Sanjeevani Plus Institute Of Medical & Research Centre

Pain management begins at home. Of course, your doctor is the expert you need to go to to check the possible causes and treatment methods to alleviate pain. However, sometimes, the pain can be managed well as home as well. For example, it is possible to manage back strain at home with the help of simple remedies. Some of these remedies include the following:

1. Ice is the best way: Back pain that is associated with inflammation or an injury can be treated with ice. You can also try using ice and heat alternatively. Use an ice pack for 20 minutes, followed by heat therapy for 20 minutes. This helps in regaining movement.
2. Lying down is not the right thing: Lying on the bed is often thought to alleviate back pain due to strain. However, several studies indicate that people who are active and suffer from mild to moderate back pain levels actually end up experiencing less pain, compared with those who resort to bed rest. Unless your doctor advises you to stay in the bed for rest, it should not be practiced for more than three days.
3. Exercises ease the pain: Staying active is the best way to keep any pain at bay. This is especially true if your job is sedentary and you need to workout at least three days a week. If you think that you are not made for the gym, do not fret. Simple exercises can do wonders beyond imagination. You can try simple cardio exercises or even a brisk walk, to begin with. Swimming is another excellent way to exercise that keeps off back pain, helps you lose weight, and keep you stress-free.
4. Posture means a lot: While other remedies definitely soothe the pain, it is important to tackle the root cause of pain in the right way. A bad posture is one of the leading cause of pain due to back strain. Avoid straining the back unnecessarily by maintaining a correct posture. From leaning at a wrong angle over the sink to leaning over the desk at your work can cause back strain and pain. Keep off from the incorrect posture to ease the pressure off the back and neck.
5. Become more flexible: Tensioned muscles cause tightness and eventually, back pain. To tackle this and improve flexibility, try this simple technique. Sit on the edge of the bed and ensure that the body is equally spread over the edge. You need to keep one of the legs on the floor, and the other extended. Stretch and lean forward. Your back has to be in a neutral position. Back pain can be at the peak when you wake up. Try this exercises to ease the movement through improved flexibility.
6. Heels don’t let your pain heal: Heels can be a nice show-off but they are not recommended when you suffer from back pain. They can be a reason for back pain or they can also be the reason to increase or worsen the pain triggered due to various reasons. Shoes with heels of less than one inch are a nice choice. If heels are must for any reason, remove them as often as possible. For instance, remove your shoes and keep them under the desk when you are sitting.
7. Stay off from smoking: Smoking is associated with several health issues. It also increases the risk of osteoporosis. People who smoke are at a higher risk of developing back pain, as compared to people who do not smoke.
8. Use the weighing scale: Being overweight or obese puts a lot of strain and pressure on the back, thus causing pain. Keep a tab on your weight. The ways to put off back pain are simple and if you are determined, you can see improvement faster.

Rotator Cuff Tear is one of the most common disabilities observed amongst adults above 40 years of age. Rotator Cuff is a group of four muscles that keep the Humerus (arm bone) attached to the socket of the Shoulder. The Rotator Cuff keeps the Shoulder Blade attached to the arm, and when there’s a damage (tear) in one of these muscles, excruciating pain is felt by the patient.

Kinds of Rotator Cuff Tear-

• Partial Tear: This happens when one of the Tendons amongst the four Tendons is damaged or torn.
• Full Tear: This occurs when all the Tendons are torn; this is also called Complete Tear. Severe pain is experienced in this type of tear and surgery might be required.

Symptoms-

● A person may experience excruciating pain while performing daily tasks like Combing hair, Picking up Laundry, etc.
● Muscle weakness and stiffness on Shoulder.

Diagnosis of Rotator Cuff Tear-

● Ultrasound is used to check the internal structure of the shoulder and the damaged muscle pattern. The waves directed into the shoulder create images of the Tendons and ligaments of the shoulder. This allows the doctor to access the severity of the damage on the shoulder.
● MRI: When the doctor needs a better look at the Tendon damage, radio waves provide a better imagery than Ultrasound.

Treatment of Rotator Cuff Tear-

• RICE (Rest Ice Compression Elevation): In Case of partial rotator cuff injuries with very little damage, RICE is a good treatment option to treat temporary partial damage in the shoulder. Applying cold water and moving the hands slowly helps the muscles to get into shape.

• Injections: Non-inflammatory drugs are prescribed to the patient suffering from Full Rotator Cuff injury to deal with the pain. A Tendon tear can cause extreme pain, which might give the patient some sleepless nights. Non-inflammatory painkillers temporarily numb the shoulder, allowing the patient to sleep.

• Physical Therapies: Physical therapy is one of the most sought out treatment option. Physical therapy allows a person to recover from a rotator cuff injury through exercises and mild movements of the arms and shoulders.

• Surgery: When the injury is too severe for conventional treatment and medication, a patient might have to go through some complex surgeries.

A) Arthroscopic Tendon Repair: In this surgery, the doctor makes a small incision on the shoulders and then inserts a Laparoscope type instrument (Arthroscope) into the muscles, with a camera attached on the top. This instrument allows the surgeon to see the muscle structure and also helps in re-joining the tendons.

B) Open Tendon Repair: Arthroscopic Tendon Repair can be a bit complex, that’s why an open tendon repair is preferred by most doctors. In this surgery, the surgeon makes a bigger incision and attaches the Tendons surgically.

Conclusion-
Rotator Cuff Tears is a severe problem for the locomotion of body, but it is treatable, as long as one doesn’t delay going to an experienced doctor.

Knee replacement is a surgery wherein an artificial joint is used to replace a diseased, damaged or worn out knee. This surgery is common among people who fall in the age group of 60-80, but recent trends seem to suggest that younger people are opting for this surgery as well. The lifetime of the artificial knee joint is around 20 years, provided the knee is well cared for.

Why do you need knee replacement?

Most common reason is “high grade osteoarthritis” due to wear and tear of the knee joint. The pre-hospital study of the Knee joint is mandatory and would decide what kind of Replacement is suitable to the patient. If there is diabetes or hypertension associated with this, then it should be controlled well before undergoing surgery. Hemoglobin of at least 10 gm% is required.

If the mobility in your knee joint is reduced leading to impaired functioning of the knee joint, then you might need a knee replacement surgery. You may experience pain while walking, sitting and, in some cases, resting as well.

Some of the common reasons why you may opt for this particular surgery are:

1. Gout, where, small crystals are formed inside the joint.
2. Rheumatoid Arthritis, an autoimmune disorder, wherein the immune system of the body attacks the body’s healthy tissues.
3. Hemophilia, wherein, the blood ceases to clot normally.
4. Injuries to the knee.
5. Disorders that cause unusual bone growth (bone dysplasias).
6. Death of bone in the knee joint following blood supply problems (avascular necrosis).
7. Knee deformity with pain and loss of cartilage.
8. Unusual growth of bones in the knee joint.

Knee replacement surgery is classified into:

1. Partial Knee Replacement: In this surgery, only one part of the joint is replaced.
2. Total Knee Replacement: Total knee replacement surgery involves replacement of both sides of the knee joint.

The usual hospital stay period is around 2-3 days after the surgery is completed. Initially, you will require the help of crutches to walk for at least 2 months. You may also be asked to do gentle knee strengthening exercises. It may take up to 3 months to recover completely from a knee replacement surgery.