Category: #fibromyalgia

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WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MYOFASCIAL PAIN -v- DISC PAIN?…

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As most of my readers know I suffer from chronic back pain. Nowadays spinal fusion is not used as the first choice for prolapsed discs with pain management being the first treatment and only if nerves are compressed is it used as another option.

The problem with spinal fusion especially if you have more than one surgery is the pressure it puts on the disc below and above your fusion.

Another condition which you can also suffer from after any type of surgery is Myofascial Pain Syndrome which is a chronic painful muscle disorder and is common if you have experienced a muscle injury. Over time these myofascial restrictions can lead to poor biomechanics, altered structural alignment, compromised blood supply and pain. Other causes of myofascial pain are injuries to an intervertebral disc, general fatigue, repetitive motions, and some medical conditions.

The symptom of the condition includes muscle pain that feels like a firm knot, which is accentuated when moved. Myofascial pain syndrome gets worse or fails to improve over time. Muscles feel weak, stiff and inflexible and have a reduced range of motion. Due to the pain, there may be difficulty in sleeping, which may also affect a person’s mood.

It is characterised by the myofascial trigger points and the symptoms include persistent or worsening pain, deep and aching muscle pain, tender knots located in the muscles and pain after exercise or sporting activity.

Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS) is the name given to pain caused by trigger points and fascia (connective tissue) adhesions in the body, usually in muscle tissue, and inflammation in the body’s soft tissues. The myofascial pain is usually caused by overuse of the muscle, trauma (injury) or psychological stress. Other contributing factors may include bad posture, small lesions, soft tissue tension or rheumatic arthritis, gout, thyroid problems, or psoriasis among other diseases.

Myo = muscle
Fascia = the main connective tissue in the body
Release = to let go, ease pressure

Treatments include anti-inflammatory medication, pain killers, physical therapy, stretching, massage therapy and trigger point injections.

A trigger point injection is either a cortisone injection or dry needling. Pain relief is quick and helps in continuing physical therapy. Trigger point injections can also be used for people suffering from degenerative disc disease.

Understanding the cause of your pain is an important step to finding an effective solution. It may involve a series of sessions and an at home program to keep the area strong.

Disc pain can come from a disc bulge or prolapse but you can also get myofascial pain which could be treated conservatively instead of surgery. Fibromyalgia patients can also suffer from myofascial pain. According to history, Sir William Gowers introduced the term fibrositis for a common, but idiopathic, localized form of muscular rheumatism that is now recognised as myofascial pain syndrome in 1904. And, despite the intervening years, it still constitutes the largest group of unrecognised and undertreated acute and chronic pain problems. Some people (like myself) have also been told they could have Fibromyalgia, previously named ‘fibrositis’.

Nerve block injections into your neck for a disc bulge can be quite dangerous as they are quite tricky to do and they go through the front of your neck.

I guess with any spinal pain after you have had all the tests it’s then worth trying alternative treatments well before you resort to surgery which is something I have always said I would avoid having.

Source: Top Doctors

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SIMPLE TIPS FOR STAYING HYDRATED…

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Summer is a lovely time of the year but it also comes with heat. This heat can often get so intense that you find yourself feeling seriously out of sorts. This is the period of the year when doctors report that they register the highest cases of dehydration.

It is therefore important that everyone, especially parents, take extra care to stay hydrated and ensure that children and pets are also properly hydrated.

To give you an idea of why it is important to do everything within your power to avoid an occurrence of dehydration, we will take some time to look at some of its side effects in the body.

There are a lot of reasons why you must ensure your body never gets dehydrated. In this article here, we see that a person’s brain can be adversely affected by just two hours of dehydration. Let’s take a step back and ask this important question – what exactly is dehydration?

What is Dehydration?

This condition simply refers to a situation where a person is losing more fluids than they are taking in. These fluids can be lost in a variety of ways including sweating, urinating and other natural means of excretion. Water could also be lost as a result of diarrhea. As these fluids are removed from the body, it is expected that they are replaced immediately as they are required to carry out some important body functions.

Just in case you are not aware of the important functions that water performs in the body, they include: regulating body temperature, helping in the production of saliva, helping remove waste from the body, helping in the lubrication of the joints, spine and other parts, helping in the digestion process as well as absorption of nutrients and also helping in the circulation of oxygen around the body. We could go on.

From the list above, you can clearly see how important is. It is therefore because of these important roles it plays in the body that the following symptoms occur when it is in short supply:

• Dryness of the mouth

• Weakness of the muscles

• Lethargy

• Headache

• Lightheadedness and dizziness

In severe cases, it can result in:

• Delirium

• Low blood pressure

• Sunken eyes

• Increased heart rate

• Unconsciousness

It does not take days for this to occur. We already showed above that some of the symptoms listed above can begin to occur in as little as 2 hours. This is especially possible during these periods of intense heat.

It is also very important to know that the condition can be worse for children and the elderly. Extra care therefore needs to be taken to ensure that these ones are constantly and adequately hydrated.

Simples Tips for Staying Hydrated…

To ensure you and yours constantly stay hydrated, here are a few tips you can implement.

Position Hydration Stations Around the House…

This is a good way of ensuring safe drinking water is within easy reach. You can easily set these up with pitchers with filter. These pitchers are actually very affordable so you can place them in different spots in your home. You can actually get some of the best water filter pitchers for less than $100. Some can even go as low as $30 or less so you can really have them spread all over the house for easy and convenient access.

Install a Hydration Reminder App…

Thankfully, technology can also help especially for those who forget to drink water or don’t know when they should drink water. There are apps than can remind you to drink some water at regular intervals. This will serve to ensure you constantly reach for a glass of water.

Take Lots of Fruits and Vegetables…

Aside from water, you can also stay hydrated with lots of fruits and vegetables. You don’t just need clean and clear water. There are essential minerals that you also need and these are contained in fruits and vegetables. You can also supplement with juices – both fruit and vegetable juice.

During and After Exercising Take Orange Juice Diluted with Water…

If you are going to be working out during these hot days, it is important that you don’t just stay hydrated but also replenish important nutrients like proteins and carbohydrates, not also forgetting the electrolytes that you will have lost from sweating.

Another important thing to note if you are working out is that you are likely to lose more weight via sweating this period. You should always try to replenish lost weight by drinking sufficient amounts of liquids. This can be water or any suitable sports drink.

Conclusion…

Dehydration can be very dangerous as we have seen above. The tips we have shared above will help you and those around you stay properly hydrated and avoid any issues with dehydration.

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9 FRAGRANT SCENTS TO GROW AND CREATE YOUR OWN AROMATHERAPY GARDEN…

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For hundreds of years, people have believed that scents have the power to boost your mood, health, and well being. Now, a scientific study has proved that this is the case.

Parts of our brain that process smell, memory, and emotions are closely related, and scents can affect our brainwaves in powerful and measurable ways according to a recent article.

Lavender for example helps with a cognitive performance for our mood and sleep and also as a muscle relaxant and migraine reliever. This happens due to the lavender’s pleasant smell leading to a positive emotional response. Evidence also suggests that physiological effects, including the scent interacting with brain receptors and neurotransmitters to promote relaxation.

Eucalyptus is an excellent addition to an aromatherapy garden. The vapors might help relieve sinus congestion when inhaled or soothe minor wounds when applied topically.

Ylang, Ylang, Perfect for soothing an argument, ylang ylang is known for its relaxing properties. “The pure essential oil of these blossoms has been found to aid issues of palpitations, anxiety, depression, and high blood pressure.

Lavender, which I have already written about and is a very popular choice. The sweetly scented plant has long been believed to relieve stress, soothe wounds, aid with poor sleep, and ease menstrual pain. The essential oil from these fragrant perennials is also used in aromatherapy for depression and anxiety.

Lemon, Citrus scents work wonders at calming work stress. Lemon and other citrus fragrances improve concentration and have calming properties.

Chamomile, Chamomile is a beautiful garden plant with fragrant flowers and a long history of use in herbal medicine.In addition to its lovely smell, chamomile is said to have skin-healing properties, too.

Mint, Its aroma and medicinal properties being linked to stress and pain relief, as well as appetite stimulation and digestive support.

Jasmine, also used in teas, its extract is believed to help relieve stress, headaches, depression, anxiety, and PMS symptoms.

Lilac, with its sweet and intoxicating scent, lilac eases tension and lifts spirits, and some even claim that lilac oil can increase concentration and boost mental activity when inhaled.

And finally, Rosemary, A stressful supermarket shop can be eased by rosemary. It can improve your memory and reduce feelings of mental and physical tiredness due to its stimulating properties.

When designing your own therapeutic garden, think about whether you want an area for relaxation, which might include planting some of the above or marjoram, or damask rose or an area to increase your concentration so you could then add peppermint or a trellis of jasmine.

I have just planted a row of lavender just under my dining room window which is near my front door as I thought a smell coming into the house of lavender would be lovely as well as smelling it while dining. Here are a number of books available on this but my favourite which I bought recently is the RHS Your Wellbeing Garden by Professor Alistair Griffiths and award-winning garden designer Matt Keightley.

Learn how connecting with nature can reduce stress and improve wellbeing. You don’t even need a garden – even a balcony or houseplants can help to boost your mood. Every recommendation is backed by scientific research, drawn together by the team of RHS scientists and experts. Favourite garden designer at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show Matt Keightley then suggests how to translate the science into ideas for your green space.

With this groundbreaking book, find out how, in sometimes very simple ways, you can create an outdoor space that nourishes your mind and body, and is good for our planet too.

Source: Bobvila, Amazon