Not everyone opens up about chronic pain. It takes enough courage to share the pain one feels. Lady Gaga, an American songwriter, singer, actress, philanthropist, dancer, and fashion designer, is among the few who recently shared her painful story in one of an interview with Arthritis Magazine.

Lady Gaga was in news for canceling a lot of shows complaining about agonizing and severe physical pain. Being a celebrity when people began to question about her condition considering it as publicity, the 33-year-old pop star revealed in the October issue of Vogue about her ongoing battle with fibromyalgia syndrome, a condition that affects the nervous system and causes pain throughout the body.

Although the causes of fibromyalgia remain unknown, Gaga links it to her traumatic event five years ago during the Born This Way Ball world tour in 2012 which abruptly ended in 2013 when she broke her hip while performing Atop so severely it was almost beyond repair.

When her MRI were done, it was revealed that there was a hole of about quarter a size in her hip and her cartilage was hanging out lose the other side of my hip. She also had a tear on the inside of her hip joint and a massive breakage. If she had continued with her show, she might have needed a full hip replacement surgery.

But, Gaga did not let hip pain stop her from continuing what she loves to do the most. In spite of suffering from Fibromyalgia, a chronic centralized pain sensitivity syndrome that causes long-lasting, head to toe pain in the muscles and joints, she did not let herself sulk into depression. She fought back with her confidence and her passion for music.

Inspired by her spirit, a behind-the-scenes Netflix documentary was released titled “Gaga: Five Foot Two,” where she shares everything about her five-year-long hip injury. She discusses how people with fibromyalgia are often taken lightly, thinking that the pain is all in their head. “People need to be more compassionate. Chronic pain is no joke. And it’s every day waking up not knowing how you’re going to feel.” she said.

Even after 5 years she still experiences severe pain from fibromyalgia and often deals with tension in the abdomen, shoulder, neck, muscles, and intestines, as it shoots through her entire body, from her toes to her face.

Hip Pain and FIbromyalgia

Hip pain is one of the many symptoms of fibromyalgia. But, there can be various hip pain causes responsible for the discomfort in the hip joint like sciatica, osteoarthritis, bursitis, tendinitis,  muscle strain or tear and just like Gaga’s, trauma or injury in it.

Hip Pain Remedies

Be it Fibromyalgia or any other hip pain causes; treatment is required timely to avert any further consequences. Medicines and steroids are helpful to some extent because as soon as their effect wears off, the pain resides. For which, practicing hip pain exercises is one of the recommended treatment methods for getting relief from hip pain.

But, nothing can match up to the physical therapy. As a part of it, electrotherapy has designed some best machines that can work wonders on any kind of pain. SONICTENS is one such pain management device that anyone can get started with it without any professional guidance. It is a combination of two most proven electrotherapies for pain relief – Ultrasound with TENS – into one compact and sleek device. The electrical impulses and its deep heating ability, together, increase the endorphin -the body’s natural painkiller in the body, thus accelerating the recovery process easily without any side-effects or pain.

While the other hip pain treatment methods such as hip pain stretches and exercises, one must continue doing along with electrotherapy for best results.

Although it may sound weird, our joints do have an odd connection with the weather. You might have heard your grandparents predicting the onset of monsoon when their joints start aching. You may laugh it out, but surprisingly they are right.

Arthritis and weather do have a lot to do with each other. As soon as the weather starts changing after the scorching heat of summer, even our joints start feeling different. And for someone having arthritis or any joint-related condition, cloudy weather is no less than a nightmare.

How does weather affect joints? How can joint aches indicate the arrival of monsoon? What is the science behind it? Let’s understand all.

Weather and Joint Pain 

During the rainy season, the old joint pains, injury pains, stiffness, and swelling, all flare up more than usual due to barometric pressure changes. Barometric pressure or the pressure of the air is the weight of the atmosphere that surrounds us.

When the pressure is higher, it prevents the tissues in our body from expanding, and when the weather becomes cold and humid, the pressure lowers causing the tissues to expand, forming a higher pressure on the joints. As the cartilage that cushions the joint wears out with time in people living with osteoarthritis, the sensory nerves called baroreceptors in their exposed bones pick up the changes in pressure and trigger joint pain.

Humidity and Arthritis 

Another reason why joint pain aggravates during the rainy season is because of high humidity. High levels of humidity cause sweating and dehydration, which in turn make blood thicker, increasing blood pressure in the blood vessels. Thus, our body has to make extra effort to pump blood throughout. They also decrease the concentration of fluid around the joints making it stiffer even to move around.

How to Overcome Weather-related Joint Pain?

Resting is good for joint pain but not too much. Move around indoors and practice strengthening and stretching exercises to make the muscles reliable and flexible and also to have the blood circulation keep going.

Drink plenty of water and stay hydrated as humidity can cause extreme dehydration.

Swimming is an excellent exercise for people living with arthritis. Loosen up your joint muscles by taking laps in an indoor pool.

Keep yourself warm. Take warm showers or baths, dress in layers during the day as cold weather conditions during the monsoon season can worsen joint conditions.

Give your joints a good warm oil massage. Combine olive oil with few crushed garlic and cloves, warm it up and massage on the affected area.

Have a nutritious diet and get enough sleep.

Give your joints physical therapy at home. Use the electrotherapy machines like SONICTENS or US111 to ease the pain and stiffness of your joints.

After the scorching heat of summer when the sky finally opens up, the excitement of rain can make anyone go crazy. Of course, the pour brings relief and makes everything fresh and lush, but it can also harm as well.

On one side, monsoon means a hot cup of chai, crispy pakoras, smell of soil, rich greens, while on another its diseases, dampness, frizzy hair, heavy loss, etc. Anyways, there are few simple tips to beat the monsoon blues out and take care of your skin, hair, health, and safety with the changing weather. Let’s take a look.

Monsoon hair care tips

We all love to drench, but it is our hair that suffers the after effects. Hair becomes moist because of humid weather and causes damp odor, frizziness, and hair fall. Hence, do the following as part of the monsoon hair care routine;

• Wash your hair with a mild shampoo whenever you get caught in the rain and let it dry.
• Apply shampoo gently and never skip the conditioner.
• Massage warm coconut oil and comb well for its even distribution on your scalp and hair.
• To get rid of the irritating scalp and dandruff massage with neem oil.
• Avoid coloring or using styling products on your hair.
• Avoid dryers and use dry towels to absorb the excess moistness from your hair.
• Stay hydrated to dehydrate your hair as they become brittle and breaks easily during the rainy season.

Monsoon skin care tips

Don’t think there is no dust, so your skin is safe. High humidity can damage skin more than the dust particles. Practice the following monsoon skin care routine to keep your skin soft and supple.

• Use soap-free cleansers, a good scrub, and an alcohol-free toner to keep your skin moist all the time.
• No sun, no sunscreen? Never do that. Continue applying sunscreen even if it is cloudy.
• Avoid wearing heavy makeup. Use a light waterproof makeup only if necessary.
• Apply a lotion- based serum to dehydrate and brighten your skin up.
• Skip bleaching and facials in monsoon season as they can make your skin rough.
• Take care of your chapped lips. Wash them properly at night and apply some milk cream. Avoid dark shades or lipsticks at all and apply coconut oil or lip balm instead.
• Pedicure and manicure are recommended to remove the dirt of rainwater.
• Wash your face, hands, and feet with lukewarm water as soon as you reach your home.

Monsoon health tips

Health must be your topmost priority during monsoon as the resistance of our body reduces naturally because of the common fungal, viral, and bacterial infections of the rainy season. Hence, do the following;

• Drink plenty of boiled water and stay hydrated.
• Wash all the fruits and vegetables, especially the leafy greens and cauliflower thoroughly as they are home for worms, larvae, and dirt from streets.
• Stay warm as viruses attack as soon as the body temperature cools down.
• Avoid eating raw fruits and salads as the possibility of getting caught by germs is much higher in them.
• Stay away from wet walls if you have asthma or diabetes as it could increase the growth of fungus.
• Include garlic, pepper, ginger, turmeric, jeera powder, and coriander in your diet for better digestion and sound immune system.
• Avoid walking barefoot. Keep your legs warm if you have arthritis or any joint conditions.
• Keep yourself and your surroundings clean. Avoid street food as they easily get affected by bacteria and fungi.
• Do not take any food straight away from the fridge.
• Avoid sleeping in the day time and exercise to stay fit and healthy.
• See a doctor if you feel feverish or have a cold.
• Wear rain wear or carry an umbrella to stay dry.

Sudden inflammatory pain on the back of the neck that can make one unable to move neck around which further make the shoulder and back hurt is no ordinary stress in the neck; it can be Trapezitis.

What is Trapezitis?

There is a large, flat, superficial muscle extending from the cervical to thoracic region on the back of the neck and trunk called trapezius muscle which when gets inflamed causes severe neck pain or neck spasm. Such a condition of neck stiffness, along with shoulder and upper back pain is called Trapezitis.

The trapezius muscle is responsible for the most crucial function of the body like lifting the head upwards and shrugging off the shoulder. They facilitate movement, rotation, and stabilization of the shoulder blade.

Usually, it takes between 3-5 days for the trapezitis pain to go away, but if not handled well can turn into a highly disabling condition. Although some significant reasons for trapezitis are long seated working hours on a computer or a bad posture, other causes of trapezitis are;

• Performing any activity/profession without moving your head or keeping head bend for a prolonged period
• Driving without a break for long distances
• Breastfeeding baby by bending the shoulder
• Weak neck muscles due to trauma, fall, blow or any health condition
• Holding a phone between ear and shoulder
• Carrying heavyweights
• Sleeping on your back/stomach with your head turned one side
• Sports activities with sudden one-sided movements

Symptoms of Trapezitis

• Episodes of chronic neck pain in short intervals
• Headaches on the temples/base of the skull
• Severe neck stiffness
• An inflamed or aching shoulder
• Limited range of motion
• Nerve compression followed by tingling, numbness, or weakness in the arms, hands, and fingers on the affected side.

Trapezitis Treatment Options

Take a break from whatever strenuous activity you are doing and give plenty of rest to relax the strained muscle fibers.

An ice pack or cold compress on the affected area for at least 10-15 minutes can reduce swelling and inflammation incredibly well.

Using warm coconut or olive oil give the affected area a good deep massage to prevent muscle spasms.

Avoid or use a pillow that makes the body comfortable and keeps the spine properly aligned with the neck.

Wear a cervical collar to not only reduce the trapezitis pain but also to prevent unnecessary movement of the neck. It is advisable to avoid using it for long, or the condition can worsen.

Perform breathing exercises such as yoga to improve posture and promote proper blood circulation in the area and make it a habit to practice daily to reduce the chances of recurrence.

Start with trapezius exercises at home to strengthen your weak neck muscles. Or stretch the stress out. While working, make sure to stretch in between to release the tension accumulated in your neck muscles. Turn your head slowly to the left and the right or the right, so it’s parallel with your shoulder. Bring back to the center and make the same motion to the left, and repeat alternatively. You can also do the same by tilting your head to the left, keeping your nose facing forward. Place your left hand over your ear and lightly apply pressure. Use your right hand to reach behind your back from underneath. Touch your shoulder blade to ensure you’re keeping it down and to the back. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the other side.

If nothing works, the best option is to go for physical therapy. Bring home the best electrotherapy device called SONICTENS and start treating trapezitis on your own. It is safe, free from side effects, 100% natural, non-invasive, and above all, easy to operate. Its electrical impulses will work on your affected area and release the stress from the trigger points, thereby reducing the pain, swelling, or inflammation associated with trapezitis.

Our back hurt due to various reasons like an injury, trauma or a condition but, did you know back pain can also be developed due to some of our carelessness?

Yes, it might be hard to believe, but we ourselves can be the reason for our back pain. Approximately 60% to 80% of us will get at least mild back pain at some time in our lives. Pain in the back joint is such that it can make one restless and cause difficulty in carrying out daily activities. So, let’s take a look at some common mistakes, avoiding which we can prevent developing or at least reduce back pain.

1. Bad Posture

At your job, while sitting at home, or anywhere, have you noticed your posture? It will be in hunched position most of the time, which is one of the major causes of back pain. Poor posture slowly and gradually can cause big damage to our back eventually leading to even anatomical changes in your spine.

Health Tip: Stay aware and correct your posture whenever you feel like you are slouching too much. Keep a reminder to make it a habit slowly. Use a comfortable chair and if necessary use a pillow as back support.

2. Long sitting

Desk job, long meetings, lunch break, commuting daily via vehicle, watching TV at home, playing video games, what we do in common in all these activities? Sitting. Long hours of sitting can even cause sciatica which can break your lower back from pain.

Health Tip: Take breaks every one or two hours. Walk around, talk to colleagues to lift off the stress from your back. Use standing desks or perform stretching exercises that can be done at your office desk.

3. Ignoring the symptoms

Each back pain is different. The type and duration of back pain differ according to the causes. It can be a sharp stabbing back pain or pain in the lower back or middle back pain. Ignoring back pain considering it will go away on its own is itself the biggest mistake. Never ignore your back pain symptoms. Don’t wait for it to become chronic.

Health Tip: Start with heat or ice therapy. If the pain persists start using electrotherapy machines like SONICTENS or Combo3 Plus which you can easily operate on your own and even take it to work.

4. Wrong exercises

Exercises are good for relieving back pain but extreme or wrong exercises can do more harm than good. Inform your gym instructor about your back condition who will then give you a lower back pain workout plan and teach you the safe way to do it to prevent you from developing lower back pain from working out. Sit-ups hurt lower back and if you have disc problem then avoid it completely as it will only make it worse. Also, never stretch your hamstring if you feel a tightness in it already.

Health Tip: If the pain is severe avoid going to the gym or practicing heavy workouts. Follow the instructions given at the gym and don’t overdo anything.

5. Skipping Warm-up

Exercising without a warm-up is a big no-no. Working out directly can put your joints, especially your back at risk. A warm-up prepares our muscles for the workout, skipping which can put a strain on them.

Health Tip: Warm-up hardly takes a minute. Never ever skip it. It’s fine to do one set of exercise less but always start with a warm-up.

Conclusion

Our back joint carries a lot of tasks every day and all we can do in return is take good care of it. A little effort in its care can save you from developing chronic back conditions which are extremely painful and in some cases permanent damage.

Today’s lifestyle is 9 hours of sitting in front of the computer and other hours on mobile and what we get out of it in the end? Neck and back pain.

There is nothing to blame but our sedentary lifestyle for all the aches and pains. Today, we have no time for anything healthy, be it taking a walk, eating or sleeping, but have time for browsing or scrolling things on computers, laptops or mobile. Sitting or lying, we are constantly into any of them so engrossed that we even forget to take a break or stretch a bit due to which it is our back and neck that suffer the most.

Due to ignorance and stressful schedule, the minor backache and pain in the back of the neck that you might be feeling sometimes can turn into chronic pain for a long time. But, there are solutions to every pain and discomfort and before discussing the treatments, here are the possible causes of neck and back pain.

• Poor posture
• Lack of muscle stretch
• Constant use of mobile and computer
• Disc herniation
• Sprains and strains
• Trauma or injury

Now, let’s see some simple yet effective neck and back pain home remedies that need a very less effort and time from your side.

1. Take a break

You might wonder how taking a break can be a remedy? Well, guess what, taking a break from your stressful schedule, stretching your muscles, moving around, and relaxing, all these can actually bring down the intensity of neck and back pain to an extent you cannot imagine as the muscles won’t get stiff and there will a good blood circulation as well. Remember, workloads can be postponed but health cannot.

2. Acupuncture

The old traditional Chinese treatment method, acupuncture involves the insertion of fine sterile needles into specific points that run along lines of energy called meridians. The energy, which the Chinese call “qi” (pronounced “chee”) flows in a healthy, harmonious body and when it gets stuck somewhere, we feel discomfort in that particular area. Hence, the purpose of inserting needles into the points is to break that knots and get the qi flowing again. Acupuncture works well for chronic pain as it goes deep into the issue.

3. Massage

Another excellent remedy for neck and back pain relief is a good, deep massage. Those stiff muscles and ligaments of your neck and back need a relaxation now and then and what can be better than a pair of hands of a professional masseur? Seek someone who knows the pressure points well so that backache and pain in the back of the neck, both goes away.

4. Exercise

The more you keep moving, the healthier you will be. Don’t just lie down because you have back or neck pain, it will only cause more stiffness. Exercise regularly. Practice neck and back pain exercise focusing on improving their strength, mobility and flexibility.

5. Ultrasound & TENS therapy

Why take two different treatments for neck and back pain when you can treat both using one device? Yes, SONICTENS, a Physiotherapy machine that is a combination of therapeutic ultrasound and TENS, is one compact and sleek device that can work on multiple painful conditions. They help the brain produce its own painkillers called endorphins which ultimately eliminates the nagging neck and back pain well and good, naturally without any side-effects.

Conclusion

No matter what treatment you opt for, neck and back pain will keep coming if you don’t make necessary changes in your habits and lifestyle like maintaining a good posture, keeping your neck and spine in an aligned position, adjusting the monitor height and keyboard placement to your level, limiting phone or laptop usage, stretching in between, moving around etc. After all, care today is healthy tomorrow.

Arthritis can affect any joint in the human body and each has its own way of causing pain and discomfort. Some cause inflammation, some tingling and numbness, while some restrict the range of motion. One such common type of arthritis is – Knee Osteoarthritis.

The second most common rheumatology problem, Osteoarthritis pain has a prevalence of 22% to 39% in India and is more common in women than men. It is a degenerative disease that can affect hands, neck, hips or spine but a majority of them have trouble with the knee joint, where its cartilage gradually starts to wear off, resulting in pain, inflammation and limited mobility.

The reasons for osteoarthritis in the knee can be due to various factors like over or repetitive use of muscles, an injury or trauma, overweight, genes, and age. If you think there is no way out of arthritis or the only way is medicines or surgery, then guess what, there are another simple, non-invasive and natural osteoarthritis treatment methods that can save you from a lifetime of side-effects.

1. Keep Moving

We understand it is painful to move around with OA but, studies show that physical activity keeps the muscles working and healthy for a long time. You don’t need to do any hardcore physical activity, a simple brisk walk is even enough. The point is, just keep moving. Staying sedentary or resting all day on the bed will only make your joints even stiffer and you may lose mobility forever. Keep them conditioned with some activity.

2. Weight Loss

Did you know it’s your knees that bear almost half of the weight of your body? So, you can imagine the amount of pressure it takes and being overweight doubles the pressure causing osteoarthritis in the knee joint. Excess weight can give a tough time to your weight-bearing joints such as your knees, spine, hips, ankles, and feet. Shedding weight will lift off the pressure from them and reduce the pain and discomfort of osteoarthritis remarkably well.

3. Seek Support

Support comes in two forms physical and mental. In the case of osteoarthritis knee, you need both. Use physical support like splints, braces, canes, and other aids and for emotional and mental support, talk to someone, your family, friends or someone close or see an expert for pain management tips. This will help you battle osteoarthritis even more strongly and get rid of it forever.

4. Low-impact Exercises

When we say exercise, don’t worry about heavyweight lifts as you can exercise even without that. There are certain low-impact exercises that will give your muscles a good workout without any struggle or strain. Like the resistance bands, aerobic workouts, running, jogging, cycling, swimming etc. Swimming is highly recommended because water relieves pressure on your joints and affords you the full range of motion you might not enjoy with other exercises. Or best, focus on osteoarthritis exercises for the knee for faster recovery.

5. Electrotherapy

A part of physical therapy, electrotherapy involves the use of treatment modalities that work on the root cause of your pain and eliminate it once and forever without any side-effects. Its therapeutic ultrasound and TENS therapy that comes in one combined device named SONICTENS is such a handy and easy-to-operate device that beats the effect of other osteoarthritis home remedies.

Conclusion

Osteoarthritis is indeed a painful condition but you can outlive it easily with the above treatment methods. Other than that, you can have an osteoarthritis diet in which you must include foods rich in vitamin C, omega-3 fatty acids that are found in fish and fish oil, nutritious fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and lean meats such as turkey and pork tenderloin. Beans, flaxseeds, walnuts, green leafy vegetable are good to combat inflammation of knee osteoarthritis.

“I am working out, so I don’t need to do anything. I am fit.” Well, if you too are following the same then guess what, it is a wrong belief. Working out an hour in the gym will never make up to the 9 hours of sitting you do a job.

Sitting for long hours is a slow poison for your body. It slowly is damaging your joints and overall health inch by inch daily without even your awareness. You may say your job has a lot of fields work and hence there is a lot of moving so you are safe. Unfortunately no, sitting doesn’t only involve a desk job, it can be any sedentary activity like watching television, working on the computer at home, or playing games on laptop or smartphones etc.

If you are wondering how can sitting which means resting to you can do harm to your health then, here are the damages long hours of sitting can do;

1. Weight gain
2. Chronic back pain
3. Stiff shoulder, neck and hips
4. Heart diseases
5. Anxiety and depression
6. Short life span
7. Dementia
8. Sciatica
9. High blood pressure and cholesterol
10. High diabetes and cancer risk
11. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
12. Weak leg and glutes
13. Varicose veins

Why working out in a gym can’t counter long sitting hours?

Whatever exercise you do for an hour at your gym, can never cope with the sitting you do the whole day. It undoes all your effort. Due to long hours of sitting, the electrical activity in the leg muscles shuts off and whatever number of calories you had burned at the gym, drops to one per minute, and the enzyme production that assists in breaking down fat drops by 90%. Also, after two hours of long sitting, the good cholesterol drops by 20% which is why cardiovascular disease is common among deskbound workers.

How to break the long sitting habit?

Of course, you can’t leave your job just because it is unhealthy to sit for long hours but, you can always make the sitting healthier by practicing the following;

• Stand as much as you can. If possible stand and work and also conduct your meetings and tea breaks while doing so.

• Avoid sending internal emails or using chat options. Get up and talk to your colleague in person. Doing so, will keep you and your internal relations healthy.

• Say no to lifts. Use stairs, try to walk as much as possible as park your vehicle a bit far away so that you walk to your office.

• If you keep on forgetting to get up and move in between, keep alarms. It will remind you to take a break from a long sitting position.

• Make use of your lunch break well. Rather than sitting and gossiping or checking out mobiles. Take a walk. Breath fresh air and relax.

• Stay hydrated. Dehydration can also cause your joints to ache and become stiff and due to constant sitting on computers, we often forget to sip water. Keep a bottle with you to make sure you get enough water for your body.

• After reaching home, don’t become a couch potato. Yes, you can relax a bit but avoid sitting again on your laptop or in front of the TV. Do your chores, play with your kid, engage yourself in some physical activity.

• Keep an electrotherapy machine like SONICTENS always with you which is extremely lightweight, portable and very much effective in treating all kinds of joint pain. Its electric impulses will stimulate the blood flow shooing away the stiffness and numbness from your joints.

Or the minimum you can do at least is to stretch. You can always take a stretch while at work as it requires no effort of time. You can check out our 5 easy desk-based stretches to ease your back pain due to sitting too long.

Today’s lifestyle is 9 hours of sitting in front of the computer and other hours on mobile and what we get out of it in the end? Neck and back pain.

There is nothing to blame but our sedentary lifestyle for all the aches and pains. Today, we have no time for anything healthy, be it taking a walk, eating or sleeping, but have time for browsing or scrolling things on computers, laptops or mobile. Sitting or lying, we are constantly into any of them so engrossed that we even forget to take a break or stretch a bit due to which it is our back and neck that suffer the most.

Due to ignorance and stressful schedule, the minor backache and pain in the back of the neck that you might be feeling sometimes can turn into chronic pain for a long time. But, there are solutions to every pain and discomfort and before discussing the treatments, here are the possible causes of neck and back pain.

• Poor posture
• Lack of muscle stretch
• Constant use of mobile and computer
• Disc herniation
• Sprains and strains
• Trauma or injury

Now, let’s see some simple yet effective neck and back pain home remedies that need a very less effort and time from your side.

1. Take a break

You might wonder how taking a break can be a remedy? Well, guess what, taking a break from your stressful schedule, stretching your muscles, moving around, and relaxing, all these can actually bring down the intensity of neck and back pain to an extent you cannot imagine as the muscles won’t get stiff and there will a good blood circulation as well. Remember, workloads can be postponed but health cannot.

2. Acupuncture

The old traditional Chinese treatment method, acupuncture involves the insertion of fine sterile needles into specific points that run along lines of energy called meridians. The energy, which the Chinese call “qi” (pronounced “chee”) flows in a healthy, harmonious body and when it gets stuck somewhere, we feel discomfort in that particular area. Hence, the purpose of inserting needles into the points is to break that knots and get the qi flowing again. Acupuncture works well for chronic pain as it goes deep into the issue.

3. Massage

Another excellent remedy for neck and back pain relief is a good, deep massage. Those stiff muscles and ligaments of your neck and back need a relaxation now and then and what can be better than a pair of hands of a professional masseur? Seek someone who knows the pressure points well so that backache and pain in the back of the neck, both goes away.

4. Exercise

The more you keep moving, the healthier you will be. Don’t just lie down because you have back or neck pain, it will only cause more stiffness. Exercise regularly. Practice neck and back pain exercise focusing on improving their strength, mobility and flexibility.

5. Ultrasound & TENS therapy

Why take two different treatments for neck and back pain when you can treat both using one device? Yes, SONICTENS, an electrotherapy machine that is a combination of therapeutic ultrasound and TENS unit, is one compact and sleek device that can work on multiple painful conditions. They help the brain produce its own painkillers called endorphins which ultimately eliminates the nagging neck and back pain well and good, naturally without any side effects.

Conclusion

No matter what treatment you opt for, neck and back pain will keep coming if you don’t make necessary changes in your habits and lifestyle like maintaining a good posture, keeping your neck and spine in an aligned position, adjusting the monitor height and keyboard placement to your level, limiting phone or laptop usage, stretching in between, moving around etc. After all, care today is healthy tomorrow.

Our knee joint being one of the complex joints in the human body, the pain and discomfort felt in it can vary a lot. You may have felt an achy pain in the back of your knee many times and taken it lightly because for us, knee pain is only one.

Our knee is one of the most injury-prone joints. It is a complicated mix of bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons that can break, strain or tear which is enough for a persistent knee pain to develop. So then, why does the back of the knee hurt? What can be done about it? Let’s understand all.

Causes of pain behind the knee

Behind knee pain (also known as posterior knee pain) is a common form of ache that people experience from time to time. It may heal on its own or can turn chronic if not taken care of. For that, you got to understand the pain first. Try to figure out the point on the back of your knee from where the pain exactly is coming from? Watch out for blood clots, clicking sound, lump, numbness and weakness in the leg, fevers and redness associated with swelling as the symptoms of each condition are different. Following are the possible reasons why the back of your knee hurts.

1. Leg Cramps

Overuse of muscles without being stretched make them tight, which causes cramp. The thigh or the calf muscles near the knee are the areas where cramp occurs the most. Leg cramps can also be due to dehydration, infection, nerve problems, and pregnancy. It is a sudden, painful spasm of the muscle which lasts for a few seconds or minutes and after it resides the muscle become sore for a few hours. Gentle stretching and massaging the leg muscle or placing heat pad can help reduce the pain and soreness.

2. Meniscus Tear

Each of our knees has 2 menisci – horseshoe-shaped pieces of cartilage that cushion and stabilizes the knee joint. A sudden trauma on a knee, fall or twist can cause the posterior portion of the meniscus to tear, inducing pain all over the back of the knee. Some may even feel a “pop” along with pain, stiffness, fatigue, and locking of the knee. Rest, ice, compress and elevation of the affected knee can help alleviate the symptoms and allow it to heal faster.

3. Arthritis and Gout

The natural wear and tear of the cartilage of the knee joint can cause pain in the back of the knee which is called Osteoarthritis which is a degenerative disease and is common among people. Even autoimmune diseases, such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory arthritis like gout, can cause pain behind the knee. The symptoms include loss of motion or difficulty bending the knee, inflammation, stiffness, fatigue etc. Exercises, hot and cold therapy, active life all these help in managing the arthritis pain.

4. Baker’s Cyst

A swollen lump or a pocket of fluid that builds up in the back of the knee, leading to pain and swelling is Baker’s cysts. The synovial fluid that acts as a lubricant for knee joint when is produced in a large amount, builds up and forms a cyst. As the cyst grows, it shifts to the surrounding muscles or put pressure on tendons and nerves, and when it bursts, the pain becomes unbearable. Physical therapy can help heal Baker’s Cyst.

5. Hamstring Tendonitis

While walking, running or doing sudden movements, stiffness of sharp pain that is felt behind the knees eventually subsides a few minutes and comes back indicates that you may have tendonitis in your hamstring. Athletes are more prone to develop this. Due to the overuse and repetitive motion of hamstring muscles, a strain or cramp occurs commonly and ultimately develops into tendonitis. Hamstring exercises, knee braces etc. may help.

There are even other causes of pain in the knee joint like the Jumper’s Knee, Ligament Injury (ACL or PCL), Deep vein thrombosis (DVT), trauma etc. Whatever the reason may be, although the above-mentioned remedies like hot and cold therapy, R.I.C.E, exercises etc. may help, chances are you may feel pain in the back of the knee again. Hence, to treat your knees without any surgery or side effects, you need one effective and permanent solution – Electrotherapy. Devices like SONICTENS or Combo3 Plus are designed specially to help you with any kind of knee conditions, pain-free and naturally.