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Weight Loss and Back Pain
Weight Loss and Back Pain
In society, we are surrounded by small, medium, and large bone structures. The structure of the muscles and bones play a part in how the body is framed as it matures. Weight factors are considered by bone structure also. For instance, a medium-bone woman at the height of 5”2 can weigh up to 135 without being overweight. A larger bone structured woman can weigh a few pounds more without tipping the scale.
Obesity however has taking over our country do to changes in feasting patterns, and the meals we eat. The damning changes include the FDA, which permits harmful additive food products, which the additives endorse, cravings. We see obesity in our future at higher scales than ever in our history. Why do you think 12 and 14 years old children are running around with large buttocks and breast? Ask FDA about the additives. The problem is these children take for granted the benefits, since down the road those buttocks and chest will balance with midriffs, thighs, and so on.
Now you can take those cans of beans off the shelves, sit around, and do nothing about your weight, however if you do not lose weight it can lead to serious back pain. Back pain is THE worst condition of all pain we can experience, yet the condition spreads out from a wide array of causes.
Back pain emerges from a chain of reactions, starting with the skeleton bones and moving to the skeletal muscles. Once the bones and muscles are targeted, the reactions carry on to collagen, calcium, phosphates, magnesium, joints, ligaments, tendons, cartilages, synovium, fibers, connective tissues, nerve roots, nerve endings, and gradually moves to the largest component within our body’s structure, known as the Central Nervous System. Now we have serious complications in the making.
The chain reactions affect our hormones, metabolic; weight bearing muscles and joints, and moves to deterioration. Now, the chain reaction may not occur in like order, yet in one fashion or the other each component of the body is affected over time.
Obesity increases the chain reaction. Back injuries alone can lead to obesity. For instance, if at one time you lift or catch a heavy object, person, etc, later down the road your back may fail, causing you enormous pain. The pain slows your actions, as well as causes emotional responses to produce symbolism messages, which can alter your life dramatically. You may feel helpless and continue life lying on your back, pitying your condition and failing to see how you can relieve your pain. Inactive muscles lead to obesity.
In view of the fact, we see that the muscles must have proper movement daily to avoid such problems. Exercise is the key that opens the door to healthy spines and closes the door to obesity. Stop fat in its track by working those muscles.
Emotions are powerful and tricky. You can stop the emotions from playing tricks on your mind by taking action now. If you have, a weight condition set a plan, and attempts to lose the measured weight at a scheduled interval. For instance, set your mind to lose five pounds by the end of the month. Once you lose the weight, you will notice a change in your spine, which includes reduced back pain. Set up a regimen of exercises that are suitable for you to achieve your goal.
Tip: Dance aerobics help you to burn fat quickly.
When you lose weight, it strengthens the muscles in your tummy and spinal column. The health advantage increases the chain reactions natural flow. Natural flow is achieved, since you reduce the amount of stress added to the joints and muscles. In view of the fact, you want to choose stretch exercises and workouts that do not overexert the joints, or muscles.
Fundamental of Massage Therapy
Massage is another remedial procedure that occupies an important place in Naturopathy. Actually massage has had a very long history, dating back to ancient times. Massage has been used therapeutically for thousands of years in India, China, Greece, Rome, Egypt, etc.
Massage has a very salubrious effect on the organs and systems of the body as detailed below:
(1) Skin: The beneficial effects of massage on the skin are unequalled. The pores of the skin are opened up, thus helping of the elimination of poisons from the body through perspiration.
(2) Muscles: Massage reduces the tension in the muscles and relieves muscular pain. Strenuous exertion results in the accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles. Massage helps to rid the muscles of this acid and thus imparts a feeling of freshness and vigour.
(3) Circulation of the blood: The circulation of the blood in the part being massaged is speeded up, so that the part is supplied with more nutrients, and its healing powers are augmented. The accelerated circulation reduces swelling. There is an increase in the capacity of the blood to carry oxygen and to utilize it effectively.
(4) Nerves: Slow and gentle massage with light pressure relieves tension of the nerves and soothes them. Vigorous massage stimulates lax nerves and increases their efficiency.
(5) The digestive system: Massaging the abdomen
stimulates the digestive system, and promotes better elimination of wastes. The resistive powers of the body are strengthened due to the increase in the efficiency of the liver.
(6) The urinary system: Massaging activates the urinary system. As a result the process of elimination of toxic substances from the body through the urine is accelerated by the formation of greater quantities of urine.
(7) The heart: Systematic massage will reduce the burden on the heart, and thus increase its efficiency.
Normally dry palms are used for massage; but if the skin is too dry or if the body is excessively weak, wet cloth or soothing oil may be used. Among oils, sesame (til) oil is the best for this purpose. Some people use talcum powder for reducing friction while massaging, but this practice is not desirable, as the pores of the skin get clogged up.
Method: The process should begin with massage of the arms and legs. Next the chest, abdomen, back and buttocks should be massaged, in that order, finishing with the face and the head. Cloth should be used for massaging the back. As far as possible, we should massage ourselves with our own hands so as to combine the benefits of massages with those of exercise also to a certain extent. Those who are too weak to do so may take the help of others.
A massage should preferably be followed by a bath with lukewarm water.
If suffering from high blood pressure, the direction of massaging movements should be reversed, i.e. from head to foot.
Note: Massages are contra-indicated in the following conditions:
(1) In fevers, no massage of any type is recommended.
(2) Pregnant ladies should avoid massaging the abdomen.
(3) Abdominal massages should be avoided in cases of diarrhea, gastric or
duodenal ulcers, appendicitis or tumors in the abdomen.
(4) Massages are generally unadvisable in cases of skin diseases.
Migraine Headaches: Are Pain-Killing Drugs Worth the Risk?
All drugs are dangerous. Before a person suffering with a migraine headache takes an over-the-counter medication they should be asking the question “Is the possible benefit worth the risk of taking that drug?” William Osler, M.D. once said “The person who takes medicine must recover twice; once from the disease and once from the medicine.” Sadly, this can be all too true.
Dr. William Bennett, head of nephrology at Oregon Health Sciences University, estimates that over-the-counter painkillers are responsible for as many as 20% of the 125,000 cases of end-stage kidney disease in the United States.
Some medications have side effects that can be more serious than the painful migraine headaches themselves. Aspirin can cause internal hemorrhaging, or bleeding in the stomach. According to the Dec. 1996 issue of Health News and Views taking Tylenol once every 4 days increases the chance of liver damage by more than 400%.
The main pain-relief ingredient in Tylenol is acetaminophen which has been shown to cause liver disease. “Tylenol,” as reported in the January 1998 issue of Forbes magazine, “can be very dangerous in doses not much greater” than the recommended dose. In 1989, Lacy Keele, a 5-year-old, took four extra strength tablets in one day, or twice what a child should receive. The overdose destroyed Lacy’s liver. Within a week, she was dead. A jury found Tylenol to be a cause in her death.
There have been hundreds of fatalities and serious liver injuries attributed to acetaminophen, Tylenol’s active ingredient, since Lacy’s death. The biggest reason for these deaths is because people “tend to use Tylenol in a casual fashion.” Think about it: You have a migraine headache so you take a few pills. The migraine doesn’t go away so you take a few more. The difference between a proper dose and an overdose is so small that dangerous amounts can easily be ingested accidentally. “No other over-the-counter drug has a narrower range between therapy and toxicity than acetaminophen,” says Dr. William Lee, a professor of internal medicine at the University of Texas’ Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
L.F. Kebler, M.D. once said “Why should a patient swallow a poison because he is ill, or take that which would make a well man sick?” And O.W. Holmes, M.D., Professor of Medicine at Harvard University said “If all the medicine in the world were thrown into the sea, it would be bad for the fish and good for humanity.”
In the September 29, 1996 issue of the Los Angeles Times Magazine it makes it known that Ibuprofen kills thousands every year. Ibuprofen, the active ingredient in many pain relievers, including Advil, Motrin IB, and Nuprin, is known as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). People that take NSAIDs like ibuprofen regularly to ease their chronic migraine headaches are prone to gastric (stomach) disorders. Dr. James F. Fries, a leading arthritis expert and professor of medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine, says “there’s an epidemic of adverse drug reactions to NSAIDs. The FDA believes anywhere from 10,000 to 20,000 deaths each year are the result of severe bleeding caused by NSAIDs. It’s a big problem.”
When taking medication to relieve migraine headaches it’s always a good idea to read the label carefully. If you decide to take pain-killing medications for your migraine headaches be sure to follow the directions. Using common sense can reduce your chances of experiencing adverse reactions.
Five Common Types of Massage
Have you ever wanted to go for a massage therapy session but didn’t know what type of massage to get? Massage therapy is a very diverse field of work and there are many types of massage to choose from that range from full-body stress relief to highly targeted methods that relieve muscular pain and dysfunction. Five of the most popular types of massage are Swedish massage, Deep Tissue Massage, Hot Stone Massage, Sports Massage, and Neuromuscular Therapy.
Swedish Massage – this is the most common type of massage in the United States and perhaps the world. Swedish massage is known for its long gliding strokes, kneading strokes, friction strokes, and percussion as well as joint movements that feel great while improving range of motion. It’s most often thought of as a “spa” type of massage but it’s much more than that. Swedish massage is great for reducing stress, improving circulation, improving range of motion of your joints, and helping you actually feel better in your own skin. Swedish massage can range from light pressure to a heavier pressure depending on your comfort level. It’s more than just a “feel good” massage it is very therapeutic.
Deep Tissue Massage – right behind Swedish massage in popularity and availability, Deep Tissue Massage is one of the best known and most often requested types of massage. This massage shares some strokes and techniques with Swedish massage and is used to root out chronic tension in the deeper musculature and connective tissues that contribute to pain and loss of range of motion in joints. While some massage therapy practitioners use a heavier, sometimes uncomfortable pressure in Deep Tissue Massage it should be noted that a more moderate pressure can reach deep tissues and achieve great results with little discomfort.
Hot Stone Massage – this type of massage is probably the most relaxing and luxurious massage being given today. Heated basalt stones are added to the massage and are used by the massage therapist to perform a mini heat treatment as well as gliding massage strokes that seem to melt away stress and tension.
Sports Massage – just like it sounds, Sports Massage is geared toward athletes at every level from professional to the “weekend warrior” and those who strive for a higher level of fitness. Rather than a specific form of massage, Sports Massage is generally a combination of massage techniques tailored to the athlete’s needs. The Sports Massage might be applied to one area to relieve pain or might be more general in nature to assure overall performance.
Neuromuscular Therapy – also called “NMT” or Neuromuscular Massage, Neuromuscular Therapy is a well-known massage technique for relieving muscular pain, and muscle spasm throughout the body. Neuromuscular Therapy is effective with myofascial trigger points causing “referred” pain that originates from someplace other than where it’s felt. This technique uses very targeted compression and friction massage techniques, positioning, and stretching to release the myofascial trigger points in muscles as well as restrictions in tendons, muscular attachments, and sometimes fascia surrounding the muscle.
All of the massage techniques described here can help you receive the health benefits of massage. Of course, there are many more massage therapy techniques available that are relaxing, stress reducing, and that relieve chronic tension and pain. You actually don’t have to know what type of massage to ask for, you just need to know what you want to achieve. Do you just want to relax? Reduce muscle soreness? Relieve pain? Improve posture? Ask your massage therapist what they recommend for your particular health needs and get massaged today.
How Back Pain Starts
When considering back pain, we must concern ourselves with its variants. For instance, back pain can start with slip disks, which in medical terms is called “Herniated nucleus pulposa.” (HNP) Doctors define slip disks as ruptures of the “intervertebral disk.” The intervertebral rests between the vertebrae (Spinal Column) of the backbone.
The interruption has variants, including the “Lumbrosacral,” (L4 and L5) as well as cervical C5-7. The cervical is at the neck and belongs to other parts of the back and neck as well. When doctors consider slip disks they often look through etiology, which includes neck and back strains, trauma, congenital/inborn bone malformation, heavy lifting, degenerated disks, and/or weakness of ligaments.
After carefully considering, etiology doctors consider Pathophysiology, which includes protrusions of the “nucleus pulposus.” The center connects to the column or spinal canal and perhaps compressing the spinal cord or the nerve core, or roots, which causes back pain. If the spinal cord is compressed restraining the roots and cord often back pain, numbness, and the motor functions may fail.
The assessments in medical terms are based on Lumbrosacral, which may include acute or chronic pain at the lower back. The pain may spread out to the buttocks and move toward the legs. The person may feel weakness, as well as numbness. In addition, such pain can cause tingling around the legs and foot. The final assessment may include ambulation, which emerges from pain.
The cervical is considered. The symptoms experts look for is neck rigidity, deadness, weakness, and “tingling of the” hands. If the neck pain spreads the pain down to the arms and continue to the hands, experts will consider slip disks. Yet other symptoms may occur, such as weakness that affects the farthest points, or the higher boundaries of the body. The lumbar curves is at the lower back region and is situated in the loins or the smaller area of the back, which doctors consider also, especially if the patient has difficult straightening this area with the curvature of the spine (scoliosis) and away from the area influenced.
When doctors consider back pain, they will review the diagnostics after conducting a series of tests. Tendon reflexes are tested, which the doctors use tests to look deep into the depressed region, or the absent upper boundary reflexes, or in medical lingo the Achilles’ reactions or reflex. Myelograms assist the expert in seeing if the spinal cord is compressed when indicated. The tests start if the Laséque signs show positive results behind etiology findings, Pathophysiology, assessments, and so on.
How doctors manage slip disks:
Doctors prescribe management in medical schemes to isolate or relieve back pain. The management schemes may include diet whereas the calories are set according to the patient’s metabolic demands. The doctor may increase fiber intake, as well as force fluids.
Additional treatment or management may include hot pads, moisture, etc, as well as hot compressions.
Orthopedic mechanisms are also prescribed to reduce back pain, which include cervical collars and back braces.
Weight Loss Exercise
A lot of us live our lives like penned animals. Built to move, too often we put ourselves in a cage. We have bodies designed for racing across the savannas, but we live a lifestyle designed for migrating from the bed to the breakfast table; to the car seat; to the office chair; to the restaurant booth; to the living room couch and back to the bed.
It was not always this way. Not long ago in the United States, a man who worked on a farm did the equivalent of 15 miles of jogging every day; and his wife did the equivalent of 7 miles of jogging.
Today, our daily obligations of work and home keep us tied to our chairs, and if we want exercise, we have to seek it out.
In fact, health experts insist that obesity problem is probably caused at least as much by lack of physical activity as by eating too much. Hence, it is important that people need to move around.
However, that does not mean that a lap or two around the old high school track will offset a daily dose of donuts. Exercise alone is not very efficient, experts say. They contend that if you just exercise and do not change your diet, you may be able to prevent weight gain or even lose a few pounds for a while.
Nevertheless, it is not something that you are likely to sustain unless exercise is part of an overall program. The more regularly you exercise, the easier it is to maintain your weight. Here is what to do every day to make sure that you get the exercise you need.
Get quality Zzzs.
Make sure that you get adequate sleep. Good sleep habits are conducive to exercise, experts point out. If you feel worn out during the day, you are less likely to get much physical activity during the day.
In addition, there is evidence that people who are tired tend to eat more, using food as a substance for the rest they need.
Walk the walk.
It is probably the easiest exercise program of all. In fact, it may be all you ever have to do, according to some professional advice’s of some health experts.
Gradually build up to at least 30 minutes of brisk walking five times a week. Brisk walks themselves have health and psychological benefits that are well worth the while.
Walk the treadmill.
When the weather is bad, you might not feel like going outdoors. But if you have a treadmill in the television room, you can catch up on your favorite shows while you are doing your daily good turn for your weight-maintenance plan.
Most of us watch television anyway, and indoor exercise equipment enables anyone to turn a sedentary activity into a healthy walk.
Seize the time.
Excuses aside, lack of time is certainly a limiting factor in most lifestyles. That is why health experts suggest a basic guideline for incorporating exercise into your schedule.
Get as much exercise as you can that feels good without letting it interfere with your work or family life. If you need to, remind yourself that you are preventing many health problems when you prevent weight gain; and keeping your health is a gift to your family as well as yourself.
What is Diabetes Mellitus?
The number of people around the world suffering from diabetes has skyrocketed in the last two decades, from 30 million to 230 million, claiming millions of lives and severely taxing the ability of health care systems to deal with the epidemic, according to data released Saturday by the International Diabetes Federation.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease in which your body cannot properly store and use fuel for energy. The fuel that your body needs is called glucose, a form of sugar. Glucose comes from foods such as breads, cereals, pasta, rice, potatoes, fruits and some vegetables. To use glucose, your body needs insulin. Insulin is made by a gland in your body called the pancreas. There are three types of diabetes: type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes only occurs during pregnancy.
Types of Diabetes Mellitus
Diabetes mellitus is a heterogeneous clinical disorder with numerous causes. Two main classifications of diabetes mellitus exist, idiopathic and secondary.
Idiopathic diabetes is divided into two main types; insulin dependent and non-insulin-dependent. Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, IDDM (Type 1) is defined by the development of ketoacidosis in the absence of insulin therapy. Type 1 diabetes most often manifests in childhood (hence also called juvenile onset diabetes) and is the result of an autoimmune destruction of the b-cells of the pancreas. Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, NIDDM (Type 2) is characterized by persistent hyperglycemia but rarely leads to ketoacidosis. Type 2 diabetes generally manifests after age 40 and therefore has the obsolete name of adult onset-type diabetes. Type 2 diabetes can result from genetic defects that cause both insulin resistance and insulin deficiency. There are two main forms of type 2 diabetes:
Late onset associated with obesity.
Late onset not associated with obesity.
Sample meal plan
Choose foods you like and which satisfy you, and include carbohydrate foods in each meal or snack to help manage blood glucose levels. You can eat your main meal at lunch or dinner.
Get help immediately if Diabetes symptoms occur
Occasionally, the onset of diabetes – particularly Type 1 – can be abrupt. It can lead to a condition called ‘keto acidosis’, which is a medical emergency. The symptoms of this condition are loss of appetite, weight loss, vomiting, excessive passing of urine, altered consciousness and, finally, coma. Seek medical help immediately if these symptoms occur.
Why Knowing Your Body Mass Index Can Help You Fight Diabetes
This is how staggering the rise of obesity has become: according to the Surgeon General’s office, the number of obese or overweight adults in this country is 50% higher than it was just a decade ago. Recent studies have projected that 1/3 of the children born in 2000 will develop Type 2 Diabetes, which was once commonly referred to as adult-onset diabetes and is primarily driven by excessive weight. And perhaps most unsettling of all: over the last ten years the number of deaths directly related to obesity-inspired diseased has increased by 33%.
Obesity contributes to diabetes, heart disease, and strokes. Diabetes leads to an increased risk of heart disease, blindness, limb amputation, and kidney problems. The close relationship between excessive weight and diabetes is undeniable. Which is why it’s so important for those who are either pre-diabetes or have been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes to monitor their body mass index.
What is your body mass index (BMI)? It’s an easily calculated number which tells you the percentage of your body weight that consists of fat. Although this number is not 100% on-the-money perfect, especially when the calculation is based solely on height and weight, it’s a good ball park figure. Certainly, good enough to use as a guide if you’re trying to lose weight. Other factors that are normally taken into consideration are sex and age.
The most accurate way to determine your body mass index is by working with your doctor. Not only can he offer you some additional insights into the meaning of the number, he can advise you on how best to start losing weight.
However, if you’d like to get a quick peek at where you fall in the BMI scale, there are a number of online calculators you can use. The quickest path to a calculator is by doing a search for the term “BMI” or “body mass index.” Either will do.
After you’ve determined your BMI number, you’ll want to know what it means. As a rough guideline for adults a BMI of less than 20 implies underweight, over 25 is overweight, and over 30 is obese. For a more specific idea of where you fall in the index, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute provides a complete Body Mass Index Table for your convenience.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: An Overview
What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
There are 8 bones in our wrists called carpals. They form a tunnel like structure. That is how carpal tunnel got its name. Finger movements are controlled by flexor tendons, which are found within this tunnel. The median nerve reaches sensory cells in the hand, through this pathway of tunnel.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a painful and progressive condition that occurs in the wrist. It is caused by the compression of the median nerve in the wrist. The median nerve runs into the hand starting from the forearm. When it becomes, squeezed or pressed at the wrist, its message carrying and receiving ability from the brain gets inhibited. It is not necessary that the whole median nerve be pressed to cause carpal tunnel syndrome. The syndrome is caused when a point on the nerve is pressed. As a result of this compression the nerve does not function properly and causes carpal tunnel syndrome.
1 out of every 100 people is affected by carpal tunnel syndrome at some point in their life. It is commonly caused in the women of the age group of 30-50 years. Carpal tunnel syndrome is also known as Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI). Carpal tunnel syndrome is inclusive of the (RSI) related soft tissue injuries.
What Causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Though there are various possibilities behind the cause of carpal tunnel syndrome, the basic cause is the compression of tunnel walls. As the tunnel walls compress, they put pressure on the median nerve. As the median nerve gets stressed, it causes carpal tunnel syndrome.
Congenital predisposition is also a cause of carpal tunnel disorder. In a majority of cases the carpal tunnel is smaller than the normal, which causes the median nerve to stress.
The syndrome can develop quickly, if the wrist has been fractured or injured. Rheumatoid Arthritis is also a cause of carpal tunnel syndrome.
In some cases, repetitive stress induced carpal tunnel strain causes this syndrome. If a person’s occupation involves, gripping, typing or digging, the hand gets strained and it directly strains the median nerve.
Repetitive wrist and hand action results in the injury and swelling of the subcutaneous tissues. These tissues include muscle, ligament, fascia, sheaths, tendon, blood vessels and peripheral and retinaculum nerve. Due to the small and restricted passage of the tunnel, these swollen tissues can compress together and create concentrated pressure.
Carpal tunnel syndrome can also be caused due to some trauma based incidents. These causes include fracture or injury of the wrist or one of the arm bones. Internal hemorrhaging in the wrist leads to formation of hematoma which causes the syndrome. If any one of the carpal bones of the wrist gets dislocated, it leads to carpal syndrome. Obesity is another common cause of carpal tunnel syndrome. Women who take contraceptive pills can also go on to develop this condition.
Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
The early symptoms include tingling, numbness and burning in the thumb and the index and middle fingers. People suffering from this syndrome, find it hard to grip things, or make a fist. The symptom grows to a severe pain in the hand and restricts the movement of the hand at all. A person gradually loses his ability to squeeze things. They may even find it very hard to tie their shoe laces and picking things up becomes a challenge.
In the worst cases of carpal tunnel syndrome, the patients are unable to differentiate between hot and cold things by touch.
Who is at Risk?
People who are involved in assembly line work are at the maximum risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome. However, it can also develop in the people who are constantly related to any of the following activities or professions:
Video games
Computer keyboard typing or typewriter typing
Musical instruments
Driving a vehicle
Surgeons and Dentists
People involved in exhaustive activity of hands like drilling, digging.
Treatment Available.
Avoiding repetitive and exhaustive activities related to hand movement, is the first instruction for someone suffering with carpal tunnel syndrome. The patient must abstain from such activities to give relief to their hand and free the median nerve of pressure.
Stretching exercises also helps in treating the syndrome as exercising helps in maintaining blood flow normal in the nerves. Modalities including manipulation therapy has been extremely beneficial in many cases.
Medicines like corticosteroid and prescription based NSAID’s can help in relieving the syndrome. If the condition gets worse, there is the option of surgery.
You should consult your doctor immediately if you feel you may be suffering with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Carpal Tunnel: Life After the Internet
Now that we’re in the information technology age, everything we need is within reach. And this is all thanks to the Internet. Work is mostly done through the Internet, facing the computer for long stretches of hours. Even kids’ homework is done and submitted using a computer connected to the Internet. Gone are the days when people would have to go and manually search for files in big folders stacked in shelves full of records. Gone are the days when researching meant going to the library to research using gargantuan encyclopedias. People just aren’t as active as they used to be. And it’s because of this inactivity, and the long hours of slaving away in front of computers, that a lot of people have been complaining of certain chronic pain on their wrists.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) has been present even before computers were created, contrary to popular belief that CTS was brought about by the increasing use of technology.
The carpal tunnel is a hollow tunnel formed by the carpal bones and the surrounding tissues of the wrist. This tunnel protects the median nerve that makes your thumb, index, middle and ring fingers its feelings. And it is said that carpal tunnel syndrome starts when the median nerve gets compressed, this causes pain, a tingling sensation, and/or weakness in the forearm and hand.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is said to be caused by a lot of factors: work, health conditions, trauma, and idiopathic reasons.
Although still unproven, a lot of CTS cases were provoked by repetitive grasping and manipulating activities. This is commonly related to extensive labor that requires the repetitive use of the hand and wrist in industrial occupations
Health conditions. Physical health conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, and certain hormonal disorders like diabetes may cause CTS.
Accidents such as fractures of one of the arm bones, or dislocation of one of the carpal bones, blunt force trauma on the wrist or lower forearm., blood clot formation inside the wrist, or deformities due to abnormal healing of old fractures may cause compression of the median nerve.
Idiopathic reasons. The compression is of an unknown source.
Treatment
Of course, consulting a physician should always be the first step to take when dealing with any kind of pain in the body. They need to find out if the CTS is caused by any underlying physical condition that needs to be addressed right away.
Some people with mild symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome are able to relieve themselves of the pain by simply taking frequent breaks to rest their hands and arms. Some people apply cold packs to reduce occasional swelling of the wrists. If these quick fixes do not work, you might need to consider wrist splinting, medications and/or surgery.
Wrist splint. This holds your wrist still while you sleep. This relieves the night time symptoms of tingling and numbness. This is most effective if you’ve only experienced mild symptoms of CTS for less than a year.
Doctors usually prescribe either non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or corticosteroids. One to relieve the swelling, the other to relieve the pain.
This is advised only when the nerve impairment persists after using all non-surgical methods of treatment.
Therapy has been very beneficial when combined with manipulation.
It is understandable that now that we’re in the computer age where everything is accessible through the internet, we don’t need to move much. But even if technology offers us the convenience of just typing everything into the computer, we need to understand that it will affect our wrists sooner or later. So stand up, stretch, and give your hands a rest.
