A broken bone or a fracture can be painful and it requires medical attention for the fracture to heal properly. Proper healing is necessary for the right alignment of the bone. A doctor chooses to either reduce or set the bone in terms of new alignment. The bone reduction can happen manually or surgically depending on the severity of the injury. A Surgical procedure known as the open reduction internal fixation is performed for serious fractures. It ensures that the all the broken pieces are fixed together and the injury can heal properly.
Post the fracture, the bone need to be immobilised for proper healing. This is generally achieved by imposing a cast. For fractures that are not severe in nature, a doctor might choose to impose a temporary cast so that simple motion can happen around the site of the injury. For serious fractures, a permanent cast is placed around the injury site. In the case of a shoulder injury, a patient is required to wear a sling so that the bones are immobilised.


Time Duration of a Therapy Session:
While the exact duration of physiotherapy can vary from individual to individual, it takes a minimum of 2-8 weeks for the fracture to completely heal. Certain fractures take more time to heal. The rate of healing also depends on the severity of the injury, pain threshold level of the patient, extent of work with the physiotherapist, the robustness of the physiotherapy program, extent of the injury of the soft tissue and certain other factors. Typically shoulder and neck injuries heal quicker than a fracture of the legs. The time duration of fracture healing also depends on the type of bone that has been affected.


Physiotherapy in a Hospital:
If the fracture happens in the ankle or leg, a physiotherapist might have to intervene in the hospital in order to teach patient about using assistive devices such as crutches and cane. Things that are taught during this time include using the device in order to climb stairs, right walking posture, getting into a car, taking the device off while sitting and such other techniques.


Physiotherapy at Home:
Physiotherapy can also happen from home if the doctor specifically instructs to do the same. This is typically done for people where the condition is too serious to go outside and get the physiotherapy done. Certain weight bearing restrictions are imposed around this time. The training remains the same as in the case with a hospital.


In the Clinic:
Once the patient becomes mobile enough, a doctor might suggest a patient go to a clinic to get the physiotherapy done. A physiotherapist evaluates certain things such as pain, range of motion, gait, flexibility etc. of the patient before suggesting a certain exercise plan. 




How Long Do You Need Physiotherapy Post-Fractures?

Insomnia is a disorder where a person has difficulty sleeping. One can have problem falling asleep or staying asleep for long. Some people also have disturbed sleep. This can be a major problem as due to lack of sleep one feels tired and fatigued all day.

Recurring cases of insomnia hamper your daily activities and interfere with the smooth functioning of your life. Therefore, this condition should not be ignored and treated immediately.

Here are the various ways to treat insomnia:
Non-Medical (Cognitive and Behavioral treatment)
Several psychological and behavioral techniques can be used for the treatment of insomnia. Many of these methods can be easily self-taught and others require a therapist to be carried out properly. 

1. Relaxation training, which is also called progressive muscle relaxation involves the patient to tense and relax his muscles systematically in various parts or regions of the body. Relaxation techniques, such as breathing exercises, various forms of meditation, mindfulness and guided imagery are used for treating insomnia people. The use of audio recordings for guidance in these techniques is quite popular.

2. Stimulus control enables building an association between the bedroom and sleep. This is done by limiting several kinds of activities done in a bedroom. This may include going to bed only when very sleepy and leaving bed if you cannot sleep within twenty minutes. A strict bedtime and wake up time schedule has to be maintained.

3. Cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT involves changes in behavior like maintaining a strict sleep time schedule, elimination of afternoon naps and other habits related to sleep. A cognitive component is also added to this method. Unhealthy beliefs and fear regarding sleep are challenged and positive, rational thinking is encouraged. CBT is a very effective procedure for treating insomnia and the track record regarding success is high.

4. Changes in lifestyle are required to treat insomnia and prevent recurrence of insomnia, you should change certain habits and start some new practices. You should limit your intake of caffeine, alcohol and nicotine. Do not consume coffee or tea before going to sleep and avoid smoking. The habits may be stimulating and will keep you awake. Your diet should be balanced. You should avoid having rich and spicy food before going to bed. Avoid late meals and maintain a proper schedule for meals. Regular exercise can improve the symptoms of insomnia and you should try to work out every day.

Medical Treatment
There are many forms of medicines, which can treat insomnia. This includes over-the-counter medicines, as well as prescribed medicines. The type of medicine required completely depends on the severity and symptoms of your insomnia and other factors related to health. Therefore, you must consult a doctor before having any kind of medicine for treating insomnia.

The most common medicines for insomnia, which are usually prescribed by doctors are benzodiazepine hypnotics, non-benzodiazepine hypnotics and melatonin receptor agonists. However, medicines should only be taken after consulting with a specialist. Insomnia not only affects your health but also interferes with all your daily activities. Proper treatment should be taken to treat the same.

Ways to Treat Insomnia

There is a distinct relationship between sleeping disorders and your emotional health, both influence each other. Insomnia is a common sleeping disorder, which is generally caused due to stress and tension. Depression and anxiety also account for insomnia. It has been proven by research that people who experience sleeplessness or cases of insomnia are at a higher risk of depression and similar psychiatric disorders.

Insomnia is an important factor which causes depression and many people affected by it commit suicide. Researchers have found dysfunctional activity in the area of the brain where emotions are processed and regulated, among people with insomnia. Their study explains the mechanism by which insomnia affects and influences emotions in people, which leads to depression and other disorders.


The ways in which insomnia affects your emotions

    There is a clear difference in the brain activities of people with insomnia when compared with normal people who get good sleep. There is usually a great difference between the activities of the amygdala, which are neurons in the temporal lobe of the brain. The amygdala is very important in regulation and processing of emotions.
    Insomnia disrupts the ability of the brain to process negative emotions.
    Neural change and problems with regulating emotions are also caused because of insomnia.
    Insomnia disables the ability of judging or sensing any kind of emotion by looking at the face of a person. It is difficult to judge emotions such as anger and sadness in people suffering from insomnia. This impairment occurs more in women.
    Insomnia and similar sleeping disorders affect our inhibition and disrupt our impulse control mechanism. An insomniac person is likely to develop increased impulsiveness to negative stimulus.
    People suffering from insomnia develop a perception towards negative stuff and perceive most things in a negative way, rather than looking at the bright side which a normal person tends to do. People affected by insomnia are characterized by a negative mood and are pessimists in nature.
    A sleep deprived or insomniac patient shows greater activity around the limbic area of the brain. This is the area where major emotional regulation and processing are undertaken.
    A person suffering from insomnia develops a cranky personality. The patient is in an irritable mood and is triggered by the slightest and pettiest of circumstances. An insomniac patient is also characterized by swinging moods, high temper and general fatigue, which result due to lack of sleep.

Insomnia is a sleeping disorder which directly affects a person's emotions and the processing and regulation of emotions. There is a direct and important link between insomnia and emotional disorders.

How Insomnia Influences Your Emotions

Just like there are exercises to lose weight, there are simple exercises, which you can do to stop your snoring completely. Snoring is a common condition and it generally takes place more in men than women. It mostly affects individuals who are overweight and the condition gets worsened with age. Though it is not a serious condition, it has to be dealt as it affects the sleep of your sleeping partner. The main cause of snoring is an improper flow of air through the mouth or nose. 

The airflow to the nose is obstructed by factors like:
1. Obesity
2. Pregnancy
3. Genetic factors
4. Sinus Infection
5. Congestion

How to Prevent Snoring
It is very essential that prior attention is given to this condition before it turns out to be a serious problem. The self help  tips that can be used by individuals to stop snoring include proper exercising, losing weight, quitting smoking and not drinking alcohol as well as setting up an ideal sleeping pattern. There are devices available in the pharmaceutical stores like the mouth guard device which are specially designed to help stop snoring. There are medications also available that help to stop snoring and have good quality  sleep.

Amazing and Simple Exercises to Stop Snoring
You can cure your snoring problem easily by practicing vocal exercises without the need of even going through a painful and expensive surgery.

1. Singing: Singing is an excellent exercise that is very good for your vocal passage and that can cure the snoring problem. It is best that you start singing in a warm shower and the moist steam of the warm water would soothe your throat. The benefit of singing is that it tightens the muscles and it is an excellent and natural way that would cure your sleeping problem. You can practice singing at least 20 minutes in a day, and you would surely experience the difference.

2. Yawning: The second simple exercise that can be done to stop snoring is yawning, which involves opening and closing of your mouth. The exercise done in a yawning motion would strengthen both the inner and outer neck muscles. It is very necessary that the mouth is opened widely, and this activity can be done anytime of the day.

3. Chewing: The third exercise that is helpful to get relief from sleep disorders is chewing. You can fix your throat by chewing the tip of a pencil.  You don't have to bite the pencil, and you just need to fix your throat muscles to make certain that your airway is clear.

Stop Snoring With 3 Best and Simple Exercises

300 Calories is the average calorific value of our daily sugar intake. It's no wonder then that dietician and weight loss gurus across the world will advise you to quit added sugar as the first step of a weight loss program. Added sugar refers to processed sugar in the form of cubes, sugar crystals or powdered sugar and does not include natural sugars found in fruits, vegetables etc. Apart from cakes and sweets, we eat added sugar in a number of ways including a number of packaged foods like sauce and salad dressings.
If you consume a lot of sugar on a daily basis, quitting added sugar could leave you with withdrawal symptoms. Quitting added sugar is not easy, but here are a few reasons it is well worth the effort.
1. You'll have fewer pimples
Sugar has inflammatory properties. This can trigger systemic inflammation leading to the acne. Thus quitting sugar can instantly reduce the number of pimples on your face and give you clearer skin.
2. It improves the health of your heart
Added sugar can raise insulin levels. This activates the sympathetic nervous system and increases blood pressure and heart rate. Stopping your consumption of added sugar can lower cholesterol levels and decrease the amount of triglycerides in the body. This lowers blood pressure and boosts cardiovascular health.
3. A friendly weight scale
Replacing toffees with dry fruits will considerably reduce your calorific intake. Similarly switching packaged salad dressing for fresh homemade dressing can also make your salad healthier. Given that we eat added sugar in so many forms, making a conscious decision to quit added sugar can have a big impact on your daily calorie intake. Studies show that this simple step can lead to a weight loss of up to 10 pounds in six months.
4. It'll make remembering names easier
Added sugar can hinder learning and memory. Over time, it can also damage communication between brain cells. Quitting sugar can boost both your short term as well as long term memory. You will also find it easier to focus on will be able to be attentive to something for longer periods of time.
5. A good night's sleep
You don't just need 8 hours of sleep a day; you need 8 hours of restful sleep at the right time. Sugar makes blood sugar fluctuate and the crash that follows a sugar high can make you feel sluggish around mid-day. Many people find that if they have an afternoon nap, it becomes more difficult for them to fall asleep at night. Sugar also releases cortisol that interferes with sleep. Thus quitting added sugar can keep you alert through the day and help you fall asleep easier at the end of the day.

See What Really Happens to Your Body When You Stop Eating Added Sugar

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?

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