7 Ways To Reduce Ankylosing Spondylitis Pain

Living with Ankylosing Spondylitis is an enormous challenge for the sufferer as well as his caretakers. The chronic pain and the stiffness becomes a constant hurdle to completing even basic everyday tasks. Moreover, people with Ankylosing Spondylitis tend to feel tired due to the adverse immune reaction.

While there is no silver bullet for the problem of Ankylosing Spondylitis, there are many tried-and-tested ways to mitigate commonly associated symptoms like chronic pain. Today, let’s look at 7 simple things you can try out to get some relief from Ankylosing Spondylitis pain.

How to fight Ankylosing Spondylitis-related pain

1. Have a warm bath: The warm water helps to temporarily improve blood circulation throughout the body, especially the spinal region. This brings much needed nutrients to the spinal column and reduces pain sensation for a while. Moreover, a warm bath is quite relaxing, thus helping you find some relief from the constant pain, stress and worries generated by this condition.

2. Maintain proper posture: If you are required to sit or stand for several hours at a stretch, then having a poor posture can worsen Ankylosing Spondylitis. Thus, try to watch your body position once every 20 minutes and make appropriate changes. Keep the head, neck and the buttocks in one straight line as much as possible. After just a few days, good posture will come naturally to you.

3. Engage in moderate exercise: Controlled activity is an essential part of combating Ankylosing Spondylitis. If the spine is left inactive, the stiffness can take several months to go away. Thus, you should do simple stretching exercises, especially those which focus on the spinal column and the surrounding muscles. This will help you gradually regain flexibility as well as strengthen your back.

4. Start swimming: Another way you can engage in spine-intensive activities is to start swimming regularly. This activity provides full-body exercise without involving any expensive equipment. Most importantly, swimming is relatively safer than land-based exercise in terms of injuries resulting from accidents or overuse. Try to swim for just 15 minutes 4 days a week at first. As you start to recover from Ankylosing Spondylitis, you can increase the duration to 20 or 30 minutes.

5. Watch your weight: People suffering from Ankylosing Spondylitis tend to become physically inactive. The constant pain, stiffness and adverse inflammation in the bones can force people to cut down on calorie-burning activities. This can lead to weight gain, which in turn puts increased pressure on the spinal column. Thus, try to bring your weight within the safe range with respect to your age and height.      

6. Quit smoking: Keeping aside the damage to your lungs and the increased risk of cancer, smoking worsens Ankylosing Spondylitis by heightening the pain sensation. More importantly, the dangerous chemicals found in cigarette smoke can interfere with your medication, thus needlessly stretching the recovery period. You should stop smoking immediately, if you want to get rid of Ankylosing Spondylitis.

7. Get adequate rest: As noted above, people suffering from Ankylosing Spondylitis may feel easily tired. The strong immune reaction affecting the spinal column can take a toll on the vitality of even the most resilient amongst us. So, make sure you get enough sleep every night. Instead of working continuously for several hours, break up your schedule into small, manageable chunks. This way, you will be able to complete your work without needlessly exhausting yourself.

By Dr. Shabtab Khalid

Zilaxo Advanced Pain Solution

Note: Through the synergistic combination of Classical Homoeopathy, Ayurvedic-Unani Formulations and Internationally Acclaimed Advanced Physiotherapy, Zilaxo Advanced Pain Solution aims to eradicate joint pain, counter the process of degeneration and promote bone health. The protocol is at once scientific, effective as well as safe. To avail treatment at Zilaxo, call on 1800 419 6607 (Toll free) or WhatsApp at +91 98304 26607.

www.zilaxo.org

 

How To Prevent Muscle Loss In Old Age?

Physical weakness is common among the elderly. As the body grows old, its capacity to maintain optimal health decreases. Thus, important parts of the body like the bones and muscles gradually become weak. In case of muscles, the gradual loss of muscle mass and strength is a known condition called Sarcopenia.

Muscle loss can severely affect your ability to lead an active and fulfilling life. Moreover, muscle loss is a serious concern primarily because it contributes to morbidity. Among elderly persons, muscle loss can lead to general debility along with a sharp increase in medical expenses.

While some loss of muscle mass is inevitable with age, you can slow down the process in order to ensure muscle health even in old age. Let’s see how you can accomplish this and keep your body fit as it ages!

Fighting muscle loss – 6 simple tips

1. Exercise regularly: Your muscles need regular physical activity to stay strong. Thus, you should try to engage in light aerobic exercise on a daily basis. If you are not in the habit of exercising, then you can begin by walking or jogging 4 days per week. Gradually, you can move on to moderate aerobic exercise. After this, if you feel confident, then you can add a little weight training to your exercise routine.

2. Get adequate protein: Protein is essential in building and repairing muscle tissue. Among the elderly, adequate protein consumption is vital in preventing muscle loss and staying fit. Thus, make sure that you eat protein-rich foods like white meat, fish, lentils (dal) or beans on a daily basis.

3. Consume oily fish: They are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help the body in protein synthesis, a process through which the protein present in the food you eat is processed and absorbed by the body. This not only prevents wastage of protein in food consumed but also improves muscle repair. Fish like sardines, salmon and anchovies are common sources of this type of fatty acids.

4. Watch out for vitamin D: Lack of adequate vitamin D is a common problem among elderly persons. This particular vitamin is associated with muscle strength and optimal muscle mass. Thus, remember to consume foods like milk, cheese, yogurt which have high concentration of vitamin D.

5. Avoid alcohol: Drinking too much alcohol regularly can gradually weaken the muscles. Among young adults, the damage done is not particularly noticeable but the adverse effect is more pronounced among the elderly. Alcohol usually contains empty calories, thus increasing the risk of obesity. It also puts great stress on the digestive and excretory system. Thus, you should avoid drinking alcohol in any form.

6. Quit smoking: Along with damaging your lungs, regular smoking is known to negatively affect muscle repair and regeneration. Research has found that among older adults, regular smokers tend to have lower muscle mass compared to non-smokers. If you want to protect your body from muscle loss, then you will have to refrain from smoking.

By Dr. Shabtab Khalid

Zilaxo Advanced Pain Solution

Note: Through the synergistic combination of Classical Homoeopathy, Ayurvedic-Unani Formulations and Internationally Acclaimed Advanced Physiotherapy, Zilaxo Advanced Pain Solution aims to eradicate joint pain, counter the process of degeneration and promote bone health. The protocol is at once scientific, effective as well as safe. To avail treatment at Zilaxo, call on 1800 419 6607 (Toll free) or WhatsApp at +91 98304 26607.

www.zilaxo.org

            

Got Knee Pain? Here Are 5 Effective Exercises For You!

Just how important the knees are, is something people realize only when things go wrong. In times of health and youth, people pay hardly any attention to the state of their joints, let alone an important one like the knees. However, the slightest pain or stiffness in the knee can wreak havoc with your daily life and make even simple tasks almost impossible to accomplish. 

Yes, knee pain is indeed a serious issue. But there is no need to become demoralized if it does become a common occurrence. Along with the correct medication, you need to engage in controlled physical activities in the form of exercise. This will help increase blood circulation in the knees, strengthen the bones and muscles adjoining the joint, while improving joint flexibility. In short: regular exercise is essential in dealing with chronic knee pain.

Today, let’s talk about some simple knee-centric exercises that you can do right at home to help enhance knee health!

Exercises for Knee pain

1. Straight Leg Lift
• Lie on your back with one leg bent and the other straight. 
• Tighten the thigh muscles in your straight leg and slowly lift it until it is about a foot off the floor. 
• Hold it for 5 seconds. 
• Slowly lower your leg to the floor. 
• Repeat 10 times and then try it with the other leg.

2. Single Leg Dip
• Stand next to a chair for balance. 
• Lift one leg slightly in front of you. 
• Put your weight on the other leg. 
• Slowly lower your upper body down a few inches, pushing your weight onto the heel of the supporting leg. 
• Hold for 5 seconds. 
• Slowly straighten up. 
• Repeat 10 times and then switch sides.

3. Calf raise
• Hold on to the back of a chair for stability.
• Slowly lift just the heels off the floor as far as possible.  
• Stay in the position for 5 seconds.
• Slowly bring down the heels. 
• Repeat 10 times.

4. Leg extension 
• Keep your hands on the back of a chair for support.
• Standing upright, raise your left leg backwards, keeping it straight. 
• Don’t arch your back as you take your leg back.
• Hold for 5 seconds and return to starting position.
• Switch to the other leg.
• Do this 10 times with each leg.

5. Mini squats 
• Stand next to a chair with your feet apart.
• While holding on to the chair, slowly bend your knees as far as possible. Keep both knees facing forward. 
• Keep your back straight at all times.
• Gently go up to a standing position. 
• Repeat five times. 

By Dr. Shabtab Khalid
Zilaxo Advanced Pain Solution

Note: Through the synergistic combination of Classical Homoeopathy, Ayurvedic-Unani Formulations and Internationally Acclaimed Advanced Physiotherapy, Zilaxo Advanced Pain Solution aims to eradicate joint pain, counter the process of degeneration and promote bone health. The protocol is at once scientific, effective as well as safe. To avail treatment at Zilaxo, call on 1800 419 6607 (Toll Free) or WhatsApp at +91 98304 26607.

www.zilaxo.org

Combat Shoulder Pain – 5 Easy Tips!

You may not realize it, but the shoulder is a highly flexible and versatile joint. Any pain or discomfort in this important joint can severely hamper your ability to complete even simple everyday tasks. While everyone has had shoulder pain at least once in their life, chronic shoulder pain can be a deeply worrying sign.

However, there are some simple steps you can take to combat the problem of shoulder pain. Here are 5 things you can do right in the comfort of your home to effectively tackle shoulder pain.

How to deal with shoulder pain

1. Get plenty of rest: The pain is an indication that all is not well with your shoulder. So the first thing you should do is to give the affected shoulder plenty of rest. Do not carry anything on that shoulder or sleep on that side. More importantly, try not to use that arm to carry things.

2. Apply ice: When you feel that the pain is becoming unbearable, then you should apply ice on the affected region. The ice reduces blood supply and numbs the nerve tissue, thus temporarily reducing pain sensation. Applying ice can also reduce the extent of the swelling. Remember to use ice therapy for just 15 minutes, with at least an hour-long gap between each application.

3. Stretch carefully: After the intensity of the pain has become reduced, try to engage in gentle stretching exercises, especially those which activate the shoulder muscles. Do this just 15 minutes at first and if you feel comfortable, then increase it to 20 or 30 minutes daily. This will gradually improve muscle strength and speed up recovery.  

4. Build shoulder strength: If the pain has become reduced and you can move your shoulders relatively freely, then it is time to move on to strength-building exercises. This can mean intensive aerobic exercises or some light weight lifting. Do these exercises just 4 times a week. Remember not to put unnecessary strain on the shoulder. If you feel any discomfort, then discontinue immediately.

5. Try massage: A gentle massage session twice a week can help you relax, further reduce pain sensation and prevent muscle spasm. Remember to inform the masseur that you have chronic shoulder pain before the massage session starts, so that he treats the affected joint with due consideration.   

By Dr. Shabtab Khalid

Zilaxo Advanced Pain Solution

Note: Through the synergistic combination of Classical Homoeopathy, Ayurvedic-Unani Formulations and Internationally Acclaimed Advanced Physiotherapy, Zilaxo Advanced Pain Solution aims to eradicate joint pain, counter the process of degeneration and promote bone health. The protocol is at once scientific, effective as well as safe. To avail treatment at Zilaxo, call on 1800 419 6607 (Toll free) or WhatsApp at +91 98304 26607.

www.zilaxo.org

Top 5 Foods For Healthy Joints

If you are looking to improve your joint health, the simplest way to do it is to adopt a proper diet. Eating foods which look after your bones on a daily basis is something all of us need to do in order to protect our joints. This advice is important no matter what your age or gender may be. If you take steps to boost joint health, then many bone-related problems which affect elderly persons can be avoided with ease.

Let’s look at some easily available foods you can consume daily to keep your bones safe and strong!

Protect your joints with 5 foods

1. Dairy products: These are the most commonly recommended foods for people concerned about their bone health. Milk, cheese, yogurt and other dairy-based items are rich in calcium and vitamin D, both of which are vital in protecting your bone health. Remember to drink at least a glass of skimmed milk every day or have a cup of yogurt in your meal. 

2. Spinach: Green leafy vegetables like spinach are a natural source of calcium along with other essential nutrients like magnesium and vitamin C. Most importantly, spinach gives you vitamin K, which protects your joints from bone loss due to old age. So you should eat plenty of spinach on a regular basis.  

3. Nuts: Nuts are not only delicious, but also contain essential vitamins, minerals and healthy fats, so it’s not really a surprise that they’re good for our bones, too. Nuts like almonds, walnuts and pistachios are a wonderful source of magnesium, Omega-3 fatty acids, potassium and vitamin B6, all of which work together to protect your bones.

4. Sardines: These easily available fish have a strong concentration of calcium and vitamin D, both of which perform a vital role in bone development. Eating sardines is an excellent substitute to milk for those who are lactose-intolerant. 

5. Lentils: The humble dal is a friend of your bones as it is rich in much-needed protein, which keeps you safe from Osteoporosis. Lentils like black gram (urad dal) are a rich source of calcium. They are really easy to make, and have adequate folate, potassium and protein to help maintain optimal bone strength in the long term.

By Dr. Shabtab Khalid
Zilaxo Advanced Pain Solution

Note: Through the synergistic combination of Classical Homoeopathy, Ayurvedic-Unani Formulations and Internationally Acclaimed Advanced Physiotherapy, Zilaxo Advanced Pain Solution aims to eradicate joint pain, counter the process of degeneration and promote bone health. The protocol is at once scientific, effective as well as safe. To avail treatment at Zilaxo, call on 1800 419 6607 (Toll free) or WhatsApp at +91 98304 26607.

www.zilaxo.org
    

6 Bad Habits Which Trigger Neck Pain

Even a minor neck pain can ruin a cool monsoon morning. You wake up with a sharp pang just below your head, and you wonder what else could go wrong. With your head still foggy with sleep, you try to recollect what happened yesterday, a clear-cut culprit for the present pain. Here, however, you are mistaken. A neck pain does not necessarily arise suddenly, it may be the culmination of months of stress and strain.

Simple everyday activities can put pressure on your neck, eventually leading to neck pain. These habits are so common that they go unnoticed. Avoiding them will help you keep neck pain at bay and lead your life free from worry!

Bad habits which lead to neck pain

1. Sitting too much: This is a common problem for among city dwellers: sitting for several hours at a stretch while working. Your neck muscles are simply not designed for such continuous strain. So, for every hour of sitting, try to take a ten-minute break. Use the break to walk around a bit and do simple stretching exercises for the neck.

2. Holding the phone on the shoulder: When you are busy, you may want to keep the phone on your shoulder to keep your hands free. However, this is actually a bad idea. If you regularly face this situation, then you should buy a hands-free set or earphone. This will save your neck while helping in your work.

3. Improper sleeping posture: While sleeping, your body is in a particular position for several hours at a stretch. If you sleep in an awkward posture, it can lead to a stiff and painful neck in the morning. Try to sleep on your side, on a pillow that supports your head and neck. Make sure that the mattress is strong enough for your back. Remember to change the pillow every 6 months.

4. Slouching forward: Some people have the bad habit of slouching forward while sitting, standing or walking. This places enormous stress on the neck and shoulder muscles, thus increasing the risk of neck pain. Try to check your posture every 20 minutes and keep the neck in line with the rest of the body. Gradually, good posture will come naturally to you.

5. Reading in bed: We all know that there is nothing more relaxing than curling up in bed with a good book. However, this awkward posture puts strain on the neck and the entire spine. Avoid reading anything in bed, and if you really have to, then put a timer on your phone. This will prevent you from spending too much time with a bad posture.

6. Excessive texting: We are constantly sending and receiving text messages these days. This means that we are spending a lot of time looking down to our chest. Try not to spend more than 10 minutes on messages. You can also try holding the phone near the eye level. Same advice goes for any other handheld device like tablets and e-readers.

By Dr. Shabtab Khalid

Zilaxo Advanced Pain Solution

Note: Through the synergistic combination of Classical Homoeopathy, Ayurvedic-Unani Formulations and Internationally Acclaimed Advanced Physiotherapy, Zilaxo Advanced Pain Solution aims to eradicate joint pain, counter the process of degeneration and promote bone health. The protocol is at once scientific, effective as well as safe. To avail treatment at Zilaxo, call on 1800 419 6607 (Toll free) or WhatsApp at +91 98304 26607.

www.zilaxo.org

10 Step Solution To Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

In today’s fast-paced life filled to the brim with finger-intensive activities, the problem of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is becoming increasingly common. This is a joint condition which occurs when the median nerve that travels through the wrist is put under pressure by the surrounding tissue. The most common symptoms of this problem are numbness in the fingers, wrist pain, weakness along with prolonged tingling sensation.

What you can do

1. Avoid over-exerting the wrist: Keep the wrist in neutral position and refrain from unnecessarily stretching or bending the wrists. While using a hand-tool or doing any manual work, avoid putting too much stress on the wrists. Most importantly, do not grip the tool too tightly.

2. Make your workspace ergonomic-friendly: Try to make the workplace or the things that you are using at work wrist-friendly. Use tools that don’t require greater force or grip while using it. If you are using the keyboard and mouse, keep the wrists straightened or use wrist rests. Keep your wrists and forearms in a straight line as much as possible. Do not keep your wrists on the edge of the table or desk you are working at.

3. Take frequent breaks: Give your wrists regular periods of rest whether you are doing manual work or using hand tools. If possible, rest your often used hand for a while and use the other hand. In this way, the work would get distributed between the two hands.

4. Use an icepack: Apply ice wrapped in a cloth on the wrists to temporarily reduce the pain, swelling or inflammation. Do this twice or thrice a day.

5. Get a wrist splint: A wrist splint will keep your wrist in a straightened position with respect to the hand, thus reducing pressure on the median nerve. It also acts as a stabilizer for the wrist. Wearing a splint can help reduce the pain sensation. However, try not to wear it all the time.

6. Stay away from vibrating tools: This may be difficult to do if you work with hand-tools every day. However, you should try to reduce the use of vibrating tools as this will only worsen the Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Request your employer to assign tasks that do not involve heavy tool use, at least while you are under treatment.

7. Don’t make repetitive movements: The wrist joint is highly flexible. But it is not designed for intensive or repetitive use. Try to avoid making repetitive motions with the affected wrist. You can shift some of the workload to the other hand until the problem subsides.

8. Watch your weight: Obese people have a heightened risk of suffering from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. The deposition of fat in the body may put pressure on the median nerve, triggering uncomfortable symptoms. Thus, make sure your body weight remains in the normal range with respect to your age and height.

9. Sleep properly: Keeping the wrists under the pillow while sleeping may feel nice, but this puts prolonged stress on the joint, which in turn can increase the discomfort. So remember to keep the wrists straight in line with the hand and in a relaxed position.

10. Avail medical help: Many people have the habit of just ignoring the pain and numbness, hoping that it will go away on its own. This lack of care will only worsen the problem. If you notice any of the symptoms associated with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, then you should visit a specialised joint pain treatment clinic and consult the experts.

By Dr. Shabtab Khalid

Zilaxo Advanced Pain Solution

Note: Through the synergistic combination of Classical Homoeopathy, Ayurvedic-Unani Formulations and Internationally Acclaimed Advanced Physiotherapy, Zilaxo Advanced Pain Solution aims to eradicate joint pain, counter the process of degeneration and promote bone health. The protocol is at once scientific, effective as well as safe. To avail treatment at Zilaxo, call on 1800 419 6607 (Toll free) or WhatsApp at +91 98304 26607.

www.zilaxo.org