Chronic pain can play spoilsport in our lives by affecting our job, daily routine, and relationships. The good news is that timely diagnosis and treatment can go a long way in eliminating this pain from our lives. The ideal chronic pain management aims at reducing or eliminating the need for pain medication and improving physical functioning. With the right treatment for chronic pain, you can lead a pain-free life. Any pain that spans over a few months or around 12 weeks is called chronic pain. The cause of pain may be illness, injury, joint-related disease or overuse of joints. Gone are the days when you only surgical options were available for the treatment for chronic pain. Thanks to the medico-technological advancements, patients now have numerous treatment options for dealing with chronic pain. Types of chronic pain Chronic pain can occur in different locations of the body and for a variety of reasons. The most common type of chronic pain occurs due to injuries. This injury may be sports-related or caused by accident. Back pain is another common type of chronic pain. Lower and upper back pain may result from incorrect posture, extended hours of sitting or standing, or damage to the spine. Joint pain due to arthritis or wear and tear of the joints are also some common types of chronic pain. Arthritis pain can occur at in joint of the body. Nerve-related issues may lead to diseases or illnesses that cause other types of pain. Non-surgical treatment options for chronic pain The right choice of treatment for chronic pain depends on its cause. Doctors evaluate this pain based on the following factors: Duration Intensity Cause Location Once they ascertain the parameters mentioned above, they will decide on the right treatment option. Pain management primarily focuses on minimizing the use of pain medication, improving physical flexibility, and strengthening the affected parts.

A survey conducted in the year 2014 showed that 8 out of 10 American people have some type of complication regarding their feet. The overall stability of one’s health and life depends on the condition of the feet because it is that part of your body that gets used for the most part of the day. The part of feet that carries almost the whole weight of the body is the heel. Heel pain may present itself in two spots: under the heel and behind the heel. Having heel pain can make day-to-day life very uncomfortable while performing daily activities, and shoes play a crucial role here either by adding to the pain or lessening the pain. Thus, wearing the right type of shoes helps a lot while managing heel pain. Certain things should be kept in mind while buying the right shoes for heel pain, which may be overlooked often. Given are few “dos and don’ts” that would prove really helpful when one is looking for shoes for heel pain. Buy the shoe toward the end of the day Feet are that part of the body that get worked up the most throughout the day. By the second half of the day, the feet expand because of all the pressure and may swell after a long day in hot weather. If bought in the earlier part of the day, shoes may fit comfortably in the morning but the same shoe may feel a little tighter and may feel uncomfortable later in the evening. This can lead to heel pain in the long run. The fit of shoes is essential when buying shoes for heel pain. Do not take the measurement on the box as ultimate Many people have the tendency to take the measurement on the box as the sure way of finding the size.

Spinal stenosis is an extremely painful condition that causes the narrowing of the spaces within the spine. This puts pressure on the nerves that travel through the spine and may lead to several complications. Spinal stenosis commonly occurs in the neck and the lower back. One of the major drawbacks of this condition is the fact that its onset may come with symptoms to indicate the presence of the condition. If you do experience the symptoms of spinal stenosis though, expect to face severe pain, numbness, muscle weakness, and tingling in the affected areas. The symptoms generally worsen with the progression of the condition, so consult a doctor immediately. The onset of spinal stenosis is generally due to wear and tear in the spine related to osteoarthritis. To make things easier for you, here are a few of the best spinal stenosis treatment methods for you to choose from. Spinal Stenosis Treatment Options Treatment for spinal stenosis is dependent on the severity of the signs and symptoms of the disease as well as its location. You must consult a doctor to determine the treatment method that suits you best. If your condition is mild, home remedies may be enough to keep your condition at bay. If you are suffering from severe spinal stenosis, or if home remedies are doing you no good, your doctor may recommend physical therapy, medications, or even surgery. Here are a few of the best spinal stenosis treatment methods. Medications The doctor may prescribe the use of pain relievers and anti-depressants. Pain medications may be successful in providing temporary relief and may ease the discomfort associated with the disease. Try not to use them for long periods of time as they can cause more harm than good. Anti-depressants can help ease chronic pain. Again, do not use them for long periods of time.

There are several people who have to deal with the problem of frequent urination. It leads us to question the amount of fluid we are losing on a daily basis. The bladder can store up to 600 ml of urine. We generally feel the urge to urinate when the bladder contains 150 ml of urine. The average person urinates four to eight times per day. If you are urinating more than eight times a day, you have a leaky bladder. There are several causes which culminate to this problem. Wondering how to stop frequent urination? Here are a few tips which will help you to deal with this problem. Kegel exercises involve strengthening the pelvic floor muscles. These muscles may be weakened by an overactive bladder. Performing these exercises facilitates improved bladder movement. All you have to do is identify your pelvic floor muscles by stopping your urine midstream while urinating. Tighten your pelvic floor muscles for 3 seconds and then let them go for 3 seconds. Repeat this process 3 times in sets of 10. The best thing is that you do not need to designate a particular time to perform these exercises. You can do Kegel exercises while sitting down, standing up or while on the move. Kegel exercise is the answer to urinary incontinence treatment. There are several medications to relieve you of the urge of frequent urination. They help to relax the bladder and treat the symptoms associated with a leaky bladder. Although they are not the best option, they are definitely worth trying out. However, it is advisable to consult your doctor before taking any medication. If you are looking for a natural option, Corn Silk is fantastic. It is obtained from the waste material from corn cultivation. This has been used a traditional medicine in France and China to cure bedwetting and bladder irritation.

Snoring is a common problem that plagues a large part of the adult population in the country. You might feel uncomfortable or embarrassed if you are known to snore loudly, but you should know that this process is often natural. Usually, men snore more than women on a regular basis. There is no specific treatment for snoring, but there are certain devices available in the market that can help partially manage snoring. The best stop-snoring devices reduce the loud symptoms of snoring effectively, without causing any discomfort or harm to the user. These anti-snoring devices can suppress snoring in either of the two ways- by pushing the tongue backward or moving the tongue forward. Moreover, these devices do not require any prescription from any doctor. Let’s have a closer look at what causes snoring and how these anti-snoring devices actually perform. What causes snoring? The restriction or obstruction in the pathway of the upper airway typically causes a tickling sensation in the back of the throat which results in a typical harsh and loud breathing, described as snoring. Several factors are responsible for snoring. One of them is obesity, which is fairly common in certain adults. Sometimes, throat related allergies due to cold and other biological factors are also responsible for loud snoring. One of the main causes of snoring is ‘Obstructive Sleep Apnea(OSA)’ which is the most common type of ‘sleep apnea’ disorder associated with the sudden and temporary loss of breath during sleep. The partial obstructions in the airflow hinder the breathing process resulting in the development of loud and harsh noise during sleeping. Another type of ‘sleep apnea’ disorder is known as ‘Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) which occurs when the brain fails to send proper signals to the muscles that are responsible for proper breathing, resulting in snoring.

To effectively manage diabetes, some patients need to take insulin shots throughout the day. An insulin pen is an effective insulin delivery system that makes giving these shots extremely easy and comfortable. Insulin pens are quickly gaining popularity in the country. These pens include an insulin cartridge, a disposable needle, and a dial to measure dosage that helps in delivering the exact amount needed by the body. Insulin pens deliver anywhere between 0.5 to 80 units of insulin at one time. The increments in the dosage can be in half unit, one unit or two units. The maximum dosage, as well as the incremental amount, varies in different kinds of pens. Types of insulin pens Primarily, there are two types of insulin pens: Disposable: This contains a pre-filled insulin cartridge. You can discard the pen after injecting it. Reusable: Reusable pens contain replaceable insulin cartridges. After injecting yourself, you can throw away this cartridge and replace it with a fresh one. With proper care, these reusable pens can last for more than a year. However, you need to use a fresh and disposable needle every time you use the insulin pen. These needles are available in different thicknesses and lengths, and mostly, all of them fit on every kind of insulin pen. It is best to consult your medical practitioner to choose the best type of insulin pen for your needs. How to choose an insulin pen? You need to consider several factors before purchasing an insulin pen. Some of these factors are: Type of insulin pen Size of the insulin dosage that it can contain Increments in dosage allowed Material and durability (if you’re buying a reusable pen) Ability to rectify the dosage amount How it displays the remaining insulin levels Size of the numbers mentioned on the dial How to store an insulin pen?

Toenail fungus or toe fungus is an infection of toenails that is contagious. If the toenail fungus starts in one nail of the toe, it can spread to the other toenails as well. Usually, dermophytes, a fungi group, is responsible for onychomycosis or toenail infection. This fungi group thrives on keratin which is the main component of nails and hair. When the fungus starts to grow, the patient’s nails get discolored and turn yellow, brown, or white. Eventually, the affected nails might harden, thicken, become brittle, and can even fall off. The treatment for toenail fungus can last for several weeks to several months. Various medications are available to deal with this contagious infection. However, it is always advisable to take medicines under the guidance of healthcare professionals as these medications might have several side effects depending on the person’s medical history. Here is a list of some of the most effective home remedies to treat a toenail fungus. Vinegar You can find vinegar in almost every household. It is a common cooking ingredient in a few cuisines. However, in some cases, you will discover this item in some home cleaning solutions as well. Although there is no clinical evidence to prove vinegar’s effectiveness in treating toenail fungus, there is a lot of anecdotal evidence to support its potential for curing this condition. Mix vinegar in a bowl of warm water. Now, soak your infection-affected toe in this mixture. The ratio of water to vinegar should be 2:1. Baking soda Various medical reports have shown that baking soda helps in soaking up excess moisture, which is one of the leading causes of toenail fungus. While doing a medical study, researchers found that baking soda can effectively prevent the growth of normal fungi by a considerable amount. One of the easiest ways to use baking soda is to put it inside your shoes and socks so that it can soak up the moisture.

Arthritis has no age limit. Various people around the world suffer from this condition, irrespective of their age. Some studies show that even children at a very young age are prone to some forms of this disease. When this condition worsens, it can lead to some disability in the patient. Therefore, early prevention through exercise, diet plans, etc. is the best way to keep this dreadful condition at bay. It is saddening that some people suffer from this condition despite taking due care and caution. Did you know that you can minimize arthritis pain with knee braces? If you didn’t know about this, here is some detailed information about knee braces and how they could be your savior. The first thing that you need to know is that these knee braces for arthritis prevent the weight of your body from falling solely on the knee joints, and hence it keeps the pain away. Thus, you can purchase knee braces to get some much-needed relief from the pain caused by arthritis. Here is some detailed information about the various kinds of knee braces for arthritis that can help you with the pain. Note that all of these knee braces serve different purposes. Knee compression sleeve While it looks simple, it is one of the most effective options available. This brace is said to be the best for all the people who are suffering from mild or acute pain in the knee. Moreover, one does not need to apply pressure or put in a lot of effort to wear this knee brace. It is also suitable for people who have minor displacement injuries. Thus, it is one of the best knee braces for arthritis that you can buy. Pro knee brace Just like the name suggests, these knee braces provide professional levels of stability and support to the arthritic knees.

Cancer is a disease in which cells multiply uncontrollably in the body. Cancer tumors and are of two types—malignant (cancerous) and benign (non-cancerous). These malignant cancerous cells are capable of spreading and affecting other parts of the body. There are many factors such as genetic, environmental, and dietary factors that could lead one to develop cancer. There are around 200 types of cancers and renal cell cancer is one of them. In renal cell cancer, or RCC, the cancer cells form in tubules of the kidney. The primary causes of RCC are smoking and having renal diseases. The common symptoms of renal cancer noted are blood in urine and a lump in the abdomen. In the following, a brief overview of renal cell cancer and its treatment options have been given. Renal cell cancer has four stages: Stage I –  The tumor is confirmed and measures less than 7 cms. Stage II –  The tumor is bigger than 7 cms but is still limited to the kidneys. Stage III – The tumor has started to spread outside the kidney to the adrenal gland, a major vein nearby or may even have spread to one nearby lymph nodes. Stage IV – The tumor has spread to nearby tissues and organs, and the nearby lymph nodes contain cancer cells. Treatment options for renal cell cancer Renal cell cancer treatment depends on various factors like the type of cancer, stage, the patient’s current medical condition and overall health, and possible side effects of the recommended treatment. Surgery Nephrectomy, or surgery to remove the infected kidney, is mostly preferred by doctors as it can completely cure cancer at the earlier stages. There are three types of nephrectomy: Partial nephrectomy –  The procedure to remove cancer cells within the kidney and the surrounding tissues is known as partial nephrectomy. The main objective of this surgery is to remove only the tumor and leave all the normal tissue as it is.

Neck pain can be quite a nerve-racking experience. It can throw your life out of gear and cause considerable pain even with the slightest neck movement. Stiff neck or neck pain limits one’s overall mobility. People experience a sharp pain while driving or sleeping or simply turning their head. Causes of neck pain could be many, ranging from injury to the wrong posture. Irrespective of the cause of neck pain, one needs to get rid of the pain at the earliest in order to restore normalcy in daily activities. The neck is supported by bones, ligaments, and muscles. An inflammation, abnormality or injury to this support system causes neck pain. Neck pain or strain occurs when one or more fibers in a neck muscle strain or tear. This is also referred to as a pulled muscle. The pain varies based on the extent and location of the damage to the neck muscle. Mild neck pain usually subsides on its own with rest, but sharp or severe pain may require treatment. Before knowing how to cure neck pain, it is important to know what causes it. Causes of stiff neck Neck pain is usually caused by a strain or injury to the ligament, tendon or muscles supporting the neck. The neck vertebrae extend from the base of the skull all the way up to the upper torso. The neck area is made up of a network of tendons, ligaments, and muscles. Neck pain results from a damage or strain or stretching of any of these parts. Here are the common causes of neck pain: Muscle tension or strain : Neck muscles can get stretched or strained due to a wear and tear, bad posture, wrong sleeping position or jerky movement during exercise. Injury : The neck is prone to injury. Accidental fall or sports injury or sudden jerky movements cause injury to the neck muscles.