Monthly Archives: June 2014

Sinus Tarsi Syndrome

Have you ever suffered a sprained foot or ankle while playing sports or be unlucky enough to have them while you are just simply walking or running? What if you really do manage to get one but no matter what you do to it, it simply does not heal properly? Well sometimes a sprain isn’t really a sprain at all but is a symptom of another affliction altogether. The Sinus Tarsi Syndrome is one such thing. You may think it as a common sprain initially, but it really does not respond to common sprain treatment and careful observation by a qualified practitioner is needed to address it properly.

What is the Sinus Tarsi Syndrome?

The Sinus Tarsi is the region on the outside of your foot between the ankle and the talus bone. It looks like a kind of depression on the area and in it contains ligaments, nerve endings, veins and arteries. It is a sort of junction between the structures of the foot that anything that affects nearby areas has a chance to affect the Sinus Tarsi. Any condition that affects the Sinus Tarsi is called a Sinus Tarsi Syndrome.

What Causes Sinus Tarsi Syndrome?

The main reason of it developing is if you have severely pronated foot (flat footedness), wherein structures that form the arc in the foot are weak or is compromised. It is also known to occur after spraining on the foot, and may also be precipitated by repeated stress, acquired from either walking or running, bearing down on the area.

What are the Signs that you have Sinus Tarsi Syndrome?

People who have Sinus Tarsi afflictions usually feel pain on the outside of the foot near the ankles. Tenderness and swelling in the area are also sometimes exhibited, while stiffness and pain are typically felt after long periods of rest or is unused. The pain usually subsides to a lesser degree once the area has been warmed up considerably, but jacks up again when walking upon inclined or uneven surfaces where the foot is sort of twisted or deformed.

How is the Sinus Tarsi Syndrome Treated?

Initial response to the condition requires the placement of ice and elevation of the area affected once the pain sets in. Resting of the foot is a must and taking of pain medicine could help alleviate the pain that is experienced. Continued treatment programs includes, among other things, anti-inflammatories, immobilization, sport ankle sleeves, oral or injected steroid and podiatric shoes to maintain proper foot posture. Surgery is not often required but physical therapy on the area is highly recommended.

Sinus Tarsi Syndrome is a problem which often occurs following any injury to the foot such as ankle and other foot sprains. It usually also happen to people who are flat footed or have overused their feet for prolonged periods of time. Diagnosing it properly and timely is very important to significantly decrease the risk of exacerbating it. Simple treatments work efficiently most of the time and surgery on the area is rarely advised but should be contemplated if the basic treatment is deemed inadequate.

Published: June 18, 2014

Be Wary of the Signs of a Stroke

Have you ever experienced a sudden pain in right arm or numbness in left arm without any reason for it to be happening in the first place, like physically injuring it? Well you better take heed of it and never brush it off like it’s something simple and ordinary, or else risk suffering something terribly heart wrenching.

Sudden pain in these areas could mean a variety of things ranging from the innocent to the more serious ones and only a thorough checkup by a specialist could factually define what it is that is bothering you. But in everything that has gone wrong in our body, specially the sudden ones, it is better to expect the worst case scenario and be proven wrong than to just brush it off and die by it eventually. It is always safe to be prudent in everything that we do.

Sudden pain in the right arm is a symptom common to many an illness and typical maladies that has it in its list of warnings include Syringomyelia (cyst in vertebrae), Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (compressed nerves in the collar bone area), Cubital Tunnel Syndrome (same as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome but in the elbow), or it can also be a symptom of an oncoming stroke among other things. So we can clearly see what we must guard against it if ever we come to experience such pains and immediately take measures against it.

On the other hand, numbness in the left arm also has several illnesses and injuries directly connected to it. Primary of which are Fractures, Brachial Plexus Injuries, Ganglion Cyst (non-cancerous growths on hands and wrists), Crutch Palsy (also known as Radial Nerve Dysfunction), vitamin deficiencies, vascular disorders and also is a warning of an impending stroke.

Judging by several similarities of both of the mentioned disorders, we can now clearly see a pattern with regards to both of these afflictions and we can now also deduce what it is that we must guard against, if ever we experience pain in whichever arm and also numbness and tingling in either one of them. It is the possibility of suffering a debilitating stroke that we must be always wary of.

A stroke, also known as cerebrovascular accidents (CVA), is an emergency medical condition that is brought about by the loss of brain function due to the blockage of the arteries that brings blood into the brain. These blockages are caused by either a hemorrhage or fatty deposits inside of the arteries inhibiting the proper flow of blood. A stroke may prove to be fatal in a short time if necessary aid is not immediately applied as brain cells tend to die quickly with the absence of air.

So if ever you feel the sudden onset of pain or tingling in either of your arms, coupled with weakness on either side of your face and difficulty in talking, it is recommended that you call 911 immediately or have a person accompany you to the nearest hospital quickly as these are the classic signs of a stroke that is about to happen. Knowing about it is a step towards you keeping your life.

Published: June 2, 2014