Archive - July 2018

The skeletal system provides structure to our human body, and although it is not its only function, it is the most important one. Other functions include helping in movement and locomotion, providing protection to internal organs, and also producing various blood cells and fat and even storage of calcium, all in the bone marrow. Taking into consideration all the important functions that are carried out by the skeletal system, it is indeed one of the most important organ systems of our body, although it is not quite acknowledged as so.

The skeletal system is primarily made up of bones, which are a total of two hundred and six in number, and also a network of ligaments, tendons, and cartilages, which are soft, flexible tissue which connects the different bones together. Although the bones are one of the toughest parts of the human body, a constant movement against each other and the resulting frictional force does wear off the skeletal tissue over a certain period of time. This gives rise to various kinds of diseases, primarily like osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis is a disease of the joints in the skeletal system, which is a result of the eventual breakdown of the cartilage tissue in the joints, and also of the bones in the joints. The primary symptoms of this disease in pain in the joints followed by swellings. Although the pain is initially felt only after strenuous activity or exercise, after some time it becomes constant.

Treatment and Cure

The primary way of treating osteoarthritis is changing the way the patient lives their day to day lives, and also via light physical exercise or physiotherapy and dietary changes. Osteoarthritis may be further compounded by extra pressure on the knees, which may be due to obesity. So, that should be kept in check and overweight patients have to change their diets and do appropriate weight-loss exercises. Even for people who do not have any weight issues, doing corrective physical exercises or physiotherapy is the primary way to counter the effects and growth of this disease. From a medicinal point of view, some pain medications may be taken to ease the pain. There are also some joint injections to help with the swellings. In some cases, surgery may also be an option. Recently, however, there has been an emergence of osteoarthritis stem cell therapy India and some other countries are developing.

Stem Cell Therapy for Treatment

Stem cells are those cells which can give rise to any other type of cell by differentiating and dividing accordingly. This makes them an incredibly important tool for the treatment of various degenerative diseases, including arthritis. In stem cell therapy for treatment of arthritis, stem cells are introduced into the joints by either surgical methods or via injections. Then, these cells differentiate to form new skeletal tissue and cartilaginous tissue, as or when required, thus replacing the damaged tissue with new, healthy tissue. In this way, stem cell therapy has been successfully introduced to counter the degenerative effects of arthritis.

Technology is substantially influencing every aspect of medicine. Telehealth is one of the intelligent outcomes of technology that enables patients to access their doctors through a virtual connection. Similarly, doctors are able to analyse their patients’ reports online. The advanced approach of telehealth is being used more and more nowadays and has brought convenience and efficiency in the lives of patients, irrespective of age.

For old patients who cannot travel

More often than not, people from less developed or less resourced areas are referred to the hospitals in the nearby big cities for better care and diagnosis. This poses a great problem for old people as they are not fit to travel. There are several complications and in some cases, the patient gets worse. Moreover, sometimes patients need a doctor at hours when they cannot be taken to a hospital due to conveyance issues but medical advice is incumbent. This is where telehealth software systems provide a solution and instead of taking the patient to the hospital, the doctor can be consulted right from home.

For middle-aged working patients

Patients who work are almost always occupied with their work. Their busy and taxing schedule does not give them the liberty to take time off from their office to go to a doctor. Owing to this, they neglect minor setbacks in their health and ignore the signs their body is showing, resulting in a complicated case. In order to avoid this, telehealth is at their service. Without getting a leave from work, they can book appointments and have a doctor look at their medical tests and records.

For students

We all know how long it takes to wait for an appointment in the waiting room. Students spend hours there in anxiety and worry of the school-work they miss. Sometimes, they miss a test or an important class for a project. This puts them way behind their fellows in class and has a negative effect on their performance. This situation can be avoided if telehealth is used. They can consult their doctors online without squandering their precious time.

For parents of little children

Parents who have young children like infants or toddlers have a very tough time in handling them. Their whole life revolves around these tiny human beings and they do everything in their power to keep them safe and healthy. Most of their time is spent in hospitals and clinics for check-ups and the subsequent follow-up check-ups. The cycle goes on and it leaves the parents exhausted. Telehealth allows them to stay at home and have a session with their child’s doctor. Moreover, the parents will not have to skip work and lose their working hours which often results in cuts in the salary.

For hospitalized patients

Patients who are hospitalized need special supervision. However, it comes with paying a lot of money to the hospital. You can arrange a doctor’s supervision for them in their home via teleheatlh. This saves a lot of money and keeps you from spending a great deal of money on travel costs and complications. Moreover, family and friends cannot visit the patient in distant hospitals very much. Patients are more likely to be visited when they are at home. Studies have shown that the recovery of patients speeds up when they are frequently visited by friends and family.

For patients with disability

Patients with disability, regardless of age, require constant care and supervision. They need undivided attention at all times. This is impossible for the parents or the children of the patient as they have certain duties of their own. Hiring help is always an option but it is considerably expensive. Through telehealth, patients can have their regular sessions with their doctor which saves their caretakers a lot of time. Furthermore, in some cases, patients can be taught how to use telehealth and they can get medical advice themselves. This way they can feel in control and not consider themselves a burden on their attendants.

In a nutshell, telehealth has made lives easier for patients of all ages. It is convenient and quick as it eliminates the stretching hours in the waiting rooms. Moreover, it allows doctors to look at the patients’ record anytime as they are saved as data in the software. Patients do not have to carry around thick files of tests and records with them. Telehealth will soon be a very popular technology among all ages, all over the world, and it will change the way we see healthcare altogether.