After a tough workout session or a strenuous day at the office, your muscles may feel floppy and exhausted until you have given them a chance to rest. However, persistent muscle weakness with no apparent cause or explanation can be a sign of an underlying medical problem.

What causes muscle weakness?
Voluntary muscle contractions and movement are generated when the brain sends a signal through your spinal cord and nerves to the particular muscle. If there are any hindrances in the connections between them, it can result in muscle weakness. However hard you try, the muscle is such cases becomes abnormal.

Here are some common causes of muscle weakness:

Lack of Use: One of the most common causes of muscle weakness, lack of muscle fitness may occur as a result of a sedentary lifestyle. If the muscles are not used, then the fibers are partially replaced with fat.
Ageing: As we age, our muscles tend to get weaker and lose strength. Muscles become bulky and recovery times during injury are greater. However, with physical activity, it is still possible to increase the muscle power. So stay active and instill strength in your muscles.
Infections: Infections and inflammation can cause temporary muscle fatigue. Even though recovery is quick, if the infection is severe the weakness can last for some time. Without proper care, it can lead to permanent damage.
Pregnancy: During and just after pregnancy, high levels of steroid in the blood and low levels of iron can cause muscle tiredness. Lower back pain is common during pregnancy and all your muscles may feel floppy.
Chronic Diseases: With conditions of diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease and anemia, it can lead to muscle weakness by thwarting the essential blood or nutrient supply to the muscles. Also, chronic pain related ailments cause weakness.
Injuries: Injury or trauma such as sporting injuries, pulls and sprains can deter the muscles. Along with localized pain, it can also lead to muscle weakness if not taken care of properly.
Sleep Disorders: With disturbed or reduced sleep there is a general sense of tiredness that leads to fatigue in the muscles. Insomnia, anxiety, depression and other mental disorders also affect the muscles a great deal.
Conditions affecting Nerves: Conditions like Myasthenia gravis or motor neuron disease affects the nerves and thereby fail to relay signals to the muscles, leading to weakness.
Genetic disorder affecting muscles: There are also certain inherited diseases which can affect the muscles like muscular dystrophy.
Spine-related disorders: Conditions like slip disc and other disorders affect the muscles served by the irritated or compressed nerves of the spinal cord.

Muscle Weakness - 10 Common Reasons Behind It!

Virus, the bad ones, in particular, can have serious effects on the body, which a person would not like to have, in any case. This is surely true when the case of herpes zoster is being talked about. This form of herpes is commonly known as shingles. But what if there was a proper solution to this issue? When a person has blisters forming and causing a rash in a limited area, shingles is likely to be the cause of the same.

What is interesting to know too many people is the fact that the virus, which is responsible for shingles or herpes zoster is the same one which is the cause for chickenpox! This virus is never cleared out even when the symptoms of chickenpox have long left the body of the person who had it. As a matter of fact, in some cases, it does reappear and affects the body again except this time in the form of shingles. However, doctors do not know why this occurs. Is that not weird?

Most people who have the bad luck of dealing with shingles are over sixty years of age. While knowing all this is quite beneficial, what about the treatment of shingles?

When it comes to the homoeopathic treatment of shingles, there is a range of options, which can be made use of. That being said, it is of the highest importance to keep in mind the fact that medicine should only be taken as per the prescription of a trained professional in homoeopathic medicine. This is especially true as homoeopathic treatment is very subjective and under the wrong course of medication, the result is not likely to be desirable!

Arsenicum album is one of the most popular medicines from the homoeopathic field. In most of the cases, where it is ideally used, the patient is undergoing pain with a burning sensation on the affected area of the skin. When a rash begins to form, there is normally some tingling in the skin in the run up to it.

Homoeopathic treatment is so good that there is medicine to nip the problem in the bud before it has the chance to cause the affected person a whole deal of anguish. Aconite is the medicine, in this case.

Hepar sulphur and Rhus Toxicodendron are also used often over the course of treatment. The former is useful especially for people with unhealthy skin while the latter is commonly used for herpes of the face and around the joints.

Shingles and Herpes - How Homeopathic Remedies are Helpful?

What does neck and shoulder pain indicate?

The stabbing pain that you experience around the neck and shoulder region should never be ignored as they may indicate health problems that require medical attention. There are certain points that you need to keep in mind the if you experience prolonged pain in these areas of the body.

1. Neck injury? your neck and shoulder pain should be seen as a warning sign that you need to take a look at the neck injury you may have sustained during a rear-end automobile accident. More specifically, whiplash injuries that happen when the head experiences a sudden backward and forward jerk, straining the tissues of the neck. 

2. Pain in these areas of the body could indicate abnormalities in the vertebrae of your neck such as herniated disc, causing added pressure on the nerves of the spinal cord.

3. Your neck and shoulder pain complaint may also point towards muscle strains. Lifestyle factors like working long hours in front of laptops or desktops leave you with no time and zero energy to exercise, resulting in serious neck and shoulder pains.

4. Your neck and shoulder pain may also indicate the problem of cervical spondylosis. This is a degenerative disc disease, which is characterised by severe pain that originates from the neck and radiates till the shoulders.

5. Even heart problems, such as a heart attack can cause pain in the shoulder and the neck. When this happens, the condition is known as referred pain.

6. Adopting an improper body posture during lifting of heavy materials can induce pain in your body parts, with neck and shoulders being the most vulnerable areas.

7. You may be suffering from a condition known as rotator cuff injury in which the group of ligaments and muscles that support the shoulder get injured during lifting or playing any sport.

To avoid aggravating the pain from becoming more severe, you shouldn't ignore any ache that arises from these areas.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.

Related Tip: 6 Effective Ways to Keep Away Body Pains, esp. When Temperatures Dip

What Does Neck and Shoulder Pain Indicate?

The bones are a porous matrix which is filled with minerals like calcium and phosphorus which make them strong. Over a period of time, the mineral content is lost and therefore the matrix gets brittle. Bones are more likely to fracture in these people.

Causes/Risk factors:

The bones get fragile and brittle with age in most people, and people over 60 years of age are likely to be affected
Asian women about the age of 45 are prone to osteoporosis
Reduced vitamin D intake (either by sun exposure or through diet) also makes bone porous and prone to fracture
Sedentary lifestyle with minimal or no exercise
Lower levels of estrogen, especially post menopause
Cigarette smoking
Reduced testosterone levels
With fracture, there is severe pain, loss of mobility, and need for prolonged nursing.
Foods which can help control/prevent osteoporosis:

Yoghurt: Derived from milk, it is rich in animal protein and also contains good amounts of vitamin D and B2, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. It helps in maintaining estrogen levels during menopause, thereby preventing osteoporosis. They also provide a good supply of gut bacteria, which improves immunity.
Milk: Similar to yoghurt, this is also rich in various minerals that are essential for bone health. The vitamin D in it also improves calcium absorption, thereby prolonging the occurrence of osteoporosis.
Fish and meat: Lean meat and fish are good sources of oils and protein and form an essential part of diet for preventing osteoporosis. Sardines and salmon are ideal as the tiny fish are rich sources of calcium.
Eggs: This contains good amounts of natural protein, minerals, and vitamins essential for bone health. It also helps in estrogen formation, which has a bone-protective effect.
Cabbage: Any form of cabbage is good for preventing osteoporosis. It promotes bone metabolism and has calcium which help in strong bone formation.
Bananas: Another effective food in preventing osteoporosis, it helps improve absorption of calcium and other essential nutrients to ensure bones are formed and maintain health. It also has natural oils, potassium, and vitamins A and C in good quantity.
Almonds: It forms an integral part of preventing osteoporosis by increasing bone density and promoting bone health. It also has good oil content, which is also essential for bone health.
Legumes: Beans and other legumes are rich source of proteins and minerals and therefore prevent onset of osteoporosis.
Chickpeas: Another great source of various minerals and vitamins, it is very low in calories and sugar and is great to lose weight. It also improves bone health by increasing density.

Osteoporosis - How A Healthy Diet Can Reduce Its Risk?

Lung diseases are some of the most common diseases suffered by human beings throughout the world. Smoking and infections are responsible for most lung diseases. The lungs perform one of the most important functions of the body. It is also one of the most active organs in the human body and hence lung problems can arise due to problems in any other part of the body. Some of the most common and infectious lung diseases are discussed below.

1. Asthma
Asthma is a common long term disease which is characterized by reversible airflow obstruction and bronchospasm. The symptoms of asthma include coughing, shortness of breath and tightness of chest. These symptoms may occur frequently during a day and depending on the person, it may become worse during night or during a certain exercise.

2. Pneumonia
Pneumonia is another common lung problem which is suffered due to inflammation in the microscopic air sacs in the lungs known as alveoli. Symptoms of pneumonia include dry cough, chest pain, breathing problem and fever. Pneumonia is caused most commonly by viruses or bacteria. It is also caused by certain medications and conditions which are popularly known as autoimmune diseases. There are a number of vaccines available to prevent certain types of pneumonia. Other methods include hand washing and refraining from smoking.

3. Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis is a very infectious disease which is caused by the bacteria mycobacterium tuberculosis. Although tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it has been known to affect other parts of the body as well. Symptoms of tuberculosis include cough containing sputum with blood, night sweats, fever and weight loss. Air is an active medium for spreading tuberculosis. This happens when people who already have tuberculosis sneeze, cough or speak. Infection occurs more in those who have hiv/aids or those who smoke. Prevention of tuberculosis includes staying away and keeping those who are at high risk, early detection and treatment and vaccination.

4. Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer which affects the lungs. It affects the lining of the lungs and chest wall. Symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath, swollen abdomen, cough, chest pain, weight loss and general lethargy. Mesothelioma is caused mainly due to exposure to asbestos. Those people who mine asbestos, produce products from asbestos, work with asbestos products are at high risk. Mesothelioma also results from genetical problems and due to infection caused by the simian virus 40.

5. Pulmonary embolism
This is a disease caused due to blockage of an artery in the lungs by a substance which has travelled from another part of the body by the bloodstream. Symptoms of this disease include chest pain, breath shortness and coughing up of blood. There may also be signs of blood clot in the legs.

Types of Lung Diseases

The new epidemic that has taken the world by storm is obesity. The proportion of obese people is increasing and the age of onset of obesity is decreasing gradually.

There is an optimal weight for a given height of a person. Obesity is when a person's weight is 20% more than the optimal weight. It brings with it a host of other health conditions, as it impairs the body s overall functioning.

Diabetes 2: In a normal person, food gets broken down into glucose to provide the required energy for the body using insulin. The body s inability to produce sufficient insulin to convert the excessive amount of sugar in the body leads to diabetes. Growing to be a leading cause of early death, diabetes brings with it a host of complications affecting almost all systems and parts of the body including stroke, kidney disease, blindness, and death. Diabetes and obesity have a direct correlation and can be prevented and managed by eating a balanced diet, losing weight, exercising, and having a healthy lifestyle.

Heart problems: An increased BMI also ups the risk for coronary heart disease (CHD), where the blood vessels are narrowed due to constant accumulation of fat in their inner walls. This gradually reduces the blood flow through these and may when complete cut-off happens, it could result in heart attack or stroke, affecting the heart or the brain. There could also be cases where the heart fails to pump sufficient blood to the rest of the body, affecting their effective functioning. Obese people also have a higher blood pressure than people who maintain a good BMI.

Breathing problems: One of the main causes of labored breathing is excessive weight. The condition called sleep apnea which is sudden bouts of absence of breathing during sleep is very high in obesity. It can cause snoring, daytime sleepiness, increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. In people with sleep apnea, weight loss is one of the first and most recommended therapies. Asthma and general breathing disorders are also higher in obese people.

Abnormal body cholesterol: Obese people also tend to have abnormally higher levels of body fat, especially the bad cholesterol, which again leads to coronary disease. It is a vicious cycle with one leading to the other and aggravating the other.

Osteoarthritis: Added weight leads to pressure on the hips, knees and lower back. There is added wear and tear and pain, which further limits movement.

Cancer: Some cancers, of the colon, endometrium, kidney, pancreas, gallbladder, breast and esophagus are more prevalent in obese people.

These are just some, there are more. The best way to avoid all these is to watch your weight.

Obesity - How It Increases Your Risk of Different Diseases?

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