Natural Health Answers to Joint Pain Problems | www.steveshealthanswers.com
May 2009

Cracking Knuckles Should be Avoided

May 29, 2009 by Steve Butler · Leave a Comment 

You may not think twice before cracking knuckles with a loud pop when you are feeling the stress or as a physical stress relieving technique. The use of the keyboard to key in data, e-mails and other information online has increased the stress to our finger and knuckle joints.
In fact I have even heard of knuckle cracking competition being held in college parties. When you are young, you body is capable of taking a lot of misuse. But as you get hold, it definitely pays to take good care of your joints.

Cracking knuckles causes a heavy and irreparable stress on the ligaments that hold the bones in place. When you crack your knuckles repeatedly, the cartilages around the knuckle joints also suffer some damage. The problem with all this is that the ligaments, cartilage etc. do not regenerate. They can at best be repaired with bio compatible substances.

Cracking knuckles may be one of the first symptoms of arthritis. It is essential that you make a note of excessive stiffness in the knuckle region. To put it differently, any cracking noise that occurs when you straighten your fingers is an indicator of arthritis.

The practice of cracking knuckles is to be avoided as it can reduce the gripping power of your hands. Do not think that your grip is not important. You need a good grip to hold things like your shopping bag, briefcase and even to steer your vehicle. In some cases cracking the knuckles will lead to swelling of the hand.

You can apply a cold compress to your hand to get short term relief. For a sustained relieving effect, you must immediately modify your behavioral pattern. Let me explain. For example, if your job requires you to type for more than an hour each day, it pays to learn the correct posture and finger positioning to reduce the stress to your knuckles and wrist. The key here is to manage your work methodology to protect your joints.

If you were in the habit of cracking knuckles for a long time, you may have to see a behavioral therapist for help. Before planning a session with your therapist, think of the triggers (emotional or otherwise) that induce you to crack your knuckles. If you are able to correctly pin point the reasons, your therapist will be able to suggest ways by which you can counter your urge to crack your knuckles.

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Cracking Joints: An Indicator of Joint Degeneration?

May 28, 2009 by Steve Butler · 4 Comments 

Bones and joints are dispensable for movement. There are hundreds of jointed bones in our body that are responsible for all types of movements. These bones act as the arms of an interconnected system of hinges and levers (the primary leverage mechanisms employed by the joints to perform their functions). The body owes its shape and support to the skeletal system made up of all the bones, joints and the supporting tissues. Joints are subject to wear as they are continually used by us for all sorts of mechanical functions. One of the most common problems that is prevalent in our skeletal system is the issue of cracking joints.

Generally the joints allow a wide range of movements. But there is a limit to the flexibility of the human body. Lifting or moving something the wrong way or sitting at the desk all day will cause discomfort at the joints and you may experience the problem of cracking joints as you try to move your body after a period of inactivity. The cartilage in the joints helps to cushion it against daily strenuous activities. Cracking joints hinder the rotating, hinging and sliding movements between various bones because these movements are made possible by joints.

Cracking joints in the body are not to be taken lightly as they are an early indicator of distress in the joints between our bones. If the issue is not taken care of at an early stage, you will not be able to do many of the things that you take for granted. So, it is your prime responsibility to prevent cracking joints.

The problem with cracking joints occurs when the rubbing surfaces at the end of the bones that are lined with smooth and soft tissues known as cartilage are damaged or the ligaments that hold the bones in position are affected. These tissues are not replaceable. Some alternatives have been developed but they have still not been approved for use in humans.

Overweight persons run the risk of being affected by cracking joints especially in the knees and hips. These joints are the ones which bear the load of a human body and the heavier you are the more you at risk of being afflicted with the problem of cracking joints. One of the best ways by which you can avoid this problem is by continuously monitoring your weight and exercising regularly to keep it under check at all times.

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Clicking Knee: Symptoms and Solutions

May 27, 2009 by Steve Butler · 1 Comment 

Clicking knee refers to the sound that you hear when you move your knee joint to move your lower leg. You may want to kick a ball or move some furniture around and there you hear it: a loud click. This sound is primarily due to the excessive build up of gases in the knee cavity. If the clicking of the knee is accompanied by a momentary sharp pain, it may signal the onset of arthritis related problems in you.

A clicking knee is one of the early warning signals that your body gives out to indicate a degeneration of the knee joints. There are some related symptoms that your knee gives out to confirm the diagnosis. Such symptoms may include the feeling that the knee joint is tender; in some cases the knee joint may experience a minor degree of stiffness. We usually put down these symptoms to minor causes and use localized heat treatments to find relief from the symptoms. This causes the problems to persist. The key therefore, is to get appropriate specialist medical advice once you find that the knee clicks frequently.

One of the best ways to control the problem of a clicking knee is by avoiding sudden and jerky movements. It also goes without saying that you should avoid all sports that put a heavy stress on the knee joints. Swimming is one activity that you can safely continue as the water does not stress your joints. Walking is good if it is for short distances and on either a paved road or level ground. It would be absolutely great if you found a place with grass on it. Grass has a terrific cushioning effect and places the least stress on your joints.

Another important thing to remember is to stop carrying heavy weights around. You may not think much of carrying a heavy bag of groceries around the block, but it definitely is going to have an adverse effect on your clicking knee problem. The advancements in medical science have made this problem manageable provided you seek assistance at the right time.

Physiotherapy is another treatment methodology that has shown encouraging results in solving the problems related to the clicking knee joints. A physiotherapist will scan your knee muscles and identify those that are weak and therefore do not support the joint properly. These muscles will be strengthened by targeting them with specific sets of exercises. This treatment methodology has an advantage in that it does not require the patient to undergo any invasive procedures. This helps in a faster recovery from the problem.

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Discontinue the Desire to Crack Neck Joints

May 26, 2009 by Steve Butler · 6 Comments 

Some of us crack neck joints as we feel a certain tightness enveloping our necks. This feeling is particularly strong as we get about doing tasks that require us to hold our neck in one position. For example, you could be driving your car or truck on an interstate trip and typically you would feel the tension building up in your neck muscles after a few hours on the road. This would create a desire in you to take a rest stop and then crack neck joints for relaxing the neck.

This practice is extremely harmful and can cause the muscles that are present in between the neck vertebrae to become more stressed. I think an explanation is in order before you are convinced to discontinue the urge to crack neck joints.

When you manipulate your neck to crack neck joints, the ligaments that are present in these joints get stretched and this in turn will place further strain on your neck muscle groups. This is because they would have to work harder to control the movements of your neck. Now the knotty feeling in your neck muscles will come in shorter intervals as your muscles are taxed. The situation gets progressively bad and increases the risk of lessening the stability of the neck. Yes, it is a fact that when you crack neck joints you are in fact putting yourself at a health risk of having unstable neck joints.

The best suggestion that I can give you if you have just begun giving in to the impulse to crack neck joints is that you discontinue the habit immediately. Let your friends know that you are trying to stop this habit and ask them to stop you if they see you begin to twist your neck with the intention of cracking the neck joints.

If you are interested in dropping the habit of cracking neck joints, I suggest that you visit a physiotherapist. She will advise you on the specific exercise routines that you would have to follow to stabilize your neck muscles. Once the muscles are stronger, you can consult your general practitioner for bringing back the ligaments into proper shape.

You may have to consult a medical specialist if your neck cracks every time you move it. This may be the ultimate warning that the neck joints are giving out to indicate that something is wrong with them. In such cases, you would need specialist care to reconstruct the ligaments to bring your neck joints back into proper working order.

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Cracking Knuckles Should be Avoided

May 25, 2009 by Steve Butler · Leave a Comment 

You may not think twice before cracking knuckles with a loud pop when you are feeling the stress or as a physical stress relieving technique. The use of the keyboard to key in data, e-mails and other information online has increased the stress to our finger and knuckle joints.
In fact I have even heard of knuckle cracking competition being held in college parties. When you are young, you body is capable of taking a lot of misuse. But as you get hold, it definitely pays to take good care of your joints.

Cracking knuckles causes a heavy and irreparable stress on the ligaments that hold the bones in place. When you crack your knuckles repeatedly, the cartilages around the knuckle joints also suffer some damage. The problem with all this is that the ligaments, cartilage etc. do not regenerate. They can at best be repaired with bio compatible substances.

Cracking knuckles may be one of the first symptoms of arthritis. It is essential that you make a note of excessive stiffness in the knuckle region. To put it differently, any cracking noise that occurs when you straighten your fingers is an indicator of arthritis.

The practice of cracking knuckles is to be avoided as it can reduce the gripping power of your hands. Do not think that your grip is not important. You need a good grip to hold things like your shopping bag, briefcase and even to steer your vehicle. In some cases cracking the knuckles will lead to swelling of the hand.

You can apply a cold compress to your hand to get short term relief. For a sustained relieving effect, you must immediately modify your behavioral pattern. Let me explain. For example, if your job requires you to type for more than an hour each day, it pays to learn the correct posture and finger positioning to reduce the stress to your knuckles and wrist. The key here is to manage your work methodology to protect your joints.

If you were in the habit of cracking knuckles for a long time, you may have to see a behavioral therapist for help. Before planning a session with your therapist, think of the triggers (emotional or otherwise) that induce you to crack your knuckles. If you are able to correctly pin point the reasons, your therapist will be able to suggest ways by which you can counter your urge to crack your knuckles.

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Clicking Jaw: Is this a concern?

May 22, 2009 by Steve Butler · Leave a Comment 

Clicking jaw is a condition in which your jaw lets out a clicking sound when you move it. In some cases you may also experience a mild discomfort along with the popping noise. If this happens once in a while you could probably let it go, but if it is a frequent occurrence you may have to take steps to avoid the problem of a clicking jaw.

To understand the solutions to the clicking jaw concern, let us have a brief look into the system of bones and muscles that make up a human jaw. The muscles that are present in the jaw work in perfect harmony with the mandible (jawbone). The jawbone is also one of the few joints in our body with lateral flexibility (sideways movement). It is also one of the most used joint structures in the body as we use it for speaking; eating etc. the muscular and skeletal systems present in the jaw have to be in peak condition and have to work in perfect harmony for the smooth functioning of the jaw.

One of the most common causes of the clicking jaw problem is that some of us have a tendency to clench our teeth. This usually goes unnoticed as we do it in our sleep. The grinding of the teeth causes the joints in the jaw to deteriorate. The first signs of this habit are visible to the dentist, who sees the excessive wear in the teeth. This is why it is essential to go for a complete checkup twice a year. Many problems like clicking jaw can be nipped in the bud as your dentist would give you the necessary advice and refer you to a specialist if necessary.

The other most common reason for the clicking jaw problem is muscle wear. The jaw muscles do not work in unison if they are overworked and this generates additional stress at the joints (they are not able to move evenly). Over time you may start hearing clicks when you move your jaw because of the uneven movements of your muscles, something similar to the rattling sounds that you may hear in a poorly maintained vehicle. In such cases, the doctors would take corrective actions to replace the worn out parts of the joints in the jaw.

You can avoid the problem of clicking jaw by reducing the strain on your jaw. Some of the practical steps that you can take are to avoid chewing gum and reduce the consumption of foods that are hard and chewy in nature.

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Should we avoid Back Cracking?

May 21, 2009 by Steve Butler · 3 Comments 

Back cracking is a practice that could lead to some serious health concerns. Most of us who are into this habit do not realize that the back consists one of the most complex skeletal frameworks in the human body. The ribcage and the spinal cord are meshed together to create a stable and flexible mechanism to help us perform a wide range of tasks.

The skeletal structure of our back is a most complex system with many parts that have to function well in co-ordination for a trouble free life. The flexibility of our back allows us to be more productive in physical tasks and gives us the convenience of staying erect as a normal way of life. The joints in our back serve the purpose of connecting the vertebrae together. The back joints also link up with the skull in the upper region of our spine.

With the improvements in technology and communication methods, we have slipped in to an inactive lifestyle. Some of also tend to adopt a bad back posture when we sit on our office desks daily. While stretching our back after prolonged periods of inactivity we have a tendency to indulge in back cracking. Cracking the back by swiveling on our hips while having our feet securely planted and by flexing the shoulder blades to crack the joints of the upper spinal column are the two commonly observed types of back cracking.

The joints in our back make some popping or cracking noise during the course of their normal actions. Back cracking is not good for us as we are forcing our joints to forcibly realign themselves. Another concern is that the vertebrae are not easily replaceable like the knee joint.

The practice of back cracking is to be specifically avoided as the vertebrae in our spine serve as a protection mechanism for a vital bunch of nerves. These nerves are a crucial link for conveying the relevant locomotion messages from our brain to various other parts of the body. You even stand a very real risk of changing the position of your vertebrae if you crack your back frequently.

There is no permanent cure to back cracking but there are several treatment methods that aim at strengthening the muscles and tendons. This treatment aims at eliminating the triggers that cause you to crack your back. Some other revolutionary treatment methods that use a laser to repair the micro tears in the muscles around the affected region have also been approved in recent times.

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Obesity

May 20, 2009 by Steve Butler · Leave a Comment 

When you hear the word obese what comes to mind? People who are severely overweight are generally ones first thought when they hear that word. Obesity is a state that a person is in where their health can be in danger from having too much body fat. With the extra weight on your body, you can put yourself at risk for such problems as; high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, arthritis and even sleep apnea.

With those possible conditions alone, it is important to get your weight down to a healthy level, even if you do not have any of the above mentioned conditions. Make changes in your life before obesity takes it toll on you. If you continue to carry a great deal of extra weight around you can end up with any number of the above conditions.

Body Mass Index is what professionals use to tell if a person is obese. This is a combination of your weight and your height measurements that will give your total Body mass Index. You are considered obese if your BMI is greater than 30. You are considered at risk for health problems. The amount of BMI for people of Asian race is 27.5, any higher than that and your health may be at risk.

There are plenty of websites that have interactive tools that you can use to figure out your own personal BMI. Many people do not realize that where they carry there is weight is just as important as the extra pounds that they carry around. For instance, people who carry their weight around their middle part versus their hips seem to be more prone to having health issues.

Men with a waist size bigger then 40 inches have a higher chance of disease where for women a waist size that is more than 35 inches are at a higher risk for disease. For people of an Asian race their chances are greater for disease with a smaller waist. For the men a waist size of 46 inches or more is a risk and for the women with a waist size of 32 inches or more puts them at risk

It is said that main reason for obesity is that people eat more in calories then the daily recommended amount. When you do that your body can’t process the food, fat and nutrients as fast as it should and therefore it stores the fat. It can also be due to a medical issue or medications that you may be taking. The best bet is to talk with your doctor for the best advice as to what you need to do to loose weight.

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Weight loss food

May 19, 2009 by Steve Butler · Leave a Comment 

Obesity is serious health hazard as the extra fat puts a strain on the heart, kidneys and liver as well as the large weight-bearing joints such as the hips, knees and eventually resulting in medical conditions like arthritis Overweight persons are vulnerable to several diseases like heart problems, diabetes, arthritis et al. The chief cause of overweight is over eating
That means the intake of calories beyond body’s energy requirement. Overweight is sometimes also the result of malfunctioning of the thyroid or pituitary glands. Glandular obesity is rare and only about 2% of the total incidence of obesity.
Some people are habituated to eating too much while others may be in habit of consuming high-calorie foods. Failure to adjust the appetite results in continuous increase in weight. Recently, there has been increasing awareness of psychological aspects of overweight. Persons who are generally bored, unhappy or lonely usually tend to overeat as eating is a pleasure and solace to them.
Obesity can be reduced by avoiding excessive and frequent eating of foods with high calorie content. Modifications required in diet for treating diseases and certain medical conditions are called diet therapy. Modifications in diet may involve changes in different constituents such as
1. Bland diets omitting condiments and spices
2. Low fiber or high fiber diets
3. Protein intake
4. Fat content
5. Carbohydrate content
6. Calorie content

The main concern in this treatment should be the balanced selection of foods which satisfy the nutritive requirements with the least number of calories.
Low calorie diets are prescribed for obese subjects. The aim is to produce calorie deficit in the body which will result in the fat stored in at he adipose tissue being used to meet the calorie requirements. It has been observed that a diet providing about half the requirements of calories for persons leading sedentary life (1100KCal) will help to reduce the body weight by 1 to 1.5 kg a week. Consumption of diet providing 1300KCal may help to educe the body weight by 0.5 to 1 kg per week
Constituents of a low calorie diet (1100 KCal)
Gm/caput/day
Cereals : 80
Legumes : 60
Cheese : 100
Egg : 60
Green leafy vegetables : 150
Skim milk fluid : 1000
Meat and fish : 50
Fruits : 50
Multivitamin tablet : 1

Weight loss food do’s

When you are fighting the battle of bulge, it is certainly desirable to avoid saturated fats and use oil in your daily cooking but at the same time also try to reduce all other forms of fat from your diet. So
1. Always use oil sparingly when cooking. If your recipe calls for 1 tsp of oil, measure it rather than guessing
2. Use non-stick cookware with lids to reduce amount of oil used for cooking
3. When using 1tsp of oil for cooking for 4 portions in recipes, the tempering tends to burn more quickly. Do not get tempted to use more oil, add some water instead.
4. Instead of coconut and dry fruit, use vegetable purees in gravies
5. Replace full of fatty dairy products with low fat alternatives like low fat milk and curds
6. Stop snacking plenty of almonds, peanuts as they have plenty of hidden fats.

Weight loss foods don’ts

1. Starvation diets are useless. They decelerate your metabolism, which will make you fatter in the long run
2. Don’t buy anything that look like gimmick. Fat burning diets, pills, potions, devices and fad diets may work in the beginning but remember that you need to develop healthy eating habits
3. Save your money to spend on nutritious foods and for the new cloths you’ll need in a few months if you understand and follow the dietary regimen strictly.
4. Get your percent body fats calculated and check it every month. Forget about the scale, use a full length mirror. Standing in front of it will tell you much better than the scale will.

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Stress Balls

May 15, 2009 by Steve Butler · Leave a Comment 

Search stress balls on the internet and you will find a thousand websites trying to sell you wholesale lots with your logo that you can give out at trade shows or to your employees. However, what does it do? Besides give your employees something to throw around the office when the boss is not looking there is an actual method behind the madness.

It is believed that these small foam balls that fit in the palm of your hand provide you with a place to focus other than the problem at hand. Just the simple act of squeezing the foam ball with all of your might can displace enough energy to slow down the adrenaline overdose pumping through your body. In today’s society, the high pressure of desk jobs has begun to induce our age-old fight or flight instinct. Being trapped at a desk and faced with mental challenges, however, we have no ability to fight or flee so we are left to sit on all those hormones that can actually be transferred to illness. With that idea the stress ball was born.

Nevertheless, that tiny ball has other uses as well. It is actually a good exercise for carpal tunnel syndrome and arthritic patients. The repetitive exercise works against most of the repetitive actions that cause carpal tunnel. For instance if you are a data entry person and you spend your days typing, the motion of squeezing the stress ball every few hours or so gives your hands time to relax and the swelling will reduce.

Arthritis actually worsens when the joints go unused. A vicious cycle cripples many people each year, arthritis actually causes pain in the joints, which instinctively would cause a person to stop using said joint. Lack of use, in turn, causes muscle stiffness that puts more pressure on the joint. Many arthritics are told to seek out aqua-aerobics programs that provided low-impact places to both take the pressure off the joints and keep the muscles in shape. For arthritis in the fingers The American Arthritis Foundation suggests squeezing the stress balls with your entire hand under warm water (such as in a pool, hot tub, or bath) to relieve many symptoms.

While they may be seen as a great marketing tool, or just plain office toys, the stress ball is a very useful object. Who knew that just a simple foam ball covered in vinyl and emblazoned with your company logo could bring relief to so many people.

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