Best Home Treatment Options For Arthritis of The Thumb

Arthritis is a common disease afflicting thousands of people worldwide. Hundreds of people of various ages and races suffer from it. Arthritis means inflammation of the joint. There are many different forms of arthritis, with arthritis of the thumb being one. 

In arthritis of the thumb, the cartilage layer which covers the ends of the bones and acts as a self absorber wears out, resulting in a direct contact between the bones and thus causing deformity and pain. It is most commonly seen in women over the age of forty. The exact reason for it is not known, but genetics, previous injuries such as fractures, or generalized joint laxity may incline women towards developing this kind of arthritis. The common symptoms include redness, pain, swelling and stiffness of the thumb. 

Certain self-care actions can help mitigate pain, improve mobility and finally increase your independence. Here are some of the best treatment options for arthritis in the thumb: 

Thumb Circles 

Carry out hand exercises that move your thumb through its full range of motion. You can try out the ‘thumb circle’ exercise. Make a gentle fist, keeping your thumb free and then rotate your thumb first clockwise and then anti clockwise slowly for about two minutes. Perform this exercise several times in a day. This will help in improving your joint's mobility. 

Squeezing a Ball 

Squeeze a soft rubber ball. Practice squeezing with all your fingers, and then indent the ball gently with the thumb for about twenty to thirty seconds. 

Paraffin Hot Wax 

Try a paraffin hot wax on your hands and thumbs. The hot wax transfers heat to the bones, thereby improving circulation. 

Hot or Cold Therapy 

For dull aches, apply a warm towel over your thumb or dip your hands in warm water mixed with Epsom salt. For burning pain, apply ice to lessen inflammation. Freeze water in a small cup and massage your hands, specially your thumbs. 

Potato Juice 

Make a juice by combining potato extract and water. Drink this every morning. This will give you relief from pain and reduce inflammation in the thumb joints. 

Mustard Oil and Garlic 

Combine garlic and mustard oil together to form oil. Apply the oil on the thumb area, three to four times in a day to get quick relief from pain and soreness. 

Drink Water Every Morning 

Drink a glass of water every day in the morning to ease bowel movement and treat arthritis. 

Mustard Oil and Camphor 

Apply a mixture of mustard oil and camphor on the affected area. This is also known to give immense relief from thumb arthritis. 

Take a Healthy Diet 

Include lots of fruits and vegetables in your diet, so that your entire body gets essential vitamins and minerals. Intake of healthy food will help in providing calcium to your body and your thumb joints, hence helping you to strengthening the joint area and improve its conditions. 

In the end, if these simple home techniques do not work, consult your physician who can give you medications and other treatment options.

Tips to get rid of Backache Problems

Backache problems among people have increased at an alarming rate in the past few years. As per the latest survey, a surprising figure of 8 out of every 10 people was found to suffer from back pain at some or the other point in their lives. 


Here are some of the best tips which you can follow to get rid of backache problems:

 
                                         

Take Frequent Breaks - If you are in a sitting job or you spend a lot of time in front of the computer or TV, you must take breaks and ensure that you don’t sit in the same pose for a long time. Getting up, stretching your body and walking for a few minutes can help a lot. You can also take the consultation of a doctor and understand the right pose in which you should sit. There can also be fault with the design of the chair you sit, so it’s better to get a chair which can be helpful in relieving you from backache. 

Sit in the Right Pose - The best pose to sit is at a 110 degree angle from your legs. Other things which should be considered while sitting include your head and shoulders to be aligned with your back and also supported by a headrest in a proper manner. You can also put a cushion on your seat for giving support to your lower back. 

Follow Best Lifting Techniques for Lifting Heavy Items - For lifting heavy items, you should follow the best lifting techniques. The first thing to keep in mind while lifting a heavy items is that you should never bend over, but lower the center of gravity of your body by bending your knees. It is also recommended to immediately stand up after grabbing the heavy item without putting any weight on your back. 

Strengthen Your Back Muscles- You can also reduce your backache problems by strengthening your back muscles. For this, there are various exercises like crunches, push ups and by lifting weights. You can also try swimming as it not only helps in making your entire back stronger, but also helps in relaxing your whole body muscles. However, if a particular exercise seems painful for your back pain problems and also causes pain in your joints, then you should immediately stop doing that exercise. 

Take Professional Help- You must consult your doctor regarding the back pain problem and take his help in understanding the reasons which may be causing it. After knowing the causes, you can get better help and try some specific exercises suggested by your doctor to get rid of back pain.

Replace your Mattress- Changing your mattress and getting one designed specially for people with back pain problems can be of great help. You can also take the recommendations of your doctor before purchasing the new mattress. 

Increase the Intake of Broccoli in your Diet- Broccoli is enriched with vitamin K and works the best in making the calcium deposits in your bones denser and thus solving any kind of backache problems. Apart from this, you can take dairy products like milk and curd which are also enriched with calcium. 

By following the above mentioned tips, you can get great help in getting rid of your backache problems. However, it’s recommended to consult your doctor immediately if there are any severe problems you are facing before that proves dangerous for your health and your life.

Major Symptoms of Cervical Arthritis

Cervical arthritis is a medical condition in which the upper spine of a person’s body is affected. It is also referred to as a form of osteoarthritis in which the cartilage in joints starts wearing away due to the natural process of ageing or because of an accident.

The disease is named cervical arthritis because cervical vertebrae begin to degenerate in the person suffering from this condition. Due to this change, the space in the vertebrae is narrowed down which causes compression of the nerves in the spinal cord inside the neck. It leads to the inflammation of the nerves producing neck pain which may sometimes move to the arms as well.

Cervical arthritis arouses between the ages of 30 and 50 and is normally considered to be a part of the natural aging process. People above the age of 50 generally experience some problems leading to pain in the spinal cord however; symptoms of cervical arthritis are noticed in few. Here is a brief description of some of the major symptoms of cervical arthritis:

Neck Pain

The problem of cervical arthritis causes strain on the nerves which causes pain in the neck of the person suffering from this condition. Chronic neck pain is one of the most common symptoms of cervical arthritis. The pain starts with mild ache through the neck which slowly increases with certain movements like looking up or down for extensive periods of time or turning head in a particular direction.

Neck Stiffness

Neck stiffness is a side effect of the chronic neck pain. Cervical arthritis doesn't directly stiffen the neck, but it caused due to pain in the neck. Some people tighten the neck muscles while the pain begins, but it makes the muscles more stiff which limits the neck movement as well as increases the pain.

Pain on the Arms

As the pain suffered by people suffering from cervical arthritis is due to a strained nerve so, pain easily spreads to other parts of the body as well. Some people feel severe pain in their arms which even limits their arm movement. Sometimes, the agonizing pain can be felt in hands and fingers as well.

Numbness in Neck and Hands

As the nerves are squeezed in the neck; it leads to numbness in the neck, hands and fingers. This is one of the major symptoms of cervical arthritis and one must consult a doctor to take proper medication for this. Neck pain, headaches and stiffness may be caused due to varied kinds of illnesses, but neck and hand numbness are unique symptoms of cervical arthritis.

Headaches

Affected persons suffer from frequent headaches. It is a side effect of the neck pain. When the pain in the neck becomes severe, the headache is followed by the neck pain.

In case of any of the symptoms mentioned above, you should take the consultation of a doctor. If not taken proper medication at the right stage, cervical arthritis becomes very painful in the later stages and with the growing age of the person.