pain

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Joint Pain from Osteoporosis and Arthritis – some tips

Joint Pain

Joint Pain

Two of the most common joint-related diseases include Osteoporosis and Arthritis. While these two are very common, they attack the joints in different ways and each has its own risks and symptoms. The NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center provides a more detailed explanation of both of these conditions. They explain Osteoporosis as a condition where bone-density decreases and increases the risk of fracturing. There are around 53 million people within the United States with diagnosed Osteoporosis or, at least, at high risk due to a low bone-density in their body. They explain Arthritis as a general term that medical professionals use for various conditions that affect the tissue around joints, as well as the joints directly. The two most popular types of Arthritis include Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis.

Arthritis is also known to cause several disabilities when it comes to normal daily activities. Patients with arthritis have reported difficulty grasping small objects, sitting for more than 2 hours, carry objects that weighs more than 10 pounds, stand on their feet for more than 2 hours and even difficulty when trying to bend or kneel. Around 9.8% of American citizens have reported that they suffer from Arthritis and have activity limitations due to the condition, as recorded by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Treatments For Joint Problems

 

There are numerous types of treatments available for joint problems. Joint problems do not necessarily mean a joint-related disease such as Osteoporosis or Arthritis. Many people who suffer from joint pain, stiffness and a decrease in flexibility within their joints does not have any of these diseases, but are at risk of developing such a disease should the problems be ignored.

NHS declares several symptoms that are commonly associated with Arthritis conditions. Should patients experience these symptoms, they are advised to seek a professional diagnosis from their doctor. Treatment in order to avoid further development of these problems are also highly recommended. Some of the most common conditions of Arthritis include pain and tenderness in joints, joint stiffness, joint inflammation, limited flexibility of joints, warm and red skin around joint areas and weakness.

With Rheumatoid arthritis being one of the most commonly diagnosed forms of arthritis, WebMD recommends several treatment options that can be used to prevent further damage from occurring, to minimize the effects of the disease and to treat the damage already done. Popular treatments include prescription medication, rest, physical exercise, arthritis aids, stress management, consuming foods that are known to reduce inflammation, avoiding foods that are known to cause inflammation, going for physical therapy, frequent visits to your doctor for checkups and also surgery should the condition be severe.

Permanently Increase Joint Functionality

 

While medicated treatments, regular exercise and several other tips are recommended to treat problems such as arthritis, many of these treatments will only have immediate affects without providing a longer lasting benefit. There are, however, several alternative options available for individuals suffering from joint conditions that involves pain, inflammation, stiffness and movement limitations. When looking at these alternative options, several additional long-term benefits can usually be expected that would help reduce the risk of damaging joints further, while also improving the condition joints are in when consuming these alternative options.

Flexoplex is one of the best alternatives on the market at the moment. The solution is a scientifically formulated substance that provides several benefits to any individual suffering from joint issues, whether they have been diagnosed with a joint disease or are simply experiencing symptoms that might put them at risk of developing such a disease. The supplement provides numerous benefits, including:

  • Assists with rebuilding and repairing damaged joints
  • Assists with joint stiffness by properly lubricating joints
  • Assists with pain management
  • Assists with reducing inflammation in and around affected joint areas
  • Assists with improving joint flexibility in order to provide an improved range of motion
  • Assists with enhancing joint mobility

The supplement has been formulated by medical professionals and only include potent ingredients that have been researched and proven to provide effective support for joints, including joint related diseases. The formula contains a wide variety of natural ingredients that assists the body with repairing damage and improving the overall condition of the joints. Some of the most vital ingredients include Rutin, which reduces inflammation, Cat’s Claw bark, which soothes away pain, and Hyaluronic acid to improve joint movement. A combination of Glucosamine sulfate and Chondroitin sulfate also provides an effective repair element that gets to work by rebuilding bones that have been damaged and worn out. Added MSM also provides effected relieve of discomfort and muscle aches associated with osteoarthritis.

Conclusion

 

Considering the many options available for joint-related conditions, patients should always ensure they weigh all their options. While many of the medication that can be obtained from a doctor provides effective relieve of the symptoms associated with arthritis and other related diseases, many of them also come with several risks and only a few assists with repairing the damage that has already been done. Taking a supplement such as Flexoplex can provide a patient with more benefits due to the permanent improvement in joint flexibility, mobility and functionality.

 

Author Bio:

Annie Lizstan works as a health and beauty consultant for online websites and an independent researcher by profession. She had completed her studies from university of Arizona and live in Wasilla, Alaska. She always like to explore her ideas about health, fitness and  beauty . In her recent period ,she got an opportunity to explore on under eye bags .She has experience researching as a passion as well as profession. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

 

Leave a comment Posted on A to Z of Medical Conditions

Adhesive capsulitis – what are the signs of Frozen Shoulder?




Frozen shoulder

Frozen shoulder

Frozen shoulder is a condition that leads to pain and stiffness of the shoulder. It’s also known as adhesive capsulitis or shoulder contracture.

The symptoms tend to gradually get worse over a number of months or years. You’ll typically experience shoulder pain for the first two to nine months, which can be severe, followed by increasing stiffness.

[Original article on NHS Choices website]

The stiffness may affect your ability to carry out everyday activities. In particularly severe cases, you may not be able to move your shoulder at all.

The condition may improve with time, but this can sometimes take several years.

Read more about the symptoms of frozen shoulder.

When to see your GP

You should visit your GP if you have persistent shoulder pain that limits your movement.

The earlier frozen shoulder is diagnosed, the more likely it is that treatment can help prevent long-term pain and stiffness.

Read more about diagnosing frozen shoulder.




What causes frozen shoulder?

Frozen shoulder occurs when the flexible tissue that surrounds the shoulder joint, known as the capsule, becomes inflamed and thickened. It’s not fully understood why this happens.

The following can increase your risk of developing a frozen shoulder:

a previous shoulder injury or shoulder surgery
diabetes
Dupuytren’s contracture – a condition where small lumps of thickened tissue form in the hands and fingers
other health conditions, such as heart disease and stroke

It’s estimated that up to 1 in 20 people in the UK may be affected by frozen shoulder at some point in their life. Most people who get frozen shoulder are between the ages of 40 and 60. The condition is more common in women than men.

Read more about the causes of frozen shoulder.




How frozen shoulder is treated

Most people with frozen shoulder eventually get better, even without treatment. However, appropriate treatment can help reduce pain and improve the movement in your shoulder until it heals.

The type of treatment you receive will depend on how severe your frozen shoulder is and how far it’s progressed. Possible treatment options include:

pain treatments
shoulder exercises
physiotherapy

If your symptoms haven’t improved after six months, surgery may be recommended.

Read more about treating frozen shoulder.

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Yoga for back pain

As many of you know by now I’m interested in drug-free treatments for pain. Especially types of exercise which has so many benefits.

Our recent blog on a new treatment for nerve pain may be of interest. Especially to multiple sclerosis patients. Indeed we have covered Yoga for people with MS in a previous blog.

Anyhow do take a look at the infographic below and tell us what you think.


Yoga Eases Symptoms of Chronic Low Back Pain

Image via: Yoga Eases Symptoms of Chronic Low Back Pain

Leave a comment Posted on Pain Management

Acupuncture – Does it work? Read some of the evidence here

Acupuncture

Acupuncture

Have you ever used Acupuncture?

Did it work?  Tell us your view in the comments section below?

Acupuncture is a treatment derived from ancient Chinese medicine in which fine needles are inserted at certain sites in the body for therapeutic or preventative purposes.

It is often seen as a form of complementary or alternative medicine (CAM), although it is used in many NHS general practices, as well as the majority of pain clinics and hospices in the UK.

Theory

Western medical acupuncture is the use of acupuncture after a proper medical diagnosis. It is based on scientific evidence that shows the treatment can stimulate nerves under the skin and in muscle tissue.

This results in the body producing pain-relieving substances, such as endorphins. It is likely these substances are responsible for any beneficial effects seen with this form of acupuncture.

Traditional acupuncture is based on the belief that an energy, or “life force”, flows through the body in channels called meridians. This life force is known as Qi (pronounced “chee”).

Practitioners who adhere to traditional beliefs about acupuncture believe that when Qi does not flow freely through the body, this can cause illness. They also believe acupuncture can restore the flow of Qi, and so restore health.

Read more about what happens during acupuncture.

What is it used for?

Acupuncture practitioners – sometimes called acupuncturists – use acupuncture to treat a wide range of health conditions.

It is often used to treat pain conditions such as headache, lower back pain and osteoarthritis, but is also sometimes used in an attempt to help people with conditions ranging from infertility to anxiety and asthma.

Acupuncture is occasionally available on the NHS, although access is limited. Most acupuncture patients pay for private treatment.

Read more about the common uses of acupuncture.

Does it work?

Currently, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) only recommends considering acupuncture as a treatment option for chronic lower back pain, chronic tension-type headaches and migraines. NICE makes these recommendations on the basis of scientific evidence.

There is also some evidence that acupuncture works for a small number of other problems, including neck pain and post-chemotherapy nausea and vomiting.

Acupuncture is sometimes used for a variety of other conditions as well, but the evidence is not conclusive for many of these uses.

Read more about the evidence for and against acupuncture.

Having acupuncture

When it is carried out by a qualified practitioner, acupuncture is generally very safe. Some people experience side effects such as feeling drowsy or dizzy, but these are usually mild and short-lived.

If you choose to have acupuncture, make sure your acupuncture practitioner is either a regulated healthcare professional or a member of a recognised national acupuncture organisation.

Read more about acupuncture safety and regulation.

[Original article on NHS Choices website]

Evidence for and against acupuncuture

There is some scientific evidence acupuncture has a beneficial effect for a number of health conditions.

However, there is less clear scientific evidence about the benefits of acupuncture in the majority of conditions it is often used for.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) only recommends considering acupuncture as a treatment option for chronic lower back pain, chronic tension-type headaches and migraine.

Assessing the evidence

One of the best ways researchers can assess the evidence behind a particular treatment is by carrying out a systematic review. This is a “study of studies” that combines findings from separate but similar studies to come up with an overall conclusion.

Systematic reviews are an important part of health research because they can identify findings that might otherwise be missed in individual studies. They can also help distinguish the effects of treatment from the effects of chance.

It is important to remember that when we use a treatment and feel better, this can be because of a phenomenon called the placebo effect and not because of the treatment itself. Systematic reviews can help reduce the potential influence of the placebo effect.

While systematic reviews cannot always determine conclusively whether a treatment does or does not work, they can be useful in assessing how a particular treatment (such as acupuncture) compares to another (such as “sham” acupuncture or medication).

However, even this can be challenging – both acupuncture and placebo treatments can stimulate the release of natural painkilling substances called endorphins, which can make it difficult to distinguish between them.

What evidence is there for acupuncture?

One of the largest and most respected organisations that carries out and publishes systematic reviews into the effectiveness of medical treatments is The Cochrane Collaboration.

A number of systematic reviews into the effectiveness of acupuncture have been published by The Cochrane Collaboration, and the basic results are summarised below.

Some positive evidence

Systematic reviews carried out by The Cochrane Collaboration have found there is some evidence acupuncture may have a beneficial effect on the following conditions:

However, because of disagreements over the way acupuncture trials should be carried out and over what their results mean, the existence of some positive evidence does not mean acupuncture definitely works for these conditions.

In many cases, the evidence appears contradictory. For example, some high-quality studies may suggest acupuncture is no better than “sham” acupuncture, whereas some lower-quality studies may suggest acupuncture is better than an established medical treatment.

The issue is sometimes also further complicated by the fact some “sham interventions” include active needling and are therefore not true placebos.

In addition, it can be difficult to make sure the patients involved in acupuncture studies are unaware of the specific treatment they are receiving (known as “blinding”).

This is because it is obvious whether you are receiving a conventional medical treatment such as medication or if you are receiving acupuncture, for example. This is a problem as it means the preconceptions of the person being treated may influence the result.

Some systematic reviews, however, have demonstrated the effects of acupuncture over sham treatment in studies where patients are unaware whether they are having real acupuncture or sham treatment.

For example, one large meta-analysis (a type of systematic review) not carried out by The Cochrane Collaboration included data from more than 17,000 patients. It compared acupuncture to sham acupuncture or no acupuncture without patients being aware of whether they had received real or sham treatment.

This review found acupuncture to be superior to both sham and no treatment for headaches, osteoarthritis, back pain and neck pain.

Little or no evidence

In many conditions where acupuncture is used, there is not enough good quality evidence to draw any clear conclusions over its relative effectiveness compared with other treatments.

For example, systematic reviews published by The Cochrane Collaboration have suggested more research is needed to assess whether acupuncture is effective for: asthma, glaucoma, schizophrenia, depression, shoulder, pain, elbow, pain, rheumatoid arthritis, Bell’s palsy, restless legs syndrome, insomnia vascular ,dementia, stroke, stroke rehabilitation and swallowing problems caused by stroke

More research is needed to establish whether acupuncture is better or worse than best standard treatments for these conditions.

More information and research

If you want to find out more about studies into acupuncture, you can search for high-quality research using the NHS Evidence and Cochrane Library websites.

Leave a comment Posted on Pain Management

Pain Management – some natural ways to manage your persistent pain

pain-management1

The old-fashioned treatment for painful conditions was bed rest for weeks or months on end. We now know this is the worst possible approach. Exercise and continuing to work are key to recovery.

Forget resting if you have a painful condition like back pain. Lying in bed for long periods may actually make the pain last longer, because inactivity makes you stiffen up, your muscles and bones get weaker, you don’t sleep well, you become lonely and depressed, and the pain feels worse.

You’ll also find that it becomes harder and harder to get going again.


A better approach to reducing pain is a combination of exercise, staying at work, physical therapy and painkillers.

Exercise to beat pain

Choose an exercise that won’t put too much strain on yourself. Good options include:

  • walking
  • swimming
  • exercise bike
  • dance/yoga/pilates
  • most daily activities and hobbies

Activity and stretching needs to become part of your lifestyle so you routinely do exercise little and often.

Try to be active every day, instead of only on the good days when you’re not in so much pain. This may reduce the number of bad days you have and help you feel more in control.

But try and avoid what is called the “boom and bust” cycle, where you overdo it on good days and then pay for this by having more and more bad days.

Try these flexibility exercises and sitting exercises that you can do at home.

Read the NHS Choices beginner’s guide to swimming and beginner’s guide to dancing.

Go to work despite the pain

It’s important to try to stay in work even though you’re in pain. Research shows that people become less active and more depressed when they don’t work.

Being at work will distract you from the pain and won’t make your pain worse.

If you have a heavy job, you may need some help from colleagues. Talk to your supervisor or boss about the parts of your job that may be difficult to begin with, but stress that you want to be at work.

If you have to stay off work for a while, try to get back as soon as possible. If you’ve been off work for four to six weeks, plan with your doctor, therapist or employer how and when you can return.

You could go back to work gradually; this is called a “graded return”. For instance, you might start with one day a week and gradually increase the time you spend at work.

You could also agree changes to your job or pattern of work, if it helps – a health and safety rep or occupational health department may be useful here.

Physical therapy for pain

Pain experts often recommend a short course of physical therapy. This helps you to move better, relieves your pain, and makes daily tasks and activities, such as walking, going up stairs, or getting in and out of bed, easier.

Physical therapy for persistent pain can involve manipulation, stretching exercises and pain relief exercises.

It’s usually delivered by an osteopath, chiropractor or a physiotherapist. Acupuncture is also offered across the UK by some healthcare providers, including physiotherapists, especially for back pain and neck pain.

Physiotherapists can give you advice on the right type of exercise and activity. Occupational therapists can support you with environmental changes that can help you remain in work and function better at home.

If you have physical therapy, you should begin to feel the benefits after a few sessions.

Your GP may be able to refer you for physical therapy on the NHS, though in some areas physical therapy is only available privately. In some areas, there is direct access to NHS physiotherapy without the need for a GP referral.

Find physiotherapy services in your area.

Your GP can also refer you for exercise on referral classes, and some centres have specific classes for low back pain.

Online help for pain

There’s a lot of online information if you’re living with pain.

General pain websites

Websites relating to specific conditions

Self help tips

The Pain Toolkit is a collection of helpful tips and strategies for persistent pain put together by a fellow sufferer:

Meditation for pain

This 20 minute guided meditation course from Meditainment is easy-to-follow, free and proven to help people cope with chronic pain.

It’s part of the Pathway through Pain online course which is provided by the NHS in some areas for people with persistent pain. Ask your GP or pain specialist how to access the course.

[Original article on NHS Choices website]