Some critical Differences - ansariphysio

Some critical Differences

Stiffness and spasm are not critical or confusing as tenderness and tightness perhaps in some instances it is somewhat difficult to explain when treating stiff joints or frozen shoulder because both the signs are present in articular or muscular cases, they are primarily identified because when joint stiffness is present somehow muscular spasm will also be present.

Lack of motion or difficulty in motion leads to a decrease in the contraction of the muscle and finally the spasm will be seen, here are some examples of spasm and stiffness.

Stiffness: - Limited or decrease flexibility commonly in the joints.

Stiff, Rigid, Firm inflexible (20th-century dictionary)

Joint stiffness caused by inflammation usually occurs or is worse immediately prolonged resting or immobility; it is commonly seen in arthritis, morning stiffness in Rheumatoid arthritis.

If stiffness lasts for less than 15 minutes, the joint is probably not inflamed.

Stiffness is relieved by treating the disorder causing it, Physical therapy, Stretching exercise, heat therapy, etc.

Spasm: - An involuntary sudden movement or muscular contraction that occurs as a result of some irritant or trauma. Spasm may be clonic (characterized by alternate contraction and relaxation) or tonic (sustained). They may involve either visceral (smooth) muscle or skeletal (striated) muscle, when contraction strong and painful, they are called cramps. Sudden violent, involuntary muscular contraction. There are several types of spasms which are needed to be explained for batter understanding about the spasm ;

Facial spasm: - tonic spasm of Muscles supplied by the facial nerve, involving either side of the face or confined to a limited area about the eye.

Bronchial spasm: - A sudden transitory constriction of a passage, canal, or orifice.

Infantile Spasm: - Syndrome of scurvy myoclonus appearing in infancy and associated with general cerebral deterioration.

Intentional spasm:-

Muscular spasm on attempting voluntary movement.

Myopathic Spasm:- Spasm accompanying disease of the muscles.

Nodding spasm:- Nodding motion of head accompanied by nystagmus, seen in infants and young children.

Saltatory spasm:- clonic spasm of the muscles of the legs, producing a peculiar jumping or sparing motion when standing.

Carpopedal spasm:- Spasm of the hand and foot or, of the thumbs or great toe seen in tetany.

Toxic spasm:- Spam caused by toxins

Tetanic Spasm: - (tonic spasm) tetanus.

Note:- Acute muscle spasm may be the result of muscle injury or overuse.

Asthma is assumed to be associated with spasm of the muscular coats of smaller bronchi, renal colic to spasm of the muscular coats of the ureter.

Spasm is treated by General measures to reduce tension, induce muscle relaxation, and improve circulation are needed. Specific measures include analgesics, massage, relaxation exercises, therapeutic modalities such as heat, cold, or electrotherapy, and, in some cases, gentle therapeutic exercises. Special Orthopedic supports or braces are sometimes effective. For vascular spasm, chemical sympathectomy may give relief.

Trigger Point and Tender Point:- Also called Travell’s Point and Jone’s point. Before coming to the point I will give a brief description of Tenderness (sensitivity to pain and pressure).

Rebound tenderness:- the production of intensification of pain when pressures that have been applied during palpation (especially of the abdomen) is suddenly released. Syn; Blumberg’s sign.

Trigger Point: - and area of tissue that is tender when compressed and may give rise to referred pain and tenderness.

Trigger Zone: - an area of the cerebral cortex that, when stimulated produces abnormal reactions similar to those in acquired epilepsy.

Trigger Point is defined as areas of muscle that are painful to palpation is characterized by the presences of the taut band and generation of referral patterns of pain.

Trigger points are hyperirritable spots with hypersensitive palpable nodules.

A trigger point in a taut band within skeletal muscle, the treatment is inhibitory soft tissue, Deep massage, Isometric, MET, Myofascial stretch, Vapocoolent spray.

Tender Point: - tender point is an area of tenderness occurring in muscle, muscle-tendon junction, bursa or fat pad.

When tender points occur in a widespread manner, they are usually considered characteristic of fibromyalgia.

Tender Points are usually of fingertip size, small, tense and oedematous.

In tender point  No referred pain or radiation is present.

Tender points usually found in myotendinous junction or belly of muscle.

The treatment is counterstain.

Continued. . . .