Spinal trauma, also referred to as spinal cord injury, occurs when a section of your spinal cord or the nerves at the edge of your spinal canal is damaged. The spinal cord acts as a messenger between the brain and other parts of your body. If the spine sustains an injury, all or some of these impulses may not get through. This may result in complete loss of mobility and sensation below the site of injury. An injury closer to the neck can cause paralysis throughout a larger part of the body than in the lower back region.

How do such injuries occur?

Often, spinal trauma or injury results from a violent event or an unpredictable accident. The following may severely damage your spinal cord-

  A violent attack (a gunshot or a stabbing)
  A motor vehicle accident that may cause trauma to the neck, back or head
  Falling from a great height
  Spinal or head injuries during some sports activity
  Electrical accidents

What are the signs of a spinal cord injury?

The followings signs and symptoms can be observed after an injury to the spinal cord-

  Difficulty walking
  Restricted movement of the legs and arms
  Stiffness, pressure and intense pain in the neck/back
  Loss of sensation
  Muscle spasms
  Loss of bowel or bladder control
  A twisted neck or back
  Lack of coordination, weakness or paralysis in any of the body part

When should you see a doctor?

If you experience significant trauma to the neck or head, accompanied by the above symptoms, then visit a doctor immediately. Spinal trauma or injuries is a debilitating condition and can deteriorate further if you do not seek medical intervention. In fact, if such an injury is not detected on time, you may have to face more severe complications. For instance, paralysis or numbness may develop immediately or gradually as blood clots and swelling occur in the surrounding region of the spine.

The doctor can detect spinal injuries using any of the following methods-

  CT Scan
  MRI
  X-ray

What is the treatment for spinal trauma?

An orthopaedic will recommend the correct treatment for spinal trauma or spinal cord injuries, depending on the severity of the condition.

  Medications - Intravenous medications can help reduce the pain and symptoms of acute spinal cord injury
  Immobilization - Braces, corsets, or neck collar can help realign and stabilize the spine
  Surgery - Surgery may be performed to remove bone fragments, herniated disks, foreign objects, or fractured vertebrae that are compressing the spine. Surgery also prevents deformity and pain in the long run.

Recovery starts typically within a week after the treatment. If you undergo surgery, you will have to wait a little longer to get back to your day-to-day activities. It is advisable that you follow up with your doctor and carry on physiotherapy for the first six months at least.

Spinal Trauma - When Should You Consult A Doctor?

If you suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, you may be at a high risk of developing Carpal tunnel syndrome. This is a very painful condition in which the hands and wrists are affected. The Carpal tunnel refers to a structure which is formed by the bones present in the wrist and the surrounding connective tissues, through which the nerves and tendons controlling the thumb movement pass. Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the connective tissues get swollen because of inflammation and the nerves passing through the tunnel are crowded and squeezed.

Ways to get relief from Carpal tunnel syndrome:

Here are some common ways by which a patient with Rheumatoid arthritis can get relief from any discomfort caused due to Carpal tunnel syndrome:

Get your Rheumatoid arthritis treated. Carpal tunnel syndrome is commonly caused because of an underlying sickness such as rheumatoid arthritis. Medicines such as disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs are used to manage the condition and for reducing inflammation which causes carpal tunnel syndrome.
Getting enough rest is also very important. You must avoid using that hand or wrist, which has been affected for some weeks. This will allow the inflamed tissue to heal. 
You may wear a wrist splinter. A splint is suggested for resting your wrist therefore, it is kept in a neutral position. It can be worn during the day or when you are sleeping.
You can take prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for pain relief. These also help in reducing the swelling of tissues within the carpal tunnel.
A Cortisone shot may also be effective for easing the carpal tunnel syndrome. These steroid injections are given directly into the carpal tunnel. You will be able to get temporary relief from pain.
A set of Carpal tunnel exercises have been developed by doctors. These are designed for stretching the wrists and for keeping them limber. You must perform these exercises on a regular basis for best results. Yoga is also effective for easing carpal tunnel syndrome. Performing regular yoga will help you to improve your wrist pain. The upper joints of the body are strengthened. 
Take breaks at work on a regular basis. By changing your position and taking short breaks, your Carpal tunnel symptoms are bound to improve. This is more essential for people who do a job where great stress is placed on the wrists. If you are into typing, you need to take breaks and stretch your wrists.
There are several alternative therapies for easing carpal tunnel syndrome, which  are being studied and researched on. They include the likes of acupuncture, chiropractic care, magnets, botox treatments and vitamin B6 supplements. 

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - 7 Ways to Ease the Pain

One of the deadly diseases caused by the bite of an infected mosquito is Chikungunya. If you suddenly experience unbearable joint pain with symptoms of fever, consult a doctor immediately. Even the name Chikungunya etymologically means "to become twisted". If you are having the aforementioned symptoms, there is a high chance you are suffering from Chikungunya.

Symptoms of Chikungunya
Chikungunya affects your body within 3-4 days of the mosquito bite. The first sign of Chikungunya is sudden fever, which causes mild tremors in your body accompanied by severe pain and swelling of the joints. A headache and pain in the muscles are other two symptoms of this disease. The most glaring indication that you are suffering from it is the excessive joint pain you experience. This pain usually lasts for a few days to a couple of weeks. If left untreated, this disease can prove to be fatal. 

1. The joint pain will have a paralyzing effect on your body resulting in extreme pain.
2. Your finger joints and foot exhibit signs of swelling, causing severe pain.
3. You will experience pain in your hip, wrists and elbows.

Other symptoms of the disease include neurological and mild cardiac complications. You may even complain of having an eyesore. Also, there are chances of you suffering from gastrointestinal problems. However, none of these symptoms will be as severe as the excruciating joint pain you experience.

Some preventive measures can be taken, them being:
a. Drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated.
b. Get plenty of sleep. It might be impossible for you to sleep especially when you are having body aches. Thus ask your doctor for some painkillers which will let you rest.
c. Paracetamol is a must to beat fever and joint pain.
d. Anti-inflammatory pills will be strictly recommended by your doctor to treat the inflammation.
e. Use a mosquito net at night
f. Keep your house clean so that the Chikungunya mosquitoes don't thrive

Suffering From Severe Joint Pain? It Could Be Due to Chikungunya

Vaginismus is a condition characterized by significant pain in the vagina generally during sexual intercourse. This pain occurs on penetration due to the contraction of the vaginal muscles.

Causes

The exact cause of Vaginismus is not exactly known to the doctors. But some researchers suggests that the pain might result from severe anxiety or illogical fears before sex.

Vaginismus can be primary or secondary depending on the concerned woman s previous sexual experiences. Vaginismus can be linked to an earlier sexually painful experience, sexual trauma or psychological factors. In some cases, the pain tends to exist without any direct physical cause. The causes of the pain might vary from women to women and might occur in some cases with only one specific partner and not with others.

Sometimes the pain might stem from underlying infections or any other underlying complications.

The symptoms of Vaginismus are as follows:

Severe pain during intercourse.

Severe pain during insertion of tampons or during any medical check-ups.

The following treatments can be useful to treat Vaginismus:

If the pain arises due to anxiety or fear, counselling sessions can help you to a remedy.

If the pain arises whenever something penetrates the vaginal walls, progressive desensitization can be useful to treat the pain. The process aims to loosen the vaginal muscles so that you don t experience any pain during sexual intercourse.

Kegel exercises (at least 20 of them) can help in the initial stage to relax the vaginal muscles. After you exercise for a few days, you should try inserting one finger inside your vagina while doing the exercises. Try doing it gently and if it still hurts, try doing it with a lubricating jelly. This continuous procedure will help in the contraction of the vaginal muscles which eventually relax.

Vaginismus - Things You Should Be Aware of 

At some point in life most people experience acute pain in their lower back which is extremely painful. Pain in the spine causes a lot of discomfort and disruption in the life of an individual and hence, it is always better to get it checked on time. There are patients who even wonder when they should consult a neurosurgeon or a spine surgeon for their back pain. It is advisable that a physical examination is done by a primary care physician for low back pain before consulting a spine surgeon.

Why consult a Physical care Physician First?
The main reason to consult a primary care physician at first is that he would prescribe medications for severe lower back pain. The medications could include non-narcotic pain medications such as Ultram or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Motrin. The physician can even refer you to a chiropractor or for physical therapy to get relief from the back pain. Mechanical means are made use of by a chiropractor mainly to alleviate the back pain of the patient.

If the patient feels better with the physical therapy or the medications prescribed by the family doctor and is able to resume normal activities, then there is no need to see a spine surgeon. It is often recommended to take good care of the back and to exercise. A combination of ergonomics, regular stretching and improved everyday posture is beneficial as it reduces the chance of causing pain in the lower back. Exercise plays a very important role and it provides the possibility of reducing the pain.

Conservative Care for Treating Lower back Pain
It is best for patients to consult a conservative care specialist if after consulting a chiropractor they do not find any reduction in their pain and they do not want to undergo spine surgery. The conservative care specialists are well-trained in rehabilitation of musculoskeletal disorders and specialize in spine care. The role of the conservative care specialist is similar to a cardiologist who specializes in treating neurological disorders.

The specialist for spine care works along with the surgeon in a spine center to treat the lower back pain. The specialist is trained in diagnostic techniques and is capable of making use of a combination of diagnostic tests as well as injection techniques such as epidural steroid injections to diagnose the source of the lower back pain in a patient. They can even advise patients whether it is appropriate to consult a spine surgeon for surgery. Surgery is done to correct the anatomical conditions and it is performed only when non-surgical treatments are not successful in alleviating the pain of the patient.

When Is The Right Time To See A Spine Surgeon?

Spondylitis includes swelling of the vertebra. It happens because of wear and tear of the ligament and bones found in your cervical spine, which is in your neck. While it is to a great extent because of age, it can be brought on by other reasons too. Side effects incorporate pain and stiffness starting from the neck to the lower back. The spine's bones (vertebrae) get fused, bringing about an unbending spine. These changes might be mellow or extreme, and may prompt a stooped-over posture. Some of the non-surgical methods to treat spondylitis are as follows-

Exercise based recovery/physiotherapy: Your specialist may send you to a physiotherapist for treatment. Non-intrusive treatment helps you extend your neck and shoulder muscles. This makes them more grounded and at last, relieves pain. You may neck traction, which includes using weights to build the space between the cervical joints and decreasing pressure on the cervical disc and nerve roots.
Medications: Your specialist may prescribe you certain medicines if over-the-counter medications do not work. These include:
Muscle relaxants, for example, cyclobenzaprine, to treat muscle fits
Opiates, for example, hydrocodone, for pain relief
Epileptic medications, for example, gabapentin, to ease pain created by nerve damage
Steroid infusions, for example, prednisone, to decrease tissue irritation and diminish pain
Home treatment: In case your condition is less severe, you can attempt a couple of things at home to treat it:
Take an over-the-counter pain reliever, for example, acetaminophen or a calming medication, for example, Advil or Aleve.
Use a warming cushion or an ice pack on your neck to give pain alleviation to sore muscles.
Exercise routinely to help you recover quickly.
Wear a delicate neck prop or neckline to get transitory help. In any case, you shouldn't wear a neck brace for temporary pain relief.
Acupuncture: Acupuncture is a highly effective treatment used to mitigate back and neck pain. Little needles, about the extent of a human hair, are embedded into particular points on the back. Every needle might be whirled electrically or warmed to improve the impact of the treatment. Acupuncture works by prompting the body to deliver chemicals that decrease pain.
Bed Rest: Severe instances of spondylitis may require bed rest for close to 1-3 days. Long-term bed rest is avoided as it puts the patient at danger for profound vein thrombosis (DVT, blood clots in the legs).
Support/brace use: Temporary bracing (1 week) may help get rid of the symptoms, however, long-term use is not encouraged. Supports worn for a long time weaken the spinal muscles and can increase pain if not continually worn. Exercise based recovery is more beneficial as it reinforces the muscles.
Lifestyle: Losing weight and eating nutritious food with consistent workouts can help. Quitting smoking is essential healthy habits to help the spine function properly at any age.

Spondylitis - Can Non Surgical Methods Help You?

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