RELIEF RALLY

SALES OF PAINKILLERS HAVE SEEN DOUBLE-DIGIT GROWTH OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS AFTER STAGNATING DURING COVID-19. WILL THE STRONG RUN CONTINUE?

- NEETU CHANDRA SHARMA

FOR BHARAT BHUSHAN Mehta, an avid tennis and badminton player even at 79, disaster struck during a tennis match about two years ago when the Covid-19 pandemic was on the wane. Attempting a smash, he sprained his shoulder badly. Mehta, who lived for the thrill of the game, tried to ignore the injury, popping pills and consulting some neighbourhood doctors. Nothing eased the pain, but he was not queuing up at hospitals.

Finally, in February 2022, when hospitals had reduced the number of Covid-19 beds and opened their doors to general patients, Mehta consulted a specialist. The diagnosis: Rotator cuff tear. Mehta was soon in hospital for arthroscopic repair surgery and recovered.

Mehta and others like him, who began getting back into physically active life with a vengeance after months of Covid-19 lockdowns and physical distancing, are unwittingly contributing to double-digit growth in sales of pain medications, analgesics, muscle relaxants, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, and even implants.

Dr Deepak Chaudhary, Senior Director and Head of the Department, Arthroscopy and Sports Medicine at New Delhi’s BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital, who operated on Mehta, says even minor trauma can cause such muscle tears. The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles on each shoulder joint.

“As individuals age, these muscles can weaken due to wear and tear, and even minor or no trauma can cause tears. Many patients with shoulder pain fail to recognise the seriousness of their condition and resort to self-medication,” says Chaudhary.

It’s not just people getting back to an active life. Many have started lifting weights at home or taking up sports to get fit. Then many had to postpone elective surgeries because hospitals were focussed on the pandemic and were careful about admitting general cases.