Muscle, joint, and bone pain is a common occurrence during the rainy season. Moreover, those with arthritis will also have a tough time. If you are looking for remedies to enhance your muscle, joint, and bone health during the monsoon, then we have got you covered. Take charge of your health, and follow the tips suggested in this article. After all, it’s about your health and you can’t take it lightly, right?

For many people, monsoon can invite health issues such as muscle soreness, stiffness, swelling, fatigue, and pain. Moreover, any injuries that have occurred in the past will ache during the cold weather. There is a surge in the cases of muscle, bone, and joint pain during monsoon owing to unfavourable climatic conditions. Humidity and sudden temperature changes can lead to sore muscles. It is essential to adhere to a healthy lifestyle to manage it. Furthermore, the intensive body pain can make it difficult for you to do daily activities with ease. These preventive measures will be helpful for you:

· Avoid foods causing inflammation in the body – Do not eat foods with trans fats, refined grains, artificial flavours and canned foods jam-packed with sodium that are known to give a tough time to your joints. Likewise, you need to keep away from alcohol and smoking. Moreover, sugar-laden food is not at all advisable as it can trigger joint pain. Stick to fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Turmeric contains a compound called curcumin that is loaded with anti-inflammatory properties. So, drinking turmeric milk can relieve you from body pain. Similarly, ginger tea can also alleviate joint pain. Foods dense in calcium such as green leafy vegetables, sardines, soybeans, chickpeas, and milk can be helpful. Eat foods containing vitamin C like strawberries, citrus fruits, and pepper.

· Stay warm during the cold weather – You need to use a double layer of clothing during the rainy days. Wear warm clothes and you will feel better. Moreover, a warm bath can also be soothing and calming as it can allow you to enhance blood circulation, and manage muscle and joint pain.

· Massage the joints – Are you aware that a warm sesame seed (til) oil massage can be a boon for your joints and muscles. Even olive, lavender, peppermint or rosemary oil can be beneficial for you to get rid of that excruciating pain.

· Rest enough – Do you have joint pain or muscle stiffness? Are you getting enough rest? If not, then try to relax for a while. Resting is the key to help your joints heal, and you will be able to do your daily activities with ease.

· Cut down those excess kilos – Are you obese or overweight? Then, you need to grill that excess fat. Obesity is associated with joint pain as the excess weight will put that additional pressure on the joints. Thus, you will have to maintain an optimum weight with the help of diet and exercise. You can opt for yoga, strength training or even cycling to reduce the inflammation of the joints and muscles and increase mobility. Opt for any fitness routine only after consulting the fitness trainer.

· Timely tests – Arthritis can flare up during monsoon so get the blood test done as suggested by the doctor. Likewise, if you encounter joint pain, then you may be deficient in Vitamin D. Hence, opt for a Vitamin D test, and other tests such as thyroid to determine the exact cause of pain and get timely intervention. Also, those already having joint pain should go for regular follow-ups with the doctor. 

The writer is an Orthopaedic Surgeon, Apollo Spectra, Karol Bagh, Delhi.

Migraine is one of the most common neurological disorders which affect children as well as adults. Though it is not a life-threatening condition, the pain due to migraine can be excruciating and very severe. The World Health Organisation highlights that migraine mostly begins at puberty and often affects people aged between 35 to 45 years. Also, it has been observed that women are more susceptible to get migraine due to their hormonal influence, especially in reproductive age.

Migraine can be more than a normal headache. It can cause extreme pain, nausea and vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound. The throbbing pain due to this headache can affect the quality of life by impacting the day to day activity.

Migraine is diagnosed based on the history of recurrent headaches which typically follows a pattern. In most migraine cases, when a person experiences a migraine attack he/she might feel the following symptoms which differentiate it from other headaches.

• Pulsating headache occurs generally on one side of the scalp, forehead or temple; or sometimes on both sides

• Nausea and vomiting

• Light and sound sensitivity

• Blurred vision sometimes with visual auras

• Lightheadedness and giddiness

Medication is a proven method to get rid of migraine headaches. However, taking medications regularly may not help in the longer run. Understanding the migraine triggers, coping with them and also preventing them is crucial in managing migraine. It can also help in reducing the frequency and severity of the condition.

Listed below are few measures which one need to take to cope up with migraine:

Find a calm and quiet environment:

As a first step, take a break and stop the work if possible. Try to avoid light as people with migraine often get sensitive to light and sound. Relax in a dark and quiet room or try to sleep. Apply a hot or cold compress to your head or neck. It might dull the sensation of pain.

Treat it early:

Timing is everything when you want to get relieved from a migraine. Keep the medicines prescribed by your doctor handy and take them as soon as the pain starts. Waiting for the full-blown migraine and then taking the medicines may delay the recovery as well. People who are already suffering from migraine will be able to understand the initial signs quickly.

Establish a sleepinghabit:

Migraines are often triggered by poor sleeping habits. Migraine also might make it difficult to fall asleep due to the pain. It is not sufficient to simply get eight hours of sleep, for people with migraine. The quality of sleep is crucial and that can be improved by having a regular sleep schedule (going to bed at the same time every day and getting up at the same time every day). Listening to soothing music, taking a hot water bath may help in getting better sleep.

Eating habits:

Diet plays a major role in migraine. Avoid delaying meals or fasting. These are the known triggers for migraine. Also, certain food can increase the chances of migraine. Therefore, maintaining a diet journal, keeping track of what to eat and what to avoid is crucial.

Manage stress:

Stress and migraine go hand in hand. It is impossible to control migraine if the person is going through enormous stress. Simple measures like managing time wisely, taking breaks during work hours, relaxing, maintaining work-life boundaries will help in managing work-related stress. Also, regular meditation will help in controlling stress.

Hydration and Exercise:

Hydration and exercise are other important factors. People suffering from migraine must drink enough water throughout the day and about 20 to 30 minutes of exercise should be done daily. Aerobic physical exercise is advised for people with migraines as it decreases migraine frequency and intensity.

Migraine pain should be managed with a comprehensive set of lifestyle and behavioural changes, as well as medication when required. These medications may be prescribed for immediate treatment of headaches when they are infrequent, or for prevention of episodes when they are very frequent.

The writer is Senior Consultant, Neurology, Columbia Asia Referral Hospital, Yeshwanthpur (A unit of Manipal Hospitals).

Once the Covid-19 pandemic spread, the professional environment shifted to our homes almost overnight. All over the world, corporates and governments chose work-from-anywhere over the conventional office setup. While this transformation has helped save people from the virus, it has also caused other challenges. Regular home furniture, no matter how comfortable, isn’t designed to support long hours of professional work. People are working in conditions that are not conducive to productivity and don’t offer the right ergonomics. Thus, back pain, eye strain, fatigue and other issues have cropped up rapidly. However, even if everyone can’t set up an ideal ergonomic and professional workstation, there are ways to reduce strain and fatigue through careful posturing and habits. These habits and practices go a long way in helping people cope up with work-from-home stress.

Don’t stoop over the screen: One of the commonest problems that long hours of daily working on the laptop/computer from home causes is the occurrence of back, shoulder and neck pains. It is recommended that if you can use an external monitor screen or use a laptop stand with an external keyboard and mouse, it can help in elevating the screen to keep the display at eye level. This will prevent stooping or craning your neck and reduce back/neck pains and fatigue.

Maintain right height: The height of your work chair should be in line with your table/desk height. This will ensure that your elbows are naturally placed in sync with the table and give you better wrist alignment instead of causing carpal tunnel stress which could be really painful.

 Use the right chair: Office chairs are specifically designed to provide lumbar support to users even during long hours of usage. If you don’t have a proper office chair at home then try using cushions or folded towels to sit on. This will raise the hips and increase the curvature of the spine, making the posture more comfortable.

 Keep your feet grounded: At times, sitting on a high chair or stool could result in feet not reaching the floor. In such a scenario, one should place a box or a footstool under the feet to ensure that the thighs are parallel to the ground and the hips are slightly higher than the knees. This reduces stress on the lumbar spine.

 Follow the 20:20:20 rule: Continuously staring into the screen for hours can cause eye strain and other problems. Therefore, it is recommended that after every 20 minutes spent looking at a computer screen, one must spend 20 seconds looking at something 20 feet away. This reduces the strain on the eyes and makes working more pleasant.

Avoid working from couch/bed or hammock etc: A lot of people tend to lie down on the bed/couch or sometimes in a hammock while working. This kind of posture can be stressful and uncomfortable for the body if you work for long hours or the whole day. Therefore, it is best advised to avoid this posture and work by sitting upright ergonomically.

 Pay attention to nutrition and hydration: The commonest mistake that people make is to skip eating right and drinking enough water while working. This could be even more harmful in the hot and humid Indian climate. Therefore, no matter how busy you are or how important the task on hand might be, make sure that you eat a balanced meal on time and keep yourself adequately hydrated.

Take breaks: Continuous sitting or standing for hours is detrimental to productivity. While working from home, we have all amenities within close proximity, unlike offices where one might need to walk across the floor for basic needs. That’s why it is important to take breaks to change your posture. If nothing else, walk around the house or simply get up, stretch or fill your water bottle to ensure you are hydrated and take a few steps before resuming work.

Pay attention to the body: The human body has a clear signalling system to indicate problems and it is known as ‘pain.’ If you experience ache or numbness in any part of the body, it indicates that there is some discomfort or problem. It is the act of ignoring these niggles and pains especially in limbs and joints that can lead to long-term ailments such as carpal tunnel syndrome, inflammation of tendons, back injuries etc. Therefore, listening to the body’s signals and taking prompt corrective steps is an ideal approach for all of us.

 All the tips and measures mentioned here are easy to implement and can be highly effective in ensuring comfort and productivity. However, if you experience consistent pains that disrupt your ability to carry out daily tasks then you must consult a specialist immediately.

 The writer is Chief Physiotherapist, Portea Medical. 

Psoriasis is not an uncommon skin disease. It affects millions of people across the world. August marks Psoriasis Awareness Month. The perpetual inflammation in the skin results in red, thick and scaly plaques. It can affect the scalp, limbs, back, creases, palms, soles, nails or even the whole body.

Why misconceptions and misinformation people have related to psoriasis?

• Psoriasis is not infectious or contagious; a lot of people assume it is so and this misconception can have a debilitating impact on the social, psychological well being due to isolation.

• Psoriasis is not limited to skin, joints are affected in around 1/3rd and other systemic inflammatory disorders do coexist including depression, atherosclerotic disease, obesity, insulin resistance etc. It is regarded as a disease of systemic inflammation.

• It is not just a temporary skin rash, oftentimes it is a chronic, systemic condition and the family and community should be aware of this.

• There are a lot of very effective treatments for psoriasis and this knowledge and awareness should help friends and family to support the patients get the treatment that they deserve.

• Psoriasis can appear in different forms in different people and can be confusing even for a health worker, so self-diagnosis should not be attempted in this case.

WHAT CAN WE DO FOR TREATING PSORIASIS?

Many treatments are available; the treatment choice is made, depending on the severity of the disease, the cost and convenience of the treatment, and a person’s response to the treatment. Psoriasis treatments work by decreasing skin development, regulating the immunological response that causes psoriasis, or a combination of the two. Treatment options include creams and ointments, tablets, and injections. Psoriasis can potentially benefit from a type of light therapy known as “phototherapy.” In moderate-severe psoriasis, modern therapeutic options include “targeted therapy” or “biologics,” which have very good efficacy with fewer side effects. Often, a mix of therapy is suggested.

HERE ARE FEW THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO AT HOME

• Daily bathing – removes scales and calms inflamed skin. Can add bath oil, colloidal oatmeal to the bath.

• Keep the skin moisturised – keeping skin soft and moist can minimise itching and tenderness. Moisturisers, such as petroleum jelly or thick creams, are available over-the-counter and should be applied shortly after washing or showering. Can we use it one to three times daily?

• Avoid psoriasis triggers – Smoking, consuming alcohol, infections, injuries to the skin, stress can all worsen psoriasis. Consuming alcohol also interferes with many psoriasis medications.

• Sun exposure – is good in limited amounts, intense sun exposure or sunburn can cause exacerbation.

• The role of dietary interventions in treating psoriasis has been unclear. Experts recommend that people with psoriasis who are overweight or obese reduce the number of calories they consume to try to lose weight, eating a nutritious, balanced diet is recommended.

• Strive to maintain a healthy lifestyle with adequate exercise.

The writer is a Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology, Amrita Hospitals, Kochi.

Children with the Covid-19 illness can be affected with varying degrees of severity, ranging from asymptomatic to mild, moderate, severe or critical illness. While symptoms such as fever, cough, cold, nausea, vomiting, and loose stools are common, some neurological and psychological effects can also occur. These could include fits/seizures of varying duration and severity, weakness in the limbs, impaired consciousness, or even stroke. In these severe cases, the child may require hospitalisation in a paediatric intensive care facility, hence it is important to be aware and seek help early. If any of the following symptoms are observed, parents must seek expert guidance immediately.

The following are some that have been observed:

ENCEPHALOPATHY

This is a condition when a virus infection attacks the brain and is commonly called brain fever. A child can have altered sensorium, be excessively sleepy or irritable. Such a child may need advanced life support such as ventilation and care in a specialist pediatric intensive care setup. The duration and severity of involvement of the brain are variable and could be life-threatening.

SEIZURES

Seizures or fits are rhythmic jerking of limbs, up-rolling of eyes. It can last for a few minutes to hours, usually due to abnormal uncontrolled electrical signals in the brain. Children may or may not have associated symptoms of Covid illness. Children with known seizures that are well controlled, can have a breakthrough or fresh seizures related to Covid illness. Such children need to be stabilised in the Emergency Department and may need further care in a specialist Pediatric intensive care unit.

HYPOSMIA AND HYPOGEUSIA

The lack or decreased ability to smell is known as Hyposmia. The olfactory receptors are affected in this condition. A loss of sensation of taste or smell was commonly reported as a Covid symptom. It is prudent to watch for similar signs in our children.

STROKE

A stroke is a medical emergency in which the brain is unable to get an adequate supply of oxygen, due to blockage due to a clot in the blood supply to the brain resulting in a lack of consciousness, headache, and other serious conditions.

GUILLAIN–BARRÉ SYNDROME

GBS is another commonly recorded syndrome that affects Covid patients. This is an autoimmune condition where the body attacks its own nervous system. It has been very commonly observed in adults and can affect children as well. Symptoms of this could be a weakness in the body, loss or reduced sensation in feet and hands, some degree of muscle paralysis and pain, an inability to swallow properly.

ORBITAL CELLULITIS WITH INTRACRANIAL EXTENSION

A few cases of Covid-19 have also reported Orbital Cellulitis along with Intracranial Extension. This is a condition where there is swelling in the area near your eye due to a bacterial infection. If the child is experiencing this in addition to symptoms such as dry cold, tiredness, sore throat, headache, skin rashes, difficulty in breathing, loss of speech, chest pain, etc, it could be a Covid-caused complication.

The writer is Sr. Consultant and Lead PICU, Aster RV Hospital.

In recent years, meditation has gained popularity. It has somewhat become a sign of a person “taking care of themselves” and their mental health and rightfully so. With on-growing connectivity and constant digital reach, our traditional boundaries of ‘working hours’ have become blurred. With no sense of working hours and stretched responsibility, many of us find ourselves anxious and confused at times. Thus, our stress response, one of our innate physiological mechanisms that should only be triggered in life-threatening situations, is triggered constantly and we find ourselves in constant despair. In today’s time, on-standing traditional fears have been replaced with fear of traffic jams, lagging behind or never-ending pending work piles. 

It may come as a surprise to some but the WHO predicts burnout will become a global pandemic within a decade and suffering through one, we can all assess the severity of this prediction. In a world where ‘off’ or a ‘pause’ button has ceased to exist, meditation can act as a circuit breaker for this non-stop lifestyle, giving the mind and the body a chance to recharge. Meditation is the practice of thinking deeply or focusing on one’s mind for some time. This can be done in silence or with the help of chanting and is done for several reasons. The primary aim of this practice is to attain mental peace and calmness. Different forms of meditation gives everybody a chance to choose what works for them and is suited to their aim and desires.  Here are few of the meditation techniques:

Guided Meditation: It is also called guided imagery or visualisation. With this method of meditation, you form mental images of places or situations you find relaxing. You try to imagine yourself in a situation or a time that is particularly relaxing to you, it can be some smell that is pleasant to you or a sound or a place you associate with happier times. Anything that brings you joy. You may be led through this process by a guide or teacher.

Mantra Meditation: You silently repeat a calming word, thought or phrase to prevent distracting thoughts. ‘Om’ is a common mantra people recite over and over. The idea is to let the outer vibration beat within and find oneness with body and mind. 

Mindfulness Meditation: This type of meditation is based on being mindful or having an increased awareness and acceptance of living in the present moment. You broaden your conscious awareness and focus on what you experience during meditation such as the flow of your breath. You can observe your thoughts and emotions, but let them pass without judgment.

Yoga: In today’s time, everyone is familiar with yoga. As you move through poses that require balance and concentration, you’re encouraged to focus less on your busy day and more on the moment.

It is a common reluctance or misconception about meditation that its effect is short reached but that is simply not true. Meditation, at its very core, is a practice of conquering or rather composing your mental being in a way that no sudden seen or unseen actions can rattle you easily. The benefits don’t end when your meditation session ends. Meditation can help carry you more calmly through your day and may help you manage symptoms of certain medical conditions. When you meditate, you clear away the information overload that builds up every day and contributes to stress. The many benefits of meditation include:

• Attaining a positive perspective 

• Gaining tools to manage stress

• Heightened self-awareness 

• Present becomes priority

• Helps to navigate negative thoughts

• Increasing patience and tolerance 

As modern life becomes more and more entangled with exaggerated details of success, meditation can be the branch you need to hold on to in this raging current of development. The fiercely competitive environment coupled with the pressure to meet deadlines may keep people on their toes but only through meditation can we regain proper footing in this world. 

The writer is an author & digital marketer.