woman testing blood sugar

How to Manage Your Diabetes

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes mellitus, better known as simply “diabetes”, is a metabolic disease that causes high blood sugar. The disease comes in several forms but the two most common are diabetes type 1 and diabetes type 2. Type 1 is an autoimmune disease where your immune system attacks your pancreas. Type 2 occurs when your body becomes more resistant to insulin, causing sugar to build up in your blood.

Simple Ways to Manage Your Diabetes

One factor that differentiates diabetes from many other diseases is how extensively it can be controlled through lifestyle adjustments. When you’re living with diabetes, you have the real power to minimize its impact. Even small changes can make serious improvements to your quality of life.

Since the disease is affected by many different aspects of your lifestyle, there are a lot of options when it comes to managing diabetes. It’s always a good idea to learn what those options are so you can find the ones that work best for you.

Improve Your Eating Habits

It should go without saying that an important part of diabetes management is your diet. If you haven’t already started, you should create a healthy eating plan with the help of a nutritionist or other health care provider, and then try your best to stick to it. The plan should include recommendations on portion sizes as well as what types of food to eat.

Here are some quick tips to remember: 

  • Use meal planning to ensure all your meals have a good balance of starches, proteins and fats. 
  • Go for fruits, vegetables and whole grains as much as possible, as these low-carb foods provide fibre to help stabilize your blood sugar levels.
  • Drink less sugar-sweetened beverages. Soda and juices have a lot of empty calories, and can rapidly increase your blood sugar levels. Making a habit of drinking more water can help you avoid them.

Get More Exercise

Exercise helps control diabetes in a number of ways. It lowers your blood sugar, decreases your body’s resistance to insulin, and improves heart health. It can also help you lose weight, improve your circulation, lower the risk of many diabetes-related issues.

Whether it’s aerobics or strength training, any physical activity can help. The most important part is discussing your exercise plan with a health care provider and making it part of your regular schedule. 

Important tips to keep in mind:

  • Dehydration can impact your blood sugar levels, so make sure you drink lots of water while exercising.
  • Keep a close eye on your blood sugar when starting a new exercise plan. If the activity or intensity level is new to you, it can sometimes lower your blood sugar the following day.
  • Take care of your feet. If you’ve been dealing with circulation issues, you may be at risk of foot injuries like ulcers. Proper footwear like custom orthotics can help you protect your feet while exercising.
  • Quitting smoking makes exercising easier, and is one of the best ways to improve your cardiovascular health.

 Monitor Your Blood Sugar Level

Blood sugar testing is an essential part of managing diabetes. Not only will it help guide your treatment, but it also helps ensure you stay within safe limits. Some of the benefits it offers include:

  • Helps you judge how well you’re meeting your goals
  • Helps you see how exercise and eating habits affect your blood glucose levels
  • Lets you know when your levels are too high or too low

Use Stress Management Techniques

Stress affects blood sugar in several ways. For one, it triggers a hormone response in your body that can raise blood sugar levels. On top of that, when you’re feeling overwhelmed by stress, you might find it hard to stick to your diabetes management plan.

Here are some quick tips to help you cope with stress:

  • Start monitoring and recording your mood when you check your blood sugar levels. This can help you see the impact stress is having on you. If you notice a pattern, it can help you identify the triggers for your stress, so you can manage it in the future.
  • Get some help learning relaxation techniques. Health care providers can teach you about the different methods and help you find the ones that work best for you.

Get Educated

Diabetes treatment and management can be complicated. It involves a lot of planning around many different aspects of your life. This is why diabetes education programs can be very useful. They can help you understand exactly how the disease impacts you, and the best ways for you to minimize those impacts.

Remember: You Have The Power

Making changes to your lifestyle can take some real effort. When you have a long-standing bad habit, it can be hard to break the cycle. If you take the steps to manage your diabetes early on, eventually you will begin seeing improvements to your health, which can be a great motivator.

Remember that you have the power to control your diabetes. By sticking with your diabetes management plan, you’ll be surprised at how quickly you can start enjoying better health and quality of life.

As a final note, be sure to speak to your doctor for advice if you need help with diabetes in pregnancy, diabetes in children, or if you develop any diabetes complications.

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How to get rid of varicose veins

Varicose Veins – More than Just Unsightly

Varicose veins are more than a cosmetic issue. For many people, varicose veins are the source of pain, skin damage, and serious health complications.

Whether you are dealing with painful veins, or just want to prevent these issues before they occur, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s some info on what causes varicose veins and how to avoid them.

What Causes Varicose Veins?

Varicose veins are veins that have become enlarged and twisted. Any vein near the skin can become varicosed, but it most often affects leg veins. One reason for that is the veins in your lower body have to fight gravity to make blood flow back up to your heart.

Your circulatory system has many one-way valves that keep blood flowing in the proper direction. When there’s an issue with those valves, it can allow blood to flow the wrong way down your leg veins. The blood then begins pooling in the veins causing enlargement and swelling.

According to the Canadian Society for Vascular Surgery, 20% of adults have varicose veins. The issue often begins spontaneously, but there are a number of risk factors that determine how likely it is to happen to you. They include:

  • Ageing: Normal wear and tear increases your risk as you get older
  • Gender: Women are at a higher risk than men due to hormonal differences
  • Genetics: A family history of varicose veins increases your risk
  • Being overweight: Increases your risk by adding pressure on your veins
  • Sitting or standing for long periods: Increases chances by reducing blood flow
  • Pregnancy: Increases your risk through hormones and increased volume of blood

Complications

When varicose veins are allowed to progress unchecked, they can become much worse. In some cases, they can lead to serious issues. The possible complications include:

Chronic pain

Varicose veins can cause chronic pain and discomfort, and it can range from mild to severe. The pain is sometimes described as localized pain, an ache, a feeling of heaviness, itchiness, or a burning sensation.

Bleeding

Varicose veins near the surface of the skin will sometimes burst and bleed. However, it usually only causes minor bleeding.

Blood clots

Typically, it’s only the veins near the surface of the skin that become varicosed. That’s why they can lead to superficial blood clots (also known as superficial thrombophlebitis). While they’re not as dangerous as blood clots that form in deeper veins, they can still cause leg swelling, pain, redness, and tenderness

In severe cases, clots can form in deeper veins—also known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). That type of clot can be life-threatening as there’s a chance it could travel from your leg to your lungs and cause a pulmonary embolism. 

Ulcers

Varicose veins can lead to ulcers on the lower leg. This is because the blood that pools in the veins will gradually build pressure on the skin and create an open sore. These wounds most often appear around the ankle or on the side of the lower leg. They are slow to heal and have a tendency to return.

If you think you have an ulcer, you should see a doctor. Without proper treatment, these ulcers can grow larger and lead to other issues in your legs.

Prevention and Treatment

Here are a few tips to help you avoid some of the problems that varicose veins can bring. These methods can work for both preventing and helping to heal varicose veins. 

Compression socks and stockings 

Compression socks and stockings are considered one of the best initial treatments for varicose veins. They provide pressure that improves the flow of blood back up to your heart, reduces swelling, relieves symptoms, and reduces the risk for complications. You can also get compression socks and stockings custom made to ensure they provide the perfect amount of pressure in the specific areas that it’s needed.

Exercise

Getting more exercise can help in a number of ways:

  1. Aerobic exercise will improve your cardiovascular health, improving blood flow.
  2. Exercises that strengthen your leg muscles will make those muscles more efficient at moving blood.
  3. Regular exercise will help you achieve a healthier weight which takes the pressure off your veins and further reduces your risk. 

Simple tips

Here are some final tips that are easy to practice. Although they are simple, they help you reduce your risks for varicose veins. 

  • Avoid sitting or standing still for long periods. Try to break up those periods by taking short breaks to change position.
  • Elevate your legs when possible to improve blood flow.
  • Avoid high heels as they limit the action of a leg muscle that pumps blood back towards the heart.
woman getting better sleep

How to get a better sleep at night

If you have trouble getting a good night’s sleep, you’re not alone. Whether it’s that you don’t feel sleepy at night, you have trouble staying asleep, or you don’t feel rested in the morning, sleep problems are a common issue.

Luckily, there are many simple measures you can take to improve your sleeping habits and get better quality sleep.

Set a Sleep Schedule and Stick to It

Your body tries to anticipate when you’re going to sleep and begins the process as your bedtime approaches. For example, it releases melatonin, which helps you fall asleep. Having an irregular sleep schedule means you won’t be able to take full advantage of these processes. So try to keep to your regular sleep and wake times, even on weekends.

Exercise Regularly

Vigorous exercise is best, but any physical activity can help you use up energy during the day so you can rest better at night.

Do Something Relaxing Before Bed

Find a calming activity that you can add to your bedtime routine. For example,  reading, listening to relaxing music, meditating, practicing gentle yoga or taking a bath.

Avoid Taking Naps, Especially in the Afternoon

A nice nap may feel refreshing, but studies show that daytime napping leads to worse nighttime sleep. So if you’re having trouble sleeping at night, you should save your sleep for bedtime. 

Use The Right Mattress and Pillow

If you’ve had your mattress for too long, it might not be providing proper support, so check if it’s time for a replacement. Most good quality mattresses have a life expectancy of about 10 years.

There are a variety of specially-designed pillows that may help you sleep better, such as cervical neck pillows designed to keep your head and neck properly positioned.  

Pay Attention to What You Eat and Drink

While you probably know to avoid caffeine right before bed, it might surprise you that research shows that drinking coffee up to six hours before bed can impact your sleep.

You should also avoid eating large meals for 2-3 hours before bed, and avoid alcohol and cigarettes, as they can also disrupt sleep.

Avoid Bright Light Before Bed

Being exposed to bright light can trick your brain into thinking it’s daytime. It throws your internal clock (also known as the circadian rhythm) out of whack.  So looking at the bright screen of a TV, computer, or phone before bed will make it harder for you to fall asleep.

If you have trouble avoiding those electronics before bed, there are screen dimmer apps that can help. They can automatically adjust your phone or computer screen, so that as your bedtime approaches, the light gets gradually shifted towards the red end of the spectrum. This helps minimize the effects on your sleep because red light is the least disruptive to your internal clock.

Get More Bright Light During the Day

Being exposed to bright light during the day can help your internal clock stay in sync, which will help you feel more energized during the day and sleep better at night.

Put it into Practice

These sleeping tips should give you some options when it comes to improving your sleep habits. So try a few of them out to find what works best for you and enjoy a good night’s sleep!

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Six Surprising Remedies for Headaches

Reduce Headache Symptoms With These Lesser-Known Solutions

There are several different types of headaches, and they have a range of possible causes. Tension headaches are the most common type, but there are also sinus headaches, migraine headaches, cluster headaches, and more.

No matter what type of headache you have, you may be searching for ways to relieve the pain. You probably know some of the common home remedies for dealing with headaches, like dimming the lights or putting a cold pack on your forehead. 

But if you’ve tried the classic methods and are still looking for relief, here are some headache remedies that might surprise you.

 

Spit Out Your Chewing Gum

Research has found that chewing gum can cause tension headaches and migraines. That’s because excessive chewing can cause stress to the temporomandibular joint, or TMJ. Dysfunction in the TMJ is a known cause of headaches. Therefore, you may want to consider ditching the gum.

Take Off Your Hat

Compression headaches can be caused by pressure on the head and scalp. They can also result from wearing a hat that is too tight, as well as:

  • Headbands
  • Sports helmets
  • Hard hats
  • Swim goggles
  • Having your hair in a tight ponytail

Try taking off your hat, letting your hair down, or ensuring your headgear fits properly.

Avoid Certain Foods

There are a number of foods that can trigger headaches. They include foods that are high in histamine, such as:

  • Aged cheeses
  • Beer
  • Wine
  • Fermented food
  • Cured meats
  • Smoked fish

In addition, foods that contain nitrates and nitrites can also be a culprit. They include:

  • Bacon
  • Sausages
  • Hot dogs
  • Other processed meats 

If you’re getting frequent headaches, put some more thought into your diet or consider speaking to a nutritionist.

Get Some Fresh Air

Strong smells can trigger headaches in some people. Perfumes, cleaning products, cigarette smoke, and foods with strong smells are common causes.

Sensitivity to odours is common in people who suffer from migraines. Therefore, If you feel a headache coming on, try getting some fresh air.

Drink More Water

A common cause for tension headaches and migraines is chronic dehydration. Drinking a glass of water can provide headache relief pretty quickly. Studies have shown that drinking some water can sometimes relieve headache symptoms within 30 minutes.

Take Some Ginger

Ginger supplements, ginger root, or even ginger tea can help cure a headache. One study showed that ginger was just as effective as conventional headache medications, with fewer side effects.

Other Remedies

If you’re still looking for more ideas, here’s a list of other headache remedies to try:

  • Try yoga or other relaxation techniques
  • Get more sleep
  • Exercise regularly
  • Get some caffeine
  • For tension headaches, put a heating pad on the back of the head and neck
  • Get a massage
  • Visit an acupuncturist

FAQ's

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How to Avoid the Most Common Sports Injuries

From Shin Splints to ACL Injuries, Here are Some of The Most Common Sports Injuries and What to Do About Them

When you get injured playing sports, it can be a very discouraging experience. Not only does it sideline you from the game, but it may get in the way of your regular daily activities. If the injury is bad enough, you might be unable to work or even walk until the injury heals.

But you shouldn’t let the possibility of an injury get in the way of staying active. Sports are a great choice when it comes to fitting more physical activity into your life, and can help you stay motivated about improving your fitness.

To help you stay on the field and avoid injuries, let’s go over some of the most common sports injuries, how to spot them, and how to prevent them before they happen.

Common Sports Injuries

Tennis Elbow or Golfer’s Elbow

Both tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow are overuse injuries. They occur when the tendons in your arm get over stressed and tiny tears form in the tissue causing pain, weakness, and stiffness. 

Despite the names of these injuries, they can be caused by any activity that involves repeated use of the arm and wrist. Where they differ is that tennis elbow causes pain on the outside of the elbow, and golfer’s elbow causes pain on the inside of the elbow.

ACL Tear or Strain

The ACL is one of the major ligaments in your knee, and can sometimes get injured by excessive stress such as in sports that involve sudden changes in direction, jumping, and landing.

If you experience an ACL injury, you may hear or feel a “pop” in the knee followed by severe pain, rapid swelling, and loss of range of motion. You may also feel the knee giving way when you try to put weight on it.

Shin Splints

Shin splints are caused by repetitive stress on the connective tissues around your shinbone. It can result when you start playing a new sport, or intensify your training too quickly. This injury causes pain along the shinbone and may cause some mild leg swelling.

Runner’s Knee

Runner’s knee can describe a number of conditions that cause pain around your kneecap. It typically involves irritation of the soft tissues or worn cartilage in the knee. As the name suggests, it is common among runners, but can also be caused by any activity that puts repetitive stress on the knee. 

Hamstring Strain

The hamstring is made up of three muscles behind the knee. Hamstring injuries can range from a mild strain to a complete tear of the muscle. These injuries can be caused by fatigue, lack of a warmup, or improper running technique. It causes sudden pain in the back of the thigh and lower buttock and may cause some bruising.

How to Prevent Injuries

Now that you know some of the basics about what injuries to look out for and how to spot them, here are some tips on how to prevent those injuries before they happen. These preventative measures also apply to many other types of sports injuries.

Warm-up

This is the most important thing you can do to prevent sports injuries. Taking the time to stretch and warm-up before athletics helps prepare your body for the stresses it’s about to face. It increases blood flow to your muscles, loosens your joints, and improves flexibility. In addition to preventing injuries, it can also help with your athletic performance. 

Wear Proper Shoes

Having the right footwear is another important part of preventing injuries. During athletics, your shoes provide cushioning and support that helps you move more efficiently and take some of the stress off your joints.

Ensure you replace your athletic shoes before they get too worn out.

For added support, consider using orthotic inserts or orthotic shoes. They can be custom designed to provide the perfect amount of support and correct imperfections in the way you move. 

Gradually Increase Intensity

Whenever you start playing a new sport or up the intensity of an exercise, it brings some risk of injury. That’s because you put your body under stress that it’s not properly prepared for. 

Take it slow when you’re trying something new. For example, a rule of thumb for distance running is to gradually increase your distance by no more than 10 percent a week.

FAQ's

DiabeticNeuro

What’s Causing My Toes to Become Numb?

What causes numbness in toes

If you’re dealing with numbness in your toes, it can really get you down. It may make it difficult to stay active, cause you to trip and fall, or even make it painful to just walk around.

If foot pain or numbness makes you change the way you walk, it can cause issues like knee pain or back pain. In addition, the loss of feeling can result in foot injuries you might not be aware of.

Sometimes toe numbness can go away on its own. In other cases, it’s a symptom of a serious health condition. Here’s what you need to know about the possible causes of toe numbness and what to do about it.

What is Toe Numbness?

Toe numbness describes the loss of feeling in your toes, but it can also involve some related symptoms such as:

  • Tingling
  • Burning
  • A pins-and-needles sensation

The symptoms can sometimes extend upwards to the foot and leg as well. And it may only affect one side of your body or both.

What Causes Numbness in Feet and Toes?

A wide variety of health conditions can cause numbness in feet and toes. The most common causes include:

How is Numbness in Toes Diagnosed?

To start diagnosing the cause of your toe numbness, your doctor will speak with you about your medical history and symptoms. Afterwards, you’ll receive a physical examination. This may include testing your sense of feeling in your feet, such as checking your ability to sense temperature.

Depending on what they find, they may use diagnostic tools like MRI and CT scans to check for conditions such as spinal issues or a stroke.

Nerve conduction studies may also be used to check for pinched nerves. This test uses an electric current passing through the nerves to check if the nerve signals are being transmitted normally. 

Treating Chronic Foot Numbness

If your toe numbness doesn’t go away on its own and sticks around for several months, it’s referred to as chronic. There are a number of options for treating chronic foot numbness.

The appropriate treatment will depend on the underlying cause for your toe numbness. But there are also some things you can do to relieve the symptoms and reduce the risk of developing cuts and sores.

  • Wearing soft, thick socks, such as diabetic socks
  • Wearing well-fitting shoes or custom orthotics
  • Checking your feet daily for cuts (use a handheld mirror to check the bottoms of your feet)

FAQs About Numbness in Toes

How do I get rid of numbness in my toes?

There are a number of remedies that can help reduce numbness in your toes, including getting better footwear or custom orthotics. But to actually get rid of the numbness for good, you should see a doctor for help identifying the cause.

Is numbness in toes dangerous?

No, having numbness in your toes is not considered dangerous. However, it is sometimes a symptom of a serious condition, so its a good idea to get it checked out. The only real direct danger that comes from numb toes is the risk of falling due to being unable to feel the ground with your feet, and the risk of developing wounds on your feet.

Will numbness in toes go away?

It depends on the cause and the particular case. In some cases, numbness in toes will go away on its own. In other cases, it will go away and return periodically. And sometimes, it sticks around for good and requires treatment to get any improvement. So if you’ve tried simple remedies (like ensuring you have proper shoes) but your toe numbness remains, you should consider getting it checked out.

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Sprain vs Strain: What’s the Difference?

Sprain vs Strain which is worse

Sprains and strains are two types of injuries that can affect the soft tissues in your body. They share a number of symptoms, but there are also a few important differences.

The main one is that they affect different soft tissues:

  • Sprains affect ligaments around your joints, which are the bands of tissue that connect your bones to other bones and cartilage.
  • Strains affect muscles or tendons, which are the cords of tissue that connect muscles to bones. 

To help you tell these two injuries apart, get to the bottom of which one you have, and find out how to treat it, let’s take a closer look at sprains vs strains.

What are the Symptoms of Sprains and Strains?

Symptoms of Sprains

Sprains typically occur due to falling, twisting, or other force that causes a joint to move out of its normal range of motion. Some signs of a sprain can include:

  • Commonly occurs in joints such as the wrists, ankles or knees
  • Pain
  • Swelling
  • Limited movement
  • A popping sensation when the injury occurred
  • Bruising around the joint

Symptoms of Strains

Strains can occur either suddenly or gradually over time. They can be caused by things like running, jumping, or lifting a heavy object. The common symptoms of strains include:

  • Commonly occurs in the legs, back, or feet
  • Pain
  • Swelling
  • Limited movement
  • Muscle spasms
  • Muscle weakness

Sprain vs Strain: Which is Worse?

As you can see from the symptoms above, sprains and strains are quite similar. In addition, many of the same treatments are used to heal both issues. 

Neither of these injuries is necessarily worse than the other. What’s important is the severity of the injury. That’s because both sprains and strains can range from mild to severe. In mild cases, your soft tissues may be overstretched or twisted, while in severe cases these tissues can be completely torn.

Mild sprains and strains can heal in as little as two days and are often treated with rest and ice packs. However, severe cases can take months to recover from and may require treatment such as physiotherapy or even surgery.

When to See a Doctor

There are a few symptoms to look for that are signs that your strain or sprain is not likely to heal on its own and will require treatment:

  • The pain and swelling increases over time
  • Difficulty standing or walking without pain
  • Limited movement
  • Numbness
  • Fever
  • A deformity of the joint

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should see a doctor. Treatments such as physiotherapy can speed up your recovery, reduce the risk for complications, and keep the problem from coming back. 

Prevention of Sprains and Strains

There are a number of measures you can take to reduce your risk for these injuries:

Sprain vs Strain FAQs

How long does it take for a sprain or strain to heal?

It depends on the severity of the injury. It can take as little as a couple of days up to several months. But getting treatment such as physiotherapy can speed up your healing time, increase the likelihood of a full recovery, and prevent the injury from reoccurring.

Do sprains heal on their own?

Mild sprains can heal on their own with simple rest. For moderate to severe cases, treatment may be required. The treatment may be as simple as getting an exercise plan from a physiotherapist, or in the most severe cases, surgery may be required.

Is it OK to walk on a sprained ankle?

The primary treatment for mild sprains is rest, so you should avoid walking on a sprained ankle if possible, especially during the first 24-48 hours. If you can’t avoid walking, you should consider protecting the injury with an ankle brace.

After 48 hours, and if any swelling has subsided, you can start gradually putting weight on the ankle again.

heel-spurs

Dealing With Chronic Heel Pain? Here Are Some Ways You Can Get The Pain Under Control

Chronic heel pain

Heel pain can interfere with your ability to exercise or even just get around. If it doesn’t go away on its own, you may need professional treatment to deal with it.

There are a number of possible causes and even more options for treatment. Here is what you need to know about what causes heel pain and how to manage it.

Chronic Heel Pain Causes

One of the most common causes of heel pain is plantar fasciitis. This is an inflammation of the tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot. One way to help identify it is that the heel pain will be on the bottom of the heel and tends to be at its worst during your first few steps in the morning.

Another common cause of heel pain is Achilles tendinitis. This condition involves inflammation of the Achilles tendon, which runs down your lower leg to your heel. Similar to plantar fasciitis, the pain tends to be at its worst in the morning, but the pain will focus on the back of the heel.

Some other possible causes for heel pain include:

Relieving Chronic Heel Pain

To get some relief from your heel pain, there are some simple remedies you can try. 

  • Give it a rest: Try to avoid activities that put excess strain on your heels, such as running or standing for long periods.
  • Apply ice: Put an ice pack on your heel for up to 20 minutes at a time, three times daily.
  • Take an Aspirin: Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs are effective at relieving the most common forms of heel pain.

Chronic Heel Pain Treatment

While sometimes heel pain can go away on its own or with the simple remedies listed above, other times it can be more stubborn. If you’ve been dealing with heel pain for several weeks or longer, it may be a sign of an issue that needs treatment. 

In those cases, getting professional help is the best way to uncover the cause of your heel pain, solve it, and prevent it from coming back.

Some of the options for treatment include:

Prevention of Chronic Heel and Foot Pain

Once you get some relief from your heel pain, you’ll probably want to know everything you can do to keep it from coming back. Here are some tips:

  • Ensure your footwear fits properly, replace your shoes before the cushioning wears out, and consider getting some orthotic insoles.
  • Lose excess body weight to reduce the amount of stress on your heels.
  • Take the time to properly stretch and warm-up before exercise.

Dealing With Chronic Heel Pain? Here Are Some Ways You Can Get The Pain Under Control – FAQs

What does it mean when your heels hurt all the time?

There are many possible causes for heel pain. The only way to know for sure what caused it is to visit a doctor. 

Is heel pain a sign of cancer?

Yes, in rare cases, heel pain can be a sign of cancer. That’s because cancer can sometimes cause a painful lesion on the heel bone. However, there are many other causes for heel pain that are much more likely. See a health care professional for a thorough analysis of your pain.

When should you see a doctor for heel pain?

There are a few symptoms that can be signs that your heel pain is caused by a serious health condition and is not going to go away on its own. If you have any of these symptoms, you should see doctor:

  • Severe pain and swelling
  • Severe pain following an injury
  • Fever
  • Being unable to walk normally
  • Being unable to bend your foot downward or rise up on your toes

FAQ's

What’s Causing My Fingers to Become Numb?

What’s Causing My Fingers to Become Numb?

If you are dealing with numbness in your fingers, it can make even the simplest of tasks seem difficult. The loss of feeling in your fingers may prevent you from doing anything that requires a light touch or precision, such as using cutlery or signing your name.

But numbness in fingers is more than just an irritation. It can actually be a sign of a variety of health conditions. So to help you uncover the source of your finger numbness, we are going to look at some of the most common causes and what you can do about them.

What is Finger Numbness?

Finger numbness refers to the loss of feeling in your fingers. It can also involve a number of related symptoms affecting your fingers including:

  • Burning
  • Tingling
  • A pins-and-needles sensation
  • Weakness
  • A feeling of clumsiness

Causes of Finger Numbness

There are many possible causes of numbness in fingers. Here are some of the most common causes and the additional symptoms that will help you figure out the source of your finger numbness.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a repetitive strain injury. It occurs when repetitive motions or overuse causes a nerve in your wrist to get pinched or obstructed.

  • Numbness usually affects the thumb, index finger, and middle finger

Cervical Radiculopathy

Cervical radiculopathy involves the inflammation or compression of a nerve root in your neck. It’s commonly caused by a spinal issue such as a bone spur or herniated disc resulting from an injury or aging-related changes.

  • Numbness and weakness may also affect the shoulder, arm, and hand

Diabetes

Diabetes affects your body’s ability to regulate your blood sugar levels. Blood sugar is an essential source of energy for many systems in your body, which is why diabetes causes a wide range of symptoms.

  • Numbness, pain, and tingling may also affect the feet
  • Increased thirst and hunger
  • Fatigue
  • Blurred vision
  • Frequent urination
  • Cuts and bruises take a long time to heal

Raynaud’s Disease

Raynaud’s disease is a condition where blood flow to certain areas of your body is periodically restricted. It’s caused by a dysfunction in your blood vessels that cause episodes of numbness that can last from a few minutes up to several hours. Sometimes these episodes can be triggered by stress or cold temperatures.

  • Numbness may also affect the toes, ears, or nose.
  • Affected areas turn white and feel ice cold.
  • When numbness goes away, the affected areas throb and turn red.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder, which means it involves your immune system attacking your own body. In RA, the immune system attacks the joints, and it can cause numbness in fingers and hands. The exact causes of the condition are unknown.

  • Joint tenderness
  • Joint pain
  • Joint swelling 

Ulnar Nerve Entrapment

Ulnar nerve entrapment happens when a nerve in your arm gets irritated or compressed. Most often, the compression happens behind the inside of your elbow. It can be caused by an injury, overuse, or even just leaning on your elbow for long periods.

  • Numbness in fingers tends to affect the pinkie fingers and ring fingers.

How to Treat Finger Numbness

There are many options for treatment when it comes to finger numbness:

  • Rest the hand and wrist
  • Apply ice to the affected area
  • Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs like Advil
  • Hand therapy is a specialized type of physiotherapy that can resolve many conditions affecting the hand and arm.
  • Functional braces or splints can keep your wrist or elbow in a natural position to avoid aggravating the condition.
  • Chiropractic care or massage therapy can help solve nerve issues
  • Acupuncture can relieve symptoms, stimulate circulation, and promote healing

Can Exercise Help With Finger Numbness?

Depending on the cause of your finger numbness, exercises and stretches may help. However, if the cause of your finger numbness is a repetitive strain injury, doing the wrong exercise could make matters worse.

To get the best results, you should consider getting help from a physiotherapist. They can identify the cause of finger numbness, determine if exercise and stretching will help, and then guide you through the process. They can also provide a plan to prevent the issue from returning.

Numbness in Fingers FAQs

What causes numbness in tips of fingers?

Finger numbness can have many causes, whether it affects just the tips of your fingers or your whole hand. However, if you experience additional symptoms, or numbness only in specific fingers, it can help you identify if you have one of the conditions listed above.

How do I get rid of numbness in my fingers?

The best treatment to resolve numbness in fingers depends on what caused it. The first step is seeing your doctor to get a diagnosis. But there are a few things you can do to relieve your symptoms. This includes resting your hand and wrist, applying ice, and taking anti-inflammatories.

Are numb fingers a sign of diabetes?

Yes, numb fingers can be a symptom of diabetes. But diabetes also causes a range of other symptoms that can help you identify it. For instance, it causes circulation problems throughout the body, so the numbness will likely affect your feet as well. Some other symptoms of diabetes include fatigue, blurred vision, and extreme hunger.

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Simple Ways to relieve Stress and improve your Mental Health

Stress is a normal part of everyday life. Everyone experiences stress, but it’s not always a bad thing. For example, when you’re preparing for a job interview, some stress can be expected and it can sometimes motivate you to perform well.

However, stress is a problem when it becomes constant or overwhelming. It can cause changes in your body that negatively affect your immune system, sleeping habits, mental health, and more. 

This leads to symptoms like anger, sadness, anxiety, irritability, headaches, and sleeplessness. Over time, stress can contribute to serious health conditions such as high blood pressure and heart disease. Some people even experience stress rashes and hives.

Thankfully, there are a lot of techniques for helping you deal with stress. They range from simple mental exercises to guidelines for managing your daily schedule. The wide range of methods available means that you should be able to find options that will work for you in different situations. 

 Here are some effective coping techniques for overcoming stress:

Take a Breather

Controlling your breathing is one of the easiest ways you can calm your body and feel more relaxed. It’s also a technique you can do wherever you may be—whether it’s the office, in traffic, at home or outdoors. There are several different breathing methods you can try, but a simple one to start is to just focus on taking slow, deep breaths. Breathe in through your nose while slowly counting to three, hold it for one second, and then slowly exhale while counting to three again. Go ahead and try it right now while you read this. 

Meditate On It

Meditation involves focusing your attention and blocking out all your nagging thoughts. Besides relieving stress, meditation has been shown to help alleviate symptoms of a range of conditions, from chronic pain to asthma.

There are many different types of meditation, but the one that most people are familiar with is mantra meditation. This method involves closing your eyes, choosing a calming word or phrase, and then repeating it in your mind. The mantra gives you something to focus your attention on while avoiding distracting thoughts. Among meditation’s many benefits, it can retrain your mind to be better focused and block out unwanted and anxious thoughts.

Hug a Loved One

This tip may sound silly or simple, but you may not realize just how beneficial hugging can be. Research shows that a simple caring touch from a loved one can make a real impact on your health. That’s because it releases oxytocin, which causes relaxation, lowers blood pressure, and results in a decrease in stress hormone levels such as cortisol.

Shorten Your To-Do List

Setting goals and priorities is a good thing. It can help you stay on top of your responsibilities and can give you a sense of accomplishment. But your to-do list can also be a major contributor to your stress when it becomes unmanageable. So whittle down that list of tasks so it’s more realistic.

To help guide you, start keeping track of how often you are able to complete everything on your daily agenda. Then start making adjustments until it becomes the norm.

Talk it Out

When you’re dealing with stress on your own, every little problem can seem worse than it actually is. In this way, your distorted perception of problems can contribute to your stress. 

But speaking to someone you trust, like your family or friends can help you get some perspective. By helping you see things from another point of view, you may realize that an issue that was stressing you out was not as bad as you thought. Talking with others can also give you more confidence to deal with situations by receiving helpful feedback.

Get Help From an Expert

Mental health professionals like counsellors and therapists are experts at stress management. Besides knowing the different techniques, they understand how to help you use them properly and find the best solutions for you.

Getting expert help may be easier than you think, and wellness clinics such as Activa Clinics, help with assessing your specific needs and creating a treatment plan customized for your needs. 

Don’t Ignore It

Remember, stress is normal, but being overwhelmed by it isn’t. You shouldn’t learn to live with chronic stress as part of your daily routine. It can seriously impact your mental state and overall health. But with some simple techniques and a little help, you can overcome it.

Contact us to book an appointment if your stress is causing anxiety or depression issues.

FAQ’s

Can stress have a physical impact on my body?

Stress does have a negative impact on your body. Being under constant stress makes it hard to get enough sleep, which, in time compromises the body´s ability to maintain itself properly. When we are under stress our body releases corticosteroid, a hormone that suppresses the immune system. Leaving it unable to effectively identify and deal with rogue cells or fight off viruses and other infections. Stress also leads to muscle tension which can cause musculoskeletal issues, persistent headaches, even digestive problems.

What is chronic stress, and how do I know if I’m suffering from it?

Chronic stress is when you feel almost constantly strung out and under too much pressure. In time, you start to feel this way even when everything in your life is going smoothly. You will also start to suffer from physical issues as a result of your body being constantly flooded by stress hormones. Headaches, digestive issues, tense muscles, palpitations, difficulty breathing, fatigue and unexplained pains can all be caused by chronic stress.

Can my stress lead to serious health conditions?

Stress can lead to serious health conditions. Over time it puts your body under a tremendous physical strain. Especially if the stress you are suffering from stops you from being able to sleep properly. When that happens, your body cannot protect or repair itself as well as it should.