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

Spinal surgery becomes inevitable when back pain cannot be managed with medications and/or exercise. This is a major decision and requires planning for many things before, during, and after the surgery.

Before a spinal surgery- This preparation will help in smooth recovery, especially if you do not have a full-time caretaker.

Discontinue pain killers: Discontinue pain killers at least 10 to 14 days before surgery. These are blood thinners and can prolong bleeding during the surgery.

Prepare for blood loss: Most people experience some blood loss, but not excessive.

Use a toilet seat raiser: Sitting and getting up from the toilet seat may be difficult. The seat raiser is used to increase the height, making this movement easy.

Enable easy access to common items: Before heading for the surgery, keep things which are commonly used within easy reach. This will help reduce movement and avoid searching (especially if someone else is going to be doing it).

Stock it up: Cooking may not be feasible during the initial postop period, and so it is advisable to stock up food items (ready to eats, fruits, soups, etc.) which will come in handy.

Slip-ons: Bending down and tying shoes may not be easy, so slip-ons can be used.

Caregiving: It is always advisable to have someone stay over with you during the initial postop days. They could help with regular household chores, cooking, etc.

Lifestyle changes: Ensure you eat well in the days before surgery, quit smoking, quit/use moderate amounts of alcohol, and exercise as advised by your surgeon.

After Surgery- Post surgery, there will be some pain and limitation of movement. It is important to understand that adherence to post-op instructions will improve the success rate of the surgery. Also, recovery time for spine surgery is slightly longer and affects overall quality of life, so psychological preparation is required.

Postoperative medications: These will be given to control infection and pain in the immediate postop period, and should be taken without fail

Rehab: The surgeon will recommend physical therapy and rehab exercises which need to be followed. Complete recovery may take anywhere between 3 to 12 months. During this time, care should be taken to avoid repeat injury.

Support: Adequate back support should be provided using lumbar support and ergonomic chairs, and the right posture should be maintained. Ensure there is no undue strain on the back muscles.

Weight management: With excess weight, there is too much strain on the lower disks. Therefore, weight should be managed to reduce this strain.

Smoking and alcohol should be completely stopped, as healing can be hampered.

With some preparation, spinal surgery can be sailed through smoothly.

What To Expect Before and After Spine Surgery?

Rotator Cuff Tear is one of the most common disabilities observed amongst adults above 40 years of age. Rotator Cuff is a group of four muscles that keep the Humerus (arm bone) attached to the socket of the Shoulder. The Rotator Cuff keeps the Shoulder Blade attached to the arm, and when there s a damage (tear) in one of these muscles, excruciating pain is felt by the patient.

Kinds of Rotator Cuff Tear-

  Partial Tear: This happens when one of the Tendons amongst the four Tendons is damaged or torn.
  Full Tear: This occurs when all the Tendons are torn; this is also called Complete Tear. Severe pain is experienced in this type of tear and surgery might be required.

Symptoms-

  A person may experience excruciating pain while performing daily tasks like Combing hair, Picking up Laundry, etc.
  Muscle weakness and stiffness on Shoulder.

Diagnosis of Rotator Cuff Tear-

  Ultrasound is used to check the internal structure of the shoulder and the damaged muscle pattern. The waves directed into the shoulder create images of the Tendons and ligaments of the shoulder. This allows the doctor to access the severity of the damage on the shoulder.
  MRI: When the doctor needs a better look at the Tendon damage, radio waves provide a better imagery than Ultrasound.

Treatment of Rotator Cuff Tear-

  RICE (Rest Ice Compression Elevation): In Case of partial rotator cuff injuries with very little damage, RICE is a good treatment option to treat temporary partial damage in the shoulder. Applying cold water and moving the hands slowly helps the muscles to get into shape.

  Injections: Non-inflammatory drugs are prescribed to the patient suffering from Full Rotator Cuff injury to deal with the pain. A Tendon tear can cause extreme pain, which might give the patient some sleepless nights. Non-inflammatory painkillers temporarily numb the shoulder, allowing the patient to sleep.

  Physical Therapies: Physical therapy is one of the most sought out treatment option. Physical therapy allows a person to recover from a rotator cuff injury through exercises and mild movements of the arms and shoulders.

  Surgery: When the injury is too severe for conventional treatment and medication, a patient might have to go through some complex surgeries.

A) Arthroscopic Tendon Repair: In this surgery, the doctor makes a small incision on the shoulders and then inserts a Laparoscope type instrument (Arthroscope) into the muscles, with a camera attached on the top. This instrument allows the surgeon to see the muscle structure and also helps in re-joining the tendons.

B) Open Tendon Repair: Arthroscopic Tendon Repair can be a bit complex, that s why an open tendon repair is preferred by most doctors. In this surgery, the surgeon makes a bigger incision and attaches the Tendons surgically. 

Conclusion-
Rotator Cuff Tears is a severe problem for the locomotion of body, but it is treatable, as long as one doesn t delay going to an experienced doctor.

Rotator Cuff Tear - Know The Treatment Options!

The sciatic pain caused due to a lumbar herniated disc can radiate down your legs and may make you immobile. It is quite common for a herniated disc to press against a nearby nerve and inflame, leading to pain radiating along the length of the affected sciatic nerve. For getting relief from lumbar herniated disc pain, you need to become active. Daily hamstring stretches are considered to be an effective way to tackle such pain if you do them regularly. 

Here are three important hamstring stretches which will help you in strengthening your hamstring muscles:

Seated chair stretches: This stretch is perfect for people whose mobility is limited or for those who have unusually tight hamstrings. It is carried out in a sitting position. While performing this stretch, you have to sit on a chair with another chair placed across. By resting one foot on the ground and the other on the second chair, you need to straighten your back and lean forward over the leg which is extended. Once you feel a stretch in the upper and rear thigh, you should be in that position for at least 30 seconds. You should switch legs and repeat the stretching exercise thrice for each leg.
Towel hamstring stretch: If you like stretching while lying down, this stretch is an ideal option for you. For performing a towel hamstring stretch, you have to lie down on the floor and keep one leg flat. Tighten your abdominal muscles while you lift the other leg and keep it straight. You should wrap a belt around the elevated leg s instep and use it for pulling back the leg towards you. Hold the position for around 30 seconds when you feel a stretch.
Wall hamstring stretch: This stretch is for people who find the towel hamstring stretch hard to execute. For such people, extra stability can be attained by taking help of a solid surface such as a door jamb or a wall. You can rest the raised leg against the wall for support. You need to lie on the floor near a wall corner and leave one leg straight while placing the other against the wall. Your hips should be on the floor.
While you do stretches of any kind, you should only stretch as far as you are comfortable. You must not stretch to a point which causes pain. These hamstring stretches are quite safe, but you should avoid them in case of any sudden, acute pain.

Lumbar Herniated Disc Pain - 3 Hamstring Stretches for it

Rheumatoid arthritis is a disorder of the joints characterized by swelling, inflammation and pain in the joints. This disorder is an autoimmune disorder, wherein the immune cells of the body start to view the tissues of the body as a potential threat.

Homeopathy treats this condition very effectively as it focuses on treating the cause of the disorder. The remedies in homeopathy moderate the overactive immune system and thus help in reducing inflammation in the bones. The homeopathic practitioner starts the diagnosis by enquiring about your medical history, symptoms, working environment and provides treatment accordingly.

The various homeopathic remedies that are used to treat rheumatoid arthritis are: 
1. Calcarea carbonica: arthritis that leads to formation of nodes in the affected joint, accompanied by symptoms, which aggravate during damp weather, is very effectively remedied by this particular homeopathic medicine.
2. Arnica: arnica is a homeopathic remedy that is used to treat symptoms of chronic arthritis where you experience a sore feeling on a regular basis. The symptoms tend to worsen if you touch the affected area.
3. Bryonia: f you have a throbbing pain in your joints, then bryonia is recommended. The symptoms tend to worsen in cold weather.
4. Calcarea fluorica: this remedy is recommended if the pain tends to improve with the application of heat. The symptoms include swelling of the joints and formation of nodes. It is especially used if the arthritis develops after an injury.
5. Kali carbonicum: if the joints are extremely stiff with the pain aggravating during the early morning hours, then this remedy is prescribed. It also helps if the symptoms tends to worsen in damp and cold weather.
6. Pulsatilla: this remedy is prescribed in cases where the intensity of the pain keeps on fluctuating and also if the pain is not localized. The symptoms tend to worsen in warm conditions and improve in cold conditions.
7. Rhododendron: rhododendron is recommended if the symptoms of arthritis tend to flare up and aggravate in cold conditions. Generally the pain increases during the early morning hours or if you stay stationary for a long time.

Homeopathic Medicines for Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain Treatment

Paralysis is a chronic medical disease characterized by a loss of muscle function in the body accompanied by sensory loss. The patient is unable to control the paralysed muscle consciously. Most common causes of injury are stroke, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury and head injury.  There are 4 types of paralysis and the effect may be complete or partial. The effect may be confined to only one space or multiple areas; and it may affect one or both sides of the body. Paralysis, on one hand, can be brief and may last for a short time; if not, it can be long term or permanent too. 

Physiotherapy is a health care profession wherein diseases are assessed, diagnosed and treated via exercise. It is also used to prevent a particular disability or disease. Science has yet to discover a cure for paralysis but the aim of physiotherapy is to make the patient as independent as possible. Depending on the affected area and the extent of paralysis, physiotherapy is started. Doctors recommend physiotherapy for paralysis for the following reasons

Physiotherapy should be started immediately because it improves blood circulation and relaxes the affected muscles. It can also inhibit the advancement of paralysis and develop muscle tone and the general well-being of the patient.
If the brain has suffered a severe external injury, physiotherapy assists in reducing the swelling and fastens the recovery process.
It aims at making the patient mobile and fully functioning.
Physiotherapy focuses on the maintenance of respiratory function.
Prevents pressure sores and contracture.
The physiotherapist sometimes works on unaffected muscles to compensate for the paralysed ones. Physiotherapy maintains and builds muscular strength in the affected areas. This action prevents deformation of limbs.
Physiotherapy training helps in managing paralyzed bladder and bowel movements.
Physiotherapy helps in building the morale of the patient and motivates the patient to be independent.
A side effect of Paralysis is post-traumatic depression that includes anxiety, denial hostility. The patient is often angry which may worsen his condition. Physiotherapy helps in controlling these feelings and gives the patient hope.
A physiotherapist suggests adaptive and modern equipment such as a splint, orthosis, braces as well as a cane for the disabled person depending on severity of the condition.

Paralysis - How Physiotherapy Can Be Helpful?

Don't wait any longer, manage your Osteoarthritis Specialist online with a Lybrate doctor today

Consult for Osteoarthritis Specialist - Online and Easy!

FilterClear All

COMMON SPECIALITIES

COMMON ISSUES