People neglect bone pain due to COVID pandemic: Experts

They said that the pandemic-induced lockdown has affected people belonging to all age groups in different patterns.

“More than 500 people are suffering from back pain globally every year, of which 60-70 percent pain is non-specific pain, which can be cured by rest and medication. However, the rest of the pain should be diagnosed early with advancement in medical care is now been neglected due to COVID-19 lockdown. It has affected all age groups with different patterns, when it comes to children they are put up in housing without any physical and schooling activities, and only taking online classes, which resulted in obesity and posture related back pain,” Dr. S. Dilip Chand Raja, Orthopedics and Spine surgeon, Fortis Hospital.

When it comes to adults, almost 40 percent of people report neck pain, and 30 percent of them have back pain, this is because of lack of environmental conditions while working.

This has become more because they don’t have proper table and chair at home, and do their work by sitting and lying down which leads to posture related back pain like disc prolapse, where the disc comes out and compresses the nerve which will result in disability

“When people don’t visit the hospital immediately, it might lead to major complications. For instance, a 70-year-old man has back pain, and doesn’t visit hospital due to pandemic, after 15 days, they will get mild loss of appetite, and when it crosses 12 weeks, the person will develop pain in the leg, and that time they will visit a physiotherapist, and two months later they will come with neurological deficit, when the MRI scan is taken it shows that the patient has an advanced stage of cancer where already spinal cord is affected,” said Dr Dilip.

The experts said that the public is still unaware of when to consult a doctor, so when a person has back pain along with a red flag (fever, chills, weight loss, cancer history), then it's time to consult a doctor. 

They should not continue medicines on their own or take help from paramedical staff. For the past two months, the healthcare centers are receiving patients who have been neglected in the early period for bone and joint pain, and have developed complications.

“Any sign of rest pain, which means some pathological process is happening in the spine during the night time. If they have pain for more than five days, even after taking painkillers, and pain associated with fever, and chills, or there is pain during the night or at rest they should consult a doctor immediately. Also, we have been receiving more kids with ankle, foot and knee pain, as they are inactive for more than a year. So, we suggest people walk indoors during the pandemic so they don’t get any bone or joint pain, as it has been increasing in recent days,” said Dr P Keerthivasan, Consultant Orthopaedics and Spine Surgeon, Kauvery Hospital.