Throwing a ball, lifting something or even eating requires the use of the elbow joint. This is one of the most overused joints in the body and hence is very susceptible to wear and tear, which mostly causes pain. Pain in the elbow could be the result of an issue with the arm muscles, ligaments, tendons, bones or bursae. The treatment for this pain depends largely on the factors causing it. Some of the most common conditions that cause elbow pain are:

Golfer s Elbow
This condition is also known as 'Medial Epicondylitis'. It is caused by an overuse of the elbow muscles and affects the elbow s inner tendons. Resting the elbow, cold packs and the use of over-the-counter pain killers can usually relieve this sort of pain.

Tennis Elbow
This condition is also caused by repetitive actions and affects the elbow s outer tendons. It is also known as lateral epicondylitis. Resting the elbow can help this type of pain. In addition, patients may also need to wear an elbow strap or brace to support the joint. In some cases, physiotherapy may also be needed.

Student s Elbow
This is also commonly known as draftsman s elbow or olecranon bursitis. This condition affects the small fluid sacs or bursae in the elbow. These fluid sacs aid in the movement of the elbow. Leaning on the elbow for a long time, a sharp blow or an infection could be the cause of this condition. It can be treated with medication and elbow pads. In chronic and severe cases, surgery may also be needed.

Fracture or Dislocation
Falling on the elbow can lead to a bone being dislocated or a fracture in the joint. In such cases, the pain will be accompanied by swelling, discoloration and difficulty in moving the elbow. Fractures and dislocated bones need medical attention. Your doctor may advise you to wear a brace or a cast depending on the severity of the issue.

Sprains and Strains
Repeated stress or a trauma can result in a sprained or strained ligament. In such cases, the joint will feel unstable. Pain caused by these ligament conditions can be relieved by resting the elbow, applying a cold pack and wearing a brace to support the elbow. Sometimes, a doctor may also advise physiotherapy.

Panner s Disease
This condition is caused by dislodged pieces of bone and cartilage that could be the result of an injury. Young men are the most affected by it. Resting the joint and abstaining from lifting any weights can help relieve pain caused by Panner s disease. In some cases, physical therapy may also be recommended.

Elbow pain can be tricky to treat. Sometimes, it can just go away with rest or with the application of cold packs or rehabilitation exercises. The most important thing is to be patient and get the treatment process started. Make sure to consult with a doctor before treating any kind of elbow pain. Home remedies are best avoided when it's the elbow at stake.

Pain In Elbow - Know The Causes and How to Manage It

The hand is one of the most commonly used parts of our body and is susceptible to damage, wear and tear as well as injury. Pain in the hand can be attributed to numerous causes, including damage and other conditions that can affect the joints, cartilage, nerves and other parts of the hand.

Causes

De Quervain's tendinitis: This is also known as de Quervain's tendinosis. It causes pain on the thumb side of the wrist. The pain may grow slowly or suddenly. It can also spread to every part of the thumb and up the lower arm. On the off chance that you have de Quervain's tendinitis, you may experience pain while performing the following actions:

- Clenching The fist

- Handling on or holding objects

- Turning the wrist

Treatment for this includes the following:

- Wearing a prop to rest the thumb and wrist

- Calming drugs

- Cortisone infusions

Carpal tunnel disorder: This is common amongst the well-known nerve issues. It can cause pain in the following parts of the hand:

- Palm and a few fingers

- Wrist

- Lower arm


The treatment methods includes the following:

- Resting the hand and wrist

- Painkillers

- Wrist support

- Steroid infusions

- Active recuperation

- Breaks

Fracture: It's a crack or break in a bone that can cause immense pain in the hand. Other than this, the hand may also experience the following:

- Stiffness

- Swelling

- Loss of proper motion and movement

The kind of treatment depends on the kind of fracture. Braces are usually used for small fractures. Sticks, wires, or plates might be used to treat severe fractures. Likewise, surgery may also be recommended to set the broken bone properly.

Arthritis: This is a disease causing joint inflammation and stiffness of the joints. It causes the joints to lose the ligament that permits them to move easily against each other. This tears the ligament, giving rise to crippling pain and swelling.

In the hand, the regions where this regularly happens are as follows:

- Base of the thumb

- Center joint of one or more fingers

- End joint, which is nearest to the fingertip

The treatment depends on the seriousness of the injury and the following may be used:

- Painkillers

- Props for the fingers or wrist

- Heat

- Non-intrusive treatment

Trigger finger: Also known as stenosing tenosynovitis, this defect causes the fingers or the thumb to bend. It can be difficult, particularly when bowing or fixing the influenced finger or thumb.

Knobs may form on the influenced ligaments. Also, the sheath itself may thicken. In the long run, the ligament may get to be adhered when you attempt to fix a twisted finger or thumb.

Resting now and again while wearing a support may help resolve the issue. Over-the-counter torment pharmaceuticals can facilitate the agony. Corticosteroid infusions can mitigate side effects. Surgery might be recommended for extreme cases.

Causes of Common Hand Pain and How to Find Relief

Stress is sometimes good for you. When you stretch yourself beyond your capacity, your body accepts challenge and increase the capacity to cope up with challenge. To a certain extent, it is good for body. But when the stress crosses the limits, it starts hurting you. That's the bad stress for you. Moderate stress for too long a time also is bad for you. Most of the hormonal diseases like diabetes, thyroid etc. Occur because of long standing underlying moderate stress. 

Stress can be physical or mental. Physical stress is due to long and continuous physical activities like walking, jogging, travelling, cycling. Mental stress is mainly because of financial tension or relationship distress. Both types of stress cause similar damages to body. Stress is the main underlying cause behind diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease, thyroid, diabetes, kidney disease, peptic ulcer, bleeding disorders, cancer, recurrent infections etc. 

Finding out the reason of stress and removal of cause of stress should be the main line of treatment of such diseases.

Stress - Good and Bad

Tennis elbow is a condition which is characterized by a sharp pain on the outer portion of the elbow. This condition is also called  lateral epicondylitis  and it occurs when the muscles of the elbow are overused. The symptoms of pain tend to occur near the forearm when you bend your elbow or try to grip an object.

Causes
The elbow joint comprises of muscles which facilitate movement of the wrist, elbows and the fingers. There are tendons present in the elbow which join the muscles and bones, thus regulating the forearm muscles. When the muscles of the elbow are overused, then it can lead to inflammation and tears in the muscles.

This condition is so called as it is usually caused by playing certain sports, primarily tennis. It may also be caused by activities that put repetitive stress on the elbow. If the same pain occurs around the inner portion of the elbow, it is called a  golfer s elbow .

Prevention
The best treatment method to prevent tennis elbow is to strengthen your elbow muscles. You need to follow a regulated strength and stretching program directed at strengthening the muscles of the body, including the elbows.

Here are some tips to prevent tennis elbow:

Try to stay in good shape physically.
Use proper technique when you are carrying out any activity that involves the elbow.
Avoid overstressing the elbow joint with repetitive movements as it can cause injury to the tendon.
The muscles of the shoulder, arm and the upper back should be strengthened to prevent tennis elbow.
For movements that require you to twist your arm or grasp things, you can use a counter force brace to protect your elbow. This brace is worn on the forearm which redistributes pressure on the muscle. A counter force brace is recommended for people who are at an increased risk of tennis elbow.

Tennis Elbow - Tips To Help You Prevent It!

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?

People who suffer from arthritis are more likely to experience osteoarthritis symptoms. The intensity of the feeling of knee pain in winter is often linked to barometric pressure. In winter, there is a reduction in the pressure exerted by the air around us. This drop in pressure can cause the tissues around the joints to swell resulting in increased pain. The other possible cause of knee pain in winter can be explained from the influence of heat. Fluid in tissues becomes more viscous during winter. As a result of this increased viscosity, the elasticity of the muscles decreases, resulting in winter aches and pains. 
Some scientists believe that the higher pain intensity in winter is to be more of a psychological thing. Seasonal affective disorder is more during winter, and people suffering from mental depression seem to sense more pain during winter as the weather restricts outdoor activities. Improper intake of food also causes knee pain in winter due to undigested material. Even though winter arthritis is uncomfortable, the following tips help to make the joints work better and make you withstand the season easier.

Tips to Manage Joint Pain in Winters

Physical activity in winter can reduce winter aches and pains and enhance overall health benefits. Low impact activities like aerobics, swimming in a heated pool, weight training, and riding a stationary bicycle can reduce stiffness, increase the blood flow, and support the knees. Thus, winter arthritis can be well managed by doing exercises.
Diet also plays a vital role. Eating a balanced diet that comprised of low saturated fat, lean proteins, more fiber, and refined carbs helps to improve body functions during the winter. Drinking water throughout the day helps to reduce winter aches and pains. It is essential to consume easily digestible foods like vegetables. Consuming vegetables like carrots and cucumbers that have diuretic properties can help to eliminate waste products from the body.
Vitamin D deficiency may worsen osteoarthritis. It is necessary to take a supplement vitamin D or ensure to make your diet is vitamin-D rich. Fish oil is a potent source of omega 3 fatty acids. Increase your intake of milk, a rich source of protein and calcium that help to strengthen the bones. Exposing the body to sunlight help to obtain vitamin D.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen can be used to reduce inflammation and pain. Injecting a viscous substance can decrease the friction of the bones and ease the condition.
Home Remedies for Knee Pain in Winters

Wrap the inflamed knees with blanched cabbage leaves. This can cool down inflamed knees.  Aloe vera also helps to reduce inflammation.
Comfrey (symphytum officinale) can act as an anti-inflammatory agent. Create a compress using mashed root or comfrey tea soaked bandages can also be used to reduce inflammation.
Applying an ice-pack can help to reduce swelling and alleviate winter aches and pains. While applying ice-pack, ensure to cover the entire knee. Applying a bag of frozen peas to the area also works well. While using ice or heat therapy, make sure to do them carefully as over agressive and over doing it, can cause problems. 
Steam therapy also helps to reduce pain in your knees. Soak your knee in a steaming hot water for 15 minutes. Applying hot water bag also can relieve knee pain in winter effectively.
Winter aches and pains all over the body can be relieved by administrating massage therapy by a professional.
Avoid applying strain or pressure on your knees. Take adequate amount of rest to reduce pain and swelling.
These are basic guidelines to help you. Contact your doctor for further management.

Tips For Managing Joint Pain in Winter

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