Tenosynovitis, Plantar Fasciitis, Calcaneal spurs, Deviated Septum & Temporal Mandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ)
DATE July 7, 2006
Tenosynovitis, Plantar Fasciitis, Calcaneal spurs, Deviated Septum & Temporal Mandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ)
Tenosynovitis
is the tender swelling of the rope or cord like structures (tendons) which connect muscles to the bones in order to work the joints of the body and their slithery covering (synovial sheath).
Symptoms
Tenosynovitis causes pain, tenderness, and swelling of the affected area, and also stiffness of the joint which is moved by the tendon. It may just last a few days, but in some cases can go on for many weeks or even months. Usually, however, treatment can help.
Causes
Probably the most common recognisable cause is overuse through heavy and/or repetitive physical activity. It is sometimes caused by rheumatism or arthritis and may be caused by infection. There are other possible causes but in many cases it is impossible to identify what led to the condition.
Diagnosis
Tenosynovitis can affect any tendon in the body but is possibly most commonly seen in the wrist and hand. The joint which is worked by the tendon is stiff and painful and there is tenderness and swelling over and around the inflamed tendon and tendon sheath. Sometimes the area is warmer or hotter than the surrounding skin.
There may be a crackling noise from the tendon (when the joint is moved) which is audible using a stethoscope or with an ear placed against the affected area. This may sometimes be felt with the finger tips.
Treatment
In most cases you should seek professional advice. This is usually from a doctor or physiotherapist, but chiropractors and osteopaths are expert in this area as well. (It is wise to check that such a professional is a registered practitioner, in the same way you would expect your doctor to be.)
From the point of view of immediate relief, it helps to rest the joint and cold compresses may also help. It may be beneficial to try an anti-inflammatory drug such as aspirin or ibuprofen as long as you are not allergic to this, do not have a history of stomach or duodenal ulcer, and know of no other reason why you should not.
Your doctor may try these or stronger drugs of a similar type, may organise physiotherapy, or may suggest a steroid injection. Do not be alarmed by this, although nothing is without any possible side effects, these are few, and the injection is usually very helpful. The sort of steroid involved is the sort that athletes are allowed to use, and it will not cause you to grow huge muscles!
http://www.medinfo.co.uk/conditions/tenosynovitis.html
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLG,GGLG:2006-01,GGLG:en&q=Tenosynovitis
Plantar Fasciitis (pronounced PLAN-tar fashee-EYE-tiss)
is an inflammation of the plantar fascia. "Plantar" means the bottom of the foot; "fascia" is a type of connective tissue, and "itis" means "inflammation". Heel spurs are soft, bendable deposits of calcium that are the result of tension and inflammation in the plantar fascia attachment to the heel. Heel spurs do not cause pain. They are only evidence (not proof) that a patient may have plantar fasciitis. The plantar fascia encapsulates muscles in the sole of the foot. It supports the arch of the foot by acting as a bowstring to connect the ball of the foot to the heel. When walking and at the moment the heel of the trailing leg begins to lift off the ground, the plantar fascia endures tension that is approximately two times body weight. This moment of maximum tension is increased and "sharpened" (it increases suddenly) if there is lack of flexibility in the calf muscles. A percentage increase in body weight causes the same percentage increase in tension in the fascia. Due to the repetitive nature of walking, plantar fasciitis may be a repetitive stress disorder (RSD) similar to tennis elbow. Both conditions benefit greatly from rest, ice, and stretching. Surgery is a last resort and may result in more harm than good in up to 50% of the patients.
The most common cause of heel pain is plantar fasciitis. Many patients with plantar fasciitis have a heel spur on the front and bottom of their heel, but heel spurs do not cause pain. The common name is "heel spur" because it's easier to pronounce than "plantar fasciitis" and doctors are able to point to the spur on an x-ray. Causes of heel pain include inadequate flexibility in the calf muscles, lack of arch support, being overweight, suddenly increasing activity, and spending too much time on the feet.
http://heelspurs.com/index.html
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLG,GGLG:2006-01,GGLG:en&q=Plantar+Fasciitis
Calcaneal spurs
A calcaneal spur is a small bony projection that is formed on the calcaneus or heel bone. It is caused by putting too much pressure on the sinew on the soles of the feet, usually over a long period of time.
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/heelpain.htm
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLG,GGLG:2006-01,GGLG:en&q=Calcaneal+spurs
Deviated Septum
A "deviated septum" occurs when the septum is severely shifted away from the midline. The most common symptom from a badly deviated or crooked septum is difficulty breathing through the nose. The symptoms are usually worse on one side, and sometimes actually occur on the side opposite the bend. In some cases the crooked septum can interfere with the drainage of the sinuses, resulting in repeated sinus infections.
Septoplasty is the preferred surgical treatment to correct a deviated septum. This procedure is not generally performed on minors, because the cartilaginous septum grows until around age 18. Septal deviations commonly occur due to nasal trauma.
http://www.aaohns.org/healthinfo/sinus/deviated-septum.cfm
Temporal Mandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ)
refer to a collection of medical and dental conditions affecting the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and/or the muscles of mastication, as well as contiguous tissue components. Although specific etiologies such as degenerative arthritis and trauma underlie some TMD, as a group these conditions have no common cause or biological explanation and comprise a group of health problems whose signs and symptoms are overlapping, but not necessarily identical. In simpler terms, it is a condition which causes pain in the jaw muscle and has received a lot of attention as a cause of chronic headaches.
Symptoms of TMJ dysfunction include chronic, dull, aching one-sided pain around the jaw, behind the eyes and ears, and even down the neck into the shoulders. Jaw pain, clicking sounds, and difficulty opening the mouth widely, especially in the morning are characteristic. Other characteristics include locking of the jaw, muscle tenderness, clicking, decreased jaw movement, and joint deviation when opening it. Chewing often worsens the symptoms.
http://content.nhiondemand.com/psv/HC2.asp?objID=100636&cType=hc
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLG,GGLG:2006-01,GGLG:en&q=temporal+Mandibular+Joint+Disorder
© 1999 
