Diabetes and back pain

 Diabetes mellitus is one of the major non-communicable diseases. It is metabolic disorder characterised by hyperglycemia which may further lead to peripheral vascular disease, hypertriglyceridemia and neuropathy. Diabetes has been associated with the incidence of back pain because 

1. The chain of events during high blood sugar leads to free plasma fatty acids and pro-inflammatory state, therefore promoting calcification of blood vessels, which may block the blood supply to vertebral disc degeneration which could lead to non specific back pain.

2. Further diabetes also increases risk of obesity due to disturbed metabolism, so increase in weight also increases the chances of back pain.

3. Metabolic disturbance during diabetes can lead to collagen accumulation in skin and periarticular structures which results in changes in connective tissue which affects collagen rich tissues like tendons and bones and there ability to perform normal function is compromised that can further lead to back pain.

4. Bone and joint alteration associated with DM include OA, hypertostosis, osteoarthropathy which may further lead to back pain due to biomechanical abnormality associated with OA knees etc.

5. In one of the study conducted on rat it was found that hyperglycemia promotes disc autophagy and accelerate the rate of stress-induced senescence in nucleus pulposus cells, both of which may contribute to disc prolapse and the onset of mechanical back pain.

Management

1. Maintaining sugar levels

2. Regular Excercise

3. Timely medication if required

4. Diabetic diet

5. Weight management

6. Adequate sleep

7.Stress management

Pandemic and back pain

 The pandemic has changed the individual behavior both due to lifestyle changes and due to physiologival effects of covid-19 on human body which has resulted in enhanced cases of backpain.

Back pain is the commonest musculoskeletal complain across the world resulting in maximum  sick leaves.  Back pain due to covid has increased the burden on economy and healthcare sector and deteriorated the quality of life.

Covid related causes of back pain

A. Altered Lifestyle

1-Work from home culture resulted in decreased mobility.

2.Reduced physical activity

3.Altered food habits

4.Binge watching

5.Binge eating

6.Disturbed sleep cycle

B.Physiological effects 

Coronavirus disease is a respiratory illness caused by SARS-COV-2, back pain is one of the most common symptom.

Covid-19 infection stimulate the release of cytokines like interlukin by body’s immune system, it further stimulates the formation of prostaglandin E2 molecule that acts on nerves and sends pain message to our brain. 

C. Covid medicine induced back pain

In few moderate to severe covd cases there has been long term administration of steroids which has resulted in osteopenia, osteoporosis, AVN which results in back pain.

Management

1.Active Rehabilitation

2.Active lifestyle

3. Adequate Hydration

4.Healthy eating habits

5.Proper Sleep hygeine

Leap of faith

 

A leap of faith means act of accepting something which is outside the boundaries of reason, security and surety. Leap of faith is always better than leap of doubt. It always have the ability to create and start something beautiful. Before every flight a bird takes a small jump believing that it wings will work.

 

Often we are hesitant because we have the fear of unknown or the decision feels wrong to us. But faith gives us courage and being a visionary requires a leap of faith. Linear thinking may not always give the solution but with faith we can easily sense the connections that are not obvious otherwise.

 

If people were too cautious to take the risk or to trust the unknown and leap of faith then they would have never fulfilled there dreams. All our dreams can come true if we have faith and gratitude, because by suspending our disbelief we have nothing to lose except misery and lack. Without having the faith we will not be able to explore ourselves and understand our dreams and always be trapped between reality and robotic life. Amazing thing about faith is first you take leap and then you grow wings, a step into unknown.

Augmented reality and mental health

Augmented reality is the ability to overlay virtual content in the physical world and have the patient and the therapist interact in real time unlike other platforms of telehealth like virtual reality platforms. Rather than shutting us off from reality, AR enhances our experience of it. The technology is still in its infancy. But some of the biggest brands and marketing companies are moving into this space it can only be a matter of time before AR changes the world.

Augmented reality is an interactive visualization system that allows the merging of digital contents with the real environment of the user.AR is the step just after the real environment. So, gamification can be widely used for counselling. Pokemon Go and Snapchat are few basic examples.

Technology has been thought of as a detractor to healthy living in some respects but there is potential for it to be used by phsychologosits in emerging ways to engage with to reach tech-savvy clients. Technological revolution in mental health is approaching. Cybertherapy is slowly becoming most demanded, approachable and approachable method for the treatment of mental health. Using augmented reality people can experience as if they are in reality which is not possible while using virtual reality.Imagery,embodiment and connectedness play the key roles for understanding potentials of augmented reality. Augmented reality has been used in many fields, but it has not been used much to treat psychological disorders. Augmented reality provides several advantages over traditional psychological treatment and virtual reality treatments like patient can access mental health treatment from the comfort of there home but in the real time environment. Availability is the main limitation to mental health. It is not only in context of cost but also because of geographic limitation, but with the help of augmented reality people can take therapy regardless of the miles .

In the digital era augmented reality can be a quantum leap in psychotherapy for treating various mental disorders like anxiety,OCD,Autism,depression and many more.

Augmented reality allows the therapist to understand cognition, emotions and the body actions,posture and movement of the patient in detail and with precision. In AR environment people feel that they are having stimuli,trigger in the real time.This gives therapists an opportunity to see how their patient react to given stimuli in the real time and can efficiently treat the patient. 
Augmented reality is the ability to overlay virtual content in the physical world and have the patient and the therapist interact in real time unlike other platforms of telehealth like virtual reality platforms. Rather than shutting us off from reality, AR enhances our experience of it.The technology is still in its infancy. But some of the biggest brands and marketing companies are moving into this space it can only be a matter of time before AR changes the world.

Augmented reality is an interactive visualization system that allows the merging of digital contents with the real environment of the user.AR is the step just after the real environment. So, gamification can be widely used for counselling. Pokemon Go and Snapchat are few basic examples.

Technology has been thought of as a detractor to healthy living in some respects but there is potential for it to be used by phsychologosits in emerging ways to engage with to reach tech-savvy clients. Technological revolution in mental health is approaching. Cybertherapy is slowly becoming most demanded, approachable and approachable method for the treatment of mental health. Using augmented reality people can experience as if they are in reality which is not possible while using virtual reality.Imagery,embodiment and connectedness play the key roles for understanding potentials of augmented reality. Augmented reality has been used in many fields, but it has not been used much to treat psychological disorders. Augmented reality provides several advantages over traditional psychological treatment and virtual reality treatments like patient can access mental health treatment from the comfort of there home but in the real time environment. Availability is the main limitation to mental health. It is not only in context of cost but also because of geographic limitation, but with the help of augmented reality people can take therapy regardless of the miles .

In the digital era augmented reality can be a quantum leap in psychotherapy for treating various mental disorders like anxiety,OCD,Autism,depression and many more.

Augmented reality allows the therapist to understand cognition, emotions and the body actions,posture and movement of the patient in detail and with precision. In AR environment people feel that they are having stimuli,trigger in the real time.This gives therapists an opportunity to see how their patient react to given stimuli in the real time and can efficiently treat the patient.

 

 

 

 

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Paradox of Quarantine

Quarantine, meaning :  A period of time when an animal or a person that has or may have a disease is kept away from others in order to prevent the disease from spreading.       

Though, the dictionary meaning remains the same, it mean differently to varied individuals socio-economically,psychologically.

During the nation-wide lockdown, It exhausted some people as they spin from household responsibilities to remote office work to remote classes of kids to checking upon on friends and family. Few were exhausted due to vast stretches of open time with nothing to do, some enjoyed by binge watching and scrolling social media,some enjoyed the solitude and some felt suffocating. This is the paradox of quarantine,while we had nothing to do still it has given us the time to reflect upon.

The paradox of quarantine is that during our times of covering and hiding, significant truths about ourselves may be uncovered and revealed

The novel Corona virus has introduced us to novel ways of experiencing life. We all go through life with various memories and encounters both good and bad and plan our future. But pandemic has shown many of us the retired future in some or the other ways, many of us are discovering our hidden potentials and newer interests. The forced quarantine has ultimately facilitated creative ways, communication, empathy etc . Humans are social beings with intrinsic goodness especially during hard times.

Don’t worry if you feel you are not doing anything productive right now. It can take time to move from uncomfortable boredom to empowering one. During boredom, I suggest watch your thoughts and see where they lead. These thoughts could be proven productive and might change your life and give you a gift of peaceful tomorrow and can leave positive footprints for future generations.

Lockdown has provided many, a long awaited solace.

Life during the quarantine has given us the opportunity if we choose, to appreciate the joys and benefits of being alone, without being lonely. Solitude, can give us the opportunity for cultivating our inner richness through reflection, reading, appreciating nature, talking to like minded people and much more. We look back at the choices we have made and realize that each and every instance of our lives presented before us a dilemma and we navigated through each dilemma by making a choice. We see a retrospective vision of the past, choices been made , roads not taken and understand the better ways of dealing and choosing in present and future. As we sing through all the choices we have made while re-conceptualizing the story of our life, we drive into a nostalgia, all sad and happy memories. People appear to us like the characters of some long novel .

Solitude is where you learn to accept and love yourself, enjoy every moment just being you and loving others. We are at a real crossroad now trying to shape the life the way we want to and make certain choices.

Social Insensitivity

Simple short encounter between two people requires social sensitivity.It takes an intellectual mind and high emotional quotient to comprehend that level of sensitivity which seems so simple to understand from the surface.It requires a sense of responsibility and focus to understand who we are speaking and consider the usage of words. In our day to day life we all are surrounded with people who are insensitive. To be diplomatic enough we can call them INCONSIDERATE. They never have the sensitivity to navigate the subtle human interactions.

Such inconsiderates don’t understand social or personal boundaries, so they take people for granted without any real awareness of the damage they are causing to an individual. Some people are born like that and most are formed like that by their environment they live in and maintained by choice.

Low Emotional Intelligence is directly linked with social insensitivity. Emotional intelligence may actually be more important than IQ in determining overall relationships and success in life. It is crucial to learn what is acceptable behaviour and what is rude behaviour.

Social sensitivity can be developed by practicing and learning mindfullness.

Missing link

If you feel something is missing in your life, go ahead….

You are working hard partying harder and trying to get ahead, doing everything you possibly can to make life just a little bit better. You are trying to keep it all balanced with pursuits of happiness,pursuit of career, family,friends. 

Not you. You have got it figured out. You even make time to read,workout, eat right, meditate, or maybe spend time with friends and family.

You have got it all figured out except for that one stupid thing that keeps tugging at your heart. You do not really know what it is, but it is there, and it is driving you a little crazy.

Yeah, I know. I get that feeling sometimes too.

It is often mistaken as unhappiness, fatigue, depression, or being stuck in a rut. Many people will try to escape this feeling by keeping themselves busy with work or go for a vacation for the break or try  certain adventorous just to settle the strange, inexplicable emptiness they feel inside.

But when they return to the real world,the problem is still remains, still nagging at them.

Maybe they think they don’t know there passion or there true calling and push themselves harder and try to indulge into some hobby or meditation.

Relatable?

Or do you have it under control? I assume since you are still reading it,

So, what is this feeling that is pulling at you,a void, leaving you feeling empty and unfulfilled. But from outside life is amazing? Is it the pursuit of happiness?

Before you click away from the page, thinking that this is another article about how to find happiness and enjoy life….WAIT!!!

It is not about that at all.

We are constantly presented with things that we believe will make us happy. New phone,other gadgets,clothes,vacations, prettier women or men, houses, furniture, more money and a myriad of things that go along with that stuff.

We are pounded by books, blogs, and billboards about how we can get everything we want in life, and live happier, better, and wealthier.

The fact is if we are so focused on getting what we want then we forget about everyone else in the world around us. And there lies the key to that empty feeling inside.

By serving people around you by your simplest act of kindness, warm words, materialistic needs,some compassion,love,empathy you will begin to notice that strange, empty feeling starts dissipateting gradually,you will find yourself smiling all the time.

 

 

Reinstate

Come, float with nature for a while.

Imagine a dream with a subtle smile.

Imagine horizons wherever you view,

Placid waters green upon blue.

Come, sit nature me for a while.

Imagine a dream like a crafted cloud.

Gentle breezes caressing your skin,

While the sun gently warms your brow.

Come, dance with nature for a while.

Imagine a dream with it in your sway.

Glide to the sound of the steel drum round,

And calypso your life away.

Come, prance with nature for a while.

Imagine a dream, white beaches serene.

Dig your feet in; let the granules to skin,

Massage them ever so clean.

Come, splash with nature for a while.

Imagine a dream with foamy cream,

Where life was scrolled from the sea.

Rejuvenate! Make young, the old of me.