HYDERABAD: Many who have beat Covid-19 have been complaining of complications such as bone and joint pains. Even after getting vaccinated, people have suffered from swelling in the joints. Read on to know how Covid affects our bones and what you can to do treat the different conditions
Bone death
Also known as avascular necrosis (AVN), in this painful condition, the bone tissue dies due to lack of blood supply. It mainly affects the hip joint and thigh bones, but can also occur in the knee, shoulder, ankle and other joints. It is mostly caused by the excessive use of steroids in Covid-19 treatment
Symptoms
Pain and stiffness of the joint, pain while walking, groin pain and shoulder pain
Persistent pain in the hip, knee that can make walking and weight-bearing difficult
If neglected, it can become severe to such an extent that even lying down hurts
Diagnosis & treatment
An MRI scan is the best way to confirm this condition
The early stages can be managed with medicines or minor surgery
Minimally-invasive stem cell therapy can also cure this condition at an early stage
In early stages, patient can be treated with core decompression which avoids joint destruction.
Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC) is another latest regenerative therapy procedure
But if the hip joint is damaged or has collapsed, a total hip replacement surgery is the only solution
Reactive Arthritis
Covid-19 is known to cause a few autoimmune diseases such as reactive arthritis. Joint pains and swelling are triggered by an infection in another part of the body. This usually occurs in the knees, ankles and feet
Symptoms
Severe joint pain and body stiffness in the morning
Knees, ankles, feet, wrist and shoulders are the most-affected areas
In some cases, toes/fingers might also swell up
Symptoms start a week after Covid infection and affects men more
Intensity of the pain tends to be moderate to severe
Diagnosis & treatment
An orthopaedic surgeon checks the affected joints for swelling, tenderness and range of motion
Some blood tests may be recommended to ascertain signs of inflammation and antibodies
associated with other types of arthritis inflammation
It can be managed by using painkillers, anti-inflammatory medication and exercises
Aspergillus Osteomyelitis
This rare condition, which may develop in some Covid-recovered patients, causes severe bone damage to the spinal-disc spaces
Symptoms
Mild fever, severe back/joint pain
Diagnosis & treatment
An MRI scan can confirm the severity and extent of bone-damage to the disc-spaces in Covid-recovered patients
Take care of your bones
Lack of exercise, remaining indoors without exposure to sunlight, leading inactive lifestyle and limited movement while recovering during Covid-19 would lead to weight gain, stress, Vitamin D
deficiency and joint pains
It is advised to take a bone mineral-density test post Covid and discuss the results with your doctor
Following a healthy lifestyle, good rehabilitative care, daily workouts, good posture, nutritious diet are a must to avoid complications
Those with a history of Covid-19 must consult their orthopaedician if they suffer from any of the above-mentioned symptoms
(Dr Dasaradha Rama Reddy Tetali, senior consultant orthopaedic surgeon, Yashoda Hospital, Somajiguda)