A sprain refers to a break or a tear in any of the ligaments of your body. A ligament is a band consisting of tissues that connect the bones at any given joint in our body.

A strain on the other hand refers to a tear or a break in the entire muscle itself or a tendon (the band of tissues that connect the muscle to the bones).

Occurrence
Sprains usually take place due to unforeseen incidents like falls, accidents, and such other things that forces the body part to go out of its normal position. The most common types of sprains that people suffer from are ankle sprains which affect about 25,000 people every day on a worldwide basis.

Strains usually happen when you twist a whole muscle or a tendon. This condition most commonly occurs in cases of sportspersons who are engaged in contact sports like hockey, football, rugby, and such others.

Symptoms
The identification signs of sprains and strains are mostly very similar, which are listed below:
1. Pain and discomfort in the joints
2. Visible swelling or inflammation seen on the joints
3. Bruising of the affected area
4. Tenderness and softness of the affected joint

The overall intensity of the above mentioned symptoms might differ basis on the severity of the condition that is directly proportional to the nature of injury that you have faced. Some pains are so light that it may not affect your daily routine at all, whereas some pains are so intense, that you might not be able to move your affected joint at all.

Treatment
Some of the common methods to cure a sprain or a strain are listed below:
1. Rest the area which is affected
2. Apply ice bags or cold compress to soothe the pain
3. Compress the affected joint using a compression tape
4. Place the affected joint on an elevated area to speed up the healing process

Sprain Versus Strain

Hemorrhoids or piles are diagnosed by swelling of veins in the lower part of anus and rectum. Due to swelling, the walls of rectum and anus are stretched and thus become irritated. Hemorrhoids are of two types: Internal and External hemorrhoids.

Internal Haemorrhoids: As the name suggests, the piles are not visible from outside. These are present deep inside the rectum, located above the pectinate line and these are covered with the cells that are present through the rest of intestines. Internal hemorrhoids are normally painless. The first sign of internal hemorrhoids is rectal bleeding. However, straining can push internalhemorrhoid and it protrudes through the anus and this can be painful.

Causes of Haemorrhoids
The swelling of hemorrhoid occurs only when the pressure in the small vessels of rectum and anus is increased and is engorged with blood. The size of the hemorrhoids is also increased. The increased pressure may be due to various factors:

Consuming low fiber diet and pushing or straining while passing stools, thus blood vessel pressure is increased.
Pregnancy also is a cause of swelling as there is the increased pressure of the uterus on rectum and anus.
Sitting for long on toilet also increases pressure.
Obesity is also a cause of hemorrhoids.
People suffering from diarrhea, both acute and chronic.
A person having colon cancer might have hemorrhoids.
Signs and Symptoms of Haemorrhoids:

The most common symptoms of hemorrhoids are painless bleeding, itching in anal, swelling and feeling of the presence of lump at the anus.
All these symptoms are associated with inflamed hemorrhoid.
Inflamed internal hemorrhoid can cause swelling, but is painless as there are no fibers attached to veins above the pectinate line that cause pain. However, passing hard stools can scrape off the thin lining of hemorrhoid, which can cause the painless bleeding.
Spasms of the rectum and anal muscles caused by these swollen hemorrhoidscause pain, especially when they are protruded through the anus.
Internal hemorrhoids can form a clot or thrombose resulting in severe pain.
The presence of has inflammation, stool,and constant moisture and these can lead to itching and burning sensation in the anus among patient of internal hemorrhoid.
Treatment of Haemorrhoids

Diet: Haemorrhoids can be treated when individuals consume a fiber-rich diet in order to soften the stools and ease their bowel movements. Fiber-rich foods include fresh fruits, dry fruits, grains, vegetables, and cereals. About 20 to 30 grams per day of fibrous foods is recommended. Dietary fiber will help create bulk in the intestines which will help in softening of stools and ease bowel movement. Supplemental fiber available in the marketincludes psyllium husk, methylcellulose, and calcium polycarbophil. Other recommendations include increased intake of liquids and having stool softeners. Drinking enough water and liquids will prevent stool from hardening.
Over-the-counter topical treatment: There are various products available to treat hemorrhoids, such as gels, hydrocortisone creams, ointments, foams, pads, and suppositories.
Home remedies: Soaking anus in a warm sitz bath might also help in hemorrhoids for about 10 to 15 minutes per day. One should practice good hygiene and clean anus with warm water while showering. Avoid using soap and dry toilet paper. One can also use a cold compress on the anus.
Minimally Invasive Procedure for Hemorrhoids (MIPH)

Out of the various types of medical and surgical interventions available to treat Piles, Minimally Invasive Procedure for Hemorrhoids (MIPH) 0r painless stapler surgery is known to be very popular since it acts an alternative approach to surgical interventions made for piles.

MIPH is defined as a minimally invasive surgical technique in which a band of loose or prolapsed mucosa and sub mucosa in the rectum is excised, proximal to the piles and disrupted mucosa is fixed by  stapled end to end mucosal anastomosis.

This will ultimately occlude the blood supply to the superior hemorrhoidal artery above the hemorrhoidal tissue, resulting in the retraction of prolapsed mucosa back to its original anatomical position. A special circular stapler known as PPHO3 is used in the anastomosis and the whole maneuver will take around 30 45 minutes.

Internal Haemorrhoids - Best Ways They Can Be Treated!

Also known as Median Nerve Compression, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is characterized by a sensation of tingling and numbness in the hands or the arm caused due to a strained nerve of the wrist. This condition occurs due to stress which affects the functioning of the part of median nerve, situated along the wrist.

Various Causes of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome:
Constant movement of the hands in activities such as typing on the computer
Pregnancy
Arthritis

Various Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome:
The symptoms of this syndrome start to show up when there is excessive pressure build up in the median nerve of the wrist. You may experience-

A sensation of numbness
A sensation akin to the pain experienced when needles are inserted into the skin
Pain (mostly at night)
The build- up of pressure can occur due to a number of reasons. They are-

Painful injury
Fracture
Tenosynovitis (a condition that affects the tendons along the sides of the thumb)
The compression of the nerve may develop anywhere, and not necessarily the wrist only.
Diagnosis of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome:
Doctors base their diagnosis of the condition on the symptoms and certain tests. These include-

Phalen s test (a test that is carried out to determine any pain or numbness in the fingers within one minute of this activity)
Wrist flexion/median nerve compression test
Tinel s test (a test that is used to diagnose irritated nerves)
Few nerve enlargements may be revealed by an ultrasound, X-Ray, MRI scan, CT scans etc. The doctor generally recommends any of the above tests to determine carpal tunnel syndrome.
Important measures that help treat the condition are

Getting ample rest
Educating yourself on the various symptoms
Knowing certain activities or movements that trigger symptoms
Attending physiotherapy sessions
Physiotherapy as an important form of treatment for Carpal tunnel syndrome
Extensibility of muscle as well as soft tissue
Strengthening the forearms and the ability to grip things and pinch too
Maintaining posture and performing hand agility exercises can improve the hand movement
Mobilization of the Carpal bone and stretching of the flexor retinaculum (a fibrous band near one s wrist) so as to widen the carpal tunnel
Gliding training for nerves/ tendons for unrestricted motion
Endurance training for strengthening the upper limb as well as the wrist

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - Measures That Can Help Treat It!

The trapezius muscle is a triangular muscle which extends from the neck, down to the middle of the upper back and across the shoulder. It is one of the largest muscles in the body. It helps in stabilizing and moving the scapula. When you rotate your neck, move your arms, or even shrug your shoulders, you are able to do it because of the trapezius muscle. Over use of the muscle can cause it to strain.

Trapezius strain can be quite annoying and uncomfortable as you will have difficulty in moving your shoulders. It also causes any upper shoulder movement very difficult as it gives out an excruciating pain whenever you try to move your head or rotate your neck. It generally happens when you repetitively put stress on the muscle.

Causes:
1. Poor posture while sitting, standing or lying down
2. If you sleep in a wrong or uncomfortable position
3. If you bend over a desk for hours(This is more relevant to office workers)
4. If you have to carry heavy weights on your shoulders(This is relevant to school and college students who have to carry heavy bags every day)
5. If you over work your trapezius during work outs
6. If you suddenly twist your neck
7. If you met with a fall or accident which injured your back.

Symptoms:
The symptom that characterizes a trapezius strain is the searing pain in the muscles which is scattered around from the shoulders to the neck. The pain might interfere in your daily activities such as moving your arms when you push or pull. It might also cause discomfort while trying to sleep. A trapezious strain might even cause a bit of swelling in the muscle. Sometimes, due to the neck pain, you might even get headaches.

Treatment:
1. Resting: Rest as much as possible. Any strain or swelling can be easily cured with proper rest.
2. Ice packs: Ice packs help to reduce the swelling and get some relief from the pain.
3. Exercise: Stretchingthe muscle will help loosen it.
4. Blood flow stimulation therapy: After the inflammation is reduced, you should take up this therapy as an increase in the blood flow in the affected area will help cure the strain.
5. Care for the scar tissue: The scar tissue will take longer to heal than the muscle. Hence you have to follow your doctor's instruction very carefully to get a speedy recovery.

All About Trapezius Strain!

Hip replacement is a surgery in which a specialist doctor surgically removes an agonizing hip joint afflicted with arthritis and replaces it with a man-made joint usually produced using metal and plastic elements. It is usually done when all other treatment choices have been tried and have proven unsuccessful in providing satisfactory pain alleviation. The technique is to mitigate the pain in ahip joint, in order to make walking and other physical exercises easier.

The surgical procedure is as follows:

Hip replacement surgery can be performed generally or by utilizing what is called a non-obtrusive method. The primary difference between the two methodologies is the number of entry points needed for the surgery.
During standard hip replacement surgery, you are given general anesthesia to relax your muscles; this will keep you from feeling any pain during the surgery or being awake during the surgery. A spinal sedative might be given to counteract pain as an add-on option.
The specialist will then make a cut at the edge of the hip and move the muscles connected to the highest point of the thighbone to uncover the hip joint.
Next, the ball part of the joint is taken out by cutting the thighbone with a saw. At this point a fake joint is attached to the thighbone using a material that allows them to stay intact.
The specialist then readies the surface of the hipbone - evacuating any harmed ligament - and joins the substituting attachment to the hipbone.
The new ball part of the thighbone is then embedded into the new joint part of the hip. The specialist then reattaches the muscles and shuts the entry point.
There are some things you need to keep in mind and be attentive about, post the surgery. These are as follows:

You will probably remain in the healing facility for four to six days and may need to remain in bed with a pad between your legs to keep the new hip joint set up.
A seepage tube will be set in your bladder to help you urinate without having to walk to the bathroom.
Non-intrusive treatment usually starts the day after surgery and within the days you can go around with a walker or a walking stick.
You will continue with the non-intrusive treatment for quite a long time which could be a number of months post the surgery.
For anywhere in the range of six to twelve months after hip replacement surgery, rotating or putting pressure on the operated leg needs to be limited to a great extent. You need to likewise not cross the operated leg past the midline of the body nor turn it inwards.
You cannot twist the hip past ninety degrees. This includes both twisting forward at the abdomen and crouching.
Your physical advisor will tell you the methods and equipment that will help you comply with the above rules and precautionary measures while performing every day exercises.

Hip Replacement - Things You Must Keep In Mind!

The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the human body. It runs from the lower back, through the buttocks, your hamstrings and into the lower leg. Sciatica means pain in the leg, numbness or any kind of weakness in the lower back. There can be many reasons for a leg pain such as an injury to the leg or it can be due to the main nerve which travels in the lower back. Many times, it is not diagnosed properly and hence it will take a lot of time to respond to the treatment or in some cases, it may not respond at all. 

Symptoms of Sciatica: 

You will experience pain in the lower back only on one side of the body. 
The pain continues from the lower back to the sciatic nerve. 
Rarely, you will see the pain on both sides of the body or buttocks. 
The pain is very sharp. 
In some cases, the patient may experience a needles or pins sensation in the leg and in some cases, it is weakness or numbness in the lower back. 
The pain gets so severe that you will not be able to walk or even stand. 
If you have lower back pain combined with leg pain, then lower back pain is not going to be as severe as the leg pain. With the help of the symptoms, your doctor will be able to diagnose sciatica but in order to know the exact cause and origin of this pain, you will have to undergo other tests and examinations. 
Physiotherapy for Sciatica: 
There are many surgical treatments available for sciatica, but it is always good to go for non-surgical treatments. So you can opt for physiotherapy. You will be able to see better and long lasting results with this treatment. As it involves a thorough assessment of it on which the treatment protocol is laid. 

Physiotherapy involves four phases: 

Pain relief 
Restoration of normal flexibility 
Restoration of full functionality 
Prevention of recurrence 
In sciatica, it is due to unbearable pain, you seek treatment. So that has to be treated initially. When you can see that the pain is under control, then the physiotherapist will start working on the range of motion for your joints. The muscle tension will be reduced and muscle strength will be improved. In the third stage, your physiotherapist will start working on restoring the normal function of your body, especially your legs and your lower back. In the last stage, the physiotherapist will help you with some exercises that will stop its recurrence. Usually, sciatica will return after some time but taking a little care at the early stage can prevent it.

Physiotherapy For Sciatica - Why Is It The Best Treatment Option?

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