Stay safe in indoors is the advice from the all sides of world during COVID19 lockdown period for vulnerable population like people who are after 60 years and those who have co morbidity diseases. Staying indoors without physical activity is not only painful experience to mind but also increase the joint pains.
Generally, senior citizens affected with two conditions in their old age. One is Osteo arthritis and another one is senile Osteoporosis. These two conditions are increasing when body in idle condition.
Osteo arthritis
Osteoarthritis is a most common form of degenerative joint disease over the years particularly in weight bearing joints. It occurs in elderly, more common in women than men. The process begins by the end of the 4th decade and then slowly increases producing clinical symptoms like pain and swelling. Reduced physical activity in old age is thought to be one of the aggravating reasons of disease.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a common clinical syndrome involving multiple bones in which there is quantitative reduction of bone mass. This bone mass reduction results in fragile skeleton which is associated with increased risk of fractures and consecutive pain and deformity. This condition is particularly common in elderly people and more frequently in post menopausal women. The exact mechanism of primary osteoporosis is not known but decreased physical activity in old age plays important role.
Mitigating pain through topical and lifestyle
Pain management is a great challenge to both doctors and patients now days. Pain relieving drugs are huge selling medicines in the market. Apart from internal drugs, mild exercise and topical applications are the people’s choice.
Physical activity
Morning walking is the part of daily routines in majority of people’s life. Walking and mild exercise is thought to be that increase the muscle strength, bone mineral density and flexibility in long run.
Vitamin D plays important role in calcium metabolism. During walking, Sun exposure triggers VitaminD production in the skin and bones need the sunshine vitamin to make the body absorb the calcium properly. So sun exposure, walking and mild exercise gives relax, recharge and care for joints.
Topical application
Pain relieving gels, oils and liniments are the major OTC products in India and they are emotionally attached with the pain suffering people. Application of these medicines and gentle massage gives some relief to the patients.
Therapeutic Bathing
Bathing is the one of the daily routines of our life and Hot baths are moderately effective as a treatment for certain kinds of muscle soreness. This is surprisingly hard to prove and even understand. The warm bath softens connective tissue through thixotropic effect like softening plastic with heat. A warm bath is relaxing both mind and body which stimulating blood flow to the stiff muscles and frozen joint.
Always go for warm water, not hot and ideally water temperature is between 92-96˚. Extreme hot water is not good for skin which evaporates the moisture of the skin.
Siddha system and bathing
Siddha system drafted the guidelines for bathing under the Nithya Ozhukkam (Daily routines). The following are the nutshell
- Bathing before sunrise is ideal and the best if it is in running water like river.
- Warm water is indicated for elderly people, children and patients.
- Panchakarpa kuliyal is indicated for disease prevention (Panchakarpam contains kasturi manjal, Milaghu, Vembu seeds, Kadukkai and Nellikkai)
- Siddha system recommends Abhyanga (Oil massage) for dryness of skin and lethargy. It gives freshness for mind and body.
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Warm water exercise two to three times a week gives better results in pain management.
Elderly people with arthritis and back pain follow the regular physical activity and proper warm water bathing and lead pain free life with minimum intake of internal drugs.
