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

5 Ways to Stop Muscle Cramps

Muscle cramps are feared and loathed by all of us alike – they hurt, they slow us down and they just give us a helpless feeling! The most common cause of these cramps is premature fatigue which affects the reflex control of muscles. Here are 5 ways guaranteed to beat these troublesome muscle cramps:

1. Take rest
The most easy and sure-shot way to kill a muscle cramp is to take rest. Just rest your body, be at one place and the cramp will not last more than 3-4 minutes. Moving around will only cause the pain to be aggravated and eventually affect other areas as well.

2. Consume solutions rich in salt
Whenever you encounter a troublesome cramp, the first instinct is to reach for water. However, studies have shown that salt solutions are far more effective in countering cramps as compared to plain water. You can have pickle juice and similar drinks which have a high salt concentration.

3. Be physically active
The most common reason for muscle cramps is over-straining of the body. If you are planning to indulge in an extremely intensive physical activity, make sure to train well in advance. Also, keep the duration and intensity of the training at a similar level to that of the actual activity.

4. Keep your body hydrated
Dehydration is the root of a number of troublesome conditions, muscle cramps being one of them. Make sure to always carry a water bottle with you and drink a minimum of 7-8 glasses of water on a daily basis.

5. Indulge in light passive muscle stretching
When faced with a muscle cramp, in addition to resting, try and gently stretch the affected muscle. This continuous and light passive stretching lets the brain know that it can relax the muscle and help it return to normal.




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5 Winning Ways to Stop those Nasty Muscle Cramps

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?

Did you know that in addition to your diet, exercise is one of the best ways to make sure that you never lie on a hospital bed with a surgeon treating you for a bone disorder? Medical expertise has constantly pointed out to the fact that regular exercise makes your bones less likely to suffer from wear and tear during old age.

As you exercise, your muscles become stronger, your bone density increases and your balance improves. Of course, it goes without saying that you need to follow certain precautions before you exercise to avoid certain injuries.

Before starting any exercise program, make sure that you prepare your body for exercise. A brief warm up helps you to get your muscles ready for exercise. It also makes sure that your chances of injury are drastically reduced.

Here are some tips to keep your bones healthy:

Weight lifting: Weight lifting is a type of exercise that, if done correctly, will be extremely beneficial for your bones. You can opt for simple bodyweight exercises such as pushups and squats, which build muscle as well as strength. Avoid using very heavy weights as it causes back-related problems such as slipped disk.

Yoga: Yoga is another method of exercise which is very beneficial for bones and joints. The premise of yoga is static strength building wherein you hold a pose or an exercise for a certain period of time; this helps in strengthening your muscles. Along with your muscles, your bones also become stronger as you get fitter. Yoga is repetitive stress which is good for flexibility and hence keeps your joints supple and muscles in good shape. There are certain asanas which are weight bearing and anti-gravity postures can strengthen your bones. 

Swimming: Swimming again is a good aerobic exercise and is good for back and over all fitness but doesn't strengthen bone per se. It is a way to keep you healthy. Swimming is a cardiovascular exercise, which is also known for its calorie burning capabilities. It is also very effective is incinerating fat and keeping your skeletal system healthy. Whereas walking and jogging and running certainly build your bones as they are weight bearing exercises.

Pilates: Pilates is a new form of exercise that has been gaining a lot of steam lately. It does not require much equipment, as you can get started with just a mat. It is very effective in working your spine and the hips, thus keeping your lower back strong. A weak lower back increases the chances of bone disorders drastically.

How Exercise Can Help In Keeping Your Bones Healthy?

How Homeopathy Can Cure Muscle and Joint Pain?

Joint and muscle pain arises when excess pressure is exerted on a particular joint or due to the wear and tear of a particular muscle. This is one area where many people face chronic pain, with symptoms such as deformity of the joints, swelling, immobility of the joints and severe joint pain. There are a lot of topical as well as oral medicines for chronic pain within conventional medicine, but it may not always be effective for all types of patients.

Homeopathy has been known to provide effective cures for many types of muscle and joint related ailments.

Let's first look at the common causes for muscle and joint pain related problems:
- Sports related injuries
- Vehicular accidents such as a car or bike accidents
- Bad postures or habits
- Other underlying physical or medical conditions

So what are the ways in which homeopathy can cure certain conditions and alleviate pain in patients?

- Arthritis: One of the most common problems that many people report is that of arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, which causes a lot of pain in many people. In many cases, the use of Natrum Muriaticum and Bryonia has been known to allay the pain.
- Moving and shifting joint or muscle pains: Many patients have this problem where they face joint or muscle pain but instead of it being constant in one area, it moves around the body. Pulsatilla is known to effectively reduce the symptoms in these cases.
- Tennis elbow or tendon related problems: This is a common ailment, which in many cases is caused by strenuous activities, such as sports. Rhus tox has been known to be effective in such cases.
- Muscular conditions: There are many muscle-related conditions such as fibromyalgia and fibrositis among others have also been reduced after the usage of Rhus tox.

Homeopathic medicines like Medorrhinum, Ruta, Formica Rufa, Arnica, Symphytum and a few others are useful for treating such conditions, depending upon the exact symptoms and causes.

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

How Homeopathy Can Cure Muscle and Joint Pain?

Tennis elbow is a condition, which is characterized by the inflammation of the tendons occurring in the elbow region due to excess use of the muscle groups present in the overarm. Tennis elbow can cause a lot of distress once it occurs so it is best to perform certain exercises to strengthen the muscle groups in your overarm so that muscle strain does not occur during your physical activities. Read on more to find about all the different ways to strengthen your muscle groups to prevent tennis elbow.

1. Staying in good physical shape overall tones your body and strengthens your muscle groups, thus reducing the likelihood of tennis elbow.

2. It is also important that the physical activities, which are performed by you are done using proper technique as otherwise undue strain might cause unnecessary discomfort and pain.

3. You should try strengthening the muscles in your shoulder, arm and upper back to reduce the stress your elbow undergoes during physical activity.

4. Using a counterforce brace for activities, which include twisting or grasping of the arm can also help. The use of a counterforce brace is to distribute the pressure throughout the arm, which reduces the stress on the elbow. The brace is highly recommended for people who are likely to develop tennis elbow. One should consult a doctor before opting for a counter brace. 

However, it is not a substitute for rehab exercises. If repeated arm movements or certain physical activities are causing discomfort or pain in the elbow region, check for alternative ways of performing the task. If you have taken up tennis, cricket or golf as a sport, it is highly recommended that you take proper lessons in technique as these sports involve twisting and grasping your arm, which can cause injuries if you do not follow proper techniques. Also keep in mind to choose sports equipments which are at par with your physical fitness, flexibility and strength.

For daily activities, take a note of the activities, which involve putting stress on your elbows. In such instances follow techniques or different ways to perform the tasks, which will put minimum stress or pressure on your elbows. Also, apart from using the technique one has to stay fit, for which getting regular body health check up is very important.

How to Prevent Tennis Elbow

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