KARACHI: Medical experts said continuous rains in Karachi city and travelling on damaged and broken roads is causing irreparable damage to people's spine, resulting in a considerable increase in back pain and neck pain.
About 70 per cent of the back pain patients coming to city hospitals are men and women travelling in motorbikes or rickshaws. At the same time, car riders also suffer from various bone and muscle disorders due to shocks on the roads.
These views were expressed by eminent rheumatologists associated with the renowned Pak-American Arthritis Center and Al-Ehad Medical Center while addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club.
The press conference was addressed by Dr Tabe Rasool, Consultant rheumatologist and Autoimmune Diseases Specialist, Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), Dr Tahira Parveen, Renowned Rheumatologist, and Rumman Khan, Director of Al- Ehad Healthcare Center. On this occasion, Dr Saleha Ishaq, Managing Director of Pak-American Arthritis Center, addressed this through a video link.
Medical experts said that patients who ignore back or spinal cord pain or repeatedly suffer from the same pain are at risk of permanent disability.
As a result of the broken roads, while the poor patients face additional financial burdens due to treatment and medicines, these people are losing their jobs and daily wages due to long bed rest.
Dr Tabe Rasool said that due to the lousy shock absorbers of bikes and rickshaws and the bad condition of the roads, as a result of the discs slipping, the spinal cord seals are compressed. He said that the cases of back pain have increased due to the dilapidated condition of the roads. He said cracks and potholes; mechanical back pain is very high due to the streets; in some cases, it is so severe that their daily life is affected. It happens.
Dr Tabe Rasool said bikers experience direct pressure on the vertebrae due to bumps due to the disc between the spine and the vertebrae where the nerves are damaged. This can result in back pain, spasms and joint pain if repeated spasms and jerks occur.
If someone already has arthritis, the patient's body loses flexibility and the sudden shock results in their spine.
Dr Tahira Parveen said that due to continuous rains in the city, the condition of the roads has worsened, and more puddles and potholes have formed on the streets.
Due to this, there is an increase in mechanical pain in young and older adults; people already do not sit correctly in a routine, so our back is not 100% normal.
She said that back pain is the second leading cause of visits to physicians, and 80 to 90 per cent of people will suffer from it at least once in their lifetime.
Dr Tahira Parveen said that our roads are so substandard that they get damaged in two years; a standard policy should be announced.
Dr Saleha Ishaq said that repetitive pain or injury that becomes a permanent illness is called rheumatic injury. In many countries of the world, motorcyclists repeatedly travel on these bad roads, and they get a rheumatic injuries.
In a seal injury, the soft material or cushioned bone that starts to come out slowly is what causes Sciatica.
She said that the government should improve the condition of the roads, as a result of the broken roads, where the poor patients are facing additional financial burdens due to treatment and medicines, these people are deprived of jobs and daily wages due to long bed rest.
She said that they had started online guidance due to this problem, and they have started a free helpline for this.
Romman Khan said that the biggest problem occurs when people do not know where to go for treatment after suffering from pain.