What is paralysis?
Paralysis is a loss of muscle power and function of any part of the body. It is seen in the form of weakness of body parts, loss of sensation, and loss of movement of that part.

What is physiotherapy and why it is used?
Physiotherapy includes massage, therapeutic physical activities, scientific procedures, and education. Physiotherapy should be started as soon as possible, and it needs to be regularly followed, on a daily basis to see its best results. If it is not done under the proper guidance, it may worsen the condition of the patients. It is helpful in the following ways:

Helps to improve blood circulation and relax muscles
Slows down the progress of paralysis
Improves muscle tone
Maintains the respiratory function
Prevents pressure sores and contracture in the bedridden patients
Helps to build up strength in the affected muscles which helps to prevent the limbs from becoming deformed
Helps in building up the motivation and morale of the patient
Helps improve balance and coordination of the muscles
What therapies are included in it?
It includes the following therapies:

Aerobic exercises: It encourages a rapid exchange of oxygen to muscle tissues which increases sensory and motor function.
Method of physical conditioning: It is conducted via active or passive ranges of motion which help improve the muscle strength and also help the patient to adapt or learn how to use the paralyzed limb.
Exercises: Exercises, such as hip rotation exercise and its variation, ankle rotation exercises, and toe rotation exercises are advised in lower limb paralysis.
Electric stimulation therapy: It helps restore the motor function in paralyzed patients where electrical stimulation is done via a low-frequency device.
Mobility aids: Mobility aids, such as a wheelchair, help to move from one place to another place.
Hydrotherapy pool: It helps assist patients to overcome conditions where movement is limited because of paralysis and where muscles are weakened.
Massage therapy: Massage therapy helps regain control of muscles and boost the range of motion by improving blood circulation to the affected part.
Hand muscle exercises: It includes exercise with the balls or any other toy to improve hand grip and muscle power.
Speech therapy: In patients with aphasia, speech therapy is given to improve the speech.
Parallel bars: It helps practice walking and balancing when there is impairment.
Physical training: In physical training, various exercises are taught to improve the muscle strength of the affected part.
Use of teaching transformers (wheelchairs, bed, car, or toilet): It helps improve safety and also promotes independence.

Role Of Physiotherapy In Patients With Paralysis!

When you think about a healthy diet, you wonder how much carbohydrate, protein, fats and minerals you need to stay fit. However, are you neglecting the importance of vitamins in your daily diet? Research suggests that vitamins play a crucial role in muscle building and bone health.

Here is a look at the different vitamins that will help you enhance your muscles and bones using vitamins.

1. Vitamin D-

You may have heard about the importance of calcium for proper bone health. However, only consuming calcium-rich foods will not help you develop stronger bones. If you do not have enough vitamin D in your body, you will not be able to use the excess calcium for bone health. Vitamin D helps your body utilize the calcium for bone growth and enhancement.

Apart from strengthening your bones, vitamin D also works wonders for your muscles. It helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorus, both of which are essential elements in the production of adenosine triphosphate or ATP. ATP is the only form of energy that your muscles can use during movements and activities.

Best sources for vitamin D are cheese, egg yolk, certain fatty fish, shrimp, mushrooms, soya milk, orange juice and cereals.

2. Vitamin K2-

Vitamin K2, also known as menaquinone, improves your cardiovascular health. Vitamin K2 is also a coenzyme that helps your bone use proteins. Additionally, a study performed in 2013 revealed that vitamin K2 improves bone metabolism in post-menopausal women. At such an age, women s bone health starts to deteriorate and osteoporosis sets in. Therefore, vitamin K2 becomes all the more important for women at such an age.

Best sources of vitamin K2 are butter, cheese, egg yolk, dark chicken meat, and fermented soy.

3. Vitamin C-

Vitamin C is a great choice if you work out regularly. A powerful antioxidant, it helps your body metabolise proteins in the body, leading to muscle growth. Additionally, vitamin C helps in the absorption of iron, which is an essential component of blood.

Best food sources for vitamin C are citrus fruits, such as oranges, lemons and more. Additionally, green capsicum, broccoli, and blackcurrants also provide ample amounts of vitamin C to your body.

Even though vitamins have a role to play in building stronger bones and muscles, the only diet will not be enough for a fit body. You need to start exercising along with eating a balanced diet if you want to stay healthy. Furthermore, exercising helps improve your musculoskeletal health.

Vital Vitamins For Musculoskeletal Health!

5 Ways to Stop Muscle Cramps

Muscle cramps are feared and loathed by all of us alike – they hurt, they slow us down and they just give us a helpless feeling! The most common cause of these cramps is premature fatigue which affects the reflex control of muscles. Here are 5 ways guaranteed to beat these troublesome muscle cramps:

1. Take rest
The most easy and sure-shot way to kill a muscle cramp is to take rest. Just rest your body, be at one place and the cramp will not last more than 3-4 minutes. Moving around will only cause the pain to be aggravated and eventually affect other areas as well.

2. Consume solutions rich in salt
Whenever you encounter a troublesome cramp, the first instinct is to reach for water. However, studies have shown that salt solutions are far more effective in countering cramps as compared to plain water. You can have pickle juice and similar drinks which have a high salt concentration.

3. Be physically active
The most common reason for muscle cramps is over-straining of the body. If you are planning to indulge in an extremely intensive physical activity, make sure to train well in advance. Also, keep the duration and intensity of the training at a similar level to that of the actual activity.

4. Keep your body hydrated
Dehydration is the root of a number of troublesome conditions, muscle cramps being one of them. Make sure to always carry a water bottle with you and drink a minimum of 7-8 glasses of water on a daily basis.

5. Indulge in light passive muscle stretching
When faced with a muscle cramp, in addition to resting, try and gently stretch the affected muscle. This continuous and light passive stretching lets the brain know that it can relax the muscle and help it return to normal.




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5 Winning Ways to Stop those Nasty Muscle Cramps

Arthritis is a disease in which the joints in your body swell. Inflammation or swelling can be caused due to body's natural response to injury or disease. It can cause discomfort in the form of pain, stiffness as well as difficulty in movement. Major types of arthritis are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and gout.

Causes of arthritis

Arthritis is generally caused by a combination of factors. It can happen due to genetic factors in case the disease runs in the family. Sometimes it can be caused due to injuries of the past; it can also be a by-product of your lifestyle. Some of the common causes of arthritis are:

1. Genetic makeup in which arthritis can be a hereditary trait
2. Physically taxing work life or injuries caused in an accident
3. Imbalance in the immunity system
4. Infections in the joint.

Risk Factors associated with arthritis

1. Family history - You can be prone to develop arthritis if it runs in the family. It can occur due to its hereditary trait hence making you more vulnerable to the environmental factors which contribute to developing arthritis.

2. Age - The risk of arthritis can increase with age. Types like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout are more common in the old age.

3. Gender - Your sex is an important factor as women are more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis while men are prone to suffer from gout.

4. Joint injury - Joint injury caused due to accidents or due to sports activities can trigger arthritis. People with previous joint injuries can develop arthritis in that joint.

5. Obesity - Excess weight can put a lot of pressure on the joints, on the knees and hips in particular. Hence, obese people have more chances of developing arthritis than fitter people.

Causes and Risk Factors Associated with Arthritis

Our bones are composed of calcium deposits, and with age, the amount of deposits gradually reduce, leading to porous bones called in medical terms as osteoporosis - osteo for bone and porosis for porous. As the bones grow porous, they are more brittle and prone for fracture. In severe conditions, a person's limb length can also be altered, leading to stooped and shortened stature.

Osteoporosis is more common in females, especially after menopause, as there is a strong hormonal connection to osteoporosis. An advice for females post 40 is to include calcium and vitamin d supplements, thereby delaying the onset and reducing the severity of this condition.

Once it does set in, there are various medications available; however, as with most allopathic medications, there are side-effects. Well-known as it is, homeopathy treats the individual and not just the disease. Listed below are some common treatments, which improve calcium and phosphorus metabolism, reduce bone loss, and improve bone mass.

Calcarea carbonica - This works well in patients who have issues with calcium absorption, get tired easily, are anxious and stressed out easily. Cold often worsens the pain and there could be swelling of joints and neck and back pain. There is also a strong craving for sweets in these people.

Calcarea phosphorica - This works very well in cases where the spine has been affected. Patients with softened spine and curved body benefit very well from this. This also can be used where there is associated anemia and increased bone pain due to cold weather. At an emotional level, people with general dissatisfaction and a strong desire to travel and wanting a change of situations can also benefit from this.

Calcaria iod - In addition to bone loss, where there is muscular and fat deficiency, this supplement has been proven to work well.

Silicea (silica) - Delicate people who are often very nervous and get tired easily and have a low resistance to infection get benefited from this medication. The spine is the most affected, and there might even be fractures and pus or fistula formation. It helps in healing broken bones and removing bone splinters. This works well in cases where calcium assimilation is affected by improving calcium assimilation.

Symphytum - Popularly known as 'knit bone,' this medicine is believed to help unite fractured bones very effectively by promoting strong callous formation. Not just new fractures, this also helps in patients who have pain in old healed or partially healed fractures.

To conclude, there are many remedies that can help treat osteoporosis and its consequences, the above being the few popular ones.

Homeopathy For Prevention And Treatment Of Osteoporosis

Extramedullary intradural tumours are a rarity. Of all the tumours of the nervous system, fewer than 15% are of the spine. And around 45% of them are intradural. And 40% of intradural tumours are extramedullary.

What are some common Intradural Extramedullary Spinal Tumours? 

Some forms of intradural extramedullary spinal tumours are-

Schwannomas

Meningiomas

Gliomas

Neurofibromas

What are the Symptoms of Intradural Extramedullary Spinal Tumours?

Some symptoms of this condition are-

Back pain

Cramps

Loss of feeling along the back

Loss of spinal flexibility

Weakness of the limbs

Slight degrees of paralysis

Hunched-over spine

If treatment is not sought immediately, the effect of the tumours would penetrate all levels of the spine and may lead to complete paralysis.

How are Intradural Extramedullary Spinal Tumours diagnosed?

A basic physical examination will reveal that there are tumours on the spine. Before treatment commences, the person will have to opt for these tests-

An MRI scan

A CT scan

X-rays

biopsy

Treatment of Intradural Extramedullary Spinal Tumours diagnosed?

Doctors do not usually suggest surgery right away. They will first try to vanquish the tumours with chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Sometimes a combination of both might be required.

If therapy does not work, surgery will be suggested. During the surgery, resection is done with the aim to assuage pain and stabilize the spine. Preoperative embolization is performed. A catheter is inserted into a vessel of the groin and directed to the tumour. Then a glue-like agent is administered to the vessels that carry blood to the tumour. When this supply is cut off, the tumour will shrink.

After the surgery, a person will be required to stay on in the hospital for a couple of weeks after which rehabilitation may be required to help the patient get back to a normal lifestyle.

Spinal tumours can be fatal. That is why it is important to pay heed to the symptoms and consult a doctor right away.

Intradural Extramedullary Spinal Tumour - In Depth!

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