Ulnar Nerve Compression  (Cubital tunnel syndrome):

          What Are Its Causes And Home Remedies?

Ulnar nerve compression is a disorder in which the ulnar nerve gets compressed in the elbow grove while passing towards forearm and fingers. It leads to weakness and numbness in forearm and fingers. It also produces pain and burning sensation in the inner aspect of elbow.

The most common cause of ulnar nerve entrapment is overuse of elbow joint during sports activity or occupational work, direct injury to ulnar nerve or elbow fracture.

Ulnar nerve damage can occur at any age. Usually single hand is affected. With proper treatment and physiotherapy, most patients completely recover.

Causes Of Ulnar Nerve Compression

Ulnar nerve originates from brachial plexus in the arm. It travels through the arm, passes further down in the upper arm, palm and fingers. During its travel, it has to pass through a grove situated in the medial side of elbow.

Ulnar nerve is compressed in this elbow grove. This nerve is responsible for supplying sensation to inner side of forearm, palm as well as little finger and half of ring finger. Below are important reasons for its entrapment:

·         Injury to elbow: An injury to elbow due to fall which may directly compress the nerve. Fracture of elbow bone, or a direct hit on the elbow from an object etc can cause nerve injury. It may also produce inflammation, irritation of the tissues nearby the nerve. Swelling of tissues inside the groove will occupy more space and compress the ulnar nerve.

·         Excessive stretching of hand such as while playing sports which needs the hand to be stretched. Athletic sports events such as javelin throw; short put, discus throw etc is responsible for it.

·         Over development of forearm muscle (flaxor carpi ulnaris) can compress the nerve as it passes through it. This usually occurs in weight lifters.

·         Diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis can also cause ulnar nerve compression.

·         Overuse of forearm in workplace can lead to inflammation and irritation of the tissues surrounding the grove and compress the nerve.

Ulnar Nerve Compression Symptoms

Ulnar nerve entrapment can occur at any age and to anyone. There is no gender bias. Both men and women are equally affected. The onset may be sudden or gradual.

·         Patient complains of severe pain in elbow, it is more inwards and medially located. Pain may radiate towards forearm and in fingers, mostly little and mid half of ring finger.

·         Since the nerve also innervates the palm, patient may also experience pain in palms.

·         Weakness and numbness in hand and fingers is felt in more severe cases of ulnar nerve compression.

·         Pain and tingling often becomes worse at night and in early morning.

·         In severe and chronic cases, patient may have wasting of forearm muscles.

Home Remedies For Ulnar Nerve Compression

Diagnosis of ulnar nerve compression is possible with clinical history and physical examination. The doctor may simply tap on the elbow and this may produce an electric like shock in the little finger. Certain tests also help to evaluate the condition. EMG (elactro myelogram and other nerve conduction studies are important.

In its beginning state, if you suspect the symptoms are that of ulnar nerve compression, you may try certain home remedies.

·         Give rest to the affected hand. Avoid doing activities that may require bending your hand for long duration.

·         Avoid putting pressure on your elbow in any circumstances.

·         If the pain is severe, patient may require anti inflammatory NSAID medicines.

·         Warm water application may also help to relieve the pain temporarily.

·         While sleeping wearing a splint helps to reduce the pain.

·         Physiotherapy is effective in reducing symptoms of ulnar nerve compression. The physiotherapist will teach certain exercises that will help to alleviate the symptoms quickly.

If the symptoms persist for a long time, with increase in intensity the patient may require surgical intervention to decompress the nerve.

Top 10 Immediate home remedy for acidity

 Top 10 Immediate home remedy for acidity

We all suffered from acidity at some point or the other. Excess stomach acid can cause uncomfortable symptoms, pain, and even severe health problems. 

Common symptoms of acid reflux are:

• Heartburn: a burning pain or discomfort that may move from your stomach to your abdomen or chest, or even up into your throat
• Regurgitation: a sour or bitter-tasting acid backing up into your throat or mouth

Other symptoms of acid reflux disease include:

• Bloating
• Bloody or black stools or bloody vomiting
• Burping
• Dysphagia -- a narrowing of your esophagus, which creates the sensation of food being stuck in your throat
• Hiccups that don't let up
• Nausea
• Weight loss for no known reason
• Wheezing, dry cough, hoarseness, or chronic sore throat

Well, instead of popping up antacids, there are some natural home remedies you can try to get rid of the problem.

     

1.   Cold milk: The calcium in milk prevents acid build up and absorbs the excess acid produced, thereby reducing the symptoms of acidity.

2.   Mint leaves or Pudina: Mint leaves is known for its cooling properties which helps reduce the pain and burning associated with acid reflux.​ Pudina helps lower the acid content of the stomach and improves digestion. 

3.   Buttermilk: It contains lactic acid that normalizes the acidity in the stomach.

4.   Bananas: Being a rich source of potassium, bananas keep the level of acid production in your stomach in check.

5.   Basil leaves (Tulsi): Tulsi leaves help stimulate your stomach to produce more mucous and also has anti-ulcer properties.

6.   Chamomile tea: Helps reduce acid reflux symptoms.

7.   Saunf: Helps cool the lining of the stomach. Due to its anti-ulcer properties, it aids in digestion and relieves constipation.  

8.   Clove and Elaichi: Both these stimulate digestion and relieve stomach spasms. It also soothes the inner lining of the stomach helping it ward off the effects of excess acid produced in the stomach.

9.   Ginger: Improves digestion and aids in better absorption and assimilation of essential nutrients. It also protect your stomach against ulcers by promoting mucus secretion and reducing the effect of the acid on your stomach.

10.               Raw almonds: This alkaline-producing food can balance your pH because they are a good source of calcium

Kidney stones top 10 simple remedies

What are Kidney Stones?

Kidney stones are one of the most painful disorders that affect humans. Kidney stones are solid masses of mineral salt deposits that are normally filtered through the kidney and emptied via urine. Urine has a natural substance, which dissolves these minerals, thereby preventing them into becoming solids or calculi. Sometimes due to dehydration, these salts don’t get dissolved and crystallization takes place. It grows large enough to obstruct the renal ducts or get stuck in the ureter, causing sharp and severe pain in the urinary tract. Untreated, kidney stones can cause renal failure.

Common Causes of Kidney Stones

• Urinary tract infection (UTI)
• Overdoses of Vitamin D
• Mineral imbalance
• Kidney disease
• Dehydration
• Gout
• Diet

Home Remedies for Kidney Stones

Tip 1:

Boil two figs in a cup of water and drink it on an empty stomach early in the morning. 

Tip 2:

Basil leaves (Tulsi) are good for the overall health of kidney. Mix 1 teaspoon of juice from basil leaves with 1 teaspoon of honey and have it daily in the morning. You can also chew two to three basil leaves in order to remove the stones from the urinary tract.

Tip 3:


                                             

The water and potassium content that is present in watermelon is an essential ingredient for a healthy kidney. It helps in regulating and maintaining the level of acid present in the urine. Eating watermelon or drinking its juice everyday will help in flushing out stones from the kidney.

Tip 4:

Regular intake of celery helps in clearing the toxins that cause the formation of stones in the kidney.

Tip 5:

Drink a glass of tomato juice with a pinch of salt and pepper every morning. This helps dissolve the mineral salt deposits in the kidney.

Tip 6:

                                             

Drinking plenty of water daily will produce clear urine each time you urinate. This will eventually help the kidney stones to pass.

Tip 7:

Whole wheat bread is a rich source of fiber, nutrients and proteins along with magnesium. Having two to three slices of whole wheat bread daily will help a lot in lowering the risk of kidney stone.

Tip 8:

                          

Kidney beans are another effective remedy for treating kidney stones or any kind of bladder problems. You can simply remove the seeds from the pods and slice the pods in the water, allow the water to boil on low flame for an hour until the pods become soft and tender. Strain the liquid and leave till it cools, drink it several times throughout the day to get relief from kidney stones.

Tip 9:

A proper diet is essential in keeping the kidney healthy and prevent formation of kidney stones. Drinking plenty of water and other fluids or liquids daily will help prevent most types of kidney stones. Consuming too much of calcium rich foods such as spinach, beet, cauliflower, carrots, almonds, sweet breads, coconut, turnip, Bengal gram, peas, whole-wheat flour and organ meats like liver and kidney can lead to kidney stones. One should also know to choose a diet that is low in salt and animal proteins. Keep away from condiments such as pickle, alcohol drinks, sauce, cucumber, radish, tomato, asparagus, onion, cabbage, meat and gravies as well as carbonated water.

Tip 10:

                                                  

Lemon juice contains citric acid that helps break down the calcium-based kidney stones. Drink two to three glass of lemon juice daily. This will help increase the volume of urination, which is really good for those having kidney stones.

Top 10 Home Remedies for Obesity & Weight Loss

Obesity, which is excessive accumulation of fat in the body, is determined by measuring a person’s Body Mass Index (BMI). Generally, a BMI between 18.5 and 25 is considered desirable. If your BMI is 30 or more, you are considered obese.

This problem is mostly attributed to poor lifestyle choices, such as eating processed foods high in fat, oversized food portions, overeating, excessive drinking, lack of physical activity, lack of sleep, and other similar habits. Genetic factors and hormonal problems also tend to increase the risk of developing obesity.

Obesity is a great concern not merely because of the excess weight, but also because it makes you susceptible to a number of serious health problems such as Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and others.

It is important to adopt healthy lifestyle changes to combat this problem. In addition, you can use some easy yet effective natural remedies to help with your weight loss efforts.

1. Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is one of the best home remedies for fighting obesity. It helps improve digestion and aids in detoxification. Healthy digestion is an essential pre-requisite for weight loss as it helps your body get the nutrients required to burn fat. Furthermore, it helps remove toxins from your body that slow down your metabolism.

1. Mix three teaspoons of lemon juice, one teaspoon of honey, and one-half teaspoon of black pepper powder in one glass of water. (If you use freshly ground black pepper, then just add one-quarter teaspoon.)
2. Drink it in the morning on an empty stomach.
3. Do this daily for at least three months.

Alternatively, you can simply have a cup of warm water mixed with a teaspoon of lemon juice.

2. Apple Cider Vinegar

Raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar is another popular home remedy to reduce excess weight. Though the actual weight loss benefits of it are still unknown, preliminary research has shown that it can help protect against obesity. It helps breakdown fatand hence prevents the accumulation of body fat.

• Mix two teaspoons of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar in a glass of water. Drink it daily in the morning and preferably before meals.
• You can also drink a glass of water mixed with one teaspoon each of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar and lemon juice.

You can have up to two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a day. Do not exceed this amount, as it may reduce your blood potassium levels over time and lower your bone mineral density.

3. Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is useful in treating obesity because it stimulates the metabolism, increases energy consumption, and mobilizes unused fat in the body. It contains natural collagen proteins that make the body work harder in order to absorb the proteins. In addition, it helps remove toxins from the digestive system and colon.

1. Take two fresh aloe vera leaves, peel them, and scoop out the pulp.
2. Put it in a blender along with one cup of citrus juice, such as orange or grapefruit juice, or simply water. Blend it for two to three minutes.
3. Drink this daily for at least a month.

4. Green Tea

Green tea is another popular natural remedy to promote weight loss. A study at Penn State revealed that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a compound found in green tea, helps slow down weight gain by limiting fat absorption and increasing the body’s ability to use fat.

Furthermore, green tea is packed with nutrients such as vitamin C, carotenoids, zinc, selenium, chromium, and other trace minerals.

Drink about three to four cups of green tea daily to combat obesity. You can also combine it with ginger tea or cayenne pepper.

5. Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne pepper helps control obesity and aids in weight loss. It contains capsaicin that stimulates your body to burn fat and increase energy expenditure. In addition, it stimulates digestion and suppresses excess appetite caused by malabsorption of nutrients in the body.

• Make cayenne pepper tea by pouring a glass of hot water over cayenne pepper (start with one-tenth of a teaspoon or just a dash of cayenne pepper and gradually increase its quantity to one teaspoon). Squeeze the juice from half a lemon in it. Drink this tea regularly at least for a month.
• Mix two tablespoons each of lemon juice and maple syrup in 10 ounces of water (one glass contains 8 ounces). Stir in a dash of cayenne pepper and drink it.
• Use cayenne pepper and other spices, such as ginger, black pepper, and mustard seeds, generously in your meal preparations.

6. Curry Leaves

Eating 10 fresh curry leaves daily in the morning works as a great Ayurvedic remedy to deal with obesity and diabetes caused by obesity. Continue this treatment regularly for at least three to four months.

Research shows that curry leaves contain mahanimbine, an alkaloid that has anti-obesity and lipid-lowering effects. Thus, it helps lower body weight and reduces total cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

7. Fresh Curry Leaves for belly fat

Improve performance of the stomach and small intestine. They are slightly laxative and hence can confront multiple digestive troubles caused by food intake. They are directly added to food or as an extract in the form of juice additional to buttermilk and ate at the end of lunch/dinner. Ayurvedic study shows that curry leaves my regulate noninsulin determined by diabetes mellitus. Fresh curry leaves are also notable for reduce the bad cholesterol (LDL) and upsurge the good one (HDL). You can find them at the agriculturist mart.

8.Triphala for belly fat 

Triphala can be used daily for rejuvenation and detoxification. It is popular for its unrivalled ability to cleanse and detoxify the system while at the same time recharging and nourishing it, this traditional method supports the right functions of the digestive, circulative, respiratory and genitourinary systems. Nearly all people can benefit from adding Triphala to their regime.

9.Fennel for belly fat:

Fennel ejects mucus and fat from the gastric tract, and is a natural appetite suppressant.

10. Brown Rice

It would be ideal for you to replace your white polished rice with brown rice that is low in carbohydrates.

• Brown rice is rich in fiber content and low in carbohydrates.
• It will make you feel fuller for longer time and hence you will eat less all through the day.
• It will also help in regulating body metabolism, bowel movement and is loaded with Vitamin B and E and magnesium.