August 4 is observed as Bone and Joint Day in India to raise awareness on musculoskeletal health and preventive care.
- Chronic bone and joint pain is often caused by nerve sensitization, inflammation, or injury
- Bone infections like osteomyelitis and septic arthritis demand early diagnosis and antibiotic stewardship
- Adolescent girls must focus on bone health early to prevent future complications, especially during motherhood
Every year on August 4, India observes Bone and Joint Day to raise awareness about musculoskeletal health, promote early diagnosis of orthopedic conditions, and encourage strategies to prevent disability. Bones and joints form the fundamental support structure of the human body, enabling mobility, stability, and daily function. Yet, millions suffer silently due to neglect, delayed treatment, and lack of awareness.
Various musculoskeletal diseases like arthritis, osteoporosis, bone infections, joint degeneration, etc., are on the rise worldwide, especially in India. Factors like aging, sedentary lifestyles, trauma, and chronic illnesses contribute to this growing problem.
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Why Your Bone And Joint Aches?
Bone and joint pain can be debilitating and chronic, affecting quality of life. But what’s causing so much pain?
- Specialized pain receptors called nociceptors become activated in bones and joints due to injury, inflammation, or disease.
- Pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-1β heighten the pain response in conditions like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
- Chronic joint pain is mostly due to peripheral and central sensitization, where the nervous system becomes hypersensitive to even mild stimuli.
- Neuropathic pain occurs when there is any damage (like in spine or knee injuries) with the nerve conduction.
Understanding these pathways has important implications for the development of specific targeted interventions that extend all the way to nerve blockade and newer biologics to address (1✔ ✔Trusted Source
Mechanisms underlying bone and joint pain
).
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Infections of Bone and Joints
Infections of bones and joints, though less common, are serious and require prompt treatment. These include:
- Osteomyelitis: Infection of the bone, often bacterial, caused by trauma, surgery, or bloodstream infections.
- Septic Arthritis: Bacterial infection within a joint, leading to rapid cartilage destruction and disability if untreated.
- Prosthetic Joint Infections (PJI): A rising concern in patients with artificial hip or knee implants.
Diagnostic Advances in Orthopedic Infections
Bone and joint infections are diagnosed using a combination of imaging procedures, including MRI, blood cultures, synovial fluid analysis, and, on occasion, tissue biopsy, to determine pathogenic organisms. Treatment consists of specific antibiotics and, in most cases, surgical treatment, debridement, or implants of infected tissue and even implants.
Although several treatment options exist, the emergence of drug-resistant MRSA has reduced treatment success rates….
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