|
|
|
Inflammation Rules! But it’s not all bad
by Scott Kushner, PT, MS, Cert. MDT
For this article’s purposes, however, inflammation is the culprit of the day … or maybe it’s actually the harbinger of healing.
Inflammation hurts. Anyone who has sustained a bump or bruise, undergone surgery, or even suffered a hangnail, can attest to this fact. Knowing this, you’re probably wondering how something so painful could possibly “rule.” That’s what I plan to cover in this article.
Let’s begin with the simple facts. As a mechanical physical therapist — someone who employs treatments focusing on symptoms produced by specific movements and positions that elicit a response — I can say with a high degree of certainty that you will experience back pain at some point in your life.
read in detail
|
|
|
|
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr….
are you getting the cold shoulder?
by Alejandro Badia, MD
The shoulder loses range of motion, and deep pain is a common component of this troublesome malady
Frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, is a common but poorly understood condition that can affect the shoulder in a variety of patients. Its name suggests the fact that the shoulder loses range of motion, and deep pain is a common component of this troublesome malady. Very frequently, the condition develops because of trauma to the shoulder, which includes prior surgical intervention; however, many patients development this condition spontaneously for unknown reasons. It is commonly seen in older woman as well as patients with certain metabolic conditions including diabetes, thyroid hormone imbalances, and even Parkinson’s disease.
read in detail
|
|
|
|
What’s causing your thumb pain?
by Alejandro Badia, MD
Anti-inflammatories, splinting, or even corticosteroid injections simply diminish symptoms but do not provide a long-term solution. They do not alter the often inevitable course of progressive pain and even deformity.
Osteoarthritis of the thumb, most typically basal joint arthritis, is the second most common location for arthritis in the hand but the most functionally disabling. The function of thumb opposition and subsequent pinch are crucial for such daily activities as turning a key, opening a jar, or picking a small object off the table. No wonder pain and weakness from the base of the thumb is so functionally disabling!
read in detail
|
|
|
|
Sjogren’s syndrome –An often Overlooked Disease
by David A. McLain, MD, FACP, FACR
She didn’t have the energy she used to have. She chalked it up to getting older, although she noted that her 72-year-old mother seemed to have more energy than she did.
Betty B. is a 48–year-old female who noticed some dryness of her eyes several years ago. This wasn’t really a big problem, and she bought some artificial tears at Wal-Mart to keep in her purse. When she saw her eye doctor, he did tell her that her eyes were a little dry. Lately, she started carrying a water bottle around with her because she was thirsty all the time. She felt she was in good health but was having to see the dentist for extensive dental work.
read in detail
|
|
|
|
Aching feet—aching back… Is there a link?
by Dennis Shavelson, DPM
The human foot is the natural wonder that enables people to stand, walk, run, jump, play, and perform work. DaVinci stated that the foot is “the most human of all of our organs” because no other living animal has an appendage that performs with the mastery of a human foot.
When weighted on the ground (scientifically called “closed chain”), the foot serves as the foundation for the legs, thighs, hips and lower back for positional placement, support, shock absorption, movement, and performing tasks.
read in detail
|
|
|
|
Lupus the great imitator
by C. Robert Meloni
Lupus is the “great mimicker,” often appearing to be any number of other diseases. Because of its imitative nature, lupus cases may go undiagnosed for years.
Few diseases are as complex and perplexing as lupus and physicians find it difficult to diagnose and to treat. Lupus is a chronic, inflammatory, autoimmune disease, which causes the immune system to attack the body. It can damage virtually all organs; no two patients are likely to have identical symptoms. The disease is a particularly critical issue for women—of the 1.5 million Americans who have lupus, nearly 90% are women. The cause of lupus is unknown, and there is no cure.
read in detail
|
|
|
|
Osteoporosis ... Isn’t Normal at Any Age
by Siroth Charnond, MD
My mother was recently diagnosed with osteoporosis. What causes this disease and is there anything that she can do to help and what can I do to prevent this from happening to me?
Osteoporosis is a condition that is associated with weakened and brittle bones. It should not be confused with osteoarthritis, which is a disease of the joints and is a completely different problem. As it worsens, a person with osteoporosis becomes much more likely to break bones with minimal if any trauma.
read in detail
|
|
|
|
Improving your game…
by Alejandro Badia, MD
treatments for common Golf Injuries of the hands & upper limbs
Unlike other sports where the lower extremity joints are injured more commonly, golfers depend on a smooth harmony of shoulder, elbow, and wrist motion to participate in their passion. For this reason, an upper limb orthopedic specialist should promptly address painful conditions in order to allow the athlete to return to his/her sport at the best possible level, and in rapid fashion.
Injuries to the upper limb in golfers are of two major types: The less common acute injury from a poor swing, or the much more common overuse injury or exacerbation of an underlying degenerative condition.
read in detail
|
|
|
|
Painful Shoulder
by Alejandro Badia, MD
Deep, persistent pain in the shoulder can affect young and old alike. The causes, however, can be very different and require a thorough diagnostic process to understand the underlying problem and lead to a solution.
Young, active patients often feel that shoulder pain stems from overuse. This may be the case, but it is important to understand why. Current exercise regimens usually emphasize strengthening the deltoid muscles, but the rotator cuff is largely ignored. This leads to an instability syndrome that can cause pain and even worse, a mechanical deficiency of the shoulder joint. If the pain is a chronic problem, with no history of a single traumatic event, the patient will usually respond to strengthening therapy. This therapy will require diligence from the patient and the therapist.
read in detail
|
|
|
|
Pain is our friend
Pain can help us, though it is never pleasant...
by Jim Hawley, MD
We have probably all had more experience with pain than we wish we had. Pain is a warning that part of our body is near something which is too hot or cold, too sharp, too heavy, or likely to damage us. When our tissue has been damaged, pain is a warning to avoid further damage, to rest the injured area and allow it to heal. When a bone is broken, for example, pain sets up local reflexes to tighten the nearby muscles and splint the broken bone. When we have a disease or injury in our tissues, perhaps of the neck or back, similar reflexes tighten up the neck or back muscles to give us neck or back aches and headaches.
read in detail
|
|
|
|
Osteoporosis, the silent disease
by Deepti Pandita, MD
Each year the risk of having a fracture due to osteoporosis is greater than the combined risk of suffering from a heart attack, stroke, or breast cancer.
read in detail
|
|
|
|
Living with Arthiritis
by Ben Crawford, MSPT
Ah, springtime has arrived!
After poring over seed catalogs and dreaming about garden plans all winter, you’ve spent all weekend in the yard, working in the garden, hoeing, raking, weeding, you name it. When Monday morning rolls around, you’re so stiff and sore, you vow that you’ll let your yard turn into a jungle before you go through this pain again.
read in detail
|
|
|
|
The truth about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
by Alejandro Badia, MD
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a common, but misunderstood condition. In recent years, it has received much coverage in the press, yet it remains puzzling even to the scientific community.
The media has branded CTS as an occupational disease because workers have linked the pain in their hands to repetitive activities such as typing or assembly work. Despite popular opinion, using a keyboard does not cause this condition. However, if one has a predisposition to this condition, repetitive activity such as typing can aggravate it...
read in detail
|
|
|
|
|
