Muscles are specialized cells and tissues which are placed together as a bundle or organ, which by its contraction produces movement in an organism. The ends of each muscle organ have specialized cells which are strong and fibrous, yet maintain the elasticity of the muscles. These cells form attachments to bones or cartilage, to form an anchorage from where the action of movement begins or ends. These ends are called tendons. Similar cell and tissue collections are present between the bony ends of the participating bones of a joint, which support and strengthen movement in a joint. These are called ligaments and are attached either to the bony ends of joints or the cartilage covering them.
Tendonitis Causes and Symptoms
When strenuous exercise is done without adequate warming up, or sudden movement takes place at a joint, these muscle or ligament fibres get ever-stretched and even torn, resulting in a strain. When fibres of the cartilaginous capsule covering a joint get torn, it is called a sprain. When there is displacement of bony surfaces from their normal position during such an injury, it results in a dislocation. The shoulder, elbow, knee and ankle joint are very susceptible to sudden stresses. Such injuries usually result in swelling at the site. A swelling, which slowly develops at the site of the muscle/tendon injury, is usually a sprain. This is due to bleeding within the joint cavity. It takes 24 – 48 hours for a sprain to show up with a swelling. In sprains, some movement, though painful, is still possible, but in a dislocation or fracture there is no movement possible, and obvious deformity will be immediately visible. Some of the common symptoms of tendonitis may includes:
A sharp or achy pain.
Tenderness and swelling.
Restricted movement in the area surrounding the injury.
Weakness in the arm or leg due to pain.
Video
Home Remedies for Tendonitis
1. Sesame
Take two tablespoons of sesame-seed or sunflower oil (or any cooking medium), add a tablespoon of turpentine or kerosene to it, and then apply it as a linament.
2. Camphor
Half a teaspoonful of camphor, added to one-fourth cup of sunflower oil and gently massaged/ rubbed in, soothes a sprain.
3. Garlic
A few cloves of garlic, pounded and mixed with olive or mustard oil, applied with a warm bandage/poultice, gives relief from pain.
4. Ginger
A teaspoon of fresh ginger paste, to which a level teaspoon of turmeric powder is added, should be applied liberally on the sprain area and bandaged lightly. If there is a swelling already, then add a little salt to this paste.
5. Eucalyptus
Crush a handful of eucalyptus leaves, a few cloves, 10-12 mint leaves, a few sprigs of coriander leaves, and grind them together. Add 1-2 tablespoons of very warm coconut oil, and apply locally. This will give temporary relief while its warm.
Note: If the pain worsens or continues after home treatment for over 14 days, a doctor should be consulted.
Painful muscular contractions are called cramps. They can occur at any time and can be very painful and uncomfortable. A muscle cramp is an involuntarily and forcibly contracted muscle that does not relax.
What are the causes of muscle cramps?
These usually occur in the leg muscles after a particular heavy bout of unscheduled, strenuous muscular activity or exercise, when a person has perspired a lot and the weather is very warm. Intense cold can also cause cramps. Continuous use of a certain group of muscles, as in writing, can cause cramps in the fingers and hands. Cramps are often caused by a lack of potassium, resulting in an electrytic imbalance.
Another cause may be a deficiency in hesperidin, one of the bioflavonoids (sometimes called vitamin P), naturally occurring nutrients usually found in association with vitamin C. These bioflavonoids, including Hesperidin, Citrin, Rutin, Flavones, Flavonals, Calechin and Quercetin, were found to be essential in correcting the night leg cramps. Some common causes are:
Muscle fatigue.
Heavy exercise.
Dehydration.
Pregnancy.
Heat Cramps.
What are the symptoms of muscle cramps?
Possible symptoms of muscle cramps may includes:
Sudden pain.
Cramps are more likely to occur in the heat and during strenuous exercise
May occur at nighttime during vigorous exercise.
Cramps often occur after exercise, standing, or lying down for long periods of time.
Leg cramps are very common in pregnant women and the elderly, but they can strike anyone.
Home Remedies for Muscle Cramps
1. Massage
Gentle massaging of the area which has cramps gives relief. Maintain adequate hydration levels. After exercise, drink water to which salt and sugar have both been added. Some women get cramps in their legs during pregnancy. This only needs gentle massage to get rid of the problem.
2. Apple Cider Vinegar
Drink a mixture of two teaspoons of vinegar and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of warm water. Apple cider vinegar is high in potassium.
3. Stretching
Stretching before exercise.
4. Fluids
Drink plenty fluids.
5. Ice
Ice can bring down the muscle inflammation, but if the pain is very bad use heat.
6. Pineapple
Eat Pineapple, pineapple contains the enzyme called bromelain which helps repair injured tissue.
Alternate Names : Backache, Low Back Pain, Lumbar Pain, Pain – Back
A pain referred along the distribution of the sciatic nerve, which supplies the lower limbs, is referred to as sciatica. Any backache which is the result of mechanical stretches, strains, ligamentous tears, or a ruptured inter vertebral disc, is very sudden and severe. Pains that are related to pelvic or abdominal organ dysfunction might not be that severe, barring kidney pain, e.g., renal colic or pain due to stones anywhere in the urinary tract.
Back pain is one of the most common ailments of mankind. Ever since human beings stood upright they have been having trouble with their backs. In fact, experts estimate that roughly 80 percent of people will experience back pain at some point in their lives, and slightly more men suffer from it than women.
Backache Causes and Symptoms
The following medical conditions are some of the possible causes of Back pain as a symptoms.
Limitation in movement of the spine – especially bending forward and leaning back.
Video
Home remedies for backache
The remedies suggested below are for non-specific backache – backache where a cause has not been found and is attributed to arthritis or aging. No manipulation or massage should be done unless an X-ray rules out the presence of a prolapsed inter vertebral disc, dislocation or fracture.
1. Vitamin C
Eat all food that is high in vitamin-C. Cabbage, guava, kiwi, papaya and the poor man’s all-purpose fruit, Indian gooseberry, the highest source of natural vitamin-C. This is retained even when the fruit is cooked. Just having one fourth of a dried Indian gooseberry will suffice.
2. Garlic
Garlic is the most important home remedy for backache. Two or three cloves should be taken every morning. An oil prepared form garlic and rubbed on the back will give a good result in backache.
3. Potato
Application of raw potato in the form of a poultice has been found very effective in this condition.
4. Lemon
Lemon is another useful remedy for backache. The juice of one lemon should be mixed with common salt and taken by the patient twice daily. It will give relief.
5. Massage
Ask someone massage the affected area with herbal oils using knuckles and increasing pressure slowly. After a few minutes you will feel less discomfort. This gets rid of tension and relaxes the muscles in that area.
There are also specific yogic exercises for relieving back pain. Consult a yoga teacher for expert advice.
In a healthy state, all joint movements appear very smooth, fluid and easy and one is actually un-ware of them. They are taken for granted. Arthritis pain can be caused by any of a group of more than 100 diseases (collectively coming under the broad heading of Arthritis). These diseases affect not only the joints but other important structures such as tendons, ligaments, muscles and bones. The common denominator among all these conditions is joint and musculoskeletal pain, commonly known as arthritis pain.
Arthritis pain varies greatly from person to person, because of different physical activities, environmental conditions to emotional states seem to affect the intensity of arthritis pain. Arthritis pain is usually chronic. Chronic arthritis pain is long lasting, ranging from weeks, months, and years to a lifetime. It is essential to treat this pain, since it can disrupt the pattern and movement of your daily life.
Arthritis pain has many different sources
These may include:
Inflammation of the synovial membrane (tissue that lines the joints), tendons or ligaments.
Damage to the joint tissues, from disease, stress, injury or pressure.
Muscle strain and fatigue caused by overworked muscles attempting to protect your joints from painful movements.
Depression or stress leading to limited movement, hence getting caught in a cycle of pain, stress and limited pain management abilities.
Arthritis Causes and Symptoms
However, movements at the joints are exposed to innumerable stresses in day-to-day life. These stresses expose them to stretches, strains, actual injury, or indirect injuries by infection due to various microbes. Metabolic disorders may deposit chemical crystals at the joint site, or immune system dysfunction may cause localized tissue lesions due to antigen, antibody reactions. This is not the end of the list. Degenerative changes in the body due to aging, etc., take their own toll, e.g., osteoarthritis. Cancerous growths at the site or nearby are another cause of dysfunction and disability. Dysfunction and disability are not due to a specific cause or disease entity. One specific cause may co-exist with another non-specific one, actually related to some other organ dysfunction.
Disease, dysfunction or disability of any of the areas mentioned above will cause pain, and maybe also swelling, disfigurement and loss of mobility. Some of the common symptoms for arthritis may include this :
Fatigue and sleep disturbances occur in about 90% of people who have fibromyalgia.
Depression and anxiety are common in many people with fibromyalgia.
Pain is the most prominent symptom. It usually involves “tender points” on the body where pain seems the greatest.
Migraine headaches, abdominal pain, bloating or alternating constipation and diarrhea.
Video
Home remedies for Arthritis Treatment
Herbal remedies have been found to be beneficial without the side effects of conventional drug therapy. These remedies, if not actually curative, are definitely complimentary.
1. Beetroot
Drinking beetroot juice or eating a cupful of diced beetroot, whether raw or parboiled, is extremely good for arthritis. The leaves of beetroot are also beneficial. These can be cooked with diced onions. Apparently, beetroots are supposed to have immunity-enhancing properties and are particularly beneficial for arthritis of an immune-disorder etiology. Beetroots are rich in potassium and have an alkalising effect. This alkalinity is helpful in dissolving various types of salt deposits on the particular surfaces of the joints, as occurs in arthritis. Those having beetroot may have pink-or red-colored urine. This is because of the red pigment, fresh beta cyan in, that some people do not metabolize well. However, this is no cause for worry.
2. Pineapple Juice
Pineapple juice, a cupful taken every day (200 ml), reduces swelling and inflammation around the joints, which occurs in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. The active ingredient is a substance called bromelain that has significant anti-inflammatory action.
3. Apple Cider Vinegar
A tablespoonful of Apple-cider vinegar taken with a teaspoon of honey in a glass of warm water first thing in the morning is beneficial. Those who are not overweight can take more honey – a tablespoon or so. Apple-cider vinegar has a substance called mallic acid that helps remove inorganic salt deposits on particular surfaces-especially useful for nonspecific arthritis.
4. Asparagus
Asparagus is good for those with arthritis but definitely contraindicated for sufferers of gout. However, cherries are extremely good for relieving pain caused by gout.
5. Celery
Celery is another leafy vegetable used for salads or soup seasoning which has high amounts of sodium, which helps keep the balance of lime (calcium salt) and magnesium in solution, not letting it deposit on joint surfaces. The stalk and leaves can both be used to make fresh juice. By itself, this juice is not very palatable, so an equal amount of carrot juice. can be added. A cupful of this mixture, taken morning and evening, prepared fresh and had immediately, will break down disease-producing unhealthy calcium deposits on the particular surfaces of joints. Cucumber juice can be substituted for celery juice once in a while.
6. Asparagus Seeds
Asparagus is beneficial, as well as its seeds. Equal quantities of asparagus seeds, fenugreek seeds, and black cumin seeds can be powdered and stored. One level teaspoon of this mixture taken every morning will relieve pain during the acute phase of the disease.
7. Potato
Raw potato juice is beneficial for gout.
8. Bitter Gourd
The juice of bitter gourd is good for both gout and rheumatism.
9. Wheat Grass
Wheatgrass or sprouted wheat germhalf a cup taken daily-builds up the immune system and is especially good for all kinds of arthritis due to autoimmune dysfunction, e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythromatosis, and multiple sclerosis.
10. Green Gram
Green gram is eaten in India as a green vegetable, like peas. The dried form is yellow or cream in color. A soup made with a handful of green gram, boiled, mashed well and seasoned with 2-3 crushed cloves of garlic is a good seasonal remedy for pain in the joints-a cupful of soup twice a day. Some joint pains get aggravated in winter, and green gram is harvested only in the winter months. Nature provides us with timely cures, even though we are not aware of them.
11. Sesame Seeds
Soak a tablespoonful of sesame seeds overnight. The softened seeds, eaten in the morning, along with the water it has been soaked in, is a preventive measure for joint pain, for those who suffer from the problem every winter. Sesame seeds are ‘heat-producing’ and eaten only in winter.
12. Fenugreek
Fenugreek leaves, cooked in fresh coconut milk seasoned with garlic, have ingredients beneficial for seasonal joint-pain aggravation. It is a winter joint pain remedy.
13. Herbal Tea
Chronic joint pains get relief after the patient has a herbal tea made from liquorice – a teaspoon of liquorice root stock in one cup of water. Boil for 5-6 minutes and drink it.
14. Onion Juice
Onion juice or warmed, mashed onion bulb, mixed with warm mustard oil, makes an effective poultice for arthritis.
15. Ginger Powder
Take equal quantities of dried ginger powder, cumin powder and add half the amount of black pepper powder. Grind together and store. Have half a teaspoon of this thrice a day. It has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. It is best to have this with water or fresh buttermilk that is not sour. By itself, it has a pungent taste and may cause a little acidity for those with a pitta constitution.
16. Turmeric
Research shows that turmeric may help in treating rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. You can take turmeric in the form of supplements, turmeric tea or milk.
