FitSugar

How Do You Handle a Fitness-Related Injury?

FitSugar — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 04:30:31 -0700

Whether you pull a muscle at yoga or sprain an ankle while running, getting injured during a workout is no fun. It's painful and can often lead to a period of downtime. For some, the idea of putting their workout schedule on hold is out of the question. I usually take a few days off, but getting started again can be a struggle after a hiatus. What about you?

Redheads Feel More Pain?

FitSugar — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 03:00:41 -0700

Blondes may stereotypically have more fun, but some studies show those born with red locks might feel more pain. So we all need to treat our ginger-headed friends more gingerly since research shows they're more sensitive to hot and cold, and strangely, redheads also require more anesthesia to become numb.

For those with brown, black, and blond hair, the Melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) gene produces melanin, which gives our hair and skin color. In redheads, this gene is mutated and produces pheomelanin instead, causing pale skin, freckles, and strawberry tresses. MC1R mutations also affect carrot tops' perception of pain and the effectiveness of drugs that are used to block the sensation of pain.

Not only is this research interesting (and may explain why your friend screamed her red head off when she got her ears pierced), but it may also help scientists design drugs that are more person-specific based on an individual's genetic profile.

If you're a redhead, please share your thoughts on this hairy subject.

5 Closet Items That Could Cause You Pain

FitSugar — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 05:50:00 -0700

Subscribing to the no pain, no gain camp of fitness is just fine in my book. But fashion agony? That's just unproductive. I'm all for looking cute, but not at the cost of extreme discomfort. Save the pain for the gym and avoid fashion-related maladies by rethinking these five items in your closet.

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You Asked: Pain in the Ear When Flying

FitSugar — Tue, 26 May 2009 08:00:00 -0700

Dear Fit,
Whenever I fly I get this horrible pain in my ears, right as we're descending, about 15 minutes before we land. It's excruciating and sometimes I can't hear well a few hours after the flight. What causes this and is there any way to prevent it? I am traveling soon for my Summer vacation and am not looking forward to flying.
- Pain in the Ear

Great that you're taking a vacation. They are great for stress relief. It sounds like you suffer the condition aptly named airplane ear. More scientifically it's known as barotrauma or barotitis media, but whatever the name, the pain can be really intense and can cause ringing or bleeding in your ear, dizziness, or temporary hearing loss.

To hear what causes it and how to ease your pain read more.

This condition is pretty common and is caused by rapid changes in altitude or air pressure, which causes an unequal pressure between your middle ear and the air outside your ear. This makes your eardrum bulge outward or retract inward, which hurts, and can even cause a ruptured eardrum. You've probably also experienced it when swimming in deep water or driving through the mountains.

Swallowing or yawning should help ease your discomfort because the Eustachian tube, which connects your middle ear to the back of your nose, opens and allows air to flow into or out of your middle ear, equalizing the pressure. If you're congested though because of a cold or allergies, this tube can be blocked, causing pain, muffled sound, and temporary hearing loss.

To prevent this from happening on future flights, try taking an over-the-counter decongestant such as Sudafed about 30 to 60 minutes before your flight. This will help to dry up mucus from your nose and sinuses. While you're flying, chew gum or suck on a cough drop. This will encourage frequent swallowing, which helps to activate the muscles that open your Eustachian tubes. Also, don't sleep when the plane is descending, so you can be sure you're swallowing often. I hope this helps and happy travels.

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When It Comes to Exercise, Do You Ignore Your Pain?

FitSugar — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 04:30:00 -0700

Exercising is supposed to make you feel good, but sometimes while you're in the middle of a workout, you can experience discomfort or full-on pain. Achy knees, a stitch in your side, sore ankles, blisters, burning quads, and tight lungs are just a few I'm sure you can relate to. I was wondering though, do you push through the pain and keep going?

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5 Things: Migraine Headaches

FitSugar — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:30:00 -0700

If you've ever had a migraine - or even if you haven't - you know that they are to be avoided at all costs. These mindbendingly bad headaches can be debilitating, often causing nausea and sensitivity to light. Though more than 20 million people suffer from migraines, they are more common in females. As many as 17 percent of women get migraines, versus just 6 percent of men. Here are five things you need to know about migraine headaches.

Different people have different migraine triggers. Common catalysts include lack of sleep, not getting enough to eat, stress, and certain foods, such as red wine and anything containing tyramine (found in cheese, wine, beer, and sausage) or MSG.
Many women get migraines before or during their menstrual cycles, since the headaches are often caused by hormone fluctuations.

For three more things about migraines, read more.

If you frequently suffer from migraines, it's easy to know the difference between a regular headache and these more severe ones. Characteristics of migraines include throbbing pain concentrated on one side of the head or in the front or back of the head.
The onset of a migraine is often signaled by certain symptoms, including fatigue, sadness, grumpiness, euphoria, and visual auras, wherein the sufferer sees flashing lights or spots.
While waiting out migraines, many people prefer to lay down in a dark room. There are also several medications that treat the pain, including over-the-counter meds and prescription drugs called triptans or ergots.

Fit's Tip: Migraines vary widely from person to person in terms of symptoms, causes, and effective treatments. If you suffer from them or suspect you do, talk to your doctor about the best way to prevent and treat yours.

Do you suffer from migraines? If so, share your solutions in the comments section below.

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Cool Fitness Gadget: Acuball to Relieve Pain

FitSugar — Thu, 29 May 2008 16:00:00 -0700

If you have issues with sore muscles or chronic pain, getting some body work like massage or acupressure are wonderful ways to relieve the discomfort. It is also great to be able to get relief at home, and that's exactly what the Acuball System ($60) allows you to do. Using the Acuball, you can massage your neck or face (sinus problems) as well as larger muscle like your hamstrings or shins. Plus you can heat the Acuball and the combination of heat and pressure on aching muscles helps to circulate blood to that area and loosen up muscle fibers, which relieves tension and your pain.

This kit comes with one large Acuball, an Acuball Mini, the Feel It? Heal It! book, and a 60-minute guided DVD. The video will show you specific exercises that utilize these balls. One of my favorites is to lie on your back with the big Acuball on the upper part of your spine, and every 30 seconds or so, you slide the ball down one vertebrate. The weight of your body and the pressure of the ball creates an amazing release of tension in the muscles along each side of your spine. If you don't want to buy the entire kit, you can buy one Acuball ($29.99) instead.

Permanent Ink and Pain: Tattoo Quiz

FitSugar — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 12:30:00 -0800

Thinking of professing your Valentine's Day love with a tattoo? You might want know a thing or two about the pain association with getting permanently inked - love can hurt. Plus, you might run into an unfortunate and unexpected break up and have to fancy some maneuvering a la Johnny Depp and his "Winona Forever" tattoo. Take this short quiz and see if you know how Johnny changed his tattoo.

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Is Cold Weather to Blame For Your Pain?

FitSugar — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 10:15:00 -0800

Do you ever notice that in the wintertime, your aches and pains get worse or you have them more often? It may have to do with the cold temperature outside. Not only does the colder air cause symptoms or flare-ups of many conditions, but changes in barometric pressure or humidity can also make ailments worse.

Migraines: This type of nauseating headache is caused by constriction or dilation of blood vessels in the brain. According to research conducted by the New England Center For Headaches, half of migraines are triggered by cold, dry weather, or changes to weather in general. Doctors recommend that patients keep a headache journal and jot down the weather when they have symptoms, so they can anticipate a migraine and take medication before they feel pain.

To find out what else Winter makes worse read more

Sinus headaches: When the air cavities in your face become clogged or infected with mucus, it creates pressure that can cause a debilitating sinus headache. Changes in barometric pressure combined with pressure in the sinuses can make the pain even worse. If the air is dry (as it often is in the Winter), it can dry out the sinuses and trigger a sinus headache as well.

Asthma: If you suffer from asthma, you don't need research to tell you that there's a correlation between cold, dry weather and constriction of airways and increased hospital visits.

Fit's Tip: If you find that the dry weather of Winter makes your pains and conditions worse, running a humidifier in your home could make a world of difference. If extreme cold weather affects you, dress warmly, drink some hot tea, and exercise to help increase circulation and your body temperature.

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Pain and Your Brain

FitSugar — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 11:45:00 -0800

Here's another reason to protect your spine by keeping your core strong: Chronic back pain shrinks your brain. Yikes! A recent study by Northwestern University found that chronic back pain radically speeds up the aging process of the brain. The study found that about 1.3 cubic centimeters (or about a teaspoon for the more kitchen-inclined, myself included) of gray matter is lost annually in people enduring chronic pain, aging the brain prematurely by 10 to 20 years. The atrophy occurs in brain regions that manage the stress of the pain, and this shrinkage can even delay emotional decision making.

So work your abs and your spinal muscles to support your spine. Back extensions on the ball are a great way to strengthen the muscles on either side your spine. Also, never underestimate the power of the elbow plank for strengthening your core.

It is estimated that 25 percent of Americans suffer from back pain. Are you part of the 25 percent? Tell me in the comments section below.

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