Tag: Sir Gangaram Hospital

ARTHRITIS TODAY IS AS TREATABLE AS DIABETES: EXPERTS AT ASSOCHAM’S ILLNESS TO WELLNESS SERIES
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ARTHRITIS TODAY IS AS TREATABLE AS DIABETES: EXPERTS AT ASSOCHAM’S ILLNESS TO WELLNESS SERIES

Dec 28, 2020 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments #ASSOCHAM CSR Council, #Chairperson, #Chief Foot & Ankle Services, #Director & Head of Department, #Dr. (Lt. General) (Prof.) Ved Chaturvedi, #Dr. Maninder Shah Singh, #Dr. P. D. Rath, #Dr. Rajesh Kesari, #Founder and Director, #Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, #Max Super Speciality Hospital, #New Delhi, #Rheumatology, #Saket Smart, #Senior Consultant, #Shri Anil Rajput, #Sir Gangaram Hospital, #Total Care Control

New Delhi: The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), one of the apex trade associations of India concluded the fourteenth edition of the ‘Illness to Wellness’ series themed ‘Preventive and Curative Measures for Bones and Joint Pains During Winter & COVID–19’. The event saw an expert panel of rheumatologists invited to hold an informative dialogue on challenges faced by patients suffering from pain in bones and joints, finding the right exercises and activities to elevate their pain and the importance of reaching out for treatment.

Supported by the hygiene brand SAVLON, the programme which promotes healthy living with focus on wellness and preventive health through healthy habits, diet, exercise, and holistic health saw the speakers actively engage on the importance of right medication and treatment to control and prevent pain for arthritic patients.

Speaking on how arthritis may not have a cure just like diabetes or hypertension, Dr. P. D. Rath, Director & Head of Department, Rheumatology, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket Smart, New Delhi emphasised how science has now ensured that arthritis is treatable. “When we suffer from an autoimmune disease, it is important that we don’t run away from it. We should face it and treat it. Today, with the kind of treatment we have, arthritis is as treatable as blood pressure, thyroid or diabetes. In our country, we have drugs that are at comparably cheaper and effective. So, patients should be confident enough to pursue treatment,” he said. Calling arthritis, a multifactorial disease, he listed some of the common factors behind arthritis like genetics, stress, infections and others.  He also added, “Don’t manage arthritis on your own with pain killers. They can only provide temporary relief, but they will not address the underlying disease. In cases of dangerous arthritis this can be life threatening.”

Highlighting the wide prevalence of joint-related diseases in adults and not just seniors, Shri Anil Rajput, Chairperson, ASSOCHAM CSR Council said, “It is a well-known fact that a healthy mind lives in a healthy body and certain medical conditions like diabetes, obesity and hypertension need to be well controlled to have better immunity against all types of infections. Bones and joint pains are no longer a disorder that affects only elders, rather, these health conditions have trickled down to adults as a result of lifestyle choices. Acute or chronic trauma, degenerative changes and the wear and tear of joints and joint structures over the time are the common causes of major bone injuries and health conditions. To prevent this, a healthy ecosystem and environment is a prerequisite. Taking multivitamins and other healthy foods is important, however, not enough to boost immunity alone. Experts are stressing on the need to spend at least 30 minutes a day doing regular exercises and taking brisk walks.”

Taking the discussion further, Dr. (Lt. General) (Prof.) Ved Chaturvedi, Senior Consultant, Rheumatology, Sir Gangaram Hospital, New Delhi, spoke of the importance of ensuring right dietary supplements to prevent bones and joint-related diseases. “Calcium and Vitamin D are two of the most recommended supplements by doctors and specialists. In women, calcium supplement post 45 years of age, during menopause is crucial. You roughly require 1-1.5 gm of Calcium daily. Growing children too need it. Vitamin D has also emerged as one of the most recommended supplements because it can help immune systems, nerves, muscles,” he said.

The experts further agreed that patients should focus on increasing dietary intake of required supplements as opposed to taking them in the form of pills unless suggested by doctors. Tablets should only be used for those for whom dietary intake may be difficult due to allergies and other reasons. For calcium, the most recommended form was in milk, curd and cheese. Omega 3 found in fish and flax seeds was another was recommended as a must have element in daily diet due to its anti-inflammatory properties.

Commenting on the best course of action to eliminate joint pains during winters, Dr. Maninder Shah Singh, Senior Consultant, Chief Foot & Ankle Services, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, New Delhi said, “The most effective way to reduce joint pain during winter is keeping active through brisk walks and exercises such as running and cycling. Those who are elderly and have pre-existing joint problems may opt for simple stretches to avoid stiffness in joints. Yoga and warm baths are particularly effective. Keeping your body warm is also very important, especially around joints using gloves, scarves, thermals and warm boots. Spending just 30 minutes or 2% of a day exercising can go a long way in keeping our body healthy as we all have only one body for our entire life.”

Dr. Rajesh Kesari, Founder and Director, Total Care Control acted as the moderator of the event and raised pertinent questions before the panellists to guide the discussion into a strong knowledge-sharing webinar. His smart manoeuvring of the discussions helped reap health foresights from the veteran rheumatologists.

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Health

Smoking weakens Spine

Nov 21, 2020 by Gouri Achary 0 Comments #Dr Satnam Singh Chhabra, #Sir Gangaram Hospital, #Smoking, #Spine

Dr Satnam Singh Chhabra, Head Neuro and Spine department, Sir Gangaram Hospital

Quite many steps have been taken to reduce the number of people who smoke, but all in vain. Even the government is trying hard to curb this situation, which leads to thousands of deaths each year due to lung cancer and other respiratory issues because of smoking.

Many people begin to smoke despite published statistics that show its negative impact on health. According to the latest order by the government, cigarette packets will soon have bigger pictorial warnings, hoping to change the mindset of smokers.

The adverse effects of smoking include nicotine addiction, increased risk of lung and other types of cancer, higher rates of arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and heart disease, as well as decreased life expectancy.

Cigarettes contain dried tobacco leaves and flavourings, which includes more than 4,000 chemicals. Some of these substances are harmless until burned and breathed. Cigarette smoke can be divided into two categories – distinct particles and gases.

But, one of the issues that smokers ignore is that smoking can deteriorate the health of the spine, which can be a long term disease. As, we know that smokers have less physical endurance than non-smokers, which is mainly due to decreased lung function. Cigarette smoking reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood and increases the level of harmful substances, such as carbon monoxide. This combined with the effects of smoking on the heart and blood vessels can limit the benefits from physical activity.

Bone is a living tissue dependent on the functions and support provided by the other body systems. When these systems are not able to perform normally, bone is unable to rebuild itself. The formation of bone is particularly influenced by physical exercise and hormonal activity, both of which are adversely affected by cigarette smoking.

In men and women, cigarette smoking is known to influence hormone function. Smoking increases estrogen loss in women who are premenopausal or postmenopausal. This can result in loss of bone density and can lead to osteoporosis. Osteoporosis causes bones to lose strength, becoming more fragile. So, this silent disease is responsible for many spine and hip fractures.

The toxins in cigarettes wreak havoc on our bones and soft tissues. When we talk about the spine, which consists of vertebrae, cartilaginous intervertebral discs, connective tissue, small muscles and nerves, we begin to get a broader sense of how smoking can damage our spine’s ability to function normally.

All parts of the spine are affected by smoking. Below are a few dangers that one may not be aware of:

Intervertebral discs – the discs that separate adjacent vertebrae have a very low blood supply. Smoking inhibits circulation even further, making it impossible for these discs to absorb the nutrients they need to stay healthy.

Vertebrae – smoking reduces bone density, which puts the vertebrae at greater risk for developing osteoporosis, facet disease, spinal arthritis and other degenerative spine conditions.

Connective tissues – nicotine causes a reduction in collagen levels, which makes soft tissues and cartilage less elastic and resilient. Tendons and ligaments become vulnerable to injury.

Muscles – besides the general degenerative effects of smoking on the muscles, tobacco also harms the lungs, making physical activity difficult. The result can be lowered muscle mass due to inactivity.

Nerves – when cartilage, vertebrae and intervertebral discs get weakened, the chances of a herniated disc or bulging disc increases. These conditions can cause disc material to impinge spinal nerves.

One of the procedures to rectify the spine is spinal fusion, which is a surgical procedure used to join bony segments of the spine (eg, vertebrae). In order for fusion to heal, new bone growth must occur, bridging between the spinal segments. Sometimes fusion is combined with another surgical technique termed spinal instrumentation. Instrumentation consists of different types of medically designed hardware such as rods, hooks, wires, and screws that are attached to the spine. These devices provide immediate stability and hold the spine in proper position while the fusion heals.

Spinal fusion (also termed arthrodesis) can be performed at the cervical, thoracic, or lumbar levels of the spine. It takes months to heal. The long-term success of many types of spinal surgery dependents on successful spinal fusion. In fact, if the fusion does not heal, spinal surgery may have to be repeated. A failed fusion is termed as a nonunion or pseudoarthrosis.

Certain factors have been found to affect the success of spinal fusion. Some of these factors include the patient’s age, underlying medical conditions, like, diabetes, osteoporosis and cigarette smoking. Smoking disrupts the normal function of basic body systems that contribute to bone formation and growth. As mentioned previously, new bone growth is necessary for a fusion to heal.

Post-operative infection — Smoking compromises the immune system and the body’s other defence mechanisms, which can increase the patient’s susceptibility to post-operative infection.

However, quitting smoking is obviously easier said than done. However, there are a few tips that may help the transition go a bit more smoothly. One should drink plenty of water or opt for non-caffeinated beverages because caffeine can increase nicotine craving. Try to exercise on a regular basis and get about eight hours of sleep each night. Many people reach for their pack of cigarettes when they feel tired or energized. Finally, since so much of smoking has to do with habit, try changing the lifestyle or behaviour. Eat your lunch in a different spot, walk your dog on a different route or read a book instead of watching television.