Pelvic pain is most common in women, though sometimes it occurs in men as well. There is absolutely no reason why pelvic pain cannot be treated and therefore women need not panic. if they are experiencing such pain. The treatment of any pain can be done methodically after discovering its cause. Thus, before jotting down the treatments for pelvic pain, it is important to explore the reasons that cause pelvic pain in women.

Reasons for pelvic pain

Reproductive organs in women play an important part in causing pelvic pain. The reproductive organ is complex when it comes to women and many small or big problems there might end up leading to pelvic pain.
Any urinary infection or bladder irritation might also lead to pelvic pain.
The nerves and muscles of the abdomen may cause pain in the pelvis area as well. In fact, the nerves and muscles are very tender near the pelvis area and care should be taken so that one does not strain them or pull the ligaments. This can cause severe pain.
Another interesting point to be noted is that sometimes even after going through a lot of examinations, no causes of pelvic pain are found. In such cases, it is understood that the pelvic pain is a manifestation of the remains of a long-forgotten injury or accident.
It has been examined and found out that physical abuse can at times lead to chronic pelvic pain. Though this link has not yet been understood properly, it is seen to be true.
Treatments for pelvic pain

The most basic treatment is to apply a heating pad on the affected area. The heat helps in relaxing the muscles and nerves thereby, lessening the pain. However, this would reduce the pain, but cannot make it disappear in a day. Thus, it is a continuous process for a week or 10 days until the pain recedes.
Relaxation techniques like meditation, breathing exercises, yoga and even muscle exercises like jogging help in reducing the pain. However, this should be done under guidance. One wrong move can actually aggravate the pain instead of lessening it.
Then there are painkillers which are non-steroidal and help in lessening the pain. Painkillers have a correct dosage and must be taken only after consulting a doctor. Self-medication in such cases can prove disastrous.
At times, when all medications fail, surgery is the last resort.
Thus, these are some of the treatments that can be undertaken if and when you are experiencing pelvic pain. All these are connected to the root cause and must be followed only under medical supervision.

Pelvic Pain - 4 Ways It Can be Treated

The causes and symptoms of chronic lower back pain

Lower back pain is characterized by a feeling of pain around the lumbar region (curve of the back connecting the upper back and glutes- muscles in the buttock that are responsible for thigh movement) caused by muscle or ligament injury. The spinal area is most likely to be affected by lower pain as it may impair routine activities like walking and standing. Any lower back pain that lasts for more than ninety days can be considered as chronic.

Causes of lower back pain

There are plenty of causes for lower back pain. Anything that exposes the lumbar area of the spine to a level of stress beyond its capacity can cause lower back pain. These causes are-

1. Disorders of the discs

The spinal area in the lower back comprises of small bones called the vertebra, which are connected to each other by pieces of cartilage known as discs. These discs act as shock absorbers, and when exposed to excessive shock can cause the disc to bulge, resulting in herniated discs. Wear and tear of the discs can also occur.

2. Spinal stenosis

Spinal stenosis occurs when the area around the spine becomes narrow. It may affect the nerves surrounding the lower back, resulting in pain.

3. Wear and tear of the joints and ligaments

Normal wear and tear of the joints and ligaments cause difficulties in holding the spine in its proper position and this progresses with age. This may cause a vertebra to slide over another and affect the nerve endings, giving rise to pain.

Symptoms of lower back pain

The symptoms of lower back pain are usually a dull or excruciating pain in the lower back. It can also affect other parts of the body such as the hips and the legs. In case of severe pain, simple activities like walking, bending and sitting will be impaired.



The Causes and Symptoms of Chronic Lower Back Pain

Problems with the arteries and veins present in the hands or legs can lead to vascular disorders. The arteries carry blood from the heart to other parts of the body in order to deliver nutrients and oxygen. The veins carry the blood back to the heart, after the nutrients have been used up. If these blood vessels of the arteries or veins become blocked or narrowed, it can lead to a vascular blockage.

A vascular blockage that occurs in the hands or legs comes under the category of Peripheral Artery Disease or PAD. These type of disorders are less common in the upper extremities of the arms or hands than in the lower extremities of legs. Few of the signs for the same are:

Pain and difficulty in movement due to decreased blood flow
Numbness or weakness of leg or fingertips
Sores on the toes or feet
If the blockage is deep, symptoms of redness, swelling, extreme pain or cramping can be experienced
Abnormal color changes in the fingertips
Ulcers or wounds that don t heal
Skin sensitivity problems when in cold temperatures
How can it be diagnosed?
The blockage can be detected by various methods namely-

Physical Examination   Your doctor may find decreased pulse at armpit, wrist or fingers, full veins, masses, wounds or gangrene.
Doppler or Ultrasound examination to determine the blood flow in the arteries and veins
MRI Scan of the affected area to pay special attention to the blood vessels
Cold Stress Test
Arteriography to show clear blood vessel details
Angiography to map blockages and narrowing of the arteries
What are the Risk Factors for Peripheral Artery Disease?
An individual is at risk for developing vascular blockages in the hands or legs if one or more of the following factors are present:

Smoking
Diabetes
Heredity Factors   A personal or family history of blood vessel disease
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Aging   People aged above 50 years and older are more prone to vascular blockage
Can it be treated?
Treatments for vascular blockage can vary depending on the age, cause of the blockage, intensity and overall well-being.

Treatments can include:

Self-care   Reducing risk factors and making lifestyle changes to quit smoking, sedentary life or diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol management can reverse symptoms of vascular disease.
Medications   A variety of drugs can be prescribed to lower the risk and progression of narrowing blood vessels or prevent blood clotting.
Interventional Procedures   Minimally invasive surgery like saloon angioplasty, stenting or removal of artery plaque build-up.
Surgery   If the blockage is severe, surgery may be performed to lessen the vessel narrowing, reconstruct the artery or tie it off, depending on the circumstances.

Pain in the Hands or Legs!

Today  working  usually implies sitting at a desk from morning to evening. While this may seem more comfortable than working in the fields, sitting at a desk can trigger a host of back problems. This is because sitting in the same position all day makes the spine bend forward and lowers the efficiency of the back muscles. Working at a desk not only strains your back, but also restricts your movements to typing on a keyboard and moving a mouse. 

Once a back problem begins, it usually lasts a lifetime hence; here are a few tips to save your back.

Get yourself a good chair: Your chair is crucial to your back s health. Avoid the hard backed plastic chairs and pick a more flexible mesh backed office chair if you sit at the table for a long span of time. Ergonomic chairs may seem expensive, but are worth the expense in the long run.
Stretch your muscles: Sitting in the same position all day, puts the muscles under stress and with time can constrict the muscles. Make it appoint to stand up every 30 minutes and stretch your back and sides. Also try rotating your hips and shoulders form time to time.
Take a break: No matter how much work you have in front of you, take a break at the end of each hour. Taking even 2 minutes off out of 60 every hour can have a huge impact on your health. If you still feel guilty skip using the phone to connect with your colleague and walk over to their desks instead.
Get a pedometer: Keeping a pedometer will help you track the number of steps taken in a day. Ideally, a person should take 10,000 steps a day to stay healthy. If you sit at a desk for majority of the day, take every opportunity you can to up the count on your pedometer. Go for a walk around your office after lunch or park your car a little way off from the office to create opportunities to walk.
Take the stairs: As far as possible avoid escalators and elevators. Instead climb stairs for a quick workout. If your office is on the 20th floor, walking up may not be feasible, but you could get off the elevator on the 18th floor and walk up the remaining two floors.
Eat healthy: Lastly, pay attention to what you eat. Avoid eating at the office canteen or picking up a bite at the coffee shop and carry lunch from home. This ensures that you eat a balanced meal.

World Spine Day-6 Back Saving Tips for People Who Sit at a Desk All Day

Back pain is a common source of pain and can be acute, sub-acute or chronic in nature. Back pain is classified along the segments of the spine and can be divided into neck pain, middle back pain, lower back pain and coccydynia or tail bone pain. Back pain can be quite troublesome as it disables a person to move about freely due to constant ache.

Here are some procedures for the treatment of back pain.

    Give your back some rest: Most people who get back pain become obsessed with it and end up getting MRI scans and x-rays done. Some even take injections and other such measures without recognizing the intensity of the pain. It is advised not to rush into the matter immediately and the simplest way to cure the pain is by resting. 90% of pains in the back resolve by themselves in 6 weeks and so you must give your back a break instead of taking medical actions and let time do the healing.
    Pills: While you let time treat your back pain, sometimes the pain increases and gives you a bad time. In this case, you can take anti-inflammatory medicinal pills such as ibuprofen or naproxen. These pills will help you ease the pain. However, using such pills for a continued period of time causes side effects such as gastrointestinal disorders. Hence, you should not take them for more than ten days at a stretch.
    Hot and cold compress: Apply a bag of frozen peas or an ice pack to the affected area for 48 hours after the pain appears. Every session should be about 20 minutes, and you should take more than two sessions each day. After two days, repeat the same procedure using a heat pad instead of ice. The cooling procedure shuts down your blood capillaries and reduces the flow of blood to that area. The swelling is eased as a result. The heating, on the other hand, loosens tight muscles and increases the blood circulation, providing extra oxygen.
    Change your mattress: People who sleep on firm mattresses and cushions on their beds are at a higher risk of having a back pain. According to studies, it has been observed that people sleeping on medium-firm mattresses have healthier backs. In case your mattress in sagging or is over 8 years old, you should replace it.
    Acupuncture: When your back pain is very severe, you can resort to acupuncture, which provides efficient pain relief. The procedure changes the way your nerves react and reduces inflammation.

Back pain arises from various reasons and should always be taken care of. Unattended back pain worsens and makes the affected person suffer.

Suffering From Lower Back Pain - 5 Ways You Can Treat it

The problem of morning back and neck pain may be due to the position of sleeping or it may be related to inflammatory arthritis which can be familial. Morning back pain is largely related to wrong sleeping posture and less commonly due to arthritic conditions like Ankylosing Spondylitis or Rheumatoid Arthritis. Whatever be the cause- this condition requires attention by an Orthopedic doctor as it may worsen in due course of time and should not be taken lightly.

Some common factors causing this are:

Mattress: Too soft or too hard a mattress might induce back ache after sleep. For people with waist and hips of equal proportion, a firmer mattress would do well. For those with narrower waist than their hips, a flexible and softer mattress that can move with the pelvic weight would be a perfect choice. Refrain from using old hardened mattresses.

Pillow: The pillow you use must be able to render support to your neck naturally. Instead of using excessively firm or soft pillow, try substituting it with memory foam pillows, refillable water pillows or cervical support pillows.

Posture: Not changing your position while sleeping or sleeping on the belly exerts strain on the back muscles, causing pain. On the other hand, sleeping on the back or on the sides causes comparatively less strain on the spine.

Other causes such as strenuous workouts or physical activities or sitting at a stretch during the day might cause pain while sleeping or after getting up from bed.

Remedies for Morning Back Pain:

Fortunately, there are some home remedies to cure the morning back pain.

Switching your mattress is a more expensive remedy for back pain, but may often be the ultimate cure. Most people sleep the best on medium-firm mattresses. Be sure to try out the mattress before you buy it.

For occasional back pain after sleeping, apply heat to your back to relax your muscles before you go to bed and when you get up in the morning.

Massage your back with pain relieving creams and apply heat on it with a heating pad for quick relief.

Specific spinal stretching exercises and Planks (a type of exercise) can greatly help in easing back pain, if done on a regular basis.

It is always recommended to CONSULT an Orthopaedic doctor if you suffer from morning back pain.



What Should You Know About Morning Back Pain And Neck Pain?

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