Arthritis is a disease that affects the joints, muscles and soft tissues, which cause stiffness, disability and pain. It is one of the complex conditions and has also been discovered in the remains of people living more than 500,000 years ago.

Although it is usually found in people above 50 years, in rare cases, it can affect younger generations as well. The three most common forms are osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis. The symptoms of some arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, include the following:

Joints turning red, warm, swollen
Painful joints
Unexplained fever
Fatigue
Weight loss
Swollen lymph glands
These symptoms typically last more than two weeks.

Few facts about arthritis
Most people, even though diagnosed with arthritis, are unaware of the following facts:

Snakes, bees, and ants: After years of treatment, some people have turned to specific natural therapies that come from snakes, bees and ants. As per a study by researchers in Brazil, bee sting venom helps reduce the symptoms of arthritis.
Gout is a form of arthritis: Repeated flare-ups, pain and swelling are the result of uric acid, built around the joints. This can be due to genetic predisposition, some diseases and consumption of excess meat, seafood, fructose-sweetened drinks or alcohol. The bunion joint that connects the big toe to the foot is often affected first in people who have gout.
Children get arthritis too: Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is the most common amongst children and affects kids between the ages of 1 - 3 or 8 - 12 years. It strikes girls about twice as often as boys. As per a recent survey, 1 in every 250 children globally suffers from arthritis.
Injuries increase the risk of arthritis: Injured joints are prone to develop osteoarthritis (OA). People with knee injuries have six times the chance, while those with hip injuries are three times more likely to develop OA.
Climate cannot cure: People have a misconception that wet, cold climates cause arthritis rather than a warmer climate. Unfortunately, that's not the case. Orthopaedics confirmed the same frequency for both warm and cold climates. However, sore joints find warm atmosphere more soothing.
Obesity increases the risk: Excess weight is one of the primary causes of osteoarthritis, especially for weight-bearing joints like knees, and to less extended hips. But there is also a higher risk to joints like ankles, back, big toes and hands.
Animals can also develop: Not only humans but animals like dogs, cats and others can also develop osteoarthritis. The symptoms are almost the same as the ones faced by a human. It can also lead to a loss of appetite, which can cause weight loss.
Race counts: Both whites and African Americans experience arthritis at similar rates. However, blacks have higher chances of severe joint pain and limitations in activity as compared to whites.
Women are prone to arthritis: Statistics show that women have a significantly higher risk for all types of arthritis except gout. As per the Arthritis Community, Research & Evaluation Unit, women are twofold more prone to arthritis than men.

9 Amazing Facts About Arthritis!

Spine deformity refers to an abnormality of the shape, alignment, or formation of the vertebral column. The spine in the human body is composed of small bones or vertebrae, stacked on top of another. A healthy spine, typically, has gentle curvatures. A displacement or exaggeration of the spine leads to deformities.

Types of spine deformities:

The three major forms of spine curvature deformity are-

  Lordosis - Causes the lower back to turn inward
  Kyphosis - Leads to forward rounding of the back
  Scoliosis - Causes the spine to curve sideways

What are the causes of spine deformity?

The following conditions may cause the spine to be misaligned-

  Achondroplasia - A disorder, which impedes the normal growth of the bones, thereby resulting in short stature or dwarfism
  Spondylolisthesis - When the vertebrae in the lower back slip forward
  Osteoporosis - When the vertebrae become fragile and prone to fractures
  Scheuermann s disease - A developmental disorder of the spine that leads to abnormal growth of the upper back
  Spina bifida - A congenital disorder where the spinal column does not close completely while inside the womb

Symptoms associated with deformed spine:

Signs and symptoms of a deformed spine include-

  Uneven/misalignment of the shoulder and hips
  Uneven shoulder blades (one side is slightly higher than the other)
  Slight bending of the head over the body
  Difficulty in movement
  Discomfort and back pain

How is the condition treated?

The treatment of the condition depends on the severity of your spine deformity. Anti-inflammatory medications and drugs are prescribed to manage pain and discomfort associated with spine deformity/curvature. However, these cannot correct the deformity completely.

Severe cases of spine deformity need another line of treatment.

  Bracing - Back braces are recommended for children and adults alike, depending on the degree of curvature. This can help prevent the condition of your back from worsening.
  Body casting - The doctor places a cast that starts from the shoulders and goes all the way down to the lower trunk. This provides adequate support to the spine and strengthens the back.
  Spinal instrumentation - The surgeon will attach instruments like rods, hooks, and wires to the spine to keep the bones aligned following a spinal fusion.
  Artificial disc replacement - The surgeon replaces degenerated discs in the spine with artificial devices.
  Kyphoplasty - The surgeon inserts a balloon into the spine to stabilize and realign the deformed spine and relieve you from the pain.

Following the treatment, patients with spine deformity are usually advised to go for physiotherapy sessions. Physical therapy and exercise can help you build muscle strength and increase flexibility.

Deformity of the spine is a difficult condition to live with. Not only does it restricts your normal movement but also places you at risk of other musculoskeletal disorders. Therefore, it is imperative that you get the condition treated by a specialist.

Spine Deformity - Everything You Should Know!

The spinal cord is indispensable to your body. It supports your head, keeps your posture erect, and helps you walk. Ailments of the spine are extremely painful to remedy and throw a lot of your other organs in trouble as well. Therefore, it follows that you should take the best care of your spine possible.

While there are a number of ways you can do that, some stand out from the rest. They are:

  Do your exercises properly: there are umpteen ways you can work out and get results that are harmful to your spine. You may easily lift something too heavy for your constitution, or the angle at which the object is placed may be too high for all your muscles to coordinate and work properly. Be aware, and avoid these mistakes. If you feel like the object is too heavy, refrain from lifting it. Even when lifting, make it such that the muscles of your lower body have to do the maximum work.

  Move on: Physical movement is the first commandment of having your spine fit and in a peak condition. This movement can be trivial and every day, like daily walks in the park or going to walk your pet. However, a sustained movement like that is very important, combined with stretching or aerobic exercises.

  Work smart: There are several ways you can avoid injuring your spine at the workplace. You should choose a chair that is adjusted according to your height and supports your lower back well. Your feet should be able to reach the floor properly and well. You should also avoid unhealthy conveniences like holding your phone between your ear and shoulders to keep your hands free.

  Go for daily checks: You should keep daily tabs on what is happening to your spine. Go for daily checks, and immediately check with your doctor if you experience symptoms like back pain without any evident disease, or if discomfort persists even after medication.

The spine is integral to the proper functioning of your whole body, and shouldn t be ignored even for a day. There are exercises you can do to keep it in good shape, and those that you can avoid. There are also triggers after which you should check with your doctor as well. Here s wishing you good spinal health.

The spine is an integral part!

Ways To Keep Your Spine Happy!

The spine plays a very crucial role, both from a person s movement and sensation point of view. It carries the nervous supply for a lot of internal organs and the lower body. By virtue of its structure, it also helps in movement through the disks. Due to various reasons, spinal injury is common, causing pain along the back, lower extremities, neck etc.

Medicines and exercise are the first line of treatment for most spinal injuries. The issue, however, is that these only provide relief from the pain and the medicines, but do not actually  rectify  the underlying problem. Whether it is a herniated disk or a pinched nerve, the medicines and exercise can relieve the symptoms, but the disk continues to be herniated and the nerve continues to be pinched. Definite treatment is in the form of surgery, and with recent advancements in the field of spinal surgery, there are minimally invasive surgical options, which provide complete cure with minimal recovery time. Some of the benefits of this are listed below-

Smaller incision compared to traditional surgical procedures, where only the injured area is accessed

The surrounding tissues are untouched, unless they are injured and require repair

Lesser bleeding compared to earlier techniques

Lesser painful procedure

Reduced hospitalization period

Quicker recovery and return to normal activities

The question, however, is whether this is indicated in everybody. A detailed discussion with your surgeon keeping the below points in mind will help identify the answer for this. The main driver should be the answer to the question   will the surgery be able to effectively relieve you of the pain and symptoms? Additionally, the following factors help in getting better results out of a minimally invasive spinal surgery.

Presence of symptoms relating to nerve compression, including pain from the spine down the leg.

Recent onset of symptoms, with pain starting days to months before seeing the doctor. This indicates the condition is relatively new and so damage is minimal, indicating favorable outcome. Chronic pain conditions take slightly longer time compared to recent injuries.

People with active lifestyle who engage in regular physical exercise are likely to have better benefits from the minimally invasive procedure.

Smoking reduces blood flow to the spine, leading to disk degeneration and weakening of bones. Healing is highly slowed down and recovery is overall delayed.

Excessive weight puts strain on the back, and so healing can be delayed or badly affected with more complications. It is not a contraindication, but be prepared for a longer recovery period.

Talk to your doctor keeping these points in mind, and you can bid farewell to your back pain forever.

Is Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Right For You?

Spinal surgery becomes inevitable when back pain cannot be managed with medications and/or exercise. This is a major decision and requires planning for many things before, during, and after the surgery.

Before a spinal surgery- This preparation will help in smooth recovery, especially if you do not have a full-time caretaker.

Discontinue pain killers: Discontinue pain killers at least 10 to 14 days before surgery. These are blood thinners and can prolong bleeding during the surgery.

Prepare for blood loss: Most people experience some blood loss, but not excessive.

Use a toilet seat raiser: Sitting and getting up from the toilet seat may be difficult. The seat raiser is used to increase the height, making this movement easy.

Enable easy access to common items: Before heading for the surgery, keep things which are commonly used within easy reach. This will help reduce movement and avoid searching (especially if someone else is going to be doing it).

Stock it up: Cooking may not be feasible during the initial postop period, and so it is advisable to stock up food items (ready to eats, fruits, soups, etc.) which will come in handy.

Slip-ons: Bending down and tying shoes may not be easy, so slip-ons can be used.

Caregiving: It is always advisable to have someone stay over with you during the initial postop days. They could help with regular household chores, cooking, etc.

Lifestyle changes: Ensure you eat well in the days before surgery, quit smoking, quit/use moderate amounts of alcohol, and exercise as advised by your surgeon.

After Surgery- Post surgery, there will be some pain and limitation of movement. It is important to understand that adherence to post-op instructions will improve the success rate of the surgery. Also, recovery time for spine surgery is slightly longer and affects overall quality of life, so psychological preparation is required.

Postoperative medications: These will be given to control infection and pain in the immediate postop period, and should be taken without fail

Rehab: The surgeon will recommend physical therapy and rehab exercises which need to be followed. Complete recovery may take anywhere between 3 to 12 months. During this time, care should be taken to avoid repeat injury.

Support: Adequate back support should be provided using lumbar support and ergonomic chairs, and the right posture should be maintained. Ensure there is no undue strain on the back muscles.

Weight management: With excess weight, there is too much strain on the lower disks. Therefore, weight should be managed to reduce this strain.

Smoking and alcohol should be completely stopped, as healing can be hampered.

With some preparation, spinal surgery can be sailed through smoothly.

What To Expect Before and After Spine Surgery?

Several spine-related problems like cervical spondylysis, lumbar spondylysis, prolapse of intervertebral disc, spinal stenosis, sciatica are most common among the people aging from 30 to 65+. They are very common among women also, especially after menopause.

Nowadays, these spine problems are very common because of our unhealthy lifestyle. Now in this modern era, our life has become very unhealthy. It's very sedentary. We don t walk, we sit in one place and one position for long hours. There is no laborious activity to our body.  We travel a lot on moped, bikes and cars. Our nutritious value of food has gone down.

Traditional medicines deal with the above discussed problems initially with painkillers, multivitamins and combinations of minerals. If there is no improvement traction, cervical belt or lumbar belt is suggested. Still if there is no improvement, the patient is asked to go for surgery. 

These problems cannot be solved only with yoga, or any kind of exercises or acupuncture, etc. They require very definite approach of treatment. 

Homoeopathy has very definite approach to a spine problem. In homoeopathy, the patient is first given a consultation in which he is asked only 5 questions which are enough to understand the symptoms related to the spine problem and symptoms related to the patients personality.

When this is done, the derived information is matched with the hundreds of homoeopathic medicines and the exactly indicated medicine is prescribed after determining the needs of the patient. Usually, the patient gets about 40 per cent relief in the first month and 40 per cent more in the next month. It is worth mentioning that any spine related problem is fully curable in about 5-6 months of homeopathic treatment.

Four effective exercise are recommended.

Here are some remedies that are also suggested to heal spinal issues:

One fist of coriander
5 leaves of kaddi patta with both the meals
Recipes prepared from sesame
Patients, who can have non-veg, can have soup prepared of goat's leg atleast twice a week
In the above way, patients can get rid of all painkillers and dangerous surgeries and can get cured to enjoy there life peacefully.

Spine Problems & Homeopathy!

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