MP News: Bhopal's Hamidia Hospital To Have Tertiary Facilities In Coming Years

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Hamidia Hospital, the state referral health institute, will have tertiary level facilities for patients in next couple of years. Free Press talked to Hamidia Hospital medical superintendent Dr Sumit Tandon on different issues.

How Hamidia Hospital is upgrading itself to ensure tertiary health facilities for patients?

Series of tertiary level health care facilities are coming up in Hamidia Hospital in next couple of years. Three institutes - Regional Institute of Respiratory, Centre of Excellence and Orthopedics and Cancer Treatment Centre are being developed in Hamidia Hospital. We will have cathlab facility next month. We are going to have robotic surgery, leaner accelerator for radio treatment for cancer patients, new OPD block soon on the campus.

Skelato-muscular disorder is a major health issue with advancing age as it leads to arthritis, back pain, low pain, joint paints etc. Is it a lifestyle problem? What are the preventive measures?

Musculoskeletal problems are lifestyle problems with factors like physical activity, posture, hydration, sleep, stress, diet, and smoking playing a crucial role in their development and progression. While age and family history are also contributing factors, adopting healthy lifestyle habits can help prevent, manage, and reduce risk of these often disabling conditions.

A lifestyle including regular, low-impact exercise, maintaining good posture, proper nutrition, moderate weight and stress management can prevent or alleviate these conditions by improving muscle strength, flexibility and bone health.

There is conception that buttermilk, lemons are not good for arthritis and joint pain.

It is a misconception. Actually, buttermilk and lemon are generally not a problem for arthritis and may even be beneficial as buttermilk can reduce inflammation and lemon is rich in Vitamin C, an antioxidant that fights inflammation. Buttermilk is considered good for the gut. Acidic food like lemon is not conclusively linked to triggering symptoms of arthritis.

Patients suffering from joint pain or knee pain are advised to reduce body weight. How body weight is linked to knee joint pain?

Increased body weight is problematic for the knee joint in arthritis, particularly osteoarthritis because it directly increases the mechanical load on the joint, accelerating cartilage wear and tear and causing more pain and stiffness. Additionally, excess body fat causes inflammation in the body, worsening arthritis symptoms and creating a cycle of increased joint stress and weight gain.

Bones become brittle on intake of steroid. People generally consume OTC medicines as pain killer to get instant relief in joints pains. What is your advice to patients?

Without consultation of qualified doctors, one should not consume OTC (over to counter) medicine as pain killer. Once bones become fragile, they break up even with slight jerk. Similarly, osteoporosis is a disease in which your bones become weak and are likely to fracture (break). The disease can develop when your bone mineral density and bone mass decrease. It can also happen if the structure and strength of bones change.