Strains Tips

Today ‘working’ usually implies sitting at a desk from morning to evening. While this may seem more comfortable than working in the fields, sitting at a desk can trigger a host of back problems. This is because sitting in the same position all day makes the spine bend forward and lowers the efficiency of the back muscles. Working at a desk not only strains your back, but also restricts your movements to typing on a keyboard and moving a mouse.

Once a back problem begins, it usually lasts a lifetime hence; here are a few tips to save your back.

1. Get yourself a good chair: Your chair is crucial to your back’s health. Avoid the hard backed plastic chairs and pick a more flexible mesh backed office chair if you sit at the table for a long span of time. Ergonomic chairs may seem expensive, but are worth the expense in the long run.
2. Stretch your muscles: Sitting in the same position all day, puts the muscles under stress and with time can constrict the muscles. Make it appoint to stand up every 30 minutes and stretch your back and sides. Also try rotating your hips and shoulders form time to time.
3. Take a break: No matter how much work you have in front of you, take a break at the end of each hour. Taking even 2 minutes off out of 60 every hour can have a huge impact on your health. If you still feel guilty skip using the phone to connect with your colleague and walk over to their desks instead.
4. Get a pedometer: Keeping a pedometer will help you track the number of steps taken in a day. Ideally, a person should take 10,000 steps a day to stay healthy. If you sit at a desk for majority of the day, take every opportunity you can to up the count on your pedometer. Go for a walk around your office after lunch or park your car a little way off from the office to create opportunities to walk.
5. Take the stairs: As far as possible avoid escalators and elevators. Instead climb stairs for a quick workout. If your office is on the 20th floor, walking up may not be feasible, but you could get off the elevator on the 18th floor and walk up the remaining two floors.
6. Eat healthy: Lastly, pay attention to what you eat. Avoid eating at the office canteen or picking up a bite at the coffee shop and carry lunch from home. This ensures that you eat a balanced meal.

The deltoid muscle is situated around the shoulder joint that makes up the shoulder. It is classified into three parts - front, side and rear deltoids. It is one of the most frequently used muscles in the body, its major functions are abduction and forward elevation of the arm.

Causes
A deltoid strain is a condition where you experience pain and tenderness in the shoulder area due to various causes like overuse of the deltoid muscle. It is very common in weightlifting and various sports such as cricket. It may even lead to partial loss of function in the deltoid muscle. Deltoid strain may be caused due to overworking of the muscle without adequate rest. It may also be caused due to lengthening of the deltoid muscle under stress or direct trauma to the muscle.

There are three types of deltoid strains

• Grade 1 deltoid strain: It is characterized by tight muscles with some possible swelling. There may be mild pain when you use your shoulders for any activity.
• Grade 2 deltoid strain: This strain is a result of a major injury to the deltoid muscle; there may be visible swelling and pain while carrying out activities that require movement of the shoulder. Lifting your arm to the front or the sides becomes difficult and painful.
• Grade 3 deltoid strain: This form of deltoid strain is the most severe of the three; it may cause the shoulders to become immobile. You usually will experience excessive pain and severe swelling. You might not be able to move your arm and carry out any activity that requires the shoulders.

Diagnosis
The diagnosis of a deltoid strain starts with a physical exam where the doctor will understand the symptoms of the deltoid strain. Various imaging tests such as x-rays may be required for the diagnosis. The basic treatment for shoulder strain comprises of the RICE protocol (rest, ice, compression and elevation) which is used to treat grade 1 and grade 2 strains. Grade 3 strains may require surgery in addition to the above treatment methods. In case of excess pain, the doctor may prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to ease the pain.

There are two main categories into which soft tissue injuries fall into first is overuse and the second is acute.

• Acute injuries: These are brought on by unexpected trauma such as a twist, fall or a heavy blow. Strains, contusions and sprains are examples of acute injury.
• Overuse injuries: They happen gradually with time. Athletics experience this as they use specific areas of their bodies repeatedly, without giving them time to heal. Examples of soft tissue injuries due to overuse are bursitis and tendinitis.

Types of Overuse injuries

1. Tendinitis: It is an irritation or inflammation of the tendon coverings (also known as a sheath). Repeated small stresses that agitate the tendon may cause it. Pain and swelling are typical symptoms that may worsen with overuse. Professional swimmers, baseball players, golfers and tennis players are more prone to their arms and shoulders being affected by tendinitis. Stress elimination, steroid injections, anti-inflammatory drugs and splinting can all be used in the treatment of tendinitis. The tendons might get significantly damaged due to persisting inflammation and corrective surgery may be required.
2. Bursitis: Small sacs resembling jelly which are spread throughout the whole body are called bursa. These areas include the knees, the hip, heels, the elbow and the areas adjacent to the shoulders. They are located between soft tissues and bones and have small amounts of fluid to assist in reducing friction. An inflammation of the bursa is called bursitis. Tendinitis and bursitis are many –a- times experienced together.

Types of Acute injuries 

1. Contusion: Multiple blows or a direct one can cause a contusion. It is a bruise in which the underlying connective tissues and muscle fibres get crushed without a break in the skin. It may result from the body hitting a tough surface or from falling. The pooling of blood around the site of injury can cause a discoloration in the skin.
2. Strain: An injury to the muscles or tendons leads to strain. Fibrous tissues that hold the bone and muscles together are called the tendons. They generally happen in the back, the feet or legs. It may be just a stretch in the tendons and muscles, or it might be a complete or partial tear in the tendon and muscle junction. Pain, muscle weakness, muscle spasm, cramping, inflammation and swelling are typical strain symptoms.
3. Sprain: A tear or stretch in the ligament is called a sprain. Ligaments join the ends of bones together. They support and stabilize the joints of the body. For example, the knee ligaments connect the shinbone to the thighbone and this in turn facilitates running in athletes. The knees, wrists and ankles are the most susceptible to sprains.

Muscle strain or muscle pull is a condition, which is characterized by damage to the muscles or its adjoining tendons. Undue pressure can be exerted on the muscle when you are carrying out routine activities such as sudden lifting of heavy things or playing contact sports. The damage to the muscle is usually in the form of partial or complete tearing of the tendons and fibres attached to the muscles. The small blood vessels in the muscles can also be damaged by the tearing of the muscles, leading to local bleeding and bruising.

The symptoms of muscle pain are:
1. You will experience pain even while resting
2. There will be bruising, swelling and redness around the affected area
3. You will experience weakness of the muscles and tendons
4. The movement and mobility of the muscle will be impaired
5. You will experience pain when you use the affected muscles

The causes of a muscle strain are:
1. Playing contact sports can lead to injuries
2. Lifting heavy things
3. Exercising without a proper warm up routine
4. Lifting extremely heavy weights during exercise without proper acclimatization
5. Sleeping on one side only for a long period of time
6. Not stretching properly
7. Falling from a height

The treatments for muscle strains are:
1. Pain medications: You can opt for pain relieving medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications to help combat the associated pain of a muscle strain.
2. Rice: Rice stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation. This treatment is usually the first step after suffering a strain, before opting for medications. This treatment prevents further aggravation of the problem.
3. Compress: You can alternate between hot and cold compress to reduce the swelling and pain.
4. Stretches: Once the affected area has healed, it is important for you stretch the muscles to improve their mobility and strength.

Exercising should not a dreaded but enjoyed. Exercising in the water can be as challenging and intense as any other form of exercise but without the sweating. Aquatic exercises are ideal for every age and especially beneficial to those with injuries and joint limitations like arthritis. Exercising in water also helps with weight loss and stress management. If you want a reason to start exercising in water, here are three: 

1. Increases flexibility
Water is unpredictable in its movements. When exercising in water, the body has to push against water and faces water resistance. This resistance can be up to 42 times more than the resistance you would encounter when exercising on land. Thus while adjusting to the push and pull of water, the body is forced to move in various directions. This helps increase the range of motions in all the joints. The upward thrust of water or buoyancy also negates the effect of gravity and cushions the body. This reduces strain on weight bearing joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons. As a result, the body becomes more flexible. 

2. Low impact
One of the biggest differences between exercising on land and exercising in water is the impact of the exercise on joints. For example, running on land puts a lot of stress on your knees. However, if you were to run in water, your knees would not make you cry in pain. This is because of the buoyancy of water. By cushioning your body, it supports half your body weight and thus makes you bear only half your body weight. This reduces the impact on your joints and makes exercising in water appealing to those with joint problems or those undergoing physical rehabilitation after an injury. 

3. Makes the heart work efficiently
Water has a unique property that makes it makes the heart work more efficiently. By pushing against he entire body surface, the hydrostatic pressure aids in the flow of blood from the all parts of the body to the heart and thus improves blood circulation. This puts less stress on your heart muscles. Thus by exercising in water, you can lower your blood pressure and heart rate. 
Apart from these benefits, exercising in water also helps build endurance and increases muscle strength.  It is also one of the most cooling and enjoyable ways to burn calories. It would be rare for you to be in a pool all by yourself and hence exercising in water is also a social exercise. So when are you stepping into the pool?

Abdominal Strain

Treatment of Abdominal Strain
Homeopathic Treatment of Abdominal Strain
Acupuncture & Acupressure Treatment of Abdominal Strain
Psychotherapy Treatment of Abdominal Strain
Conventional / Allopathic Treatment of Abdominal Strain
Surgical Treatment of Abdominal Strain
Dietary & Herbal Treatment of Abdominal Strain
Other Treatment of Abdominal Strain
What is Abdominal Strain
Symptoms of Abdominal Strain
Causes of Abdominal Strain
Risk factors of Abdominal Strain
Complications of Abdominal Strain
Lab Investigations and Diagnosis of Abdominal Strain
Precautions & Prevention of Abdominal Strain
 

Treatment of Abdominal Strain 

Homeopathic Treatment of Abdominal Strain

Homeopathy gives instant relief in pain and inflammation. It treats the person as a whole. It means that homeopathic treatment focuses on the patient as a person, as well as his pathological condition. It balances the energy system, improves immunity and body functions. It naturally cures the root cause of disorder. Some common homeopathic medicines used for abdominal strain are:

Belladona
Bryonia
Ran B
Rhus Tox
Mag M 

Acupuncture & Acupressure Treatment of Abdominal Strain

Acupuncture proves beneficial in the treatment of strained abdominal muscles. Doctors may also recommend physical therapy for treatment of pain in the abdominal wall Acupuncture and Dry Needling are useful modalities to provide pain relief and assist injury rehabilitation. According to acupuncture theory, chi circulates in the body along twelve major pathways, called meridians, each linked to specific internal organs and organ systems.

Psychotherapy Treatment of Abdominal Strain

Psychotherapy is a form of treatment that has been studied in terms of its effectiveness in helping people with abdominal strain. In this treatment, patient is taught healthy ways of thinking and coping behaviors to help reduce suffering. A therapist will teach relaxation and other pain management skills.

Conventional / Allopathic Treatment of Abdominal Strain

Allopathic treatment helps to address symptoms of abdominal pain. Conventional Allopathic treatment modalities may help to provide momentary relief from the symptoms.

Surgical Treatment of Abdominal Strain

In some cases of abdominal strain such as appendicitis and a hernia, surgery is necessary.

Dietary & Herbal Treatment of Abdominal Strain

Matricaria recutita is a medicinal herb, used for centuries as a natural anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic. It is an extremely effective treatment for abdominal pain.

Other Treatment of Abdominal Strain

The Ice Packs relieve pain and reduce bleeding in the damaged tissue.

What is Abdominal Strain?

Abdominal strain is damage to the abdominal muscle due to over-stretching of the muscle tissue. It is an injury to one of the muscles of the abdominal wall. The damage involves tearing the muscle tissue.

Symptoms of Abdominal Strain 

Swelling and bruising
Muscle pain
Muscle spams
Stiffness
Inflammation
Redness

Causes of Abdominal Strain

Accident or injury
Exercising excessively
Improperly performing exercises or sports activities
Lifting heavy objects
Sharply twisting the body

Risk factors of Abdominal Strain

Overexerting muscles
Exercising in cold weather
Performing exercises incorrectly
Having weak back muscles
Being tired
Participating in forceful activity

Complications of Abdominal Strain

Herniation of the intestines 

Diagnosis of Abdominal Strain

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history. Physical exam includes Tenderness, swelling, pain and some loss of strength may be present.

Tests include:

X-rays
Ultrasound
MRI

Precautions &Prevention of Abdominal Strain 

Maintain good muscle strength
If you are tired, stop exercising
Get proper training exercises
Do not overexert

1. Fill up on fiber

Hemorrhoids are more likely to occur in people who have infrequent bowel movements. One of the easiest, most natural ways to become more regular is by filling up on fiber either through your diet or supplements. “adding fiber to the diet is the universal recommendation of both family doctors and gastroenterologists. “it may increase gas, but this is a small price to pay for the benefits.” aim to get 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day. Great food sources of fiber include:

Legumes, such as split peas, lentils, black beans, lima beans, and baked beans

Whole grains, such as barley, bran flakes, oatmeal, and brown rice

Vegetables, such as artichoke, green peas, broccoli, and brussels sprouts

Fruits, such as raspberries, pears, apples, and bananas

2. Drink enough water

This hemorrhoid prevention strategy is simple and cheap, yet so few of us actually do it. Along with eating a healthy diet full of fiber, adequate hydration from water is the key to having healthy bowel movements. “drinking enough water helps prevent constipation and therefore decreases straining. Drinking six to eight glasses of water each day doesn't just keep your digestive system running smoothly, it benefits your entire body.

3. Get plenty of exercise

According to Dr. Desi, exercise and hemorrhoids have a love-hate relationship. “exercise helps keep the colon more regular,” he says. “however, engaging in activities that increase abdominal pressure and/or straining (such as weightlifting) can lead to the formation of hemorrhoids.” staying active reduces your time spent sitting and putting pressure on the veins in your lower rectum. If you have a history of problematic hemorrhoids, you might want to steer clear of lifting heavy weights or other strenuous activities and opt for more moderate exercise routines such as yoga, swimming, or walking to prevent hemorrhoids from flaring.

4. Be careful when it comes to laxatives

When you’re constipated, some fiber supplements, particularly psyllium capsules, have a track record of helping get you more regular, which can prevent painful hemorrhoids. As far as laxatives go, they can help as long as you choose the correct ones. “the safest laxatives are those that work with your body rather than those that stimulate or simulate normal physiological activities. “some laxatives work by stimulating intestinal contraction to move the contents along. This might increase hemorrhoid pressures and cause symptoms.” to prevent hemorrhoids or to treat hemorrhoids that are active, we suggests osmotic laxatives that simply increase the amount of water in the gut and reduce constipation.

5. Don’t fight the urge

When you have to go, go. This is one of the simplest ways to prevent hemorrhoids. “ignoring mother nature has its risks, and hemorrhoids are one of them,”. “if you obey your body when it screams at you, the chance of problems is less. You listen to everyone else when they scream at you; why not listen to your own body, too? when you wait until you decide you have the time to move your bowels, success will be far more elusive and straining far more likely.”

6. Avoid straining

Straining and putting more pressure on the veins in your rectum is one of the most common causes of painful or bleeding hemmorhoids. In some cases, this can happen as a result of pushing too hard when trying to have a bowel movement. Other situations can cause straining too, such as lifting heavy objects, a chronic cough, or even pregnancy. If you have issues with hemorrhoids, I advise being aware of the strain you’re putting on your bowels and avoiding it as much as you can.

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.

We are surrounded by light from everywhere on all sides. Wherever we go, there is some source of light, be it natural or man made. However, exposure to bright light in excess can cause strain to your eyes and if this is continued your vision quality might decrease.

Here are some ways you can adjust light in order to lessen eye stress and to increase your visibility.

Make adjustments in your workplace

According to studies, it has been shown that half of people who work in front of computer screens every day suffer from eye strain. Not only the computer, but the entire lighting around your workstation may also be causing damage.
1. Reduce the brightness of interior lights. Many offices have bright, fancy interior lighting. Use of light bulbs and fluorescents should be lessened.
2. In case of the presence of a window right behind or in front of your work desk, more strain is imposed upon your eyes because of the reflections on the screen. You should change the place or use dark, thick curtains or coat the glasses with anti-reflective material in order to reduce the glare.
3. The blue light emitted from the computer causes a great amount of eye strain. You should adjust the brightness and keep it as low as possible.

Improve your home lighting

For people who spend a lot of time at home working, adjustments should be made to the lighting in order to reduce eye strain.
1. Avoid reading in a dim light room. This can give you headaches and produce eye strain. Any kind of activity where a lot of focus is required in dim or poorly lighted environments causes damage and strain to the eyes.
2. Use desk lamps, reading lamps, under cabinet lights in the kitchen and other types of lights everywhere you work.
3. If you work in a place for more than an hour, a nearby light would make it less stressful for the eyes.

For people with low vision.

1. For people with less power of vision, proper lighting is a must. A 60-year old man would need to double the amount of light to carry out any activity which a man of 30 years would require.
2. People having disorders such as macular degeneration, glaucoma and similar vision disorders need advanced lighting and should consult a doctor for ideas on improving their home lighting.

The presence of proper lighting improves our concentration, our ability to read, and we can differentiate between colors better. Therefore, always opt for the best lighting to avoid giving stress to your eyes.

Muscle strain or muscle pull is a condition, which is characterized by damage to the muscles or its adjoining tendons. Undue pressure can be exerted on the muscle when you are carrying out routine activities such as sudden lifting of heavy things or playing contact sports. The damage to the muscle is usually in the form of partial or complete tearing of the tendons and fibres attached to the muscles. The small blood vessels in the muscles can also be damaged by the tearing of the muscles, leading to local bleeding and bruising.

The symptoms of muscle pain are:
1. You will experience pain even while resting
2. There will be bruising, swelling and redness around the affected area
3. You will experience weakness of the muscles and tendons
4. The movement and mobility of the muscle will be impaired
5. You will experience pain when you use the affected muscles

The causes of a muscle strain are:
1. Playing contact sports can lead to injuries
2. Lifting heavy things
3. Exercising without a proper warm up routine
4. Lifting extremely heavy weights during exercise without proper acclimatization
5. Sleeping on one side only for a long period of time
6. Not stretching properly
7. Falling from a height

The treatments for muscle strains are:
1. Pain medications: You can opt for pain relieving medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications to help combat the associated pain of a muscle strain.
2. Rice: Rice stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation. This treatment is usually the first step after suffering a strain, before opting for medications. This treatment prevents further aggravation of the problem.
3. Compress: You can alternate between hot and cold compress to reduce the swelling and pain.
4. Stretches: Once the affected area has healed, it is important for you stretch the muscles to improve their mobility and strength.