Month: April 2011

Gout

Gout is considered a chronic and progressive disease, that results from an overload of uric acid in the body. It is caused by the overaccumulation of uric acid in the body, when the kidneys cannot remove the excess from the blood as quckly as it is produced. It is deposited in joints as tiny urate crystals, which produce inflammation and sharp pain.
In acute causes of gout, the joint of the big toe is commonly affected (red-, big toe). Other joints may also affected: foot, knee, ankle. The most common sign of gout is a nighttime attack of swelling, tenderness, redness, and extremely pain.
Gout is nine times more common in men (usually after age of 30) than in women. In women the disease occur after menopause.
(more…)

Carpal tunnel syndroma

The symptoms resulting from compression of the median nerve that runs through the wrist.

The risk factors associated whit the development of carpal tunnel syndrome are:

  • Inflamation of the wrist,
  • RA (rheumatoid arthritis),
  • Wrist trauma, fracture,
  • Repetitive hand movements,
  • Position of extreme wrist flexion and extension,
  • Endocrin disorders (diabetes, hypothyroidism),
  • Pregnency,
  • Alkoholism (more…)

The brachial plexus injuries

The brachial plexus innervates the shoulder girdle and upper limb, with contributions from the ventral rami of spinal nerves C5- T1

  • Spinal segment:  C5-C6 (Axillary nerve) innervates deltoid and teres minor muscles; and skin of shoulder
  • Spinal segment: C5-T1 (Radial nerve) innervates extensor muscles: triceps brachi, brachioradialis, extensor carpi radialis, and extensor carpi ulnaris; digital extensors, abductor pollicis; and skin of hte posterolateral surface of the arm
  • Spinal segment: C5-C7 (Musculocutaneous nerve) innervates flexor muscles: biceps brachii, brachialis and coracobrachialis; skin over lateral surface of the forearm
  • Spinal segment: C6-T1 (Median nerve) innervates flexor muscles on the forearm: flexor carpi radialis and palmaris longus; pronator quadratus, pronator teres; digital flexors; skin over anteriolateral surface of the hand
  • Spinal segment C8-T1 (Ulnar nerve) innervates flexor carpi ulnaris; adductor pollicis and small digital muscles; skin over medial surface of the hand.

(more…)