Muscle, Bone and Joint (earlier named Arthritis)

Dr. Sapan C. Pandya, MD DM Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology answers this and many other questions in this exhaustive talk with Kirtida Oza, Co-founder of Sjögren’s India. This online Webinar on “Rheumatic Diseases: Challenges and Hope” is aimed at enhancing awareness about lesser understood diseases.   #Rheumatic Diseases Awareness Month Dr. Sapan C. Pandya starts with a quick recap of lesser known Rheumatic Diseases including Scleroderma, Lupus, Inflammatory Myositis and…

Are you confused as to when to use Ice Pack and when to use Heat to deal with pain, injury and inflammation? This infographic below sums it up quite simply. According to Dr. Bhuvaneswari, a quick guideline to follow is:  Ice pack is preferred if it is a recent and acute pain episode especially injury which may be a blood clot, muscle tear or tendon tear.  For instance most sport and exercse injuries.  Heat or warmth for Chronic pain with stiffness, especially joint related…

Kalpana Kamdar, a physiotherapist from Ahmedabad, emphasises the importance of good posture to protect our bones, joints, muscles and ligaments and suggests simple ways to keep our musculoskeletal system in perfect shape. Video of webinar recording below. In the past three articles we have discussed how bad postures are the actual reason for pain and discomfort in most cases, though it is frequently wrongly diagnosed and treated as local issues like Cervical Spondylitis, Frozen Shoulder, Tennis…

Do you sometimes get sudden cramps in your calf or toe muscles? Dr. Shital Raval explains the causes and tips to get rid of leg cramps and to prevent them  Leg cramps or Charley horse (term used mainly in Canada and the US) is a common but harmless condition experienced by most individuals. These are sudden painful contractions of the leg muscles often in the calf area. They can last for seconds to a few minutes and rarely last more than 10 minutes. हिंदी में पढ़ें: पैर में ऐंठन -…

A bedridden patient becomes vulnerable to various health complications like painful bed sores, circulation and respiratory problems, depression and contractures, due to lack of activity for long periods. Usha Ravi suggests steps to ensure proper nursing and caring for your loved one confined to the bed. There are a host of challenges which arise if one is confined to bed because of sickness, disability or frail age. The burden is felt not only by the individual but also by the carers.  It…

And the mistakes people make when dealing with people with disability and hidden illnesses. Aarthi Sampath who has Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy shares her some of worst experiences of being a wheelchair user. I am quite accustomed to people staring at me, curiously, inquisitively. They often wonder whether I have polio as awareness of other illnesses leading to paralysis  is limited. So I have to face inane questions like, “Did you get some fever which paralysed you?” “Did you visit a…

The Rhythm Wellness initiative of Global ArtsCare in Singapore conducts group drumming session for the elderly to reduce loneliness, increase energy levels and morale and provide recreational and wellness activities. Tell us about Global ArtsCare and the work it does? At GlobalArtsCare we aim to transform lives-in-care through creative arts engagement. Our activities aim to make creative arts engagement accessible to as many people in care facilities. In the process, residents, care-givers, and…

How does one smile and be cheerful when one wakes up with severely stiff joints and incredible pain? In the conclusion of this two-part series, Lakshmi Menon, 63, talks about the various health issues that arise as Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) progresses and offers coping mechanisms to maintain best health. I began to monitor my health condition such as increased pain, swelling or other changes so I could report these developments to my rheumatologist. In the past 8 years, other than pain, morning…

Does Yoga help people manage chronic conditions and the various symptoms? On International Yoga Day, we speak to a cross section of people who believe strongly that yoga has contributed greatly in their journey of recovery1.  Mr Purushotaman - Parkinsons Mr. Purushotaman is 77-years-old and has had Parkinson's for 4 years. An unassuming gentleman, Mr. Purushotaman is extremely regular for all meetings and yoga sessions conducted by Parivarthan for Parkinson’s. Parivarthan is a…

Lakshmi Menon, 63, talks about how she was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and her continuous struggle to manage its pain and debilitating symptoms. This is the first of a two-part series. I first got to know of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) when my twin sister was afflicted with this debilitating disease when she was in her early 30s. She had a very virulent form of RA which caused her severe pain and, in no time caused deformation of her hands and feet and reduced mobility. It was her…