Muscle Cramps Health Feed

Kegel exercises can improve your sex life and help with pelvic floor problems, including urinary and fecal incontinence. The key is to get in the habit of doing them every day so you start to see results.

Find your pelvic muscles by stopping the flow of your urine mid-stream. Before you do your Kegel exercises, it's important to find your pelvic muscles. These are the muscles that form the floor of your pelvic floor. The most common way to find them is to try to stop the flow of your urine midstream. This tightening is the basic move of a Kegel. Let those muscles go and resume the flow of urine and you'll have a better sense of where those Kegels are. Just remember to see a doctor before you begin your Kegel exercises if you have any medical problems that may prevent you from doing Kegels safely.

• However, don't stop urinating midstream as your regular Kegel exercise routine. Doing Kegels while urinating more than twice a month can actually have the opposite effect, weakening the muscle. It may also cause damage to your bladder and kidneys.

If you still have trouble finding your Kegels, place your finger in your vagina and squeeze your muscles. You should feel the muscles tightening and your pelvic floor move up. Relax and you'll feel the pelvic floor move back again. Make sure your finger is clean before you insert it into your vagina.

Use a hand mirror to find your Kegels. If you're still having trouble locating or isolating your Kegels, place a hand mirror below your perineum, which is the skin-covered area between your vagina and your anus. Practice squeezing and relaxing what you think are your Kegel muscles. If you do this correctly, you should see your perineum contracting with each squeeze. If you're a sexually active woman, you can also ask your partner if he can feel you "hugging" his penis and letting go during sex.

Make sure you have an empty bladder before you begin your Kegels. This is important. You don't want to do your Kegels with a full or a partially full bladder, or you may experience pain while you do your Kegels, as well as some leakage. Before you start your exercise routine, do a bladder check so you can perform those exercises as efficiently as possible.

Concentrate on only tightening your pelvic floor muscles. Your Kegel exercises should focus on these muscles only, so you should avoid flexing other muscles, such as your buttocks, thighs, or your abdomen, for best results. To help your concentration and the efficiency of your movements, make sure you breathe in and out as you perform each set of Kegels, instead of holding your breath. This will help you relax and get the most out of your pelvic floor exercises.

• One way to keep your muscles relaxed is to place one hand on your belly to make sure that your belly is relaxed.
• If your back or belly ache a bit after you complete a set of Kegel exercises, then it's an indication that you're not doing them correctly.

Get into a comfortable position. You can do these exercises either sitting in a chair or lying on the floor. Make sure your buttock and tummy muscles are relaxed. If you are lying down, then you should be flat on your back with your arms at your sides and your knees up and together. Keep your head down, too, to avoid straining your neck.

Homeopathy is considered safe, natural and holistic approach. With so many homeopathy centers and doctors, choosing best homeopathic doctor may be difficult. Here is list of best homeopathy doctors in Bangalore.

Homeopathy is an old science, and is based on the theory that "like cures like".  The solutions and remedies provided in homeopathy are personalized, basis symptoms and diagnosis. The medicines are totally safe with no side effects, even if taken for a long run. Homeopathic solutions are very effective in allergic conditions, metabolic and chronic disorders. 

1. Dr. Jyothi Rao

DHMS (Diploma in Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery), M.Sc - Clinical Nutrition, MSc - Psychotherapy And Counselling

Dr. Rao is a homoeopathic Physician, with 25 years of experience. She is also a clinical nutritionist and has done her masters in psychotherapy and counselling as well. This gives her counselling and treatment a holistic approach. She is known for her treatment of allergies, female disorders & fertility problems, thyroid disorders and joint and muscle pains. You can visit her at Apoorva Diagnostic and Healthcare, Bangalore.

Consultation fees: ₹500

2.  Dr. T.Kirankumar

BHMS

Dr. T.Kirankumar is amongst the best Homeopaths in, Bangalore. In 22 years of his career, he has helped many patients. You can visit him at Positive Homeopathy clinic - either at Malleshwaram or Indira Nagar, Bangalore. He is known for his treatment for kidney stone, skin allergies and diabetes management.

Consultation fees: ₹300

3. Dr. Babitha Jayapal

BHMS

Dr. Jayapal is an experienced homeopathic doctor. In 25 years of her experience, she has treated many acute & chronic disease. She is known for caring and holistic approach taking care of mental, physical and emotional health of her patients. She currently practices at Garden City Homeopathic Clinic, Bangalore. 

Consultation fees: ₹200

4. Dr. Bhagyalakshmi

BHMS

Dr. lakshmi is a renowned name in homeopathic doctors of Bangalore, especially for her knowledge of treating allergies and fertility problems. She has 22 years of experience and has worked with several reputed institutes. She is currently practicing at her own clinic- Ribha Homeopathy.

Consultation fees: ₹300

5. Dr. Amrita Dewan

BHMS, B.Sc - Botany, MSc - Counselling & Family Therapy

Dr. Amrita Dewan is a BHMS, B.Sc - Botany, MSc - Counselling & Family Therapy. She has 11 years of experience and a reputed homeopath in Bangalore. She runs her own clinic- Dewan's Homoeo Clinic in Ramamurthy Nagar, Bangalore. Her area of special interest are metabolic diseases like- diabetes, lipid management, thyroid and weight.

Consultation fees: ₹200

6. Dr. Shruti Modak

BHMS

Dr. Shruti Modak has become a popular name in Bangalore, in a very short span of 7 years. She is known for her compassion and warmth as well as a holistic approach for treating her patients. She is associated with Baptist Hospital, Bangalore and also practises at Mithi Goli in Bangalore.

Consultation fees: ₹500

7. Dr. Amarjeeth Chilargikar

BHMS

Dr. Amarjeeth Chilargikar has 13 years of experience and specializes in Homeopathy treatments. He is known for correct diagnosis and effective medication. You can visit him at homeosquare homeopathy. He has done his studies from Dr. Malakreddy Homeopathy Medical College & Hospital Gulbarga. He is an active member of Media Association of Karnataka. 

Consultation fees: ₹200

8. Dr. Vinod Kumar

BHMS, International Academy of Classical Homoeopathy, Alonissos (GREECE)

Dr. Kumar has completed his BHMS at  International Academy of Classical Homoeopathy, Alonissos (GREECE). He has 7 years of experience and has treated many acute and chronic diseases effectively. He is known for treatment of skin allergies and hair loss along with male disorders. You can meet him at Pavithra Clinic, Bangalore.

Consultation fees: ₹400

9. Dr. Ranga Sai

BHMS

He  is a popular Homeopaths in Bangalore with 18 years of experience in this field. He currently runs his own private practice at Tristha Homeopathic Clinic in Malleswaram, Bangalore. He completed his studies from one of the most reputed college- Bharati Vidyapeeth Homeopathic College in 2000. His services include treatment for depression, psychological & neurological problems, hormonal disorder etc.

Consultation fees: ₹200

10. Dr. Aparna. J

BHMS

Dr. Aparna. J, has 13 years of experience and practices at Aayush Homoeo Clinic in Wilson Garden, Bangalore. She has completed her BHMS from Nashik. Her areas of interest are acidity, acne, backaches, blood pressure (high or low), cervical spondylitis, depression and migraine. 

Consultation fees: ₹200

Muscle cramps often occur in the calf muscle of the back of the lower leg. It is often characterized by a momentary sharp pain along with a muscle lump beneath the skin. Just like its sudden appearance, muscle cramp disappears the same way without any botheration. However, a doctor should be consulted if you see any of the following symptoms:

1. The pain keeps coming back
2. The cramps result in weakening of the muscles
3. It causes frequent discomfort
4. It results in changed skin color, redness or swelling of the skin
5. The condition doesn’t improve with normal care
6. Cramps are not associated with obvious causes such as playing, exercising and jogging

What causes muscle cramps?
Any strain on muscle, dehydration, muscle overuse or simply standing for a prolonged time can lead to muscle cramps. The exact cause of muscle cramps is not known in a lot of cases. There could be the following medical conditions that could lead to such muscle cramps:

1. Blood supply: At times when the arteries narrow down resulting in an inadequate blood supply in the leg, a sharp pain can be felt followed by muscle cramps. This can happen while exercising or playing. It disappears as soon as one rests their legs.
2. Mineral depletion: Shortage of magnesium, potassium and calcium in the body can lead to muscle cramps. Even medication for high blood pressure can lead to cramps in the legs.
3. Nerve compression: Nerve compression of the spine can produce sharp pain on the leg muscles. The pain worsens with longer durations of walk. The symptoms, however, can be delayed a bit if the walking posture is changed, like the way one walks while carrying a shopping cart.

What are the risk factors associated to muscle cramps?

1. Dehydration: Muscle cramps often happen among athletes when they get dehydrated and fatigued while performing in hot temperature.
2. Age: People over the age of 60 often lose mass in the muscle. The remaining mass gets stressed out soon, resulting in muscle cramps.
3. Pregnancy: Pregnant women face frequent muscle cramps due to the sudden increase of body weight and restricted movements in the pregnancy period.
4. Medical conditions: Certain medical conditions such as nerve disorder, thyroid problems, liver failure, diabetes etc. greatly increase the chance of muscle cramps.

Some common ways to treat muscle cramps:

1. A brisk walk followed by stretching relaxes the muscles and greatly helps in staying away from cramps.
2. A diet consisting of magnesium on a regular basis gives relief from muscle cramps.
3. A wet cloth soaked in hot water often shows magical results and gives instant relief from muscle cramps.
4. Being hydrated throughout the day helps with muscle cramps. It is necessary to consume enough amount of electrolytes so that muscle contraction does not happen.