Joint effort

BENGALURU: Bengaluru’s weather is the most charming thing about the city and is also the one reason why anyone who comes here never leaves. The mild temperature and the ever so wonderful rains make the garden city a perfect choice for people across India to settle here.

But for people who suffer from medical conditions like arthritis, the rainy weather and moisture in the air can create challenges in managing the condition. Bengaluru remains cold for the majority of the year with the average temperature 20 degree Celsius. 

Bengaluru’s weather can make you want to spend days in bed reading a book which tends to increase inactivity and put you at higher risk for developing joint pains. For many with rheumatoid arthritis, pain, swelling, stiffness, fatigue and other common symptoms are harder to control during cold mornings.

During winters, pain receptors become more sensitive due to the dip in temperature, which causes more discomfort. Cold usually causes frequent muscle cramps and this worsens joint pain. The cold weather also reduces the blood circulation to fingers and toes and this triggers arthritis. Lack of sunlight due to rains leads to lack of vitamin D resulting in weakened bones and joints.

The author is a joint replacement surgeon and orthopedist, Apollo Spectra Hospital, Koramangala.

Here are simple steps to manage arthritis in Bengaluru’s weather conditions

1. Keep yourself warm
   When the temperature drops, take hot baths and wear warm clothes. This avoids the cold temperature from affecting your bones directly. 
2. Try a paraffin bath
   It’s a small machine that melts paraffin wax. You can dip your hands and feet in the bath, and let the wax harden on the skin. The body absorbs the heat produced by melting of the wax, which will ease the aching joints. 
3. Maintain a healthy weight
   Practise exercises that do not put pressure on the joints, like yoga or swimming. Always do some stretches before starting with the rigorous routine.
4. Soak in the sunlight
   Vitamin D has proven to improve bone health and ease the pain in the joints to a certain extent. As sun is the best source of Vitamin D, try and accommodate a small stroll in those rare but sunny winter afternoons.
5. Avoid heavy lifting
   Any activity like lifting heavy boxes should be avoided as they put unnecessary stress and pressure on already weakened joints.
6. Eat healthy food
   Include mushrooms or red meat in your daily food intake as these are Vitamin D rich foods and would help in easing your medical condition.