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!

The hand is one of the most commonly used parts of our body and is susceptible to damage, wear and tear as well as injury. Pain in the hand can be attributed to numerous causes, including damage and other conditions that can affect the joints, cartilage, nerves and other parts of the hand.

Causes

De Quervain's tendinitis: This is also known as de Quervain's tendinosis. It causes pain on the thumb side of the wrist. The pain may grow slowly or suddenly. It can also spread to every part of the thumb and up the lower arm. On the off chance that you have de Quervain's tendinitis, you may experience pain while performing the following actions:

- Clenching The fist

- Handling on or holding objects

- Turning the wrist

Treatment for this includes the following:

- Wearing a prop to rest the thumb and wrist

- Calming drugs

- Cortisone infusions

Carpal tunnel disorder: This is common amongst the well-known nerve issues. It can cause pain in the following parts of the hand:

- Palm and a few fingers

- Wrist

- Lower arm


The treatment methods includes the following:

- Resting the hand and wrist

- Painkillers

- Wrist support

- Steroid infusions

- Active recuperation

- Breaks

Fracture: It's a crack or break in a bone that can cause immense pain in the hand. Other than this, the hand may also experience the following:

- Stiffness

- Swelling

- Loss of proper motion and movement

The kind of treatment depends on the kind of fracture. Braces are usually used for small fractures. Sticks, wires, or plates might be used to treat severe fractures. Likewise, surgery may also be recommended to set the broken bone properly.

Arthritis: This is a disease causing joint inflammation and stiffness of the joints. It causes the joints to lose the ligament that permits them to move easily against each other. This tears the ligament, giving rise to crippling pain and swelling.

In the hand, the regions where this regularly happens are as follows:

- Base of the thumb

- Center joint of one or more fingers

- End joint, which is nearest to the fingertip

The treatment depends on the seriousness of the injury and the following may be used:

- Painkillers

- Props for the fingers or wrist

- Heat

- Non-intrusive treatment

Trigger finger: Also known as stenosing tenosynovitis, this defect causes the fingers or the thumb to bend. It can be difficult, particularly when bowing or fixing the influenced finger or thumb.

Knobs may form on the influenced ligaments. Also, the sheath itself may thicken. In the long run, the ligament may get to be adhered when you attempt to fix a twisted finger or thumb.

Resting now and again while wearing a support may help resolve the issue. Over-the-counter torment pharmaceuticals can facilitate the agony. Corticosteroid infusions can mitigate side effects. Surgery might be recommended for extreme cases.

Causes of Common Hand Pain and How to Find Relief

Did you know that in addition to your diet, exercise is one of the best ways to make sure that you never lie on a hospital bed with a surgeon treating you for a bone disorder? Medical expertise has constantly pointed out to the fact that regular exercise makes your bones less likely to suffer from wear and tear during old age.

As you exercise, your muscles become stronger, your bone density increases and your balance improves. Of course, it goes without saying that you need to follow certain precautions before you exercise to avoid certain injuries.

Before starting any exercise program, make sure that you prepare your body for exercise. A brief warm up helps you to get your muscles ready for exercise. It also makes sure that your chances of injury are drastically reduced.

Here are some tips to keep your bones healthy:

Weight lifting: Weight lifting is a type of exercise that, if done correctly, will be extremely beneficial for your bones. You can opt for simple bodyweight exercises such as pushups and squats, which build muscle as well as strength. Avoid using very heavy weights as it causes back-related problems such as slipped disk.

Yoga: Yoga is another method of exercise which is very beneficial for bones and joints. The premise of yoga is static strength building wherein you hold a pose or an exercise for a certain period of time; this helps in strengthening your muscles. Along with your muscles, your bones also become stronger as you get fitter. Yoga is repetitive stress which is good for flexibility and hence keeps your joints supple and muscles in good shape. There are certain asanas which are weight bearing and anti-gravity postures can strengthen your bones. 

Swimming: Swimming again is a good aerobic exercise and is good for back and over all fitness but doesn't strengthen bone per se. It is a way to keep you healthy. Swimming is a cardiovascular exercise, which is also known for its calorie burning capabilities. It is also very effective is incinerating fat and keeping your skeletal system healthy. Whereas walking and jogging and running certainly build your bones as they are weight bearing exercises.

Pilates: Pilates is a new form of exercise that has been gaining a lot of steam lately. It does not require much equipment, as you can get started with just a mat. It is very effective in working your spine and the hips, thus keeping your lower back strong. A weak lower back increases the chances of bone disorders drastically.

How Exercise Can Help In Keeping Your Bones Healthy?

Anti-reflux surgery (Fundoplication) is a procedure for treating gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) incorporated in hiatus hernia operation. GERD occurs when stomach contents reflux and enter the lower end of the esophagus (LES) due to a relaxed or weakened sphincter or a hiatus hernia. GERD is very much treatable and can cause serious complications if left untreated. 

GERD symptoms
The main symptom of GERD is heartburn or indigestion, along with other symptoms, such as 

Acidic sour taste in the mouth
Burning pain in the throat
Difficulty in eating
Bloating and belching
Stomach pains
Regurgitating food
Nausea
Vomiting blood
Dark tarry stools
Laparoscopic Anti-Reflux Surgery
Laparoscopic surgery reinforces the lower oesophageal sphincter s ability to prevent gastroesophageal reflux from occurring. The surgery involves wrapping the top part of the stomach around the lower end of the esophagus and suturing it in place. Since the esophagus passes through the hiatus, suturing is done to narrow the hiatus as it helps in the prevention and treatment of concurrent hiatal hernia.

Laparoscopic Surgery Procedure
A laparoscope, a long, narrow telescope with a light source and a video camera at the end, is inserted through a tiny incision into the abdomen. Images from the camera are projected onto a large high definition monitor for the surgeon to view enlarged images as it helps the surgeon perform surgery with precision.

The patient is placed under general anesthesia
The surgeon makes a small incision in the upper abdomen and inserts the laparoscope into the abdomen.
The surgeon introduces carbon dioxide into the abdominal cavity near the belly button to expand the viewing area of the abdomen giving the surgeon a clear view and room to work.
Additional small incisions are made for a variety of surgical instruments to be used during the procedure.
After the identification of critical structure, the hole in the diaphragm, through which the esophagus passes, is then tightened with sutures.
The surgeon wraps the upper part of the stomach around the lower esophagus guided by the images on the laparoscope, then creates a valve which is precisely sutured in its place.
The laparoscope and other instruments are removed and the gas is released.
The tiny incisions are closed and covered with waterproof dressings to avoid any kind of infections.
The patient is usually discharged within 1-2 days of the surgery.
Post-surgery, hospitalization is required just for one day - no bed rest is required after that. The patient can quickly return to all normal activities and immediate relief from symptoms also happen. 

Laparoscopic Surgery - How It Can Help With Anti-Reflux and Hernia?

Umbilical Hernia is a common condition in infants in which the intestine protrudes or pokes out through the abdominal muscles in the navel area, where generally the Umbilical cord is located. Umbilical Hernia is generally harmless if not sore and is evident when the bellybutton protrudes. During childhood, Umbilical Hernia closes on its own, but sometimes when it does not, it might require a surgical correction during adulthood. This condition is commonly seen in premature babies and can be diagnosed through physical examination alone.

Symptoms

Umbilical Hernia causes swelling or bulging near the navel and is generally visible under normal circumstances. However, in some cases, the protrusion occurs only when the baby strains, coughs or cries. Though this condition is painless, it can cause discomfort during adulthood. To avoid complications, it is advisable to seek professional help even if the condition initially seems harmless. There might be symptoms of pain, swelling, discoloration, and tenderness in the navel, accompanied by vomiting sometimes.

Causes

When the fetus is still unborn and in womb, the umbilical cord passes abdominal muscles of the baby through a small opening, which generally closes post birth. But in case muscles fail to completely join the midline of abdominal wall, this condition appears post birth, and sometimes later in life.

During adulthood, when there is too much pressure on the abdomen, it leads to this condition. This pressure might build up due to a number of causes like multiple pregnancies, obesity, previous abdominal surgery, ascites (fluid in the abdominal cavity), and long-term dialysis for kidney function.

Complications

Complications might be caused when the protruding part of the intestine gets incarcerated or trapped and fails to push itself back into the abdominal cavity, reducing the blood supply. This leads to tissue damage and umbilical pain. If the blood supply totally fails, tissue death leads to gangrene, causing infection, and posing a life-threatening situation. In such cases, surgery might have to be performed in an emergency.

Treatment

Most of the times, abdominal tissue pushes itself back but sometimes, it has to be done by an experienced medical professional. When this cannot happen, surgery has to be performed to correct the situation. The surgery can be open or laparoscopic.

A small incision is made at the base of the bellybutton during surgery, which is a small and quick procedure. The hernia is corrected and sutures close the incision. For adults, sometimes mesh is used for strengthening the abdomen during open surgery.

Take Away

Umbilical Hernia is a condition in which the intestine or abdominal tissue protrudes through the abdominal muscles in the navel area, where generally the Umbilical cord is located. It is a harmless condition but sometimes painful. Generally, it corrects itself but when it fails to do so, corrective surgery is required which can be open or laparoscopic.

 Umbilical Hernia - How To Manage It?

You may find out that your child is suffering from hearing loss when he is born or he may be diagnosed with the condition later in life. Hearing loss in children is commonly caused by otitis media, birth problems and on the account of certain injuries or illnesses.

Signs and symptoms

The early-stage symptoms of hearing loss in children are as follows:

No reaction to extremely loud noises

No response or reaction to your voice

The child makes some sounds, which taper off

The other symptoms which follow include:

He may pull and rub his ears.

He may act cranky constantly without any proper reason.

He might stop paying attention.

Low energy levels are indicated.

He may find it hard to follow directions.

He may ask you to increase the volume of the radio or TV.

Fever and ear pain are also likely symptoms.

Treatment

Early hearing loss can affect a child s language learning skills. If the problem is diagnosed and treated soon, the problem with language can be avoided. The method of treatment depends on the cause of hearing loss in your child and the severity of hearing loss.

There are certain medicines for hearing---prescribed by your ENT Surgeon. Please take the point watchful waiting. Even, if you have the slightest doubt of hearing loss contact ENT immediately.

The primary treatment methods of hearing loss in children include the following:

Watchful waiting: Sometimes, the condition may resolve on its own and the treatment involves simple monitoring of your child for positive changes.

Medicines: There are certain medicines for hearing loss in children, which may be prescribed by your pediatrician.

Ear tubes: Ear tubes may be recommended if medicines and monitoring do not work. The tubes allow fluid to drain and help in preventing infections. A minor surgery has to be undertaken on your child for getting the ear tubes placed. This will solve hearing loss and other related issues.

Hearing aids: Hearing aids may be used to allow your child to hear better. It is safe for children to use ear tubes after the age of one month. For the right hearing aid for your child, you need to consult a hearing specialist.

Implants: Cochlear implants are used to treat hearing loss in many children. These are electronic devices that are put in the inner ear to benefit hearing. These should be used only if hearing aids did not succeed and these are meant to be used only in the case of children with serious hearing problems.

There are several other devices, which can help your child with hearing loss. For suggestions and recommendations, you must take your child to a hearing specialist.

Hearing Loss In Children - Signs And Treatment Of It!

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