Health Wikipedia

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (muscle, bone and joint), briefly called MSDs comprise a significant portion of workplace injuries and huge economic and physical burden. These disorders include pain and discomfort, unusual sensations like (burning, tingling and numbness), stiffness, fatigue and muscle weakness, tension headache etc. Sometimes, it becomes so severe that people have to leave their jobs. However, we can avoid or manage the conditions by following simple guideline.

The rapid changes of office design and technology from traditional to modern corporate style makes people inactive resulting in MSDs. Prolonged and repeated bad posture in front of computers during long office hour, in meeting after meeting, surfing the Internet and using laptops are usually the reasons behind it.

Here are some tips to help you prevent office work related MSDs.

-Confirm appropriate height adjustment of chair, table and computer screen in relation to your body, support your back completely and comfortably. Shoulders and wrists should be relaxed during use of keyboard and mouse. Adjust the level of computer screen satisfying your convenience; screen should be one arm length away, allowing sufficient room to move knees and legs under the desk. You can use foot rest to provide support.

-Laptop screens and keyboards cannot be optimally adjusted and consistent use of these for intense work is not recommended.

-Take a break for 5-10 minutes for every 2 to 3 hours spent at a workstation.

-Break up keyboarding tasks by doing other tasks that involve moving around or changing body position.

-Moving the whole forearm and not just the wrist side to side ensure better blood flow to the muscles and prevents fatigue while using mouse.

-Stand when talking on the telephone; remain standing when talking to other staff.

-Telephone should be on non-dominant side and avoid prolong holding the handset between the shoulder and ear to prevent excessive muscular tension in the shoulder and neck.

-Try to avoid intercom inside of office if within easy reach.

-Try to walk and use stairs instead of lift in the office if possible.

-Come and go from office by walking if it is within 1 or half hour distance.

-Avoid eating habits in the desk.

-Practice stretching and relaxation.

Writer: Dolilur Rahman.

Acne occurs in the form of pimples that sometime brings along black and whiteheads on the face, neck, shoulders, and chest or even at the back of the body too. It is considered the most severe skin disease that last for a long period and strikes almost every teen or adult. They tend to get severe and can lead to permanent scarring of the face if precautionary measures are not taken.

Even though with the latest scientific technology, it is hard to find a single cure of acne that could prevent it from happening or could treat it quickly, without leaving any scar behind. On the contrary, one can see that acne treatments use age old herbal products to cure acne outbursts. We recommend that instead of using harsh over the counter chemical products, you practice basic home remedies that are not only cheap, but also very effective with no side effects at all.

The foremost thing to follow up as a regular routine is to exercise and make the habit of having water at least 8 – 10 glasses a day. You may not believe it but exercise and a good healthy diet is the first critical step to healing acne.  Certain people believe that apricot juice can help to defect acne to the great extent.  Honey is the natural substance that extremely harmful for bacteria in the shape of acne or pimples.  Raw papaya juice is quite soothing for the red pimples. The most widely known method is applying toothpaste to fight against the bacteria on skin. Rubbing with vinegar and salt then after sometime, wash with lukewarm water. It is advisable to use only medicated soap only. Lack of sleep also causes the acne to occur. By applying turmeric powder for some time and remove it after 30 minutes.  The most effecting way for getting rid of acne is by using home remedies for a consistent time period rather than just for a day or two.

About Author:

Alice has been an expert in skin health. Her work has been published on various websites and magazines and provides insightful advice for natural acne treatment and acne remedies skin regimes.

Water is life. As we get it easily, we take it for granted. But this is the most essential element, next to the air for our survival. We lose water every minute through sweating, breathing, urinating and with bowel movements. For our body to function properly, we must replace the water we lose by consuming beverages and foods that contain water.

For sedentary adults, drinking approximately two to two and a half liters of water a day, might be sufficient. For hardworking people, the amount of intake should be much more. Here are some notable health benefits of drinking adequate water.

* Drinking water helps us lose weight because it flushes down the by-products of fat breakdown. Drinking water reduces hunger; it is an effective appetite suppressant.

* Helps to relieve headache and back pains due to dehydration.

* Water helps to replenish skin tissues, moisturizes skin, increase skin elasticity and helps look younger.

* Our brain is mostly made up of water, thus drinking water helps us think better, be more alert and more concentrate.

* Drinking water regulates our body temperature.

* Drinking water raises our metabolism because it helps in digestion.

* Proper hydration helps keep our joints and muscles lubricated, so we will less likely get cramps and sprains.

* Drinking plenty of water helps fight against flu and other ailments like kidney stones and heart attack. Water added with lemon is used for ailments like respiratory disease, intestinal problems, rheumatic arthritis etc. One of the major benefits of drinking water can improve our immune system.

* Drinking a healthy amount of water also may reduce the risks of bladder cancer and colon cancer.

Dr Mir Atiqur Rahman

Sinusitis, an inflammation of sinus and nasal passage is increasing among the population by and by due to environmental pollution. Until recently, along with medication, various ablative surgeries were being performed to eradicate sinus pathology. But these surgeries have several complications that distort the nasal physiology and drainage of the sinuses. Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS) is the most advanced method in the treatment of sinusitis that overcomes the obstacles and has good patient compliance.

Sinuses are air containing cavity in the bone of face and head that lighten the skull weight, helps in resonance in sound production; also have some protective action against body defense by secretion. When these sinuses are infected due to bacteria, virus, fungus, people experience headache, lethargy, loss of interest, running nose, pain in the face beside nose, nasal obstruction, occasional bleeding from nose etc.

90 percent sinusitis is due to bacterial infections and 10 percent may be due to infections spreading from upper gum or dental origin by anaerobic organisms.

Sinusitis may be of acute or chronic. In acute sinusitis there will be severe pain, fever and other constitutional symptoms. Treatments with medicine like appropriate antibiotics, analgesic, nasal decongestant, steam inhalation usually cure it. But when sinusitis becomes chronic and medicine fails to improve the condition, surgical manipulation will be needed.

Sinus washout is the commonly practiced treatment for chronic sinusitis. In addition to this, radical and ablative surgery of the nose and paranasal sinuses are also used to treat sinus pathology. Due to wider complication of these procedures, Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS) has become as the most recent advancement in the management of the nose and paranasal sinus diseases.

FESS helps to maintain function or physiology of the sinuses, ciliary activity (that wipes out foreign substance from nose) and drainage of the sinuses. Thereby it helps clear the sinus infection. It is less manipulative, safe and complication is almost nil in expert hand.

Although many people, especially children do not like Karella’s taste, but it is a very nutritious vegetable. It is a good source of vitamin C, containing most of the vitamin B complex and vitamin A in the form of carotene. It is also rich in calcium, potassium, phosphorus and iron.

Usually it is often prepared as vegetables dish with potatoes and other vegetables to balance the bitterness. But its health benefits are amazing. It is popular throughout the Indian subcontinent for its medicinal value. This is a popular medicinal food for diabetes. Many people make a mixture of equal amount of amla and karella juice with the belief that it helps reducing blood glucose level. It is also helpful in liver and spleen disorders.

Karella is also known as bitter gourd in English. From Colombia to China, there are different types of Karella throughout the world. But the medicinal value and taste are not the same. So, all types of available Karella do not bear the same medicinal quality. Concerned researchers can identify the real Karella that are really good for diseases like diabetes. For example, in Panama only the leaves of the plant (when ripe) are brewed in hot water to create a tea to treat malaria and diabetes. The leaves are allowed to steep in hot water before being strained thoroughly so that only the remaining liquid is used for the tea. This has been used in various Asian traditional medicine systems for a long time. Like most bitter-tasting foods, it stimulates digestion.

Pain in the knees is particularly a serious problem faced by the older people. Sometimes it becomes so severe that it incapacitates people in bed.

Age related wear and tear of the knee — known as Osteoarthritis (OA) is mainly responsible for this. Although common, many people are not aware of the solutions that are currently available. Proper medication, physiotherapy, lifestyle modification and sometimes surgery can help stop or lessen the pain.

In Bangladesh, approximately 10 million people are suffering from Osteoarthritis. Women suffer more — 2 out of 3 women over the age of 65 have osteoarthritis. More than half of all men over the age of 65 have osteoarthritis.

With the increasing longevity of life, the problem will multiply itself within a very short time. Osteo-arthritis occurs when the knee undergoes age-related wear and tear around its joint. Almost every one is affected by it to some extent, as they grow older.

Osteoarthritis can also occur in weight bearing joints mainly hips and ankles. This form of arthritis slowly and gradually breaks down the overlying bony ends which forms the joint.

With osteoarthritis, the smooth surface of bones becomes rough and pitted. In advanced stage it may wear away completely. Without the normal gliding surface the bones, eroded bones grind against one another causing pain, swelling, restricted knee motion, crispy sound inside the joint and sometimes bowing of the knees.

In addition to age related wear and tear, athletes, labourer and highly physically active persons often stress their knee joints that lead to prolong wear and tear, which places them at increase risk of developing arthritis.

Arthritis has been linked with joint injuries and damaging events like fractures and infections that can harm the internal tissues of the joints. Individuals who experience repeated knee injuries are much more likely to develop osteo-arthritis as they get older.

Lack of exercise can weaken the thigh muscles that support the knee joints, eventually making the under-used joint stiff, painful and dysfunctional. Lastly, heavy individuals are at increased risk of developing osteoarthritis, because their knees become strained by excessive weight. Research indicates that people who are overweight as young adults are likely to develop osteoarthritis of the knees as they age.

“When and how would I understand that I have osteoarthritis?” is a common question I face in my clinical practice. People start limping and the knee may become swollen with fluid. There may be a reduction in the range of motion of the affected knee — the knee bends less than normal and may lose the ability to completely straighten out. Finally, as the condition becomes worse, the pain persists all the time and may even keep you awake at night.

Repeated knee pain is the main symptom. It tends to be worse after activity. Knee stiffness occurs after rest, the joint feels stiff and it hurts to get going after sitting for any length of time. In time, the joint gets stiffer and you are unable to fully straighten or bend the joint. Knee swelling is also common especially after excessive activity. Knee bowing is seen if osteoarthritis is severe, your joint may become deformed what we call bowlegged.

Most people suffering from osteoarthritis can be treated by non-surgical means which include pain killer, physiotherapy, life style modification and injection in to the knees. Unfortunately if the medical measures are not successful in relieving pain, surgery may be considered. Among the surgical options, arthroscopic washout of the knees is relatively new method in Bangladesh used to relieve pain for sometimes.

When medical measures and arthroscopic washout fail; knees become progressively worsened both in pain and deformity, total knee joint replacement are the better option which is now being done in state-of-the-art hospitals under skilled care of experienced Knee Consultants.

Dr M Ali