Tuesday, 11 October 2016

What is Myalgia?

Myalgia is common problem that is faced by millions of people all over the world. Myalgia means pain in the muscle or muscle ache. Almost, everyone has faced the problem of Myalgia at least once in their lifetime.
Muscle tissue is present in majority of the body parts, that is why, this kind of pain is felt everywhere.
What are the main reasons behind the incidence of Myalgia?
There can be many reasons behind Myalgia and people suffering from it can usually identify the cause. It is so because in most of the cases Myalgia occurs due to strain, anxiety or excessive physical activity.
Some of the most common reasons behind Myalgia are given below:
·       Presence of muscle tension in 1 or more parts of the body
·       Overuse of the muscle while doing physical activity
·       Injury to the muscle during exercise or some kind of physically demanding work
Are there some medical disorders that can cause Myalgia?
Not all the muscle aches are related to strain, anxiety and physical activity. There are some medical disorders that are also responsible for Myalgia such as given below:
·       Intake of certain medicines, such as statins, cocaine, etc.
·       Hypothyroidism or Hyperthyroidism
·       Low levels of potassium in the body (Hypokalemia)
·       Fibromyalgia
·       Bacterial or Fungal Infections
·       Autoimmune Diseases
How to get rid of the problem of Myalgia? What is the possible treatment?
Myalgia or muscle ache usually respond very well to homemade remedies. You can relieve muscle ache problem due to its excessive use and injuries by following the given below methods:
·       Giving rest to the part of the body where you are encountering a throbbing painfulness
·       Taking an over-the-counter agony reliever, for example, ibuprofen
·       Applying ice to the affected area to decrease torment and lessen irritation. You must remember that you have to use ice for one to three days regularly after a strain or sprain, and apply warm for any pain on the remaining parts following three days.
Different measures that may give alleviation from Myalgia include:
                 Gently flexing the muscles or the affected area to reduce the nerve tension
                 Avoiding straining exercises until after the muscle ache leaves
                 Avoiding weight-lifting sessions until the Myalgia is decreased and you get some relief from the constant torment.
                 Giving yourself an opportunity to rest
                 Doing stress-relieving exercises and activities, for example, yoga and meditation to ease strain.

In case of emergency, call your doctor immediately. 

Monday, 3 October 2016

Camel Spider Bite: Identification, Treatment and Precautionary Measures

Camel spider also known as Wind scorpion, Sun spider, and Wind spider belongs to the order Solifugae in the class of Arachnida and is found the desserts of the Middle -East. The order includes more than 1,000 species in approximately 153 genres. A camel spider neither fall into the category of Spiders nor Scorpios, it belongs to the group of arachnids known as ‘solfugids,' meaning ‘those who flee from the sun’. 

Characteristics of Camel spiders

  •      Brown in colour, the size of the male Camel spiders are smaller than the female spiders.
  •          They can traverse desert at speed upto 25MPH and can jump several feet high in the air.
  •           They tend to lay legs in the stomachs of the camels, hence the name ‘Camel spider’.
  •         Camel spiders are nocturnal and spend most of the day hidden in burrows that they excavated themselves rather than using a pre-existing hole.
  •     Camel spiders are non- venomous but the venom contain a powerful anesthetic leading to complete numbness in the biting site of the victim. 

How to identify a Camel spider bite?

There are several symptoms in the body that help one to identify and differentiate between a bite of a normal spider and a Camel spider. Some of the symptoms are:
  •      Intense pain- due to the spider’s chelicerae which look like pincers of crabs.
  •       Swelling- the bite causes a high level of trauma in the surrounding tissues of the skin.
  •       Bleeding- it depends on the intensity of the bite as well as the size of the camel spider, which produces mild to intense bleeding. 

Camel Spider bite: Treatment

Since the spiders are non-venomous, the portion of the wound can be treated by applying first aid. For applying first aid, following steps to be taken:
  •         The bite portion should be washed and cleaned with saline solution or mild soap and water. Although the bite is not poisonous but is full of bacteria that may cause infection at a later stage. Therefore washing the bitten area is important.
  •            An antibiotic ointment should be applied.
  •        Depending on the area and intensity of the wound, a bandage should be applied to prevent dirt from affecting it.
  •          Along with an antibiotic ointment, getting an anti-tetanus shot is a safe option.
  •      After being in the observation for 2-3 days, if the wound doesn’t get cured, it is suggested to get a medical help and consult a doctor as early as possible. 

Precautionary Measures

Though the camel spider bite is not poisonous, but prevention is always better than cure. Some of the precautionary measures that should be taken into consideration are:
  •        Keep yourself away from all the possible preys of a Camel spider such as- insects, bugs, termites etc. This is one of the most common reasons of getting camel spiders in the vicinity.
  •         One should not leave the food and other eatables in the open, which attract insects, resulting in drawing the Camel spiders to prey on the food. Therefore it is advisable to keep the food protected and safe from insects and spiders.
  •         One should also avoid travelling in the shady places of deserts. It is advised to avoid building large shadows or tents in the deserts which can easily lure Camel spiders to get a place to survive.