All it takes is a sudden pull or twist, or a bend or a stretch too far. The result can so easily be a sprain or strain - leading to aches, pains, twinges, stiffness and the kind of discomfort that makes it hard for you to move the joint normally.

Fortunately there is a quick and easy treatment. The deeply penetrating warmth of Transvasin Heat Rub works rapidly and effectively to help relieve pain in joints and muscles. When combined with gentle massage, its deeply penetrating warmth relieves pain and relaxes stiff muscles without the need to take tablets – or obtain a prescription. Always read the label.

A sprain is a stretched or torn ligament - the piece of tissue that connects one bone to another. You can suffer a sprain by changing direction suddenly, or falling and landing awkwardly, or receiving a blow or a bump. Ankles, thumbs and wrists are most commonly affected. Symptoms include inflammation, bruising and pain in the affected area.

What is a strain?

A strain is damage to a muscle or a tendon - the link between a muscle and a bone. You can cause a strain by over-stretching, moving too fast, bending wrongly, or even exercising without warming up and cooling down effectively. In fact strains are the most common sports injuries, accounting for over half of all those reported. Symptoms include pain, swelling and stiffness.

With a mild to moderate sprain or strain, the recipe for treatment for the first two days is RICE - Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. Rest your sprain or strain by moving the joint as little as possible, and avoiding putting weight on it.

Ice cools the injured area and eases the swelling, bruising and pain. Don''t apply ice directly to your skin - that could be too cold. Instead, hold a bag of frozen peas or a cold compress pack against the painful area. You can do this for up to 20 minutes in an hour, every couple of hours.

 

Compress the joint by wrapping it in an elasticated support bandage. The bandage should be wound firmly, but don''t pull it too tightly or you''ll cut off circulation. If your toes or fingers turn blue, the bandage is too tight! Elevate the joint by raising and supporting it - it needs to be higher than the level of your heart, especially through the night. With a sprained ankle, you might find it easier to prop your foot on a pillow while you sleep.

After two days, move on to massaging the joint with Transvasin Heat Rub and stretching it gently, while keeping the affected area warm.

WIN! Transvasin are offering a digital camera as a prize this month, so go to our quiz section for your chance to win a camera.

 

Sick and tired of the daily tube battle to work? Does the thought of catching another hot, sticky bus send a surge of irritation through your veins? If you’re familiar with the feeling, why not hop on the latest trend sweeping the nation and cycle your way to into shape?

To make sure you more like Agyness Deyn than Boris Johnson on your two-wheeled companion, Columbia Sportswear has an array of cycling kit that will see you through any city adventure, so you can concentrate catching the last blast of this year’s sunshine.

A must-have cycling essential, Columbia''s new Omni-Shade™ apparel line features UPF ratings to maximise your fun on the road, whilst protecting against the harmful effects of the sun. Having been given the seal of recommendation from the Skin Cancer Foundation you can be rest assured that your clothing will be doing the hard work too.

The Omni-Shade™ range features a tight weave structure and fabric types such as texturised synthetics and natural fibres, and even colour selection, produces sun protective properties. In addition some pieces are pre-treated with UV inhibiting ingredients to further their sun blocking capacity.

For women, why not try the Omni-Dry Silver ridge III Convertible Pant with a UPF rating of 30. The piece features zip-off legs which cleverly convert into three-quarter length trousers, keeping you cool and away from the bikes’ chain wheel. Additionally, the Omni-Dry Fusion Tee features a UPF rating of 15.

For men, the Silver Ridge Convertible Pant which is a convertible three-quarter length cargo-style pant that features a UPF rating of 30. The Omni-Dry Silver Ridge Short Sleeve Shirt is perfect for city cycling as it has a UPF rating of 30 but also features short sleeves to allow breathability.

As we get older and less mobile, we spend more and more time sitting, watching TV, listening to the radio or reading. However sitting around is now known to be a very risky and dangerous occupation..…you could get a blood clot in your leg…

Statistics show that a staggering 160 people die every day (that’s 60,000 a year) from Venous ThromboEmbolism (when a blood clot causes a fatal blockage in a critical organ) This is 5 times more than those dying from breast cancer, Aids and road traffic accidents put together. Imagine – that’s the capacity of the Arsenal Football Stadium!

Not to worry now though - help is at hand with vibrations so good they''ll be sure to make your toes tingle. The Circulation Booster is just the job for the most comfortable foot rest you’ll ever find…. Sit back, watch Corrie, Eastenders and those classic afternoon movies to your heart’s content and feel the difference in your tootsies. Its great for anyone with circulation problems, leg aches, pains and swelling, leg ulcers or even simple cold feet!

A loud persistent cough is more likely to cause bed rage amongst couples than anything else according to Sheila Wint, a couple therapist. Nearly 55% of people surveyed found coughing more irritating than snoring or reading in bed with the light on and is the most likely cause of bedtime rows and a loss of libido.

People stated that they can become endured to snoring to the point it goes unnoticed. The irregularity of a cough means a person is waiting for the next coughing fit during which time their irritation mounts. Coughing can also cause the bed to shake if it is severe enough and keep a partner awake. The top ten causes of bed rage are:

• Coughing

• Snoring

• Reading with a light on

• Fidgeting

• Stealing the covers

• Flatulence

• Getting up to go to the loo at night

• A partner who has a much hotter body temperature

• Eating in bed

• Hogging the bed

Commenting on the findings, Sheila Wint, said:

"Coughing is so erratic that a partner is unable to develop coping mechanisms or learn to deal with it over time. As they become increasingly tired, they also become angrier and are unable to empathise with their partner. A bedtime row is most likely to occur because of a cough - this is a year - round problem either due to a summer allergy or a cough associated with a winter cold".

A simple answer is for people to take a natural soothant such as Allens Pine & Honey Balsam when a coughing fit commences to help abate symptoms.

Allens Pine & Honey Balsam is an old-fashioned medicine based on 85% natural ingredients that have been used for centuries in the treatment of coughs, colds and bronchitis. It has been called an entire medicine chest in a bottle bringing year-round relief to a whole host of ailments including coughs, colds and flu, sore throats and stuffiness.

People who suffer from asthma, catarrh, hay fever and other allergies have also found it a real boon.

Allens Pine & Honey Balsam is suitable for everyone including from children aged five upwards (always read the label). Further information can be found at www.allenshealthcare.co.uk

 

Brad Pitt and Peter Andre have recently been spotted out sporting some designer facial hair. Both have managed to pull of the look with ease by keeping their hair trim, tidy and stylish and in doing so they have maintained the affection of their respected wives and adoring fans. With designer facial hair making a comeback there has never been a better time to down those razors. However be warned that it is still a necessity to keep it looking trimmed and slick.

In order to follow in the footsteps of Brad or Peter you need Remington’s new MB320 Professional Beard Trimmer (£24.99, please see image attached) which takes the trouble out of keeping facial hair trim and tidy. This cordless four-piece kit offers 40 minutes trim time from one charge and sports nine pre-set lengths and a pop-up trimmer for fine-detailing that face fuzz. The Diamond Like Carbon Coated blades are 400% harder than steel blades for the cleanest, quickest cut that will leave your beard and ‘tache sharper than Mr Andre’s!

Remington’s MB320 is available from Superdrug, Tesco, Amazon and the Argos Catalogue. For your nearest stockist please contact Remington on 0800 212 438 or visit Remington at www.remington.co.uk.