Spinal fractures occur as a result of an injury or dislocation of the bony vertebra. This causes the bone fragments to pinch and damage the spinal cord. Fractures can occur anywhere along the spine but the most common site of fracture is the lower back.

What causes spinal fractures?

Spinal fractures are often a result of the following-

  A sudden traumatic injury
  A high-velocity accident
  Falling from a height
  Sports injuries
  Spinal instability
  A whiplash

Types of spinal fractures:

Spinal fractures are classified into three categories, such as the following-

  Compression fracture - If you exert excessive pressure on the vertebra, it will break. This type of fracture occurs when the bones in the spine become fragile or weak to the extent that they easily crumble. People living with osteoporosis, certain types of cancer or tumours are prone to a compression fracture.

  Dislocation - When the discs and/or ligaments linking the vertebrae is torn or stretched, the bones may dislocate or come out of alignment.

  Fracture-dislocation - Torn ligament and broken bone lead to this condition. A fracture-dislocation is a debilitating condition and often requires surgical intervention.

Symptoms of spine fractures:

Following an accident or an injury, you can tell if you have ended up fracturing your spinal column by identifying these symptoms-

  Excruciating pain
  Tingling sensation
  Numbness
  Muscle spasm
  Swelling of the muscle
  Sudden onset of back pain
  Restricted spinal mobility
  The pain worsens if you walk or stand for long
  Deformity or disability of the spine

How are spinal fractures treated?

Spinal fracture treatment begins with administering pain-management drugs and medications to ease the symptoms, and stabilization methods to prevent injury. Depending on the nature of the fracture, your doctor may follow these lines of treatment-

  Fusion and instrumentation - These are surgical procedures to cure unstable fractures. Fusion refers to the joining of the vertebrae using a bone graft along with hardware such as hooks, rods, plates, or pedicle screws. The bone graft joins the vertebrae below and above to form a solid piece of bone.

  Kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty - These are minimally invasive procedures, wherein the surgeon injects bone cement into the fractured body through a needle. During kyphoplasty, the surgeon first inserts and inflates a balloon to expand the compressed vertebrae and then fills it with bone cement.

Spinal fractures are an extremely uncomfortable and painful condition to live with. It can hinder your day-to-day activities and affect your quality of life. It is imperative that you seek immediate treatment if you end up with fractures or dislocation of the spine.

Spine Fracture - How Can You Get It Fixed?

Avascular Necrosis, also termed as Ischemic Bone Necrosis or Osteonecrosis is a medical condition characterized by the bone death on being deprived of blood. The condition is known to occur in the shoulder, ankles, and knees. However, the part of the body most affected by Avascular Necrosis is the hip. In this article, we will describe the conditions that contribute towards Avascular Necrosis of the hip along with the associated symptoms.

Factors that lead to Avascular Necrosis of the hip
The supply of blood to the bones may be interrupted by a myriad of factors some of which include

1. Certain medical conditions and health disorders such as

Gaucher's disease: A genetic disorder resulting from glucocerebrosidase enzyme deficiency. As a result, glucocerebroside gets deposited in the cells of the macrophage-monocyte system.
Sickle cell anemia: A genetic disorder which results in the RBC's appearing like a sickle cell instead of being round shaped.
Both of these conditions bring about a significant reduction in the supply of blood to the bones resulting in Avascular Necrosis.

Certain inflammatory conditions that may damage the arteries and trigger Avascular Necrosis of the hip include autoimmune diseases, pancreatitis or HIV infection.

2. Extensive and prolonged use of corticosteroids: Often used as non-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids can play a contributing role, resulting in Avascular Necrosis (non-traumatic). The fatty substances are usually broken down by the body. However, the use of corticosteroids may affect this breakdown as a result of which the fatty substances start piling up in the blood vessels, constricting their size. The constricted blood vessels, in turn, reduces the supply of blood to the bones to a great extent.

3. An injury or a fracture affecting the femur: A hip fracture or a dislocation that affects the upper half of the thigh bone or the femur acts as a potential threat, triggering a traumatic Avascular Necrosis (AVN) of the hip.

In some case, radiation therapy or chemotherapy for cancer can go a long way in interfering with the ability of the bone (weakens the bone) to receive blood, causing bone death.

People who are into heavy drinking stand a greater risk of suffering from AVN. An increased consumption of alcohol causing constriction and narrowing of the blood vessels interfering with the flow of blood to the bones.

Symptoms characteristic of AVN of the hip

Unfortunately, the initial stages of AVN are asymptomatic. However, as the condition progresses into later stages, a person may experience pain and discomfort, particularly while exerting pressure on the bone affected by the condition.
As the bone and the adjacent joints deteriorate and collapse further, a person may experience great difficulty in using the joint altogether.
In some cases, the condition may progress and affect both the hips (Avascular Necrosis Bilateral).

Causes and Symptoms of Avascular Necrosis of the Hip

A Guide to Dealing with Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition marked by constant flu-like symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, insomnia and joint pains. However, the disease has no visible symptoms. There are also no known causes for the disease. While some believe stress to be a trigger for fibromyalgia, other theories suggest that physical and emotional factors such as a prior illness lead to the onset of this disease. This leads to fibromyalgia patients being often misunderstood and misdiagnosed. Almost 80% of fibromyalgia patients are women. While the disease is not lethal, it can make daily life difficult.

The criteria for fibromyalgia were established only in the late 1900s. In addition, the symptoms of this disease present themselves differently in each patient. This makes diagnosis very difficult.

Constant pain all over the body is the most common symptom of fibromyalgia.
You may also feel constantly tired, and unable to get a restful sleep.
Some fibromyalgia patients also suffer from depression or anxiety and an irritable bowel syndrome.
Fibromyalgia patients may also feel hyper sensitive to cold or heat, and feel numbness in fingers and toes.

Fibromyalgia has no known cure, and like arthritis, treatment for this disease addresses its symptoms. Most treatment programs include a combination of drugs, physical therapy, and behavioral techniques.

Pain relievers or anti-inflammatory medication and antidepressants are the two types of drugs administered to fibromyalgia patients. However, these should not be counted on as a long-term solution, as the side effects of these medicines can cause additional problems. Therapeutic massages and chiropractic manipulations can also help ease the pain. Along with this, it is also important to rest and relax. This helps reduce stress which often triggers fibromyalgia symptoms.

To get a better night's sleep, try going to bed and getting up at the same time every day. A warm glass of milk or chamomile tea just before bedtime can also help induce sleep. As far as possible, avoid taking sleeping tablets, as the body can soon become dependent on these.

Though you may constantly feel tired, increasing the day to day activity levels can have a positive effect on your health. Consider adding low-intensity activities such as walking, cycling, yoga or dancing to your daily routine. Complement these with a well-balanced, nutritious diet that includes lots of fruits and vegetables. If you or a loved one has fibromyalgia, bad days may not be prevented. But with treatment, they can be controlled.

A Guide to Dealing with Fibromyalgia

Pain in the joint is an eventuality that only few can escape. It is an ailment that comes with age and promises to stay despite continued attempts at eradicating it. Being a problem that many are battling, it has provoked attempts at treating it. Various disciplines of medicines have tried in their own ways in dealing with this problem, but ayurveda with its strict reliance on natural products and aversion to chemicals has been most preferred. The various ways by which ayurveda treats joint pains are:
1. Massage: ayurveda focuses on massages as a remedial measure. Using few herbal oils and using them to massage regularly on the affected joints has been an accepted remedy for joint pains. A massage promotes blood circulation and creates a calming effect.

2. Hot and cold compresses: the effectiveness of this form of treatment has remained prevalent through generations. Extremely convenient and easy to use, you can use hot and cold compresses alternatively to ease the pain.

3. Fenugreek: fenugreek seeds have a long standing reputation of relieving you of pain. Boasting of antioxidant properties and the ability to reduce swelling, they must be finely grounded and swallowed with lukewarm water to enjoy best results.

4. Turmeric: in the hierarchy of ayurvedic medications, turmeric probably ranks the highest. It is packed with multiple benefits. Not only does it take care of the skin, it also helps in reducing joint pains. The most common way of having it is by mixing turmeric in a glass of warm milk and honey.

5. Apple cider vinegar: apple cider vinegar reduces joint pains by effectively eliminating the accumulated toxins. It is rich in magnesium and phosphorus and owing to its alkalizing effect, it has the ability to cure rheumatism.

Ayurveda and Joint Pain Remedies

Repairing shoulder tendons through a telescope! When doctors talk about shoulder tendon repair, often they may be refering to rotator cuff surgery. The rotator cuff is a set of tendons and muscles that together form the cuff above the shoulder joint. The rotator cuff is responsible for stabilizing & keeping the arm within the joint, at the same time enabling the joint to move freely without any hindrance.

Thus it is responsible for maintaining strength of the shoulder. The tendons can become damaged due to injury or even overuse. When this occurs, the rotator cuff can be repaired with the help of surgery. Generally, a rotator cuff surgery makes use of an incision.

A shoulder arthroscopy, on the other hand, makes use of smaller incisions and repair is done with the help of a telescope.

Here are some of the commonly used techniques to repair a rotator cuff tear:

  When going for an open repair, the surgical incision is made and the deltoid gently moves out of the way making room to perform the surgery. Rarely an open repair method may prescribed for complex and larger tears or if any associated procedures are to be performed.

  In the case of the arthroscopy procedure, the small camera referred to as an arthroscope is put inside the small key hole incision that has already been made. The arthroscope, which connects to a video monitor, enables the surgeon to view the complete interior region of the shoulder. Further, few more incisions are made in order to allow insertion of various other instruments. During this surgical procedure, the damaged tissues are removed, or they are repaired depending on the damage levels. All of this is done with the help of an arthroscope.

Repairing the rotator cuff:

  In order to do so, the tendons need to be re-affixed to the bone.

  Small rivets referred to as suture anchors help to refasten the tendon and the bone. The suture is usually made of a special strong material that holds the repair for a long duration.

  The sutures are responsible for tying the tendon to the bone.

Why is this surgery recommended?

The physician recommends a rotator cuff tear or tendon surgery when the patient experiences pain while sleeping at night or faces difficulty carrying out daily physical activities, or when it has shown little improvement over the months in spite of exercising. This procedure is also recommended for people who lift heavy weights or are involved in sports activities. Moreover, the risks associated with this procedure are few and common to all surgical procedures.

A rotator cuff surgery performed arthroscopically has a very high success rate as it is performed under magnification. The procedure is far more precise than an open surgical procedure. Any associated injuries within the shoulder can be tackled simutaneously thus leaving very little room for errors. The recovery is therefore complete and faster due its minimally invasive nature.

Repairing Shoulder Tendons Through Surgery!

Hot and Cold therapy is one of the most popular home remedies for any kind of joint pain or muscle sprain. In some cases applying heat therapy and cold therapy alternatively, can help relieve the pain while for others only one form of therapy is necessary. To understand what to use when, one should first understand the effect of heat and cooling on the body.

Applying a heat pack or immersing the affected limb in hot water improves blood circulation and makes the muscles more flexible. Thus, it can help relax a muscle and fasten the healing of damaged tissues. On the other hand, cold therapy or cryotherapy reduces blood flow to the affected site. This helps relieve inflammation and pain caused by it. It can also make the area feel numb by reducing nerve activity temporarily.

Types of Heat Therapy
Heat therapy can be categorized as dry heat and moist heat. Dry heat involves using saunas or dry heating packs to relieve pain. This is also known as conducted heat therapy. As the name suggests, moist heat involves the use of steamed towels, hot baths and moist heating packs. This is also known as convection heat therapy. Moist heat is usually considered more effective than dry heat.

Types of Cold Therapy
Cold therapy may be applied to a part of the body or to the entire body. This includes ice packs, coolant sprays, ice baths, ice massages and whole body, cold therapy chambers.

How to use heat and cold therapy?
The sooner heat and cold therapy is given to a person, the faster they will recover from their pains. Heat therapy can be given to a person for extended periods of time but when giving cold therapy, a person should not be exposed to a cold pack or ice bath for more than 10-15 minutes. Care should also be taken no to apply ice or a frozen pack directly on the skin as it can damage the skin and nerves.

When not to use Heat Therapy?
If the injury site is swollen or bruised, cold therapy is better than heat therapy. Heat therapy should also not be applied to an open wound. People suffering from conditions such as diabetes, dermatitis, deep vein thrombosis, vascular diseases and multiple sclerosis should also avoid heat therapy as these conditions can increase the risk of burns and other such complications. Pregnant women should also consult a doctor before using a hot tub or sauna.

When not to use Cold Therapy?
Cold therapy is avoidable for treating stiff joints and muscles. People suffering from poor circulation and sensory disorders should also avoid using cold therapy without a doctor s supervision. 

Hot & Cold Therapy - How It Can Treat Pain?

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