GENERAL INSURANCE BLOG

While YOLO (You Only Live Once) can be the mantra for many of us to enjoy and create beautiful memories, it is also important to remember that accidents come without warning. The slightest of injuries can make your life uncomfortable to an unimaginable extent. You can never be too cautious, and it does not harm to be careful and vigilant about the body against the potential dangers in the surroundings.

This blog is a complete guide on hamstring injuries and the best ways to get relief. If you are someone who has no information about hamstring injuries, their diagnosis, recommended treatments, symptoms, and causes, do not worry. Here we answer all your questions about hamstring injuries right from the meaning. So, without any further delay, let’s get started!

1. What is a hamstring injury:
Often, you might have noticed athletes and people who are into fitness and go to the gym regularly get their muscles pulled. A strain or a tear in the muscles or tendons in the backward portion of your thigh is described as a hamstring injury.
Athletes, gymnasts, and sportspeople who practice long jumps, high jumps, climbing, etc., are usually at risk of these hamstring injuries, which can make movement and daily chores and practice very difficult for them. In some cases, the severity of the damage and the induced pain can lead to getting disqualified from the competition or complete bed rest.

2. Let’s learn a little more about hamstring:
The hamstring joins the bone and the largest thigh muscle in your body and helps the leg bend and stretch easily. When you jump, climb a rope, jump, stretch, run or sprint, your hamstrings are used extensively.
The level of the injury is described by the extent of damage caused to the hamstring. A grade one injury involves a slight muscle pull, whereas a grade two injury indicates a partial muscle tear. The most severe grade three injury occurs when there is a complete muscle tear.

Note: if someone has suffered a hamstring injury, it makes them prone to it in the future if they do not take proper care.

3. How is the hamstring damaged:
The causes include overstretching, lack of rest combined with fatigue after a heavy workout session, a direct hit on your thigh, insufficient warm-up before athletic and sports activities or workouts, lack of a pre-conditioning program, and a history of hamstring injuries.

4. What are the symptoms:
You need to be aware of the symptoms of different grades of hamstring injuries (as discussed in the second point). If you have a grade one injury, you will experience sudden increasing pain in the backward portion of your thigh, leading to difficulty in movement. In this stage, your leg strength will remain unaffected.
If you have a grade two injury, you will experience some inflammation, redness, swelling, soreness, bruise patches, and a decrease in the strength of your leg. A grade three injury will worsen the pain, inflammation, swelling, bruise marks, and tenderness. A popping sensation occurs when you initially injure the hamstring.

5. Best ways to get relief:
The RICE method: rest, ice, compression, and elevation are essential to help you manage the injury and get relief from the pain and the soreness in your hamstring. Avoid excessive movement till the soreness goes away and the swelling goes down. Ice the area at fifteen-minute intervals for the next day or two.
A thigh sleeve (elastic, preferably) or a compression wrap is a wise choice to help support the area during the slightest movement. Subtle exercises like lifting your leg to a comfortable level while sitting on a chair or the edge of the bed help during the icing intervals. Crutches are advised if the movement is unbearably painful.

You must be careful and take the required measures to be watchful about your body. It is also wise to get personal accident insurance to avoid monetary stress in times of difficulty. You can explore all your options and purchase the best personal accident insurance online which suits your requirements.

Click HERE to learn more about buying personal accident insurance online.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.

Waking up with a sore throat can be worse than waking up from a nightmare. Every time you gulp your food or cough feels like sheer torture. On most days, the sore throat may vanish if you drink enough warm liquids, but sometimes it can take days to heal.

The pain and itch in the throat can be troublesome enough to distract you from your day’s routine and cause constant discomfort. There can be several causes for a sore throat like viral and bacterial infections, acid reflux, etc. While taking medicine for these illnesses is an effective way of getting rid of soreness, it may still take time to give you some comfort.

Antibiotics can take days to help, and if you have an important meeting to attend, you may be in for some trouble. Worry not; here are a few helpful natural remedies that can give you instant relief from a prolonged sore throat!

1. Saltwater gargles:
Gargling with salt mixed in warm water is one of the best and quickest remedies to relieve a sore throat. If an infection or inflammation causes your sore throat, warm salt water can help kill the bacteria present in the throat and reduce any inflammation.
Mix half a spoon of salt in a glass of warm water and gargle for at least 10 minutes. This will instantly kill any germs present, soothe irritation and calm swelling or inflammation.

2. Honey and Lemon:
Honey has antibacterial properties, which significantly reduces inflammation and soothes your throat. Lemon juice contains vitamin C to boost your immunity, break down the mucus and help you fight your infection. Add one spoon of lemon juice and two spoons of honey to warm water or tea and sip on it as a soothing concoction to get pain relief in a matter of minutes.

3. Chamomile or herbal tea:
Our ancestors have used herbal teas for ages knowing their medicinal properties. Chamomile or herbal tea has antioxidant properties that instantly calm inflammation and kill germs. Drink a cup of hot chamomile tea to soothe your throat from itching. You can add ingredients like turmeric to the tea to boost your immune system.

4. Steam inhalation
Steam inhalation is the best way to relieve your blocked sinuses, kill germs present in your nasal and throat cavity and clear the throat. It also helps you expel all the phlegm that may be causing congestion or soreness in your throat. Boil a pot of water and inhale through your nose and mouth to instantly relieve your sinuses. Continue this for a good 15 minutes to calm your irritable throat.

5. Cough syrup and lozenges:
While doctors usually prescribe cough syrups to fight infections, you can also use them to soothe your throat. Cough syrups have soothing anti-inflammatory properties that act not only on the infection but also on the inflammation in the throat.

You can also chew on lozenges containing ingredients like gingers, honey, lemon and peppermint to produce enough saliva that prevents your throat from drying out. This ultimately soothes your sore throat.

While you can simply buy online health insurance and ensure a safe future for you and your family, dealing with constant health ailments can be vexing. These few quick home remedies can give you rapid relief from a common cold or sore throat to make your daily life simpler! Try practising mindful activities like yoga, meditation, and pranayam to keep your body in the best shape possible and promote a healthy lifestyle.

Click HERE to buy online health insurance.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.

Cycling has seen an increased number of enthusiasts over the past couple of years. Fitness lovers found a new way to keep themselves fit by cycling to the public parks as an alternative to the gyms. Cycling is an activity that does not require a lot of skill and techniques. Still, if you want to learn more about cycling as a sport or wish to venture into various terrains on your bicycle, there are a few things that you should keep in mind to make the process easier and more enjoyable.

One of the most challenging parts of cycling is traversing uphill roads. It is both exhausting and time taking. But with the proper techniques, you can easily manoeuvre this route.

Today we will discuss a few ways to make your uphill journey on the bicycle easier.

1. Do not start fast:
Many riders make the mistake of starting fast, right at the bottom of the uphill journey. This can be the first mistake that you make while riding uphill. Depending on the ascend and the steepness of the slope, it is best to distribute your energy and utilise it on the last leg of the peak. The final portion of the rise requires the maximum energy as it is the steepest part of the ascend.

2. Alternate between sitting and standing position:
Alternating between these two positions can help you significantly in manoeuvring the climb. Cover the distance while being seated and as you reach the final climb, stand up to increase the energy and to acquire the desired push. Activate your muscles, lift your body, and apply pressure using your legs to pedal heavily.

3. Finding a rhythm:
For longer climbs, it is best to set a riding pattern. As mentioned above, switching between speeds, positions etc., can help you form a rhythm and help you focus your energy more on riding instead of ascending.
Find a rhythm that works for you. Gasping is a sign of wrong techniques and wasted energy. For more extended periods of time on the ascend, your breathing should be deep constant.

4. Set small milestones:
Conquering the peak in one go can be a daunting task. Instead of looking at it as a mammoth assignment, it is best to set smaller goals instead. While making the climb, take note of the small details on the road. Like a post box, garbage bin or a tree. Setting these small goals can be an incentive for you.
You can associate these goals with rewards, such as after you reach a goal, you can change your pace, try a new method or just stop for a bit. This way, the road becomes a journey and not a task.

5. Don’t fight the wind:
Fighting the wind is probably the worst thing a rider can do. Your overall speed and energy levels are massively affected by the wind and its direction. Fighting against the wind always means using up all your energy which you can use later for your ascend. Instead, go slow if the wind is against your riding direction.

Sparing sometime of your day for such physical activities can help you in the long run. However, excessive cycling can lead to injuries and a weaker immune system. Uphill riding is never an easy venture, and acing it requires fitness and determination.

In the process, you might even face injuries and mishaps. This is why it is essential to strike a balance. In case of an injury, doctors suggest various physiotherapy sessions and other medications. These treatments can burn a hole in your pocket; hence you should consider buying an individual personal accident insurance policy. Individual personal accident insurance policy safeguards you in case of accidents and injuries, and the cost incurred during your treatment.

So, keep your passion for cycling alive, and ride your way to fitness!

Click HERE to know more about individual personal accident insurance policy.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.

Bringing home your newborn from the hospital is a wonderful yet challenging experience as a parent. The fear of the infant getting sick is a big worry. It takes time to understand typical infant behaviour and gauge abnormalities, which can be challenging.

Detecting initial signs of illness is crucial as it gets difficult for infants to fight off diseases that spread swiftly due to weak immune systems. Comparing family floater plans offered by online health insurance companies is an equally important step to consider to protect your baby.

Additionally, here are some symptoms of newborn illnesses to be aware of.

1. Consistent crying or irritability:
A baby can only communicate its needs by crying, be it hunger, tiredness, loneliness, a change of diaper, or discomfort. At first, you might not understand your baby's cries, but cancel out reasons to identify the cause. Consistent irritability and cries are signs of sickness.

2. Fever:
Bacterial and viral infections, including pneumonia, ear infections, stomach bugs, and urine infections, can cause a fever. Use a digital or mercury-free glass rectal thermometer to take your child's temperature. A temperature of up to 100 degrees is considered normal. For children younger than three months, a temperature of 100 degrees or more, and 101 degrees for children between 3 and 6 months is the threshold, after which you must immediately contact the doctor.

3. Apathy or laziness:
Being tired, dizzy, listless, or excessively sleepy without responding to sounds and sights or reduced appetite are gradual changes you may notice. Lethargy may be a symptom of an infection or other illnesses, like low blood sugar. If your infant shows fatigue or isn't as active as before, consult the doctor.

4. Little appetite:
Most babies eat every three to four hours after the first day, and they will typically express their hunger by sucking on their hands or fingers, screaming, or making yelling gestures with their hands or fingers. Contact your paediatrician if your infant refuses to eat and skips multiple feedings.

5. Vomiting and diarrhoea:
Intestinal, bacterial, or viral infections and obstructions can cause vomiting and diarrhoea. Regular examination of your baby's poop can help the doctor identify bacterial infections. The symptoms of viral infections generally go away after about a week without medication.

6. Inconsistent stools:
Your infant may lose excess fluids due to a fever, illness, or heat and have extremely dry stools. Once your baby begins eating solids, excessive consumption may cause constipation and the formation of firm stools due to difficulty in digestion.

7. Urination:
Typically, babies soil a minimum of four diapers daily. Excessive urination could be due to an infection or other urinary tract issues, such as distress while peeing. A pinkish stain on your baby's diaper indicates concentrated urine and is not worrisome—however, blood in its diaper or persisting discomfort requires a doctor's intervention.

Immediate steps of actions:

Caring for an infant is a significant responsibility that requires prior planning. We encourage to-be and new parents to compare infant insurance offered by online health insurance companies and prioritise their child's health.

Once you notice any symptoms persisting for long periods and deviations from typical behaviour, rush to the doctor. Ensure you follow the doctor's advice to nursing your child back to health. Additional preventive measures include:

● Introducing easy-to-digest foods

● Keeping a constant watch on your newborn

● Maintaining a clean environment

Dealing with kids is always a challenging task, especially when it comes to infants. Since they have weaker immune systems and cannot do things for themselves, it is the parent’s responsibility to make prior arrangements to provide the best possible environment for the infant to thrive in. You can start by including your infant in your family insurance plan after carefully considering the alternatives online health insurance companies offer.

Click HERE to buy insurance for infants from online health insurance companies.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.