food containing calcium every day or take calcium tablets, it won't be helpful until you also get a supply of Vitamin D. Vitamin D helps the bones to absorb the calcium.

3. Maintain a healthy bone density: To do this you need to eat food which will supply you with vitamin K. Vitamin K boosts bone density by enabling the body to make proteins required for healthy bones. Vitamin K also helps the bones absorb calcium just like vitamin D although this function is not predominant for vitamin K.

4. Exercise: The secret to healthy bones is exercise. The more you exercise regularly, the fitter your bones and muscles will be. Regular exercise helps to keep bone problems at bay. Leading a sedentary lifestyle heightens the risk of suffering from osteoporosis. It can also mess with your bone density and weaken your bones. Hence, exercise regularly for healthy bones.

5. Cut down on your caffeine intake: Too much of caffeine can mess up the calcium absorbing power of your bones. If you have more than two cups of coffee every day, your bones will gradually become weak.

So, if you want to remain as fit as a fiddle, then try these tips out, and you will not complain.

Tips And Tricks To Keep Your Bones Healthy!

From marathon runners to footballers, amongst athletes, 'pulling a hamstring' is the most common type of injury. The hamstring is a group of four muscles at the back of your thigh. When one of these muscles gets overloaded or begins to tear, it is known as a hamstring injury. While a hamstring injury is painful, it does not indicate the end of an athlete's career.

Minor hamstring injuries may heal by themselves. In cases where one of the muscles is torn, surgery is required to repair and reattach the muscles. Recovery time depends on the severity of the injury. Stretching and exercising the muscles of the leg are the most important parts of rehabilitation. The healing of a hamstring injury can be divided into four stages.

1. Acute phase: The first five days after a hamstring injury is known as the acute phase of rehabilitation. The aim of treatment at this phase is to reduce inflammation and keep the other muscles from atrophy. For minor hamstring injuries resting the leg, using ice packs and keeping the leg elevated can accelerate the healing process. Once the pain and swelling has decreased, patients can use a cane or crutch to exercise the leg.

2. Subacute phase: From the fifth day to the 3rd week after the injury, the focus of the treatment shifts from minimizing swelling to strengthening the leg and increasing the range of possible motions. At this time, an athlete can resume cardiovascular training. Swimming and other forms of aquatic training are said to be especially beneficial to the treatment of hamstring injuries.

3. Remodeling phase: The remodeling phase continues upto 6 weeks after the injury. Strengthening the leg is the focus of this stage of treatment. Using ankle weights can be beneficial towards strengthening the leg muscles. It is important to be careful about the weight being used and to gradually increase this weight to avoid an added injury.

4. Functional stage: This stage can last upto 6 months until the athlete can regain full function of his or her leg. As the athlete's gait gets back to normal, they may start jogging and short sprints. Gradually, more sport specific exercises may be added to the workout.

There is no fixed time when an athlete can return to active sports after a hamstring injury. While players with minor injuries may return to the field after 3 weeks, athletes with muscles tears may take upto 6 months to recover completely. Hamstring injuries tend to reoccur and hence before they can get back to active sports, an athlete must pass an isometric strength test and flexibility test. This ensures that there are no subtle after effects of the injury that can increase the risk of a repeat injury.

Hamstring Injury Recovery and Return to Sports

A sprain refers to a break or a tear in any of the ligaments of your body. A ligament is a band consisting of tissues that connect the bones at any given joint in our body.

A strain on the other hand refers to a tear or a break in the entire muscle itself or a tendon (the band of tissues that connect the muscle to the bones).

Occurrence
Sprains usually take place due to unforeseen incidents like falls, accidents, and such other things that forces the body part to go out of its normal position. The most common types of sprains that people suffer from are ankle sprains which affect about 25,000 people every day on a worldwide basis.

Strains usually happen when you twist a whole muscle or a tendon. This condition most commonly occurs in cases of sportspersons who are engaged in contact sports like hockey, football, rugby, and such others.

Symptoms
The identification signs of sprains and strains are mostly very similar, which are listed below:
1. Pain and discomfort in the joints
2. Visible swelling or inflammation seen on the joints
3. Bruising of the affected area
4. Tenderness and softness of the affected joint

The overall intensity of the above mentioned symptoms might differ basis on the severity of the condition that is directly proportional to the nature of injury that you have faced. Some pains are so light that it may not affect your daily routine at all, whereas some pains are so intense, that you might not be able to move your affected joint at all.

Treatment
Some of the common methods to cure a sprain or a strain are listed below:
1. Rest the area which is affected
2. Apply ice bags or cold compress to soothe the pain
3. Compress the affected joint using a compression tape
4. Place the affected joint on an elevated area to speed up the healing process

Sprain Versus Strain

Muscle strain or muscle pull is a condition, which is characterized by damage to the muscles or its adjoining tendons. Undue pressure can be exerted on the muscle when you are carrying out routine activities such as sudden lifting of heavy things or playing contact sports. The damage to the muscle is usually in the form of partial or complete tearing of the tendons and fibres attached to the muscles. The small blood vessels in the muscles can also be damaged by the tearing of the muscles, leading to local bleeding and bruising.

The symptoms of muscle pain are:
1. You will experience pain even while resting
2. There will be bruising, swelling and redness around the affected area
3. You will experience weakness of the muscles and tendons
4. The movement and mobility of the muscle will be impaired
5. You will experience pain when you use the affected muscles

The causes of a muscle strain are:
1. Playing contact sports can lead to injuries
2. Lifting heavy things
3. Exercising without a proper warm up routine
4. Lifting extremely heavy weights during exercise without proper acclimatization
5. Sleeping on one side only for a long period of time
6. Not stretching properly
7. Falling from a height

The treatments for muscle strains are:
1. Pain medications: You can opt for pain relieving medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications to help combat the associated pain of a muscle strain.
2. Rice: Rice stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation. This treatment is usually the first step after suffering a strain, before opting for medications. This treatment prevents further aggravation of the problem.
3. Compress: You can alternate between hot and cold compress to reduce the swelling and pain.
4. Stretches: Once the affected area has healed, it is important for you stretch the muscles to improve their mobility and strength.

Not Stretching Properly? It May Cause You Muscle Strain

One of the deadly diseases caused by the bite of an infected mosquito is Chikungunya. If you suddenly experience unbearable joint pain with symptoms of fever, consult a doctor immediately. Even the name Chikungunya etymologically means "to become twisted". If you are having the aforementioned symptoms, there is a high chance you are suffering from Chikungunya.

Symptoms of Chikungunya
Chikungunya affects your body within 3-4 days of the mosquito bite. The first sign of Chikungunya is sudden fever, which causes mild tremors in your body accompanied by severe pain and swelling of the joints. A headache and pain in the muscles are other two symptoms of this disease. The most glaring indication that you are suffering from it is the excessive joint pain you experience. This pain usually lasts for a few days to a couple of weeks. If left untreated, this disease can prove to be fatal. 

1. The joint pain will have a paralyzing effect on your body resulting in extreme pain.
2. Your finger joints and foot exhibit signs of swelling, causing severe pain.
3. You will experience pain in your hip, wrists and elbows.

Other symptoms of the disease include neurological and mild cardiac complications. You may even complain of having an eyesore. Also, there are chances of you suffering from gastrointestinal problems. However, none of these symptoms will be as severe as the excruciating joint pain you experience.

Some preventive measures can be taken, them being:
a. Drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated.
b. Get plenty of sleep. It might be impossible for you to sleep especially when you are having body aches. Thus ask your doctor for some painkillers which will let you rest.
c. Paracetamol is a must to beat fever and joint pain.
d. Anti-inflammatory pills will be strictly recommended by your doctor to treat the inflammation.
e. Use a mosquito net at night
f. Keep your house clean so that the Chikungunya mosquitoes don't thrive

Suffering From Severe Joint Pain? It Could Be Due to Chikungunya

Don't wait any longer, manage your Kerala Massage online with a Lybrate doctor today

Consult for Kerala Massage - Online and Easy!

FilterClear All

COMMON SPECIALITIES

COMMON ISSUES