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January 23, 2022

Health

Top 5 Causes of Joint Pain

One of the most common reasons many people seek medical care is for pain associated with one or more joints, the connections between two bones forming a flexible hinge. Joint pain can be due to anything from arthritis to other kinds of inflammatory disease or infection to even an injury. Accurate diagnosis is essential because different types of problems may respond differently to varying types of treatments. You should therefore see Ron Marinaro DC, a joint pain specialist, for proper treatment.

Anyone can get joint pain, but people at higher risk include the elderly, overweight, and those with immune system problems like arthritis or psoriatic disease. Symptoms may include any of the following: redness, warmth, swelling around the joints, stiffness in the morning that can last for up to an hour, and decreased range of motion in the joint. In this article, we look at the different causes of joint pain.

  • Bone Injuries

Accidents that injure bones, such as fractures or breaks, also typically cause pain. In some cases, the fracture may not appear on an X-ray until a few days after the accident because of initial swelling around the injury. This delayed appearance is why you need to see your orthopedic surgeon immediately if you suspect a bone injury.

  • Inflammatory Diseases

Joints are also susceptible to inflammation of the immune system, known as arthritis or an arthritic condition. Many different types of arthritis cause joint pain, including diseases with specific names such as psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. These conditions tend to run in families and are often inherited. Arthritis can lead to permanent joint damage over time, including bone spurs and a decreased range of motion.

  • Sprains and Strains

Sprains and strains are the most common types of joint injury, particularly among athletes. Sprains happen when a ligament is overstretched or torn due to a sudden movement that severely twists or pulls it. Strains occur when a muscle or tendon is overstretched or torn due to a sudden movement as well.

  • Lack of Use or Overuse

In many cases, joint pain may be related to a lack of use or overuse. This is true for repetitive motions such as typing on a computer keyboard or playing a musical instrument, and also for joints that are held in one position improperly due to weakness from an injury or disease.

  • Intense Physical Activity

Finally, joint pain can be caused by intense physical activity such as sports or weightlifting. This type of joint pain is often known as “jumper’s knee” and can affect the back of the knees if you repeatedly jump up and down. Many people try to treat this form of joint pain with over-the-counter pain medications. Still, it may be preferable to prevent it by stretching before engaging in high-impact activities.

In summary, joint pain is a common condition that sends people to the doctor. You can experience joint pain due to different causes such as intense physical activity, lack of use or overuse, and sprains and strains. Injury and inflammatory diseases are also common causes of joint pain.

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Health

Benefits of Visiting Wellness Specialist

The benefits of visiting a wellness specialist are huge. Everyone should see a wellness specialist in their life at least once in a while. First and foremost, the benefits include stress reduction. Many people have been stressed day in and day out from their jobs or any other reason. While it is essential to find ways to reduce this stress, it is also crucial to determine if we have any other issues causing stress. A Nova Physician Wellness Center can help you look at all aspects of yourself and life in general and pinpoint how these things may be affecting your health and wellbeing.

Another benefit is the promotion of physical and mental health. Everyone knows that exercise and a healthy diet can improve your health. Here are some more benefits of visiting a wellness center.

  • Enhanced Energy Levels

Wellness specialists can help you improve your energy levels. These experts know how to promote the body’s health and wellness. When you go to these experts, they will be able to show you what steps you need to take for them to be able to find a way for your body to have increased energy levels.

While it is always essential to go to a doctor when you are not feeling well, wellness specialists can help promote your wellbeing, especially since it is the year for colds and flu. Symptoms of illness tend to be more severe this time of year because of drastic weather changes. Wellness specialists will help promote good health and determine if anything else is causing you to have more severe symptoms of illness.

  • Stress Management

Wellness specialists will provide stress management tips. They will be able to analyze your lifestyle and determine what type of stress you are experiencing. Once they have decided what kind of stress you are dealing with, they will also find ways to reduce these stresses or even eliminate them.

  • Getting in Shape

Wellness experts will help make sure that you are getting in shape. They will be able to show you the types of exercises and workouts that they recommend for good health and wellness, and these may even be different than what your regular physician recommends.

Wellness experts also know how to promote energy levels, making it easier to get in shape. These professionals will also determine the best way for you to eat to lose weight or gain muscle.

  • Improved Sexual Health

Another benefit of wellness specialists is they can help improve your sexual health. Sexual health is an integral part of overall wellbeing, and these experts will be able to show you what type of food is healthy for sex and the types of workouts that will help improve your sexual health. It is essential to go to a wellness specialist if you have any issues with your sex life, as they may help improve these issues without medication.

In summary, a wellness center comes with many different benefits. First, it offers improved energy levels and enhanced sexual health. It also helps you manage stress and get in shape.

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Health

Causes of Shoulder Pain

Shoulders are synovial joints that contain bone, cartilage, and ligaments that hold the scapula in place. It is also one of the most flexible joints in our body and the wrist because both rotator cuff muscles and deltoid muscles allow a free range of motion in the glenohumeral joint.

Injury to any one of these disks can cause pain in the shoulder and affect its movements negatively. If you have been playing many sports over the years, injuries in your shoulders are likely more common than in other joints. There is always a risk of damage due to their flexibility. You need to seek treatment from a specialist in shoulder pain in Brunswick so you can resume regular activity. Some of the common reasons that can cause shoulder pain are highlighted in this article.

  • Muscle Strains

This is one of the most common causes of shoulder pain, and it occurs if you use too much force in your shoulders when they can’t take it anymore. The muscles get strained due to an impact or sudden jerk, causing them to tear out from their original state.

Muscle strains can be of two types: Grade I and Grade II, and the former is less severe than the latter. There is stretching and damage of tiny fibers in grade I, while it is more extensive in grade II, with some fibers getting ruptured completely.

  • Dislocations

Dislocations are also among the common types of aches that athletes commonly face. An injury generally occurs if your deltoid gets pulled out due to sudden jerks or movements. This typically happens because of an impact or a fall that causes it to dislocate.

Dislocations can also be divided into acute and chronic, and the former is much more severe than the second one. In acute dislocations, your rotator cuff muscles stretch out completely, whereas only partial tears occur in chronic dislocations.

  • Avascular Necrosis

Avascular necrosis is an injury generally sustained by athletes who play sports that involve frequent overhead movements. It occurs when blood supply to your shoulder joints gets disturbed due to an impingement on the subacromial bursa causing it to die out.

  • Rotator Cuff Injuries

A rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that allow the proper functioning of your shoulder joints. Injury to this region can cause significant problems such as impingement syndrome and tendonitis because the overworked rotator cuff gets swollen up, thus increasing pain significantly.

  • Tendonitis

This condition occurs as a result of injury to tendons that help keep your shoulder joints in place. Pain is felt when you try to move your shoulders and may become worse with time.

  • Bursitis

Bursae are fluid-filled sacs that reduce the friction between tendons and joints. Injury to bursae can cause them to swell up, causing problems in your shoulders. It may cause stiffness and swelling that increases with time and returns to normal after resting for an extended period.

In summary, shoulder pain can affect your ability to move the shoulder joints. You can experience shoulder pain due to many different reasons, such as bursitis, tendonitis, and rotator cuff injuries. Dislocations and muscle strains are also common causes of shoulder pain. Although it happens rarely, you may develop avascular necrosis, which can also cause pain in the shoulder.

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Health

All You Need to Know About Neuropathy

Neuropathy refers to conditions resulting from disorders of the nervous system. Disorders result in the loss or impairment of sensation, motion, gland, or organ function. Neuropathy is caused by many factors, including genetics, alcoholism, poor diet, injury, or toxicity. Neuropathy can be chronic or temporary, depending on the cause. While the development of neuropathy is not preventable, you can manage it by maintaining a healthy diet and avoiding toxins and heavy metals. By adopting positive health habits such as exercising regularly and medicating any underlying conditions, we can reduce our risk of developing this debilitating disease. If you have symptoms, you should see a Glen Rock neuropathy specialist for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Symptoms of Neuropathy

There are over 100 types of neuropathy. Symptoms vary depending on the type of neuropathy.

The most common type is idiopathic polyneuropathy which affects the arms and legs, causing muscle weakness, pain, numbness, tingling, and burning sensations in the hands and feet. These often go away after resting for a while, but they can be so painful you cannot sleep. People with this type of neuropathy also may have difficulty walking.

Other types include autonomic neuropathy, which affects the nervous system that controls your body’s automatic functions, such as heart rate and digestion. Sensory nerve damage causes pain, tingling, numbness, and mononeuropathy, which is nerve damage causing pain and weakness in a single limb.

Symptoms depend on the type of neuropathy and where it occurs:

  • Pain, numbness, or tingling (pins and needles)
  • Muscle weakness affecting foot control, hand coordination, or arm strength. Common symptoms include difficulty with stairs, standing, getting dressed, and holding things.
  • Fatigue – often accompanied by altered sensation in the feet or hands.
  • A sensation of “pins and needles” (paresthesia) or burning pain (paraesthesia), typically affecting both sides of your body at once
  • Numbness, tingling, or weakness in an arm or leg, especially the feet or legs
  • Problems with balance and physical coordination (ataxia)
  • Speech problems, including slurring (dysarthria), breathlessness or hoarseness (dysphonia), or difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
  • Constipation, urine retention, impotence in men

Causes of Neuropathy

There are different causes of neuropathy. However, most people develop the condition due to a combination of genetics and lifestyle factors. Risk factors for neuropathy include:

  • Family history of diabetes
  • Previous diagnosis of diabetes or high blood pressure
  • Overweight
  • Tobacco use
  • Excessive alcohol consumption

In some cases, neuropathy is triggered by an underlying medical condition such as hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, vitamin B12 deficiency, kidney problems, or arthritis. In other cases, however, you can find no cause.

Treatment Options

Neuropathy treatments depend on the cause and type of neuropathy. Some treatments relieve symptoms temporarily while others reduce or stop disease progression. Treatments include medicines, such as pain medicine and antidepressants to reduce or prevent pain and other symptoms. Physical therapy and exercise can also help keep muscles strong and flexible. If you have muscle weakness and coordination problems, your doctor may recommend occupational therapy.

To summarize, neuropathy is a group of conditions resulting from disorders of the nervous system. The symptoms vary depending on the type of neuropathy. Many people develop the disease due to a combination of lifestyle and genetic factors. The treatments vary depending on the cause and style of your neuropathy.

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Health

Benefits of Crowns and Veneers

People usually think of crowns and veneers as treatment options for only the most severe cases, such as badly decayed teeth or significant cosmetic issues. But in reality, you can use them to correct a wide range of dental problems. One of the most common reasons for crowns and veneers is to improve a smile’s appearance due to stains or discoloration. You can use them to cover up worn enamel caused by years of neglecting proper dental care, large fillings, small chips, or other damage that has caused teeth to look misshapen or discolored over time.

Crowns (also sometimes called caps) cover the entire tooth, restoring it to its original shape and size. On the other hand, veneers only cover the front of the tooth. Before getting veneers or crowns, make sure you consult with a specialist in crowns and veneers in Katy. But what benefits do these treatments come with?

  • Maintains Existing Teeth

While crowns and veneers can replace missing teeth, one of their primary benefits is maintaining existing healthy teeth. After a tooth has been damaged or decayed to the point where it requires extraction, it no longer functions in the mouth for chewing or biting. That means your remaining natural teeth will have to work harder to digest food. That can cause them to wear out faster, leading to multiple teeth being extracted that may not have otherwise needed to be removed.

  • They Strengthen Teeth

Crowns and veneers are often made from porcelain, the same material used in natural teeth. But unlike regular enamel, it’s solid and highly resistant to scratching and chipping, which means it won’t wear away over time. Crowns are also equipped with special adhesives that help them grip onto your teeth for added strength. It gives your remaining healthy teeth the added support they need to stay in place while keeping you from dealing with unsightly gaps in your smile.

  • Easy to Clean

One of the most significant benefits of crowns and veneers is that your remaining teeth won’t have to worry about maintaining their natural enamel. Since crowns can be made in so many different shapes, sizes, and colors, it’s much easier to find one that blends in with your existing smile. It makes cleaning much more accessible than with a regular tooth. And because they have virtually no gaps or spaces, it makes them less susceptible to food and plaque buildup, so you won’t have to spend nearly as much time brushing and flossing.

  • Reduced Tooth Sensitivity

Since caps and veneers cover your teeth entirely, they reduce or eliminate tooth sensitivity. Except for your gums, all other parts of your mouth can become sensitive due to cold drinks and foods. Not only is this uncomfortable to deal with when eating certain things, but it’s also a major cause of gum irritation. Crowns and veneers can give you back the comfort of your natural teeth. And because they’re made out of porcelain, they can resist chipping and cracking that cause sensitivity.

In summary, crowns and veneers offer many benefits besides the obvious. They can reduce tooth sensitivity and make them stronger. They also help maintain existing teeth. Additionally, they are easy to clean, so you can save time while improving your overall dental wellbeing.

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