Benefits of Massage Cushions

Now a day's most of the people especially who are working in offices, are facing problems related to back aches, neck aches and shoulder aches. They have to sit continuously for long hour at a single place. So it is very necessary for them to relax at the end of the day. Massage is considered as one of the best ways of getting rid from such problems. There are lots of massage cushions available in market for this purpose.

A massage cushions is useful equipment that helps in rendering a beneficial massage therapy session. These equipments usually perform a kneading massage technique by massaging on your neck, upper and lower back along both sides of your spine. With the help of it, you can begin your massage experience practically anywhere, on the sofa, bed, recliner, chair, or even on the floor.

Massage cushions are soothing, comfortable and also portable devices that are gaining huge popularity. These cushions help in providing relaxation to the whole body.

These equipments offer numerous benefits which are listed as under:

1. A massage cushion alleviates muscle fatigue and they are ideal for long distance drivers or for those people who sit for long time at a particular place.

2. They help in loosening tight muscles, joints and stretching connective tissues. They also help in reducing cramps and muscle spasms.

3. It improves and stimulates blood circulation and provides relaxation to the nervous system.

4. They even firm up muscle and skin tone.

5. It also improves lymphatic drainage of metabolic wastes and reduces symptoms of disorders such as carpal tunnel syndrome, asthma, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, chronic, arthritis, and acute pain syndromes, myofacial pain, headache, and athletic injuries.

6. It provides freedom from chronic aching problems. It easily penetrates deep into muscle layer and helps in speeding up healing from injury and illness.

There are numerous companies in market which deal in variety of such equipments. Just beware of those companies which manufacture duplicate massage product. A wrong massage-cushion can create a lot of problem. They can also increase pain in back as well as shoulder. So, I will advice you to make an adequate research before you purchase any such product from the market.

Massage cushion is a cheap yet convenient way of getting relieve from neck, shoulder and back pain. It is basically designed to provide comfort and pleasure to those people who do not feel comfortable in going to a massage parlor.

Quick Relief For Your Gout Joint Symptom Discomfort

Gout can bring about a number of unpleasant side effects, but the most common complaint is joint pain. This pain can be mild at times, but for many, a flare up means they can't walk, and moving in any position is painful. This means the most common thing gout sufferers want to know is how they can manage their gout joint symptom and pain that comes their way.

Prevention is key, but there are times when preventative measures won't work. In those cases, there has to be something that can be done to get rid of or at least lessen the pain.

Gout pain is a direct result of high levels of uric acid in the body leading to deposits of uric acid crystals in the joints. The kidneys process uric acid but they can not always keep up especially when there is just too much of it.

Someone who is a heavy drinker or eats foods rich in purine, for example, is going to have a bigger problem with uric acid build up and are therefore more likely to suffer from gout. The kidneys will focus on clearing out the alcohol, and the uric acid secondly or they become overwhelmed by the amount of uric acid. That means levels will build up dramatically. When that happens, the uric acid has to find somewhere to go.

Excess uric acid forms crystals, and those crystals have a special place they like to go. The most common spot is in the toe joint but deposits can occur in other joints of the body.

This causes pain, tenderness, and inflammation. If you think about your joints, you know they are normally cushioned with fluids that allow them to move freely without much friction. Imagine sharp crystals forming there instead - this gives you a good idea why gout is so painful and why the sufferer often seeks immediate relief.

When the first gout joint symptom appears, most want to do something right away. Left untreated a normal bout of gout will least from a week to ten days. You can take a NSAID right away. This is a pain reliever that will also help with inflammation and swelling, allowing some flexibility in the joint. Make sure you chose a pain reliever that also tackles inflammation, like ibuprofen, as painrelievers like aspirin can actually make gout symptoms worse by inhibiting uric acid excretion.

When the attack is severe, there are other options for immediate relief. Some doctors will give an injection of corticosteroid. This is a steroid and will work almost immediately. However, this is not something that can be used too often as it can weaken the joint tissues and surrounding bones and can lead to other problems in the future.

There are other steps that can be taken by the patient when they are experiencing pain. Trying to relax the area and keeping the joint elevated is always a good idea. If the muscles around the joint are relaxed, there won't be as much tension on the area, and thus less pain.

If you can stand the pain of weight on your joint, try applying some crushed ice wrapped in a towel. Keep on the joint for 10 minutes and repeat as necessary. This should help to soothe the pain as it has numbing effect.

Alternatively try a charcoal poultice. Mix together 1/2 cup of powdered activated charcoal and 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed and add hot water (not boiling) to form a paste. Gently apply to the swollen joint and cover it so it stays in place. You can either leave this on overnight or change about every 4 hours during the day. Beware, charcoal stains anything it touches so use old bedsheets or wear old clothes and take care with furniture and carpets.

Drinking plenty of water or herbal tea helps to dilute uric acid levels in the blood and aids the kidneys in flushing out the excess amounts.

Staying off the effected joint can also help, though this is not always something someone can to do. Learning to manage lifestyle is important to lessen the times when a gout joint symptom will occur. Take time to learn to modify diet and lifestyle so the attacks are fewer and further apart is the best way to deal with them is to prevent them in the first place.

Arthritis Pain Relief For Canines

Over recent years, we've been learning more and more about the benefits of treating human aliments with natural remedies. The same holds true for our companion pets as well. Older dogs and cats suffer from painful arthritis as their joints begin to deteriorate over time. Instead of turning directly to prescription drugs which can be costly and come with nasty side effects, many people are looking for alternative options for arthritis pain relief for canine dogs.

In the past aspirin for dogs with arthritis pain has been a popular treatment. But this type of treatment is quickly losing popularity because dogs are particularly sensitive to the effects that Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin, can have on their gastrointestinal system. Side effects of NSAID's include pain, bleeding and ulceration.

So health conscious pet owners are in search of safer alternatives. One natural component is quickly gaining popularity, specifically because of the clinical studies that have proven its effectiveness. Cetyl myristoleate is a natural component that has been clinically proven for arthritis natural pain relief and thousands of people and pets dealing with the disease are finding great success with CM8. Cetyl myristoleate is the cetyl ester of myristoleic acid. It has multiple biological properties. It acts as a natural anti-inflammatory and a pain reliever, as well as being an immune system modulator.

It is a naturally derived, highly purified, and refined waxy ester prepared to be taken by mouth. Because it is an ester form, highly resistant to oxidation, it has a relatively long life in the body. No harmful short or long term effects have ever been observed in humans or in laboratory animals, even in extremely high doses.

The only natural arthritis pain relief product that uses CM8 is FlexPet. The vitamin supplement for dogs and cats has been proven to correct the problems and eliminate pet joint pain by reducing the inflammation while lubricating the effected joints. This is mainly because of the main ingredient, cetyl myristoleate. In addition to it being an immune system modulator, CM8 delivers special nutrients and herbs to the joints, bones, and surrounding tissue. It alleviates pain, boosts immunity, strengthens the skeletal system, removes harmful toxins and promotes general health and well being.

What Causes Knee Snapping?

When you're working out, or playing your favorite sport, a snapping sensation within your knee can cause pain and frustration, and can lead to buckling or giving way, falling, and eventually, damage to the cartilage surfaces of the joint. The snap results when some structure within the joint is momentarily caught between the moving bones, tension is applied and is then suddenly released, much like plucking a guitar string.

The three most common causes for the painful snap are synovial flaps, torn menisci and loose bodies.

The most frequent source of snapping is a synovial flap or plica. The inside of every synovial joint is lined by a normally thin and pliant membrane, called synovium. Synovium produces a drop or two of joint fluid, which nourishes the articular cartilage and provides lubrication for the joint surfaces. This membrane often has a few small thin folds, left over from embryonic development, which can grow larger, thicker and stiffer to become larger structures, fibrous flaps or shelves, that get can get caught and stretched between the moving parts.

Pain is caused by traction, pulling on the nerves of the surrounding tissues, and the snap is due to the sudden release of tension, when it breaks free.

A torn meniscus can also cause a snap. The two tough, crescent-shaped meniscal fibrocartilages, medial (inner side) and lateral (outer side), that cushion and guide the knee, are often torn in athletic activities, especially the sudden twisting or cutting maneuvers in soccer, football, or basketball.

But tears can also occur by degeneration, just from getting older. Here, the substance of the cartilage becomes softer and begins to shred and fragment, eventually evolving into a tear, especially when repetitively crushed as with deep squatting. The meniscus tear fragment, like the flap of synovium, can displace and get caught between the moving femur and tibia, causing pain by traction, like a hangnail does, then snap when suddenly released.

Loose bodies are little pieces of cartilage and/or bone that are knocked out with trauma, fall out from a joint surface due to disease (osteochondritis dessicans), or are actually grown, like pearls, within the synovial membrane (synovial chondromatosis/osteochondromatosis), and then break free inside the joint. Like the synovial flaps and meniscal tears, these fragments can get caught between the moving parts.

Regardless of cause, significant snapping within the knee is always abnormal and needs to be addressed.

Above all, don't ignore it. You want to identify the source with an accurate diagnosis and prevent permanent damage to the joint. But in the short term, you can try some conservative measures to try to resolve the snapping.

Here's what you can do:

1. STOP whatever activity causes painful, recurrent snapping.

2. REST the knee in extension, that is, out straight. Every snap can potentially damage the articular cartilage, so that can be prevented by avoiding, or minimizing joint motion.

3. Apply moist HEAT a few times a day, for 15-20 minutes each time. If the snapping is of sudden onset, apply ICE for the first 48 hours, THEN begin to apply heat.

4. Try some OTC anti-inflammatory (NSAID), like Advil (2 tabs, 4X/day) or Aleve (2 tabs, 2X/day), provided you have no stomach problems, like ulcers, or a history of GI bleeding, and be sure to take it WITH FOOD OR MILK. If inflammation has caused a synovial plica to swell and thicken, this regimen should shrink it, by reducing inflammation.

5. If you don't get relief within a few days to a week, then it's probably not from acute inflammation and the snapping structure is now fibrous tissue, or cartilage, which will not shrink, even with reduced inflammation. Then, you need to SEE AN ORTHOPAEDIST, for definitive evaluation and treatment. Don't be afraid--it's what you DON'T know that will hurt you and no one can force you to have surgery. But if someone is trained to DO surgery when it's needed, then you will be getting a complete picture of your condition, including ALL your options.

6. If you don't see a doctor at this point, the repetitive snapping of an internal derangement can damage the articular cartilage of the joint and eventually result in arthritis. Therefore, if conservative treatments fail to promptly relieve pain and snapping, to prevent permanent joint damage, arthroscopic surgery is usually required, to remove the source of the snapping.

The Role of Diet and Exercise in a TMJ Treatment

Most people suffering from a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome held a common misconception that a TMJ treatment alone can relieve them of jaw pains and, ultimately, of the TMJ syndrome.

Since a TMJ syndrome is closely connected to other disorders such as plugged ears, neck pain, and fibromyalgia, addressing the syndrome by a TMJ treatment alone would not suffice. This is where the role of diet and exercise comes in.

Diet and exercise, in fact, figure significantly in any physical treatments that patients undergo. Diet can affect the pain associated with TMJ. Among the popular diet changes people incorporate in their TMJ treatment is the avoidance of foods with sugar, yeast and preservatives, cutting back on wheat and dairy, and eating more red meat for iron, zinc and vitamin B12.

Other than the content of your diet, dentists specializing in TMJ treatment also advise their patients to check the consistency of the food they eat on a regular basis. Softer foods are preferred over hard ones since overworking the jaw can add to the pain. Chewing gum and other chewy edibles such as candies should also be avoided to avoid stressing the jaw.

Besides watching your diet, there are also exercises designed for people suffering from TMJ. While diet and exercise alone cannot solve all TMJ-related problems, having them as a supplement to your TMJ treatment can expedite healing. In some serious case, it is advisable to seek the help of an expert apart from doing these exercises.

Most of these exercises can be performed at home. It would be wise to follow a strict TMJ exercise plan and take down notes for monitoring and evaluation purposes. The notes are also helpful during your visits to the dental clinic. You can readily answer questions related to your condition thereby helping your doctor find the appropriate treatment.

In doing TMJ exercises, make sure you place a mirror in front of you. Open and close your mouth slowly. When you have TMJ, you can easily notice that your jaw is not aligned. Repeat the opening and closing of your mouth for ten times to help the jaw re-learn how to open and closely correctly. Make repeated attempts at opening your mouth correctly.

To alleviate muscle pain due to TMJ, a different set of exercise is suggested. First, while facing a mirror, slowly open your mouth as wide as you can. Slowly close it. Repeat the opening and closing procedure. Repeating this step for at least 3 times a day can help you relieve your muscle pain.

If your jaw continues to click, close your mouth and move your tongue back then slowly open your mouth until your tongue moves away. Repeat this step twice. If you jaw shifts sideways, slowly open and close your mouth without shifting to the side. Repeat this step five times. If you want to ease the tension in your jaw, open your mouth downward and slowly close it.

Knee Pain and Stiffness - How You Can Be Pain Free With a Combination of Pilates & Physical Therapy

Are you using the handrail more and more often when you go down the stairs. Are your knees failing you?

More people are now seeing their doctors because of painful joints, muscles and tendons than for the common cold, and the knee joint is responsible for over 20 million doctor visits each year in the US alone. Your knee plays a major role in the chain of weight bearing in the leg. It has to respond to ground forces from below and the load of your body from above. It is a relatively simple joint, but it has to be ready to quickly react to force from the ground while balancing the load of the rest of the body at the same time. Your knee is at the mercy of what's going on in the joints directly above and below: the hip, pelvis, ankle and foot.

Although there are many reasons for knee pain (arthritis, meniscus and ligament damage for example), long term relief of knee pain has to start with an assessment of your whole structure. This assessment begins with your feet to see how they influence the alignment and forces at the knee. Any joint is only as good as its structure, and poor alignment in the feet and ankles has a negative influence on the knee, creating muscle imbalances and eventually pain and stiffness.

The hip joint also has a similar affect on the knee - poor mechanics and muscle imbalances in the hip creates problems for the knee. And because the socket of the hip joint is formed by the pelvis, it has to be aligned correctly too. In fact, when doing a full assessment of the knee, the whole body must be evaluated, since any structural imbalances in the body can affect the knee's ability to function.

The good news is that a well balanced Pilates-based Physical Therapy program addresses the whole body. Pilates is a recent addition to many Physical Therapy programs and is rapidly growing in popularity throughout the world. Combining Pilates with Physical Therapy will improve your body awareness, alignment, strength, flexibility and balance. You'll learn how to move with more efficiency and less pain.

At first, new and balanced movement habits feel weird and unfamiliar because they're foreign to your nervous system. Working with a skilled Pilates trained Physical Therapist will help you understand your own unique postural and movement habits and help you practice correct patterns effectively.

Here are a couple of things you can do right now to find out how your knees stack up:

1. Stand in shorts, barefoot in front of a full length mirror and look at your leg alignment. What do you see? Are there any funny angles between your hips and your knees? What about your feet? Do you have an arch on the inside of your foot? Can you see that your whole leg influences the alignment of your knee? This includes the alignment of your pelvis, since the pelvis is the top of your hip joint. Be aware that when you do any exercise "for your knees", you must also consider the rest of your body, especially the foot, ankle and hip.

2. While standing, imagine a line going through the center of your leg from your hip joint, through the center of your thigh, your knee joint, the center of your lower leg, ankle and out the 2nd toe. This is the ideal alignment for your leg. A word about your hip joint: did you know that your "hips" are not the wide bones of your pelvis, but the place where you crease when you bend your knee towards your chest? This is where your heel should line up when your foot hits the ground when walking. The hip joint itself is really quite narrow - about the same distance apart as your sits bones in the back.

3. When you stand, walk and exercise, the alignment of your whole leg affects which muscles you use to move. And the way you use your muscles strongly influences your alignment. Be very aware of keeping correct alignment from your pelvis to your foot - hip to 2nd toe - so that you create good balance around your knees. If you do exercises like squats and leg press, do you pay attention to your leg alignment? Your knee program will be far more effective if you do. Remember that pain is your body's way of telling you that something's not right, so if you can't modify your position to relieve the pain, skip the exercise. Remember also that not every "recommended" knee exercise is right for every knee - you need to find out what's right for your knees.

The point is that your knee pain is usually just a result of the alignment you set up from the ground (you feet and ankles) and the load you put on them from above (your hips, pelvis and trunk). Figure out how to de-stress your knee joints by changing your whole-body alignment and your knee pain and stiffness will resolve.

If you have knee pain and want to find out how to get relief, see a Pilates trained Physical Therapist who will assess your whole body, rather than looking only at your knees. A Pilates exercise program, with a home routine, is a great way to reduce pain and stiffness in your knees, and a 2nd pair of experienced eyes will help you sort out your unique imbalances. Then you'll know exactly what to do for YOUR knees.

How do you find a Pilates trained Physical Therapist? Many PT clinics now offer Pilates, and many Pilates centers employee Physical Therapists. Check your local PT clinics and Pilates centers. And make sure that your practitioner has completed a comprehensive Pilates training program.

Copyright © Park Meadows Pilates 2008

Instant Gout Pain Relief With Baking Soda

Looking for instant gout pain relief? Then you've come to the right place. Here, you'll discover how baking soda can bring almost immediate relief from gout pain without the need for drugs with their well-known side effects.

Baking soda can bring you more or less instant gout pain relief. And who would have suspected that something that many of us have lying in a kitchen cupboard could be such a potent weapon in the fight to get fast gout pain relief?

Not only can it act alone as an effective natural remedy for gout, but, baking soda can also help the effectiveness of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that you doctor usually prescribes to relieve the pain of your gout symptoms.

But even without drugs you can get almost instant, certainly fast, gout pain relief using baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) because of its several benefits such as:-

- an increase in body fluids that help your kidneys to flush uric acid out of your system
- improved uric acid solubility for easier excretion from the body
- dissolution of uric acid crystals to help reduce the pain

You need to add half of a teaspoon of baking soda to 8 ounces of water in a large glass. Drink a glass immediately before going to bed, and, first thing on getting up. Drink a further glass every 2 to 4 hours between meals. If need be, follow this routine daily until your symptoms disappear.

Be careful not to take more than 4 teaspoons of baking soda in any 24 hour period. And, because baking soda is very high in sodium you need to go on to a very low sodium diet, or better still, cut-out salt from your diet altogether.

Also, if you suffer from high blood pressure -- hypertension -- talk to your doctor before using this remedy. It is a good idea to talk to your doctor about this treatment in any case.

Many gout sufferers have experienced very fast gout pain relief with this method. But, there are a number of other things you have to consider in terms of getting rid of your gout. For example, your weight, diet, lifestyle, family history, etc.

And if you continue to suffer frequently recurring gout, there is a danger of permanent joint damage and kidney problems over time. Plus, of course, once having suffered a gout attack, you're now much more likely to have more.