Muscle and Joint Pain

The most common cause of joint and muscle pain is a disease called Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). Most of the patients suffering from SLE experience muscle and joint pains during course of the illness.

The pain is mainly caused by the inflammation of joints and muscles. Sometimes the symptoms resemble that of viral flu, as an acute pain in joints and muscles can make someone feel really sick. The symptoms at times may resemble those of arthritis, as the joints, which have an aching pain also, get swollen and become tender. In some patients the joint pain might not be so acute, but intense muscle inflammation may result in loss of strength.

Sometimes, joint and muscle pains precede SLE. In some extreme cases, a person may feel joint and muscle pain even at rest. Most of the patients suffering from muscle and joint pain are advised by doctors to have the right mix of rest and exercise. They have to be extremely careful while doing any activity, so that they do not put additional stress on already-affected muscles and joints.

Though muscle and joint pain can occur in any part of the body, hips, shoulders and knees are more prone to this ailment. Excess body weight adds to the woes of patients suffering from these pains.

However, SLE is not the only cause of muscle and joint pains. They could be caused by a combination of ailments, such as arthritis and muscle injury. So before one reaches a conclusion about the cause of joint and muscle pain, it is important to consult a doctor.

Muscle and joint pains can be cured when detected at an early stage. In some cases, though, a permanent cure may not be possible. In other cases the patient may have to undergo surgery to replace certain joints. Muscle and joint pain can seriously affect the activity level of any individual. So one should try to avoid it by doing regular exercises, eating a balanced diet and consulting a doctor whenever one feels such pain.

Neck Pain

Muscle pain - neck pain - thumb flexion

Patients with neck pain and discomfort may complain of pain in the thumb region with difficulties in moving the painful thumb muscles.

Pain at the base of the thumb may be due to arthritis at the joint between the wrist bone and the knuckle bone known as the carpometacarpal joint. Arthritis at this joint is very common. Arthritic pain of this joint at the base of the thumb is made worse when there is nerve related pain and spasm in the muscles that cross the carpometacarpal joint (joint between the thumb wrist bone and the thumb knuckle bone).
Treatment of thumb pain must involve treating all muscles that participate in moving the thumb in all its many capable movements of flexion, extension, abduction, adduction and opposition.

The many complex movements of the thumb are essential in producing fine manipulation such as writing, picking up small objects, turning the key, stitching, knitting cutting up food, turning the doorknob, etc.

Thumb flexion consists of moving the thumb along the plane of the palm.

Muscles responsible for performing this motion include:

- flexor pollicis brevis (superficial head supplied by the median nerve and the deep head supplied by the ulnar nerve). This muscle is supplied by the C8 and T1 nerve roots.

- extensor pollicis longus supplied by the radial nerve (C7, C8).
When the flexor pollicis brevis is not functioning, the supplementary action of the extensor pollicis longus muscle together with that of the flexor pollicis longus supplied by the anterior interosseous branch of the median nerve by causing simultaneous flexion of the tip of the thumb will be able to flex the thumb along the plane of the palm.

© 2007 copyright all rights reserved http://www.stopmusclepain.com Muscle pain - neck pain - thumb flexion

Muscle pain - neck pain - thumb adduction

Patients with nerve related muscle pain leading to neck pain/discomfort often complain of pain in the region of the thumb.

Thumb pain can be due to pain and spasm in muscles that perform movements of the thumb.

If the thumb is held at right angles to the plane of the palm with the palm facing up, adduction is the movement of the thumb down toward the plane of the palm.
Muscles that perform adduction of the thumb are:

- adductor pollicis supplied by the ulnar nerve (C8, T1)

This adduction movement has to be assisted by the following muscles:

- extensor pollicis longus supplied by the posterior interosseous nerve of the radial nerve (C7, C8)

- opponens pollicis supplied by the median nerve (C8, T1)

- flexor pollicis longus supplied by the anterior interosseous branch of the median nerve (C8, T1)

- flexor pollicis brevis supplied by the median nerve to the superficial head and the ulnar nerve to the deep head. Both the superficial and deep heads of the flexor pollicis brevis is supplied by the C8 and T1 nerve roots.

© 2007 copyright all rights reserved http://www.stopmusclepain.com Muscle pain| neck pain| thumb adduction

Muscle pain - neck pain - wrist palmar flexion

Patients with neck pain may present with muscle pain and pain in the wrist area. They may have difficulty with making a fist and picking the wrist up so that the front (palm aspect) of the wrist is toward the face. This may be related to pain, spasm or tightness of the muscles that perform this movement.

Although it is the wrist flexors that seemingly have a problem, it is usually the tightness of the wrist dorsiflexors that initiate muscle pain in the wrist flexors. In treating problems with the wrist flexors, the entire upper limb evaluation should be done including the neck for muscle strength and range of motion.

Treatments must first begin with the large and powerful muscles that must perform lengthening contractions to stabilize the joints of the shoulder, elbow and wrist.

The main muscles that perform wrist flexion (palmar flexion) are:

- flexor carpi radialis supplied by the median nerve (C6, C7)

- flexor carpi ulnaris supplied by the ulnar nerve (C8, T1)

- abductor pollicis longus supplied by the radial nerve (C7, C8)

- flexor digitorum superficialis supplied by the median nerve (C8, T1)

- flexor digitorum profundus supplied by the ulnar nerve (C8, T1)

- palmaris longus supplied by the median nerve (C6, C7)

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Alternative Drug Free Approach To Joint Pain Relief - Exercise And Physical Therapy

Non-pharmacological approach to joint pain relief comes in many forms. The evidence obtained from a systematic review of all applicable randomized controlled trials proved that exercise and physical therapy can benefit joint pain patients among all the alternatives.

In fact, exercise and physical therapy benefit the aging population more than just for relieving their joint problems. It also provides benefits to address conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, depression, stroke and insomnia. Non-pharmacological joint pain treatment is without doubt the preferred option over any conventional medications and treatments for pain management. This is due to the drug free and all natural's prescription.

Exercise and physical therapy have been studied extensively and the results were found to be very supportive in managing osteoarthritis pain. While the review have shown positive benefit of exercises in addressing osteoarthritis of the hip and knees, there is no concluded information as to which types of exercise were recommendable. On that account, exercising program and frequency will need to be customized to each individual's requirement as well as conditions permit.

On the whole, exercise programs will benefit the individual in maintaining a fit musculoskeletal system. Exercising is beneficial is reducing weight if conduced properly. This is helpful especially since obesity increases the risk factor of osteoarthritis.

Generally speaking, the type of exercises consists of 3 aspects;

1. Mobility - stretching and tai-chi


2. Strengthening - thera-bands, yoga and gyms


3. Fitness - aerobic, swimming, dancing or cycling

Given the fact that inactivity actually cause more harm, what then can exercise achieves for the patients suffering from painful joint? Other than to reduce the weight and pressure off the affected joints, exercising should work to achieve the following goals;

• Strengthening the muscles

• Improve mobility

• Improve general fitness

• Improve cardiovascular performance

• Help in losing weight

• Maintain bone density

• Improve quality of life

• Enhance well-being

• Maintain healthy status

Exercising program should be embarked upon progressively through a period of time. This is especially so for chronic joint pain patients. The need to stick to a routine schedule in order to be successful in administering joint pain is crucial. Preferably this is done in a class or with someone as company. Do not do it alone. Having someone to accompany or supervise is important. That person doesn't have to be the physiotherapist; it can be your partner, children or friends. Encouragement is as important in any non-pharmacological approaches in overcoming osteoarthritis joint pain.

Canine Hip Dysplasia - Symptoms and Diagnosis of Hip Dysplasia in Dogs

Canine hip dysplasia is a common developmental disease which tends to occur in large breed dogs. The disease usually occurs in both hind legs and is caused by both genetic and environmental factors. The underlying condition is a laxity in the structures that hold the hip joint together. In this article, I will discuss the clinical signs that dogs show with hip dysplasia and how the diagnosis of hip dysplasia is made.

Dogs with hip dysplasia tend to present in one of two ways, either as a young dog or as an older patient. The young dogs present typically between 5-10 months of age with signs of difficulty rising in the hind legs especially after rest, reluctance to jump, a bunny-hopping gait when running, exercise intolerance, and popping that can be heard or felt around the hips when walking. When examined, these dogs tend to show pain when the hips are pulled straight back and laxity in the hip joint can usually be demonstrated by a procedure called an Ortaloni test. This test involves partially luxating the joint manually then feeling it pop back into place again. Young dogs present with pain because the structures that are holding the hip together are too loose and as the dog bears weight on the leg, the two bones keep pulling apart from each other causing the ligaments and joint capsule to stretch and tear resulting in swelling within the joint.

Older dogs present usually after 8-10 years of age and show signs of difficulty rising in the hind legs, a stiff or stilted gait when walking, and muscle atrophy in the rear legs. On examination, they are painful when the hind leg is pulled straight back and have a decreased range of motion in the hip joint. Most older dogs do not have a positive Ortaloni test since the joint has developed scar tissue preventing this from happening. Older dogs present with pain in the hips because over time, the two bones pulling apart have resulted in loss of the cartilage on the bone surface and progressive arthritis formation within the joint. These dogs are said to have end-stage osteoarthritis within the joints.

Diagnosis of hip dysplasia is usually made with radiographs. Typically, a ventrodorsal hip extended view is taken which is done by laying the dog on their back and pulling both hind legs straight back. In the young dog, the main sign seen on the radiograph is separation of the head of the femur from the acetabulum. Occasionally early bone formation within the joint, termed osteophytosis, may also be seen. The older the dog gets with this disease, the more bone change or remodeling, will be seen. Typically the femoral head changes from being round to flattened and the acetabulum becomes more shallow. Visible new bone formation within the joint, termed osteophytes, will be seen on the acetabulum and on the head of the femur also.

For purposes of determining if a dogs lameness is due to hip dysplasia, the routine ventrodorsal hip extended radiographs work well. It is always indicated to take radiographs to verify that the dog has dysplasia, even if the symptoms all fit, because there are many other diseases with similar symptoms such as cruciate disease, lumbosacral disease, and hock OCD. These diseases can be treated and the dog may return to normal function. Unfortunately, some dogs are assumed to have hip dysplasia when they do not or they have hip dysplasia but it is one of these other conditions that are really causing the pain but radiographs never get taken to prove one way or the other.

Another important consideration when it comes to diagnosing hip dysplasia is that just because a young dogs hips show some signs of dysplasia does not guarantee that the dog will have problems with the disease. It has been shown in studies that there is poor correlation between clinical signs and radiographic findings. Meaning, many dogs can have significantly dysplastic hips on radiographs but show no clinical signs related to it. This is important when trying to decide if treating a young dog with dysplasia is appropriate.

For purposes of screening breeding dogs to ensure that they do not have hip dysplasia, other radiographic tests have been developed which studies have shown to be more accurate in detecting hip dysplasia. These tests are necessary because you want to know that the breeding dogs have no signs of hip dysplasia at all. These tests include the PennHIP (University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program) technique and the dorsolateral subuluxation score. Both of these techniques use distraction to determine the degree of laxity within the hips. The other benefit of these tests is that they have been shown to be accurate as early as 4 months of age. Other tests such as CT scans and MRI of the hips have been looked at in research settings but are rarely used in clinical practice.

Screening breeding dogs for hip dysplasia before mating is important but does not guarantee that the puppies will not have hip dysplasia. Some dogs may be carriers for the genes for hip dysplasia but not show overt signs of the disease. When two dogs that are carriers are bred, they can have a litter of puppies that have overt signs of hip dysplasia. The only current way to reduce this possibility is by screening not only the parents but all offspring for multiple generations proving that none of the generations of puppies ever showed overt signs of hip dysplasia which is rarely, if ever done. In the near future, genetic analysis for hip dysplasia should be available which will be a much easier and accurate way of screening potential breeding dogs.

Think You Might Have It? Take the Fibromyalgia Quiz!

Fibromyalgia can be difficult to diagnose... even for doctors. Going to your family physician with a grocery list of health issues can actually help him or her to recognize fibromyalgia syndrome... if that's what you have. To help you to organize your thoughts, take a look at the series of symptoms below in the fibromyalgia quiz. Then, ask yourself if this is what you've been experiencing. Be sure to take good notes that you can take to your doctor:

1. Fibromyalgia Quiz- Pain -People describe the pain as deep muscular aching, throbbing, shooting, and stabbing. Intense burning may also be present. Quite often the pain and stiffness are worse in the morning and you may hurt more in muscle groups that are used repetitively. Have you experienced pain like this?

2. Fibromyalgia Quiz- Fatigue - This symptom can be mild in some fibromyalgia patients, but in others it may be debilitating. The fatigue has been described by patients as "feeling totally drained of energy". Many patients describe this condition by saying that they feel as though their arms and legs are tied down. Do you feel tired all the time?

3. Fibromyalgia Quiz- Brain Fog - Fibromyalgia sufferers may also have difficulty concentrating, remembering, and focusing. Many patients say that they can't follow instructions and experience confusion, even in very familiar situations. Do you have difficulty concentrating and remembering things?

4. Fibromyalgia Quiz- Sleep Disorders - Most fibromyalgia patients have associated sleep disorders. These conditions usually involve the patients' sleep being constantly interrupted by waking or semi-waking up all through the night. Insomnia is also common in fibromyalgia sufferers. If you don't feel refreshed upon waking or feel worse in the morning after you've slept, you should suspect that a sleep disorder is involved. Many fibromyalgia patients have also been found to have sleep apnea, teeth- grinding during sleep, and restless legs syndrome, as well. Does any of this sound familiar to you?

5. Fibromyalgia Quiz- Irritable Bowel Syndrome - IBS includes nausea constipation, diarrhea, gas and abdominal pain. These are symptoms found in many fibromyalgia sufferers. Acid reflux or gastro-esophageal reflux disease also may occur. Are you experiencing or being treated for any of these symptoms?

6. Fibromyalgia Quiz- Headaches - Do you experience recurrent migraine or tension-type headaches? These can pose a major obstacle for fibromyalgia sufferers in dealing with everyday activities and can be made worse by stress. Do you suffer with frequent and/or severe headaches?

7. Fibromyalgia Quiz- Temporal-mandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome -TMJ can cause tremendous jaw-related face and head pain. It occurs to some degree in most fibromyalgia patients and is can be a source of much discomfort. The problems are usually related to the muscles and ligaments surrounding the jaw joint. Have you been diagnosed, been treated for, or experienced jaw-related face and head pain?

8. Fibromyalgia Quiz- Other Common Symptoms - Have you experienced any of these?

• Chest pain (non-cardiac)


• Premenstrual syndrome and painful periods


• Morning stiffness


• Dry eyes and mouth


• Sensitivity to bright lights, odors, loud sounds, medications and foods


• Numbness and tingling sensations


• Muscle twitching and tremors


• Irritable bladder


• The feeling of swollen extremities and skin sensitivities


• Dizziness and impaired co-ordination

If you have made a list of symptoms from the fibromyalgia quiz series, it is possible that you could have fibromyalgia. Take you quiz results to your doctor for an evaluation.

As a fibromyalgia survivor myself, I can tell you that there is hope to overcome the miserable symptoms. After taking the prescription drugs for years, I found a way to treat my fibromyalgia naturally through nutrition. If you would like to find out how I beat this disease and got off the medications with all their side-effects, contact me now by clicking on one of the links below.

Arthritis Neck Pain: An Exciting New Treatment for the Relief of Arthritis Neck Pain

Arthritis is medically defined as inflammation of the joints. Arthritis can occur in any joint of the body, including most commonly the fingers and knees, which are typically hard-used joints. Inflammation is the primary feature of arthritis, which is the body's natural reaction of joint tissues that have endured some sort of damage or injury, either through overuse due to physical abuse or excessive weight gain or in some cases hormonal or environmental factors.

Nutritional factors, including dangerously low levels of calcium, magnesium and essential fatty acids can also cause temporary arthritis, but these are probably the most easily solved once they are identified as the culprits.

What are some of the best natural remedies for arthritis pain?
Along with a host of prescription medications and medical options, those suffering form the arthritis neck pain who want to avoid potential side effects of over-the-counter medicines as well as prescription anti-inflammatory drugs have a variety of natural remedies that have proven quite effective.

One of the most commonly recommended home remedies for arthritis pain is to wrap the painful joint in heat. Heat causes the muscles around the joint to relax, which in turn releases the pressure and strain on the joint and eases the arthritic pain. In general cold-water treatments should be avoided by the patient suffering arthritis as this causes additional tension and can inflame the joints again.

Additional natural remedies for arthritis neck pain depend on the cause of the patient's arthritis, including a careful and structured loss of weight to ease the strain on the joints. In many cases, arthritic pain caused by weight gain can be completely eliminated when patients lose the extra weight and incorporate joint-healthy exercise into their daily lives.
Arthritis neck pain can also be eased and even eliminated through therapeutic massage. Massage therapy has been shown to ease arthritic pain at any age and with regular massage therapy, many arthritis sufferers can return to pain-free, normal functioning again.

What are the best natural supplements to relieve arthritis?
Some of the natural remedies for arthritis include dietary supplements and some of the most effective supplements are as follows:

Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate - in a recent National Institute of Health (NIH) study, glucosamine combined with chondroitin sulfate provided statistically significant pain relief compared with placebo. Approximately 79 percent of those studied had a 20 percent or greater reduction in pain versus about 54 percent for those taking the placebo.

Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) - which is a naturally occurring source of sulfur in the health food industry that has proven to have anti-inflammatory effects on the human body. Some of those suffering osteoarthritis have experience significant reduction in their daily pain and improved physical function without major side effects.

Manganese - which is a trace mineral that participates in many enzyme processes within the human body has been shown to be helpful in the utilization of key nutrients, such as thiamine and abscorbic acid. While not specifically used to treat arthritis symptoms, manganese has been shown effective in helping the human body properly absorb and distribute nutrients that can be effective at easing arthritis symptoms. In that regard, manganese is more properly defined as a helper remedy.

Various Disc Conditions

There are many ailments that are related to the spine. Disc conditions can be the very problematic to treat. It takes around twelve weeks to heal which is a really long time. Whereas a ligament strain takes around four weeks to heal and a muscle strain heals in around three weeks.

Special care and attention needs to be given to disc problems. In order to determine the best treatment plan, proper diagnosis and examination has to be carried out. Chiropractors are specially trained to treat the intervertebral disc and the spine. You can determine with the help of your chiropractor if there is a spinal disc problem. If it is so, then a proper treatment plan will be laid out by your chiropractor for recovery.

The most problematic stress is when you bend when lifting anything and when you twist. The pressure on the discs of the lower back is almost doubled when a person leans forwards. This stress becomes a lot more when some object is lifted which is far away from the body. When the person lifting the object turns, the shearing force is transferred to the disc and the fibers that make up the outer covering of the disc starts to tear.

Excessive and continuous stress or a badly healed injury can result in chronic disc problems. The disc becomes thin and dehydrated when the wear and tear starts taking place. The body tries to stabilize the weak disc in this way. This results in bad functioning of the back joint and even arthritis. In these types of cases of chronic disc disease, dull pain and stiffness are the outcomes.

Degenerative disc conditions are also treated by chiropractors. The pain and discomfort caused due to degenerative joint disease can be eased by manipulation and along with other methods like stretching, exercises, moist heat and massage therapy. The process of pain can be slowed down or halted altogether with proper kind of continued care. You should take proper care of your spine and consult a chiropractor in case you have had problems with your disc before. Although a disc cannot heal as it is new but with proper treatment and support, it may not have to face the problem of joint arthritis which is usually the case after a disc injury.

Degenerative disc conditions are also treated by chiropractors. The pain and discomfort caused by degenerative joint disease can be reduced by manipulation and other methods like stretching, proper exercise, moist heat and massage therapy.