Treatments

Back Pain

Low back pain is caused by injury to a muscle (strain) or ligament (sprain). Common causes include improper lifting, poor posture, lack of regular exercise, fracture, ruptured disk, or arthritis.

Often, the only symptom is pain in the lower back.

Most low back pain goes away on its own in two to four weeks. Physical therapy and pain relievers can help. A few cases may require Physiotherapy.

What is Cervical Spondylosis?

Cervical Spondylosis, also known as cervical osteoarthritis or neck arthritis, is a common, age-related condition that affects the joints and discs in your neck. It develops from wear and tear of the cartilage and bones found in your cervical spine, which is in your neck. While it’s largely due to age, it can be caused by other factors as well.

According to the Varma Spine Care, the condition is present in more than 50 percent of people over the age of 40, although some people who have it never experience symptoms. For some, it can cause chronic, severe pain and stiffness.

Cervical Spondylosis Causes

• Unfortunately, the bones and protective cartilage in your neck are prone to wear and tear that can lead to cervical spondylosis. Possible causes of the condition include
• These overgrowths of bone are the result of the body trying to grow extra bone to make the spine stronger. However, the extra bone can press on delicate areas of the spine, such as the spinal cord and nerves, resulting in pain.

SYMPTOMS

Most people with cervical spondylosis don’t have significant symptoms. If symptoms do occur, they can range from mild to severe and may develop gradually or occur suddenly.

One common symptom is pain around the shoulder blade. Patients will complain of pain along the arm and in the fingers. The pain might increase when:

• Standing
• Sitting
• Sneezing
• Coughing
• Tilting your neck backward
• A stiff neck that becomes worse
• Headaches that mostly occur in the back of the head
• Tingling or numbness that mainly affects shoulders and arms, although it can also occur in the legs

These symptoms warrant immediate medical attention.

Vertigo

Vertigo is when a person feels as if they or the objects around them are moving when they are not. Often it feels like a spinning or swaying movement. This may be associated with nausea, vomiting, sweating, or difficulties walking. It is typically worsened when the head is moved. Vertigo is the most common type of dizziness.

Causes of Vertigo

Vertigo is often caused by an inner ear problem. Some of the most common causes include:

BPPV. These initials stand for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

BPPV occurs when tiny calcium particles (canaliths) clump up in canals of the inner ear. The inner ear sends signals to the brain about head and body movements relative to gravity. It helps you keep your balance.

BPPV can occur for no known reason and may be associated with age.

Symptoms of Vertigo

Vertigo is often triggered by a change in the position of your head. People with vertigo typically describe it as feeling like they are:

• Spinning
• Tilting
• Swaying
• Unbalanced
• Pulled to one direction

Other symptoms that may accompany vertigo include:

• Feeling nauseated
• Abnormal or jerking eye movements (nystagmus)
• Headache
• Sweating
• Ringing in the ears or hearing loss

Symptoms can last a few minutes to a few hours or more and may come and go.

Peri Arthritis

Frozen shoulder occurs when the sleeve that surrounds the shoulder joint, known as the capsule, becomes swollen and thickened. It's unclear why this happens.

Who's most at risk?

It's not fully understood why frozen shoulder occurs, and it's not always possible to identify a cause. However, a number of factors can increase your risk of developing it. These are outlined below.

Other health conditions

You may have a greater risk of developing a frozen shoulder if you have other health conditions, such as:

• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Lung disease
• An overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) or an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)
• Breast cancer

Dupuytren's contracture – where small lumps of thickened tissue form in the hand, causing the fingers to bend into the palm

Immobility

Not moving for long periods of time can also increase your risk of a frozen shoulder. This can sometimes happen if you spend time in hospital.

Shoulder Pain

Everyone knows that having pain in left shoulder can be a sign of a heart attack. So many people assume that right shoulder pain is not really serious and does not need to be checked. But the truth is that other serious conditions are also associated with pain under the right shoulder blade. Aside from serious conditions, other minor condition that causes right shoulder pain still needs treatment.

What Causes Shoulder Pain?

The shoulder is a ball and socket joint with a large range of movement. Such a mobile joint tends to be more susceptible to injury. Shoulder pain can stem from one or more of the following causes:

Check your Symptoms & Signs

• Strains from overexertion
• Tendonitis from overuse
• Shoulder joint instability
• Dislocation
• Collar or upper arm bone fractures
• Frozen shoulder
• Pinched nerves (also called radiculopathy)

See a Doctor

Right shoulder pain is common in daily life, but it can never be ignored and medical care is needed, if:

• The pain is severe;
• The right shoulder appears tender, red or swollen;
• You become unable to move, then ask the aid of someone to bring you to the nearest hospital.

Lumbar Spondylosis

Lumbar spondylosis is a spine condition that describes the natural deterioration the lower spine due to age and compression. While spondylosis can occur throughout the spine, the most common location of occurrence is in the lowest portion of the spine, where the lumbar meets the sacrum, or tailbone, spine.

Specific conditions that fall under the umbrella term of lumbosacral spondylosis can include herniated discs, bulging discs, bone spurs and osteoarthritis, all of which are spinal abnormalities that run the risk of protruding into the spinal canal and exerting pressure on spinal nerves. The sciatic nerve is often compressed at the meeting of the L5 and S1 vertebrae. Common symptoms of sciatic nerve compression include tingling, numbness, weakness and pain that can spread through the following areas:

• Lower back
• Tailbone
• Buttocks
• Hip joints
• Toes
• Back of thighs (hamstrings)
• Calves
• Feet

Causes of lumbar spondylosis

The spine is made up of several vertebrae stacked on top of each other. A vertebra is a small bone that builds the core structure of the spine. On either side of a vertebra is a disc and joint, both made of soft tissue and sponge-like texture to allow the vertebra to bend and move.

The purpose of the lumbar spine in your lower back is to support and stabilize most of the body’s weight. Over time, as the spine undergoes years of repetitive motion, heavy lifting, and possible weight gain, the vertebrae of the lumbar spine become compressed and push into the discs and joints from both sides, much like a clamp. This constant pressure can cause the discs and joints to gradually deteriorate and possibly develop other spine conditions, such as spinal stenosis or spondylolisthesis.

Treatment

Treatment in Ayurveda for Lumbar spondylosis is to bring the vitiated ‘Vata dosha‘ back to the state of equilibrium and thereby to the state of health.

The treatment modalities for treating this condition include Panchakarma & Rejuvenation therapies, internal medications, diet and life style changes.

Therapies like Dhanyamladhara, Abhyanga swedam, Elakizhi, Sarvangadhara, Vasti, kati vasti, Navarakizhi are commonly done according to the severity of illness.

Sciatica

Sciatica is a general term for pain originating from the sciatic nerve. Sciatica is a symptom of a disorder that causes mild to sharp and sometimes excruciating pain.

Sciatic pain can make life miserable. Walking, standing, bending over, driving a car, working at a computer, catching up on household chores, sneezing or coughing, and many other activities of daily living can cause sudden and intense pain. Patients who suffer sciatica, especially of a more acute nature, find the symptoms disrupt many aspects of their life.

Common symptoms of sciatica include:

• Pain in the back side of leg which will worsen once you sit or stretch the nerve by any movement
• Pain might be in form of tingling sensation, burning anywhere in the supply region of the sciatic nerve
• You might feel weakness in your leg
• A sensation of numbness or just difficulty in making any movement
• A cutting/tearing pain on rear side
• A pain which can make it difficult to walk or stand for moments

What Causes Sciatica?

Sciatica is caused by irritation of the root(s) of the lower lumbar and lumbosacral spine.

Additional common causes of sciatica include:

• Lumbar spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal in the lower back)
• Degenerative disc disease (breakdown of discs, which act as cushions between the vertebrae)
• Spondylolisthesis (a condition in which one vertebra slips forward over another one)
• Pregnancy
• Muscle spasm in the back or buttocks

All Joints

Many different conditions can lead to painful joints, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, bursitis, gout, strains, sprains, and other injuries. Joint pain is extremely common. In one national survey, about one-third of adults reported having joint pain within the past 30 days. Knee pain was the most common complaint, followed by shoulder and hip pain, but joint pain can affect any part of your body, from your ankles and feet to your shoulders and hands. As you get older, painful joints become increasingly more common.

Joint pain can be caused by injury affecting any of the ligaments, bursae, or tendons surrounding the joint. Injury can also affect the ligaments, cartilage, and bones within the joint. Pain is also a feature of joint inflammation (arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis) and infection, and extremely rarely it can be a cause of cancer of the joint. Pain within the joint is a common cause of shoulder pain, ankle pain, and knee pain. Joint pain is also referred to as arthralgia. The sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) chlamydia and gonorrhea can lead to joint pain.

Symptoms and signs associated with joint pain can include

• Joint redness
• Joint swelling
• Joint tenderness
• Joint warmth
• Limping
• Locking of the joint
• Loss of range of motion of the joint
• Stiffness
• Weakness

Knee Pain

Knee pain can be caused by a sudden injury, an overuse injury, or by an underlying condition, such as arthritis. Treatment will vary depending on the cause. Symptoms of knee injury can include pain, swelling, and stiffness.

Symptoms

The location and severity of knee pain may vary, depending on the cause of the problem. Signs and symptoms that sometimes accompany knee pain include:

• Swelling and stiffness
• Redness and warmth to the touch
• Weakness or instability
• Popping or crunching noises
• Inability to fully straighten the knee

Complications

Not all knee pain is serious. But some knee injuries and medical conditions, such as osteoarthritis, can lead to increasing pain, joint damage and disability if left untreated. And having a knee injury — even a minor one — makes it more likely that you'll have similar injuries in the future.

Call your doctor if you:

• Can't bear weight on your knee
• Have marked knee swelling
• Are unable to fully extend or flex your knee
• See an obvious deformity in your leg or knee
• Have a fever, in addition to redness, pain and swelling in your knee
• Feel as if your knee is unstable or your knee "gives out"

Osteo Arthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a type of joint disease that results from breakdown of joint cartilage and underlying bone. The most common symptoms are joint pain and stiffness. Initially, symptoms may occur only following exercise, but over time may become constant. Other symptoms may include joint swelling, decreased range of motion, and when the back is affected weakness or numbness of the arms and legs.

What Causes Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis usually happens gradually over time. Some risk factors that might lead to it include:

• Being overweight
• Getting older
• Joint injury
• Joints that are not properly formed
• A genetic defect in joint cartilage
• Stresses on the joints from certain jobs and playing sports.

Who Gets Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis occurs most often in older people. Younger people sometimes get osteoarthritis primarily from joint injuries.

Warning signs of osteoarthritis are:

• Stiffness in a joint after getting out of bed or sitting for a long time.
• Swelling or tenderness in one or more joints.
• A crunching feeling or the sound of bone rubbing on bone.

How Is Osteoarthritis Diagnosed?

Osteoarthritis can occur in any joint. It occurs most often in the hands, knees, hips, and spine.

No single test can diagnose osteoarthritis. Most doctors use several methods to diagnose the disease and rule out other problems:

• Medical history
• Physical exam
• X-rays
• Other tests such as blood tests or exams of the fluid in the joints.

Disc Prolapse

A 'slipped' (prolapsed) disc often causes severe lower back pain. The disc often presses on a nerve root which can cause pain and other symptoms in a leg. In most cases, the symptoms ease off gradually over several weeks. The usual advice is to do normal activities as much as possible. Painkillers may help. Physical treatments such as spinal manipulation may also help. Surgery may be an option if the symptoms persist.

The discs are protective shock-absorbing pads between the bones of the spine. Although they do not actually “slip,” a disc may split or rupture. A spinal disc herniation is a medical condition affecting the spine due to trauma, lifting injuries, or idiopathic, in which a tear in the outer, fibrous ring (annulus fibrosis) of an intervertebral disc allows the soft, central portion (nucleus pulpous) to bulge out beyond the damaged outer rings.

Who gets a prolapsed disc?

Bouts of back pain are very common. However, less than 1 in 20 cases of sudden-onset (acute) back pain are due to a 'slipped' (prolapsed) disc. (Most cases of back pain are classed as simple low back pain. This is thought to be caused by a minor problem in a muscle, ligament, or other structure in the back - for example, a strained muscle.

Symptoms of a slipped disk include:

• Pain and numbness, most commonly on one side of the body
• Pain that extends to your arms and/or legs
• Pain that worsens at night
• Pain that worsens after standing or sitting
• Pain when walking short distances
• Unexplained muscle weakness
• Tingling, aching, or burning sensations in the affected area

Factors that can increase the likelihood of a herniated disc include:

• Ageing
• Being overweight (creating more pressure on the spinal column)
• Smoking (which can contribute to the degeneration of discs)
• Incorrect lifting
• Repetitive strenuous activity.

Bulging disc

Bulging intervertebral discs are a very common occurrence. They usually remain asymptomatic; however, they can cause discomfort and disability in various parts of the body if the disc compresses an adjacent nerve root. With aging, the outer fibrous portion of intervertebral discs is weakened. Pressure from the central core of the disc can then stretch to the outer rim, causing the disc to bulge.

Symptoms

Bulging discs are fairly common in both young adults and older people. They are not cause for panic. As the disc bulges out between the vertebrae and presses on a nerve, you will experience symptoms in whatever part of your body the affected nerve serves.

Bulging discs sometimes press against your spinal cord. When this happens, symptoms may include:

• Bulging disc in your thoracic spine
• Muscle weakness, numbness, or tingling in one or both legs
• Increased reflexes in one or both legs that can cause spasticity
• Changes in bladder or bowel function
• Paralysis from the waist down
• Bulging disc in your cervical spine
• Pain moving your neck
• Deep pain near or over your shoulder blade
• Radiating pain in your upper arm, forearm, and possibly your fingers

Associated symptoms of a bulging disc

A bulging disc doesn’t always cause painful symptoms, and many people live with the condition for years without noticing. However, if the disc begins to press against any nerve tissue, such as the spinal cord or nerve roots, then you may start to experience the most common bulging disc symptoms, such as:

Shooting pain — one of the most commonly described symptoms from a disc bulge. This usually happens when the pressure on a nerve increases due to sudden or irregular movement.

Tingling or numbness in extremities — if the disc is pinching the spinal cord, it can interfere with sensory information throughout the body, traveling as far as the hands and feet.

Muscle weakness — nerve compression in the spine can interfere with muscle function, especially in the lower body, causing difficulty with standing or walking.

Loss of fine motor skills — a bulging disc in the cervical spine can disrupt the ability to control fingers, making it difficult to perform basic tasks.

Causes of Bulging Disks

Degenerative disk disease is the most common cause of bulging disks, often resulting in spinal osteoarthritis. Spinal disks absorb a lot of wear and tear. Over time, they start to degenerate and weaken. Other factors that can cause or contribute to bulging disks include:

• Strain or Injury
• Obesity
• Smoking
• Poor Posture
• Inactivity