Category: Muscle Joints bone Disorders

  • How To Treat A Hyperextended Elbow? Its Causes And Symptoms

    Hyperextended elbow occurs suddenly and without any prior warning. It commonly occurs in individuals who take part in contact sports such as football. The pain associated with the injury affects one’s ability to play sports, as well as, makes day to day activities a huge challenge.

    The elbow joint comprises of 3 bones – the humerus, the radius and the ulna. Elbow hyperextension takes place when the structures which attach the bones get pushed past their normal range of movement. Fundamentally, the elbow gets twisted too far in the wrong direction from a straightened position. The condition may trigger ligament or tissue damage and can momentarily hinder full movement of the joint.

    Hyperextension Of Elbow Causes And Symptoms

    The chief cause for hyperextended elbow is a direct blow / trauma to the elbow backwards. This causes bruising to the bony as well as soft tissue structures. The main cause for the occurrence of an elbow hyperextension is that the structures connecting the humerus, radius and ulnar get pressed beyond the normal range of movement. Doctors who work in sports medicine very often see hyperextended elbows in athletes and have developed a host of treatment regimens.

    Hyperextended elbow is characterized by the following symptoms:

    • Pain and tenderness, such that movement is not possible.
    • Muscle spasms and extreme pain on trying to straighten the arm.
    • Swelling and inflammation around the elbow.
    • Stiffness and tingling numbness.

    How To Treat A Hyperextended Elbow?

    • The health care provider will first and foremost try to manage the pain and discomfort. Over-the-counter pain medication for severe discomfort is recommended.
    • Next, it is crucial to manage the swelling and inflammation promptly. Apply ice pack to the affected area. Ice helps allay the swelling and inflammation quickly. Warp ice cubes in a cloth and place on the elbow for 5 minutes about 3 to 4 times a day.
    • Have 2 to 3 glasses of ginger tea daily for about a week. Ginger is packed with a compound called gingerols which reduces swelling and inflammation almost immediately and thus it will help allay all pain and discomfort.
    • In severe cases, when you experience extensive pain while moving your arm to straighten the joint, the physician may advise immobilizing the arm by wearing a sling. Your doctor may also advocate using an elbow brace for better immobilization and stability.
    • After the worst of the pain has diminished, the next aspect of the treatment can commence. Your doctor will advise physical therapy for a period of 2 weeks. Physical therapy will help enhance your range of motion and reduce stiffness considerably. After completing your exercises sessions, you can start with resistance training using weights to augment strength in the muscles around the elbow.
    • By and large, the damage heals in a few days, and thereafter you can recommence your usual activities. Severe injuries will heal in about a month.

    In very rare cases of elbow hyperextension, surgical intervention may be required to mend damaged ligaments that cannot heal on their own.

  • Loss Of Cervical Lordosis Causes: Symptoms And Treatment Options

    The cervical spine is C shaped with its curve facing towards the back of neck. The spinal area in neck is called cervical spine and it is made up of 7 cervical vertebra. A normal healthy cervical spine has a slight lordotic curve and it is anatomically important to bear the weight of head.

    Loss of cervical lordosis can result in straightening of cervical spine or in severe cases it can reverse the curve. The condition is also called cervical kyphosis. Loss of cervical lordosis can result in pain and stiffness in neck. It can also lead to referred pain in hand, vertigo and many other symptoms which we will discuss later on.

    Improper posture and muscular spasm are two important causes for loss of cervical curvature. The problem is usually detected on X-ray of cervical spine and it should be treated soon to prevent further deterioration and complications later on.

    Causes Of Loss Of Cervical Lordosis

    Loss of cervical curvature usually occurs in adults. Children randomly suffer from this problem.

    Both men and women are equally affected. The condition is predominantly associated with long standing spasms of muscles in neck area. Poor neck posture is often the only cause in young individuals.

    • Working on a computer for long periods or doing desk work for long time without taking break can strain the muscles of neck. The strained muscles cause a pull on the cervical vertebra to which they are attached. Prolonged pull will then mechanically disturb the normal alignment of the cervical spine.
    • Injury to cervical spine may also lead to loss of cervical lordosis. A whiplash while driving motor vehicle, direct trauma on the neck can all contribute to muscle spasm and loss of curvature of cervical spine.
    • Osteoporosis is another important factor that may cause abnormality in cervical spine curvature. It is mainly seen among elderly individuals. In osteoporosis the vertebra becomes porus and the bone density is lost. The weight of head and normal wear and tear may put pressure on the spine leading to loss of curvature.
    • Obesity and hereditary skeletal disorders such as achondroplacia can also alter the curvature of spine. Other less common causes of loss of cervical lordosis include tumor of cervical spine, systemic disease such as ankylosing spondylitis etc. Radiotherapy for cancer involving neck can also cause loss of cervical spine curvature.

    Loss Of Cervical Lordosis Symptoms

    Loss of cervical lordosis is an ongoing gradual process. It is rarely a sudden phenomenon. In its beginning phase the condition remains silent. It means there are no obvious symptoms. And frequently it is detected accidentally on X-ray meant for some other purpose. However, after few months or years patient may present with complaints such as pain in neck and stiffness.

    A normal cervical lordosis has 30 to 40 degree curve. Patient may complain on neck pain when the curve becomes lesser than 20 degrees. Later on if the condition remains untreated it may lead to cervical disc degeneration and lead to symptoms such as pins and needles, tingling in hands and fingers. These symptoms are not exactly those due to loss of cervical lordosis, but because of pinched cervical nerve from compression of cervical vertebra.

    Loss of cervical lordosis also leads to tension in the spinal cord and carotid blood vessels which supply blood to brain. Improper blood flow in the brain can lead to dizziness, headaches, confusion, tinnitus etc.

    Treatment Options For Loss Of Cervical Lordosis

    Loss of cervical lordosis can be detected on physical examination as well as from diagnostic tests such as X-ray and MRI of cervical spine. These tests are important to know the extent of loss of cervical lordosis and nerve damage.

    • Medical treatment is only required when pain and stiffness are present. Pain killers and muscle relaxants will help to reduce pain and spasms of neck muscles. This will ease the discomfort and increase the range of motion of neck.
    • Once initial acute symptoms are relieved patient should begin physiotherapy exercises aimed at strengthening the neck muscles and improvement of posture. A simple neck exercise is to bend the head forward and backward. Second exercise is to turn the neck and head sideways five to six times in a day.
    • Severe case of loss of cervical lordosis may require the patient to wear brace during day time and support pillows while sleeping. Both will help to bring back the altered abnormal curvature of the cervical spine.
  • Symptoms Of Carpopedal Spasm: Its Causes And Treatment Options

    Spasms are sudden, involuntary movements that the muscles of various parts of the body go in to due to a host of underlying etiological factors. Given the uncontrollable nature of a spasm, it can be rather painful and occasionally, alarming for one experiencing it for the first time. Spasms tend to be fleeting, lasting for a few seconds to a minute.

    In a carpopedal spasm, the thumbs, fingers, toes, wrist or ankle joints go in to spasms / convulsions / contractions or twitching. This usually happens when the calcium level in the body is inadequate.

    Carpopedal spasm is a spasmodic contraction of the muscles of the hands and feet seen in medical conditions such as alkalosis and tetany. The contractions / spasms are usually short-lived and momentary, but they can be very excruciating and painful.

    Carpopedal spasm is known to have diverse etiological factors, including, hypocalcemia, hypomagnesemia, Parkinson’s disease, thyroid irregularities, Huntington’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and certain medicines.

    What Causes Carpopedal Spasm?

    The spasms often have no precise cause. Likely reasons for hand and foot contractions are:

    • Dehydration
    • Strenuous exercise
    • Thyroid irregularities
    • Brain disorders, such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease.
    • Chronic kidney disorder and dialysis.
    • Alkalosis
    • Impairment of single nerve or multiple nerves connected to muscles.
    • Disorders or trauma involving peripheral nerves.
    • Hyperventilation, i.e. rapid or deep breathing which occurs with fear or anxiety.
    • Pregnancy, more often during the third trimester.
    • Insufficient levels of calcium and / or magnesium in the body.
    • Deficiency of vitamin D
    • Certain medicines

    Symptoms Of Carpopedal Spasm

    Common manifestations and presenting features include:

    • Excessive cramping of fingers, wrist, toes or ankle. The cramps / contractions are involuntary and occasionally very painful.
    • Weakness of the muscles. This is known to occur due to decreased supply of calcium; the muscles weaken and one is incapable of carrying out simple actions such as standing up or moving the hand or the leg.
    • Tiredness
    • Tingling and numbness. One may complain of a ‘pins and needles’ sensation in the affected area. Also, when the contraction lasts for longer than a minute, the affected area becomes numb.
    • Tickling sensation is also fairly common in some people.
    • Twitching
    • An accompanying feature is uncontrolled, pointless, speedy movements which have no apparent cause or purpose.

    Treatment Options For Carpopedal Spasm

    The treatment for carpopedal spasm depends up on the exact cause of the condition. You need to talk to your health care provider to understand the cause for the contractions and how to manage them effectively.

    • In case a deficiency of vitamin D, vitamin D supplements should be taken under the doctor’s guidance. Calcium supplements are recommended in case of hypocalemia where calcium levels are low resulting in muscle contractions. Alongside, you need to increase your intake of the following foods – egg, milk, cottage cheese, and yogurt.
    • There are stretching exercises that you can do to reduce the spasms significantly. Stretches help keep your muscles from getting tighter or shorter. Experts also recommend aerobic exercises, particularly swimming, as well as strength building exercises. Staying active and exercising regularly is advocated, but it can make matters worse if overdone. So confer with your health care provider before embarking on an exercise regimen.
    • Furthermore, ensure that you are well hydrated and drink ample water; especially, during exercise.
    • Spasms associated with pregnancy tend to pass off after the delivery.
    • Thyroid irregularities; i.e. hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism need to be managed appropriately.
  • Mastoiditis In Adults Causes: Its Symptoms And Treatment Options

    Inflammation and infection occurring in mastoid bone is known as mastoiditis. The mastoid bone is a part of temporal bone of skull which is located behind the ear. Unlike the hard structure of other bones, mastoid bone contains tiny air spaces which give it a honeycomb appearance. It is like a sponge.

    In majority of cases mastoiditis is caused due to spread of infection from middle ear. Although mastoiditis is more common in children, adults can also suffer from this condition. Recurrent middle ear infection also known as otitis media can lead to mastoiditis. The condition can be acute and chronic.

    Mastoiditis is not common in adults but when it occurs, the condition can cause pain behind the ear and if left untreated it can result in hearing loss.

    What Causes Mastoiditis In Adults?

    In majority of cases mastoiditis occurs due to infection in middle ear, which is also called acute otitis media. The causative organisms responsible for infection are gram positive bacteria such as staphylococcus aureus, streptoccocus pyogenes, etc. Mastoiditis is rarely caused by gram negative bacteria. The infection from middle ear can spread into the tiny air cells of mastoid bone.

    Mastoiditis can also develop as a result of cholesteotoma, a skin tumor in the middle ear which blocks the fluid drainage and thus destructs the honeycomb structure of mastoid bone.

    Perforation of eardrum can lead to infection in the middle ear which in turn can cause mastoiditis. In adults this problem is common. Eardrum can perforate due to several reasons; traumatic injury to the ear is leading cause for perforation. In severe cases mastoiditis can lead to hearing loss, brain abscess, meningitis, facial nerve paralysis, vertigo etc.

    Mastoiditis Symptoms In Adults

    Severe pain in bone behind the ear is first symptom which almost all patients with mastoiditis complain of. The skin over the mastoid bone area is red and tender to touch. On examination the physician finds swollen eardrum. There is a history of purulent discharge from the affected ear. The discharge is thick and often mixed with blood.

    In case of acute mastoiditis patient may complain of low grade fever associated with headache. Vertigo is common in chronic cases of mastoiditis. Also patient may complain loss of hearing if the problem persists for long duration. In case if the condition remains untreated for long duration, there is associated risk of complications ranging from facial nerve palsy to serious brain disease such as meningitis.

    Treatment Options For Mastoiditis In Adults

    Although the symptoms are indicative of mastoiditis, it is important to perform certain diagnostic tests such as MRI or CT scan and X-ray of mastoid process. This helps the physician to know the extent of damage caused to the mastoid bone. He can plan the treatment accordingly.

    • A broad spectrum antibiotic is prescribed to control the infection. Since oral antibiotics may not be able to reach deep inside the infected air cells of mastoid bone, often intravenous antibiotics are recommended by physician. It is given under supervision of a doctor.
    • If antibiotics fail to cure chronic mastoiditis, the other option left for the physician is surgery of mastoid process. This surgery is called mastoidectomy. In this surgery, the infected bony part of mastoid is removed and the area thoroughly drained. Surgical intervention prevents spread of infection to facial nerve and in the brain. It also helps to reverse the hearing loss.
    • If the infection is mild and chronic, homeopathic medicines are useful in treating the condition. The medicines are selected on symptoms, extent of damage and tests. Homeopathic medicines such as merc sol, merc iod, kali iod, tuberculinum are useful in chronic cases of mastoiditis.
    • Patient should also take certain precautions such as use of ear plugs while taking shower. It prevents water to enter in the ear canal.
    • Patient should boost his immunity by eating healthy nutritious diet. Also he should not smoke or drink alcohol.
  • What Is The Cause Of My Finger Twitching And How To Stop It?

    Have you paid attention to fine involuntary movements that occur in small area of your finger any time? You do not recollect, yes it happens with everyone. This fine involuntary movement is nothing but finger twitching. All of us may have experienced twitching in our fingers sometime in our life, it does occur sporadically. Considering stress, mental and physical (mobile messaging texting), occupation (typing) as key causes that may randomly affect our finger, there are other causes that may need more attention.

    When finger twitching is persistent, the cause can be serious underlying disease. It can due to an abnormality in nerve or in muscles of hands and fingers. Sometimes, continuous finger twitching can be due to a brain related problem. In view of its seriousness, continuous twitching of finger needs to be evaluated by the physician.

    What Causes Involuntary Twitching Of Fingers?

    Following are some of the causes for finger twitching;

    • Overuse and fatigue of finger is frequently a cause for finger twitching. One or more fingers can be affected at the same time. This happens more in people who have occupation such as typing, abuse of modern day gadgets such as mobile texting can also strain the muscles of finger and hand resulting in involuntary twitching.
    • Carpel tunnel syndrome: the median nerve which passes through the carpel tunnel (A tunnel made by fibrous sheath near wrist joint) gets compressed. Various factors are responsible for it. Compression can occur as a result of overuse of muscles, it can be due to a compressing lipoma or a ganglion in wrist area. Twitching, numb feeling, burning sensation, weakness in gripping an object and pain in wrist and hand are some of it symptoms.
    • Deficiency of certain minerals such as magnesium and calcium may be a reason for twitching of fingers. Poor dietary intake of these nutrients is generally suspected to be a cause.
    • Dehydration resulting from excess loss of body fluids. It results in imbalance in electrolyte content in the body. It may cause twitching not only in fingers but also in other muscles of the body.
    • Twitching of fingers is also observed in people who drink excess tea and coffee and other caffeinated beverages.
    • People who are taking diuretics and corticosteroids may also suffer from muscle twitching.
    • Certain neurological conditions and other systemic diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, Multiple sclerosis, Myopathy, Lou Gehrig’s disease have twitching of fingers as one symptom.

    Home Remedies To Stop Finger Twitching

    Finger twitching most of the time is not something very serious, and often gets cured of its own after a period of time.

    • A change in diet, food containing good amount of magnesium and calcium besides vitamin B complex certainly help in most cases of finger twitching. Green vegetables, spinach, peas, beans, seeds, and nuts are some of the important source of these nutrients.
    • Avoid taking coffee and tea, instead drink fruit juice, and drink plenty amount of water.
    • It is also important to give a break from work for few days if you are over-strained from your work. For example take few days leave and stay away from typing if that is your occupation.
    • Do your exercise regularly but do not overstress. After doing exercise, see that you drink lime juice which contains salt, sugar and water with 2 tsp of lime juice.
    • Homeopathic medicine such as zinc met is effective in spasm and twitches of fingers. It helps in absorption of magnesium. It soothes the nerves.
    • For more serious conditions such as Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis you have to take neurologist’s opinion.