Health Articles

The calf is made up of two muscles. The gastrocnemius is the larger of the two, and this attaches above the knee and heel joint. The soleus is the smaller muscle positioned beneath the gastrocnemius, and this attaches below the knee and heel joint. When these contract, flexion of the knee joint occurs. During sports, calf muscles are commonly injured resulting in pulled or even torn calf muscles. Pulled calf muscle treatment is recommended when the muscle is pulled to prevent a worsening of the injury. This form of muscle treatment can be done on your own as explained in this article.

When pulled calf muscle injury occurs, immediately apply this treatment by following R. I. C. E. ‘R’ stands for ‘Rest’, ‘I’ stands for ‘Ice’, ‘C’ stands for ‘Compression’ and ‘E’ stands for ‘Elevation’. The first thing we want to do in a pulled calf muscle injury after muscles building workout routines is to stop any internal bleeding which causes swelling of the muscle. Applying cold compression will cause the blood vessels in the pulled calf muscle to constrict, thus restricting blood flow to the area. Elevation of the limb also discourages blood flow to the injured area. All this reduce any further internal bleeding and starts the healing process. The injury will not heal without adequate rest. So make sure you stay off physical activities until healing is complete.

The short term treatment is R.I.C.E.

For the injury to heal, the long term pulled calf muscle injury must be started. This basically involves treatments that will aid blood flow to the area. It might sound contradictory here, but it is not. R.I.C.E. stops the internal bleeding. Once the internal bleed stops and swelling is reduced, the injured muscle needs to be flushed with nutrients for repair and healing to take place. Our blood carries all the necessary nutrients to the injured area for repairs to begin. Hence, the more blood flow towards the area, the better and quicker is the healing.

To increase blood flow to the area, you can do three things:

• Apply heat treatment. By rubbing and applying heating ointments like tiger balm to the area will cause blood vessels to expand.
• You can gently massage the area with the ointment. Massage will speed up blood flow to and from the area.
• You can apply a hot bag over the affected area and secure this with a bandage. This combination of heat and massage treatment will allow the injured area to heal up.

Of course this will take time, and you must rest a lot.

While resting, it is sometimes impossible to give heat and massage treatment to your pulled calf muscle all the time. In between periods, you can also apply R.I.C.E. to make sure that swelling does not occur. However, the pulled calf muscle treatment should be made up of more heat treatment than anything else.

Neck pain is a common medical condition & most of the adult population suffers from this problem at some point of time in their life. The neck pain may be due to improper habits/postures in our daily routine life, lackluster life style, and misalignment in the spine, injury, stress, muscular tightness or any other health problems. Bad sleeping habits like sleeping on stomach (when you have to keep your head 90 degrees to side), using very thick or thin pillow, working long hours on desk/computer, viewing TV in awkward position or traveling for long hours in sitting position, improper/excess exercises or work outs, are the main causes of stiffness, soreness, cramp or neck pain. The neck is composed of vertebrae along with the ligaments that provide stability to the spine. It supports the entire weight of the head as well as provides mobility. However, because it is less protected than the rest of the spine, the neck can be vulnerable to injury and disorders that produce pain and restrict motion.

Following precautions/measures can save you from neck pain:

• Proper posture while sitting – keep your head & back straight.
• While working on computer or viewing TV move around periodically and do some stretching exercises to relieve tension/stiffness of the neck. Avoid continuously sitting for a long time in one position.
• While lifting heavy things do not bend your back & neck. Sit down with your knees bend; keep the heavy object close to your body while lifting.
• Sleep on a hard bed while lying on your back. Do not sleep on your stomach.
• When there is swelling or pain in the neck apply heating pads on the neck.
• Do regular exercises/yogaasanas to keep your neck flexible.

You may get relief in neck pain by doing following exercises if the pain is not due to any injury or other medical reasons.

Stretch your arms in front of you, parallel to the ground at shoulder height level and palms of both the hands should be facing ground. Close the fists in such a way that your thumbs remain inside; rotate your fists in clockwise direction. While rotating fists your hands should remain straight & may not bend at elbow. Now rotate your fists in anticlockwise direction & keep normal breathing. You should do these exercise 15-20 times from both the hands.

• Place your both the hands on shoulders & join elbows in front of you & make big zero in clock wise direction. While rotating your arm your elbows should touch each other with every rotation. Repeat this exercise in anticlockwise direction. You should do at least ten rotations in both the directions with normal breathing. You can do these exercises in your office also while working on computers for long time.

• Raise your both the hands over your head & catch the right wrist with your left hand & left wrist with your right hand. Take a deep breath & pull the right hand with your left hand in such a way that elbow of your right hand should come behind your head. Now exhale & repeat this exercise from left hand.

• Interlock fingers of both the hands & place them behind your head. Take deep breath & put pressure in opposite direction from hand to your head & from head to hand. It will strengthen the muscles of your upper spine.

I believe in ancient theory of lifestyle. My website& blog on health emphasize that regulated lifestyle, balanced diet & regular exercises/yoga can prevent and even cure many diseases and will keep you physically as well as mentally fit with out medicines.

Achilles pain may be caused by flat feet or over-pronation during walking or running. Pronation is the opposite of suppination. Our feet tend to turn in different ways when we are walking or running. If they are over-pronated, they turn too far inward.

Shoes that properly stabilize your feet, custom-fitted orthotics, arch supports and insoles are some of the solutions. Heel cushions may help, too.

If you choose heel cushions, they should be made of medical grade silicone. The point is to act as an extra shock absorber, reducing the impact on the joint when your foot slams down on a hard surface during exercise or just walking around.

The cushions are among the least expensive treatment choices, available. Yet, many people find that they provide relief.

Shoes that stabilize the fit and prevent over-pronation should include a “pronation control plate“. You won’t find the plate in the least expensive brands, but many of the “designer” running shoes don’t have them, either.

Just because it’s a well known name does not necessarily mean that it is the best quality. You can visit a good shoe store or shop online for suggestions.

Custom fitted orthotics can help relive Achilles pain when it is due to pronation or a high arch. They are simple insoles that will fit in most well designed shoes. Today’s technology allows for home fitting by taking a cast of the foot and returning it to the manufacturer.

Arch supports are most beneficial for people with flat feet or fallen arches. But, everyone needs a shoe with good arch support, particularly those that are physically active. Think about all of the pressure that is constantly being applied to the arch and you’ll understand why.

Achilles pain can be a sign of inflammation of the tendon, which means that rest is warranted. You may want to change the type of exercise that you are doing, for a while.

For example, if you are a runner, you could switch to a recumbent bike, for a while. Whatever activity you try, just be sure that it does not cause increased pain. Inflammation can become chronic, if you don’t get your rest.

Severe pain in the area of the tendon is indicative of a rupture. It is important to get treatment, right away. If you have a history of Achilles pain, you have an increased risk of rupture, but ruptures are usually caused by “something”, such as jumping down from a high spot and landing straight-legged.

The Achilles tendons are easily damaged, if they are not stretched properly before running or if a person fails to “warm up”. So, don’t rush your workout. Follow the advice of your trainer or use common sense.

The risk of injury is greater when the tendons are cold. In most cases, they occur early on in a run or during a fast sprint. If you are an athlete, you should have any Achilles pain evaluated follow your doctor’s instructions. If not, take it easy for a few days and remember to stretch.

If you have tingling, pain, and numbness in your hands or wrists, especially in the middle, index, ring fingers or thumb, you could have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. This condition also features weakness and loss of feeling in the hands and fingers.

Repetitive hand and finger use are thought to cause Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. The median nerve gets compressed where it passes through the carpal tunnel, which is a constricted passageway of ligaments and bones underneath the wrist.

One of the ways this syndrome can be treated is by acupuncture. The acupuncture treatment points for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome are on the hands, wrists, arm neck, thumb, upper back and leg.

The amount of acupuncture treatments you will need for relief vary and depend upon things like the severity of your condition, how much you use your hands, wrists, and arms, and your overall health.

Laser acupuncture can also be used for treatment of this ailment.

Acupressure is another treatment option. This works very similarly to acupuncture, only it does not rely on needles or lasers. Instead, pressure is applied to certain points of the body. This pressure is thought to result in increased blood flow to the affected areas, thereby reducing swelling and pain. Acupressure points for Carpal Tunnel syndrome are the hands, wrists, and forearms.

In some studies, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome has been related to Vitamin B6 deficiencies. Therefore, it may be effective to treat the condition through an increased intake of Vitamin B6. Bok choy, chic peas, salmon, pork, turkey, chicken, potatoes, avocados, sunflower seeds, brown rice, bananas, barley, and mangoes are foods naturally rich in levels of Vitamin B6. You can also take 50mg of Vitamin B6 from two to three times a day as a treatment for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Eating more pineapple can actually help in the treatment of the condition, since pineapples are a natural source of the enzyme, bromelain. Bromelain may help to decrease the swelling that comes with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

There are many other treatments available to you if you suffer with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. It is always advised to consult with a physician before you start any course of treatment for any disease or condition. Tell your doctor if you desire to try natural homeopathic or holistic treatments for your condition. Most doctors will respect your desire to want to treat your condition in a natural or holistic doctor. If your physician is pressing you to immediately medicate for your condition, ask why. Perhaps, your situation is particularly or he or she has a very valid reason for refusing the natural option for your treatment.

While Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be painful and restrictive, it is not life threatening. Therefore, your doctor should be reasonable enough to allow you to try natural therapies for this particular ailment. If your physician is not responsive to your desire to treat your ailment naturally, you might want to seek out the advice of another doctor.

There are plenty of doctors around these days who are responsive to natural healing and treatment.

Many people suffer from back pain due to varying reasons. Back pain affects 8 out of 10 people at some point in their lives. It could be acute pain or chronic pain depending on how long the pain sensation has been going on. Where acute pain is sudden and lasting for a few days or a week, chronic pain, however, last for more than three months. Pain could be constant, dull pain or a sudden sharp pain.

Back pain could arise from any of the structures of the back which is composed of muscles, ligaments, bones, tendons and disks. Sometimes, however, the exact cause of pain cannot be identified. Improper or heavy lifting and/or awkward sudden movement strains muscles and ligaments causing back pain. Back pain could be due to spasm of muscles in the back. It could also be caused by a problem in the structures of the back.

Sciatica, a sharp, shooting pain through the buttock and the back of the leg can be caused by a bulging or herniated disk which presses on the main nerve traveling down your leg. Bulging or ruptured disks may bulge out of place or rupture and press on a nerve causing pain. The disks in between the vertebrae of the spine act as cushion hence when displaced or ruptured, diminishes the support it gives to the vertebrae. However, there are also people with bulging or herniated disks that may not necessarily experience pain from that condition. Arthritis, inflammation of a joint, may also cause back pain. This inflammation commonly affects the hips, hands, knees and lower back. It could lead to stenosis of the spine- the narrowing of space around the spinal cord. Abnormal curvature of the spine such as scoliosis, a condition where a person’s spine is curved from side to side, could also cause back pain. When your bones become porous and brittle it could lead to compression fractures of the spinal vertebrae causing pain.

There are factors that increase the risk of developing back pain. These include obesity, sedentary work, physically strenuous work, older age, stressful jobs, anxiety, depression, gender, and smoking.

There are ways to reduce these risks. Exercise is a good way to keep muscles relaxed rather than tense. It improves movement and flexibility. Exercise improves blood circulation and therefore nourishment of tissues in the body. Eating healthy food to nourish your body is always a good idea. For your body to function well, it should have the necessary daily dietary requirements such as proteins, vitamins and minerals among others.

I happened to bump into a good mate of mine the other day who is suffering from an injury. Now those of you who have read my blogs regularly will (hopefully) know that the major reason sports injuries do not heal properly is from lack of appropriate rehabilitative exercises. It is imperative that you get your problem diagnosed so that you can commence rehab on the injured area as soon as the inflammatory phase is over (the first 2-3 days) to get a strong and flexible repair. If you do not do this you will not recover the strength and function needed to return to your activities like before. I am sure many of you know people who have had injuries and done nothing and now complain of the shoulder that ’still aches’, or the elbow that ‘never has felt the same’ or ’still hurts if they really push it’. It’s because after an injury scar tissue replaces the injured tissue and this needs to be stretched and strengthened to give the injury its strength and flexibility to be able to use the joint or muscle like before.

So you can imagine my surprise when my friend told me that he was about to embark on a 5 day super potent course of painkillers and see what happens after that. He had decided to do this because his friend had done this and told him that he should try it too. (His friend by the way is still suffering in pain and has been for over two years now). I don’t understand the logic here? If you have a torn tendon which my friend has, how are painkillers going to fix the tear? They won’t. What is worse is that he will more than likely feel no pain and go back and do his activities or sports that he wanted to return to because(due to his super potent painkillers) he is no longer feeling any pain. And he will tear his tendon again. And probably not listen to his friend for the crappy advice he gave him in the future. (I hope).

How is it that people who are intelligent in many areas seem to put their brains on standby mode when it comes to their health? I see people on an almost daily basis who guess with their health and pray to the gods that they will get better. These are the same people who would never have their expensive cars be fixed by the bloke down the road ‘because their car has sophisticated gadgetry and they need someone who is professional and knows what he is doing’. However, they are happy to get advice from their mate at the pub or their cousin who according to him had exactly the same problem and knows what to do, or their aunty who knows ‘just the trick’ or even the internet. If your brand new Mac air laptop goes on the blink I guarantee you that you take it to a computer expert to get the problem diagnosed and fixed properly by someone who knows what he is doing. Of course you would, because your computer is worth a lot of money and is very complex. So have you ever considered that your body is the most sophisticated, most complex machine you will ever own? It is. Have you ever considered that guessing with your health could have dire effects both short and long term? It can.
Painkillers or pain medications information here
Pain is your body’s warning system to tell you there is something wrong. If you were driving along in your brand new car and the oil light came on would you:

A) Get it checked as soon as possible because you know that the light tells you that the car has a problem (the warning system)
Or
B) Cover up the oil light with a piece of tape so that you could no longer see the light anymore. If you no longer see the light you could think that the problem doesn’t exist anymore. (By hiding the warning system)

Of course you would pick the first one because you are intelligent enough to know that if you keep driving you will damage the car more. So when it comes to your body, how is it that many people are happy to take painkillers to hide the pain? Or put another way, covering up their warning system with the piece of tape.
Sports injuries
You must get your problem diagnosed properly and be giving the appropriate treatment and exercises to achieve full recovery. Otherwise, you will regret it, I can assure you.

By Mark Perren-Jones

Fibromyalgia Treatment Options
The different options for effective Fibromyalgia treatment are still in the development stages. A few of them have shown excellent potential for helping ease the pain and discomfort associated with the disease. However each person reacts to the various Fibromyalgia treatment options differently. It is important to seek the assistance of qualified medical professionals to properly diagnose and treat Fibromyalgia.

It is believed a large percentage of individuals with Fibromyalgia have never seen a doctor about their condition. Instead they continually try different over the counter products that may work for a while but in the end the disease will increase in severity. Chronic pain and fatigue demand more advanced medical properties than what you can get in over the counter products.

None of the prescription drugs offered to treat Fibromyalgia are amphetamines anymore. This is because some of the ones prescribed in the past were highly addictive and led to other issues for the patient to contend with. Provigil is one of the newer drugs on the market used to treat Fibromyalgia. It works to eliminate fatigue even in those with Narcolepsy. There is some testing taking place that will determine if Provigil may be a good option for other problems including depression and bipolar disorder.

The earlier an effective treatment can be identified for an individual with Fibromyalgia the less they will suffer from the disease. Avoiding seeking medical treatment will only result in the person continuing to suffer from extreme pain and tiredness. There is still plenty of research and clinical trials to take place on a variety of other Fibromyalgia treatment options in the works.
If you found this information on Fibromyalgia Treatment useful, you’ll also want to read about chronic fatigue fibromyalgia.