Inflammation and resultant pain in the joints are usually the basic tenets of arthritis. This joint disorder can be painful and often, a debilitating one. It can also make the joints stiff. There are many ways of dealing with this problem, but with ayurveda, one can get to the root cause of the ailment and its presence. This helps in taking a well rounded holistic approach towards treating it with ancient know how that revolves around herbs and other natural substances which have great medicinal value, lifestyle changes, diet, exercise and yoga, oil massages, and other methods. Arthritis is known as sandhivata in ayurvedic jargon. Read on to find out how ayurveda can help in dealing with arthritis.

Herbs: one can make use of various herbs that contain linoleic acid to help in providing lubrication to the joints so as to prevent pain and stiffness. These herbs include borage seed oil which is extracted from borage seed, evening primrose oil, blackcurrant seed oil, capsaicin, curcumin, feverfew, flaxseed oil and a standard ayurvedic concoction that combines ashwagandha, gugulla, ginger, cumin and haldi or turmeric. These substances can help in treating the joints that are suffering from the pain of arthritis.

Diet: in ayurveda, to treat ailments like arthritis, it is usually recommended that a patient should start by flushing out the body toxins from within. Diet is one of the ways in which this can be done. A detoxification diet to clean the colon would be one of the foremost ways of doing a cleanse. Further, in one's daily diet, there should be a good dose of vegetables, fruits and other juices. Also, one must have plenty of herbs and spices, which can be used to season the food. Curd should generally be avoided and garlic should be used liberally. The various properties that help in an inside out cleanse that will help the system function in a better manner so that the treatment of ailments is also effectively supported.

Exercise: in ayurveda, a certain amount of daily exercise, which spans at least 45 minutes to one hour, is a must. A pattern of healthy eating, restful sleep and exercise is what usually helps in treating ailments like arthritis. For this ailment specifically, light exercise like walking is recommended. Various yoga asanas that involve sitting, standing, balancing and lying down poses as well as restful poses will also help in treating knee, shoulder and lower back pain specifically. Also, mustard oil massages can help in reducing the pain.
These are the few ways in which ayurveda can help arthritis patients live a more normal life with minimal pain.

Ayurveda For Arthritis

Osteoporosis is a Latin word for  porous bones . A healthy bone holds tiny spaces within it resembling a honey comb. Osteoporosis causes an expansion in the dimension of these spaces so much so that the bone loses out on its density and strength, at the same time turning brittle and thin on the outer part. People afflicted with osteoporosis are prone to experiencing fractures at the slightest stimulation while engaging in daily chores. It usually affects one s wrists, hip and the spine, thus rendering a stooped posture, loss in height and back pain as a result of a collapsed vertebra. Factors such as lowered estrogen count in women and testosterone in men, long term use of certain medications, certain medical conditions such as damage to the liver or the kidneys and a sedentary lifestyle along with excessive tobacco and alcohol consumption make one vulnerable to osteoporosis.

Tips To Help you manage and prevent it-

Medications: Zoledronic acid, Ibandronate, Risedronate and Alendronate are some of the widely used medicines to combat the risks of fracture. However, these medicines carry considerable side-effects, for instance adnominal pain, nausea or a heart-burn like sensation. Ipriflavone, a laboratory manufactured product, in combination with calcium can be used as an alternative medicine to inhibit bone loss and alleviate pain.

Quit smoking: Smoking escalates the rate of bone loss and the chances of sustaining another fracture.

Refrain from excessive alcohol intake: Alcohol meddles with one s bone formation. Also, excessive alcohol intake might cause one to feel tipsy and thus fall down, aggravating risks of injuries and fractures even more.

Be careful while walking: Choose low or flat heeled footwear with soles that do not slip. Watch your step. Be careful with rugs, slippery surfaces, electrical cords or other scattered substances which might make you trip over and fall. Install  grab bars  in your house so that you can hold on to them if you suddenly feel unsteady on the feet.

How Can You Deal With Osteoporosis?

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

Care for shoulder pain and related problems

Shoulder problems usually happen because of internal problems or external trauma. People who are into any form of manual labour, pick up a lot of heavy things regularly or play sports experience shoulder pain at some point of time or other. Shoulder pain can be detected by physical examination, mri, x-ray, ultrasound and medical history.

The most common types of shoulder problems are arthritis, fracture, dislocation, frozen shoulder, rotator cuff tear, and rotator cuff disease. Cures for the different shoulder pains are different. Follow these simple ways to help you manage the pain.

1. Rest the hurtful shoulder: you need to take ample rest. Using the arm which is affected is not a good idea and needs to be avoided. If your job involves manual labour, it is advised that you stay at home to rest.

2. Ice pack healing: applying ice pack on the wound is also advised around 3-4 times in a day. This varies as per the kind of shoulder pain, so doctor's advice must be followed.

3. Be consistent with exercise: depending upon the source of pain, physiotherapist will advise certain sets of shoulder exercises. It is very important that they should be performed diligently for fast recovery.

4. Support it well: wearing a sling is extremely important and should not be taken lightly at any point of time. A good support will ensure there is no mislocation and faster recovery.

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Shoulder Pain Care - 4 things you must not ignore!

Spondylitis, or cervical spondylitis, is a common condition that affects a large section of the adult population. This most common disorder of the cervical spine is a degenerative condition. There are soft disks between the vertebral bones which shrink with age and gets stiff. This leads to formation of small bone spurs. This reduces the space available for the disk to move, causing nerve pinching.

Causes:

Ageing is the most common cause for spondylitis. Injury, incorrect sleeping posture, and heavy weight-lifting can also cause spondylitis. While earlier it was common in people who were 60-plus, with more people spending more time at their computers and workstations, the onset happens much earlier in 30s and sometimes even in 20s.

Symptoms:

Most symptoms related to spondylitis are centered on the neck and shoulder regions. There is pain and stiffness in the neck that can extend to the shoulders, nape of the neck, arms, and sometimes even the fingers. In rare cases, the pain can extend into the forehead and back of the head too. Associated symptoms include numbness, weakness, and a pricking sensation in the hands, arms, and sometimes fingers.

Homeopathy in cervical spondylitis:

Homeopathy treats the root of the issue after taking into account all symptoms. Listed below are some common homeopathic remedies for spondylitis.

Conium: there is neck pain along with vertigo when lying down or turning in bed. There is constant mild pain in the back of the head and a tight sensation in the forehead region.
Rhus tox: when the neck pain is worse in the morning and with rest, rhus is a good option. Moving the neck helps relieve this pain, which is often as a result of some injury.
Kalmia latifolia: when there is pain extending from the neck to the arm and hand and fingers, kalmia works wonders. There may also be pain from the nape of the neck to the shoulder blades. The pain is increased with leaning forwards or looking down. The patient may also have nausea with the pain.
Gelsemium: when there is pain extending from the neck to the back of the head, centering in the occipital region. The patient also feels weak, dull, and dizzy. The pain is triggered by emotional excitement.
Silicea: when there is pain extending from the neck to the eyes and forehead, silicea provides good relief. The patient will have intolerance to cold and feels chilly. The pain is improved by heat pads and lying down.
Calcarea phos: if the radiographs show bony changes in the cervical spine with the spondylitis, this is very useful. The bony spurs that form can be painful and cause nerve pinching leading to vertigo.

Spondylitis - Causes and Symptoms

Paralysis can be concluded as the state when the muscles lose functioning in any part of the body. Any kind of disruption in our nerve system can be responsible enough to cause paralysis. Our central nervous system and peripheral nervous system communicate and control our senses of movement. But interruption in nerve impulses can cause weakness in muscles which leads to muscle paralysis.

Symptoms
A paralysed patient will encounter symptoms like:

Decreasing the motor power
Decreasing vasomotor control
Loss of sensation
Decreasing bowel and bladder control
When it comes to treating a paralysis patient, physiotherapy is proven to be the best remedy. Physiotherapy has thoroughly helped patients with paralysis in getting to feel confident and independent. Physiotherapy includes various exercises and techniques which are developed with time in order to provide a complete rehabilitation to the patients.

Types of paralysis:
There are mainly four types of paralysis

Monoplegia: when one limb gets paralysed
Hemiplegia: when arm and leg of a single side get paralysed
Paraplegia: when legs get paralysed
Quadriplegia: when both sides get paralysed
Treating paralysis with physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is advised to patients with any type of paralysis. It should be started soon in order to improve blood circulation in the muscles. It also helps in relaxing the stiff muscles. This treatment improves the overall health condition of the patient.
Physiotherapy is also responsible for reducing any kind of swelling which takes place due to external brain injury.
Physiotherapy is helpful in making the patient stable and independent.
It also helps in maintaining the blood pressure.
It helps to improve the respiratory system.
Physiotherapy maintains the affected muscles and nerves. It provides strength to the affected muscles and works to prevent the limbs from getting deformed.
One major symptom of paralysis is a loss of bladder and bowel function. Physiotherapy helps in managing the paralysed bowel and bladder.
Physiotherapy involves different techniques which can be learnt from a physiotherapist in order to transfer a paralysed patient.
Othorsis, canes, braces, splints are the equipment that is advised to the patient by a professional physiotherapist.
Physiotherapy helps in resolving problems such as anxiety, anger, depression, a denial which takes place after post-paralysis mental trauma.
A physiotherapist provides safeguarding tips to the patient and his or her family in order to avoid accidents.
Physiotherapy has a big role in creating motivation in the patient's mind.
These are the benefits of physiotherapy which help the paralyzed limbs getting stronger and better. But it is always advised to be done under a professional physiotherapist.
 In case you have a concern or query you can always consult a specialist & get answers to your questions!

Paralysis - Can Physiotherapy Help You?

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