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?

Gout is a type of arthritis, which can affect your joints, though usually, it causes maximum harm to your big toe. Symptoms that you are having a bout of gout include having a stiffness and swelling of the joint in question. The pain is very sudden and also causes a burning sensation. Gout is basically a recurrent type of inflammatory arthritis. However, the pain associated with gout can be remedied by ayurveda. Here are some of the best ayurvedic remedies which can be used:

1. Panchatikta ghrita guggulu: panchatikta ghrita guggulu is the most common and most widely recommended treatment for gout. However, it needs to be taken on an empty stomach. It is also worth note that it works best when teaspoons of it are taken two times a day with warm milk.

2. Kaishore guggulu: kaishore guggulu is a type of medicine, which should be accompanying panchatikta ghrita guggulu. It is usually administered after some initial relief is felt from panchatikta ghrita guggulu. Its best to consume this medicine in tablet form thrice a day.

3. Shallaki: this ayurvedic remedy is great for decreasing the pain in the joints affected. It also decreases the swelling in those joints, which have been affected by the bout of gout. Shallaki is also crucial in making sure that cartilage forms and that the blood supply to the joint which is affected by gout is still stable.

4. Ashwagandha: ashwagandha is medically known as withania somnifera. In the west, ashwagandha is popularly known as winter cherry. Also, it has a lot of therapeutic properties, which include reducing joint pains and also inflammation of muscles. This herb can also work wonders on your blood circulation.

5. Pinda taila: this is a type of oil which needs to be applied externally. Pinda taila is a very rare class of medicines which treats gout externally. Pinda taila or guduchyadi taila is administered by rubbing it on the body part affected.

Ayurveda and Gout

Knee pain or injuries are very common and have numerous causes. Knee pain can emerge from delicate tissue wounds like ligament sprains and muscle strains. Bone conditions like knee joint pain, Osgood Schlatters, and biomechanical dysfunction can also cause knee pain. Treatment can include basic knee mobilization techniques, taping, massages or knee strengthening exercises completely through a careful recovery method after knee replacement or reconstruction.

Physiotherapy can help you overcome the pain and increase your strength and flexibility. A physiotherapist can suggest you a number of treatments and also help you understand your issue and get you back to your everyday routine. Physiotherapists are said to be successful in getting rid of the source of the knee pain by diagnosing a cause. This includes tightness around the knee and treating it with stretching and exercises.

Following are some of the exercises a physiotherapist might generally recommend for knee pain:

Hamstring stretch: Stretching keeps you flexible and increases your scope of movement, or how far you can move your joints in different directions. It additionally helps you reduce your chances of injuries and pain. Continuously warm up with a five minute walk first. Lie down when you are prepared to stretch your hamstring. Circle a bed sheet around your right foot, use the sheet to pull the leg up and hold for twenty seconds and then lower the leg. Repeat twice and switch legs.
Calf stretch: Use a chair for balance. Bend your left leg. Step back with your right leg and gradually straighten it behind you. Press your left heel toward the floor. You should feel the stretch in the calf of your back leg. Hold for 20 seconds. Repeat twice and then switch legs.
Straight leg raise: It helps build muscle strength to give support to the weak joints. Lie on the floor. Twist your left knee, foot on the floor. Keep the right leg straight, toes pointed up. Tighten your thigh muscles and raise your right leg.
Quad set: With these, you don't raise your leg. Just tighten the thigh muscles, also called the quadriceps, of one leg at once. Begin by lying on the floor. Keep both legs on the ground, loose. Flex and hold the left leg tense for five seconds and then relax. Do three sets of ten repetitions. Switch legs after every set.
Cushion squeeze: This move strengthens your legs from the inside so that they can support the knees. Lie on your back, both knees facing inwards. Place a cushion or a pillow between the knees. Press your knees together, squishing the cushion between them. Hold for five seconds and then relax. Do three sets of ten repetitions. Switch legs after every set.
Heel raise: Stand tall and hold the back of a seat for support. Lift your heels off the ground and rise on the toes of both feet. Hold for three seconds. Gradually lower both heels to the ground. Do three sets of ten repetitions. 

Knee Pain - How Physiotherapy Can Heal Knee Pain?

The spinal cord houses the most important nerves in the body. Therefore, any disease or disorder affecting the area can be difficult to manage and live with. A spinal cord tumour is a common occurrence and makes life difficult for patients. However, the treatment for tumours on the spinal cord differs based on the region that it affects and other factors.

Types of spinal cord tumours:

Tumours near the spine region can be classified into three types, based on the area that it grows.

  Inside the spinal cord - When a tumour grows inside the spinal cord, it is known as intramedullary. These types of tumours are the rarest. If a tumour affects your cervical spinal cord, it is likely to be intramedullary.

  Outside the spinal cord - A tumour may also grow outside the spinal cord, but still be inside the sac protecting the cord. This kind of spinal tumours is known as intradural/extramedullary.

  Outside the protective sac of the spinal cord - Lastly, the tumour may grow just outside the protective sac of the spinal cord. This is the most common type of a spinal tumour and is known as extradural. A tumour in this region can be malignant or benign.

Symptoms of spinal tumours:

Spine tumours may be difficult to diagnose because the associated symptoms are easily mistaken as other minor disorders or conditions. Here are some common symptoms of a spinal tumour-

  Extreme back pain is common for spinal tumours. This pain grows worse at night. Patients are unable to find relief from the pain even after rest.
  Numbness in the legs and arms
  Inability to walk or severe difficulty in certain movements
  Reduced sensitivity to stimuli, such as pain, heat and cold
  Loss of bowel and bladder control

Treatment for spinal tumours:

Treatment for a tumour depends on the kind of a tumour that affects the patient along with the region of growth. Some tumours may not cause any major difficulty in your quality of life. Doctors will recommend monitoring the growth in such a case. Treatment may not be needed.

In the case of benign tumours, surgery is recommended.

  Surgery - This is the most common form of treatment for benign tumours. If the doctor feels that a tumour is at a location where he/she can perform a safe surgical procedure to remove it, surgery is the best treatment option. However, such surgery can lead to minimal nerve damage.

In the case of cancerous tumours, the treatment is different.

  Radiation therapy - Radiation therapy is necessary to destroy the cancer cells in a tumour. Generally, radiation therapy is useful in cases, where surgery is impossible, due to the location of a tumour.

  Chemotherapy - Doctors may use medications to limit the growth of cancer. In such a case, the drugs help put your cancer in remission. However, the side effects of chemotherapy are severe.

If you experience back pain, visit your doctor. It may be spinal cord cancer. Early detection greatly helps in the treatment of the disease.

Spinal Tumours - Types, Symptoms & Treatment!

The body s reacts to anything suspicious by developing an allergic reaction. Some of the common substances inducing this reaction include certain food substances, pollen, insect bites and certain metals. This body recognises these suspicious substances as antigens and produces what is known as antibodies. These produce various allergic reactions in the body ranging from something as minor as a skin rash to something drastically fatal as respiratory distress and even death.

Features:

Angioedema is one of the most severe forms of allergic reactions.
Translated literally as swelling of the blood vessels, angioedema causes swelling of the blood vessels in the underlying layers and this can lead to the formation of giant hives.
The hives or rashes are extremely itchy, reddish, and can vary in shape (oval or circular). The hives also are warm and painful when touched.
Angioedema usually affects the skin but can have more severe effects like blocking the airway and leading to respiratory distress
Causes: Angioedema is usually caused by one of the following:

Insect bites or stings
People with allergies to foods like peanuts, eggs, milk, shellfish, chocolates, tree nuts, etc.
Pollen, animal dander, latex, poison ivy, and other common allergens
Medicines like penicillin, aspirin, ibuprofen, and some anti-hypertensives
Autoimmune skin disorders like lupus
Reaction to incompatible blood transfusions
Weather conditions like extremes of cold, heat, or pressure
Infections like hepatitis, cytomegalovirus infections, Epstein-Barr infections, etc.
Conditions like leukaemia and thyroid disorders
Extreme emotional stress
Genetic angioedema, inherited from parents by children, which can last forever
Risk factors: Though hives usually develop without any warning signs, the following are some risk factors for developing angioedema.

Previous history of allergies
Predisposition to develop allergic reactions (overactive immune system)
Genetic history of allergies, especially of angioedema
Diagnosis:

In first-time patients, a detailed history with deep dive into similar instances in the past will be done
A physical exam to check for missed hives (like the back) is then done
Allergy testing may also be required to test if a person has a high predisposition to allergies
Blood testing to check for eosinophils, which is usually high in patients with allergies, is done.
Allergy testing to identify the trigger agent may be done if trigger is not known. This will help in preventing further attacks.
If genetic angioedema is suspected, C1 esterase inhibitor test and complement particles are also checked.
Treatment:
Non-medical treatment including loose clothing, cool compresses, and copiously moisturizing to reduce dryness and itching. This is usually sufficient in majority of the cases.
Medical: Antihistamines like cetirizine and loratadine are the next line of treatment. Very severe cases may require steroids like prednisone.


Angioedema - 11 Reasons Why It Can Happen!

Natural Ways To Manage Arthritis

You might be aware that there is no way that you can prevent arthritis to happen except for being car. But what you can do is delay and reduce the risk of its potential onset. If your joints are healthy now, there is no guarantee that they will always be, unless, you take good care. 

Do you know a few kinds of arthritis can be modified. They are:

1. Gout - Have a healthy, balanced diet which is low in cholesterol, alcohol and sugar. This will help you fight against the onset of gout.

2. Osteoarthritis - To modify the risk factor of osteoarthritis, it is important to maintain a healthy weight.

How to defeat arthritis?

1. Keep a check on your weight: If you are obese, you are putting more pressure on your joints and as a result, they wear out soon. By losing weight, you can make a lot of difference in your joint health.

2. Ensure good water intake: Our body is 70% water. And water is one of those things which is the most important for us. Staying hydrated is very important, even for your joints. Because when the body is dehydrated, and the body needs water, it uses the water stored in our bodies, incl the water in the cartilage.

3. Try to avoid any injury: No one really wants to get injured but it is important to be careful and cautious against injuries of any kind. The more injured your joints are, the more susceptible they are to wear and tear now, and arthritis later in life.

4. Don’t stress with physical tasks: There is a way and correct posture to do them, but many people ignore those and perform the tasks clumsily. This puts additional pressure on your joints.

5. Get Your share of Vitamin D: Vitamin D is very important for us. If your body has adequate amount of vitamin D, then you are less susceptible to arthritis. It is wise to get the levels tested and if low, a doctor consulted for proper medication.

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

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Pain- free Arthritis? Here’s How To Make It Happen!

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