Boils, Carbuncles, and Furuncles - II

Boils, Carbuncles, and Furuncles (Contd.)

In the early stage, that is when the boil is small and slightly red we can try putting hot pack on the site. Some times the boil will become soft and slowly it will disappear within a day or two. Normally it is not advisable to do pin pricking at home because it can lead to serious infection. It may unnecessarily lead to complications. A number of home remedies can be applied with good results; they avoid direct puncturing of the boil. Here are several inexpensive tricks: 1. Mix freshly cooked white rice with a bit of castor oil and apply to the boil. Cover the paste (poultice) with a plant leaf and apply a tight (but not too tight) bandage to the site. Leave the bandage intact for ten or twelve hours. Hibiscus, castor tree, banana, Four O’clock, gongura – these leaves will work wonders. 2. Instead of rice one can also use a wheat flour paste. 3. Sandalwood paste, particularly freshly ground wet paste also is very effective for boils. It cools the skin (boil) locally and helps in healing fast. 

Traditional (herbal or Ayurvedic) healers use castor, mustard, or neem oil for topical applications. Such oils make the skin soft and prevent additional infections.I should mention here a few (celebrity) cases to highlight the severity of skin diseases. Many people particularly those with brown or dark skin develop pigment (dark) patches due to excessive exposure to sun. One should be careful with sun’s radiation. It can lead to skin cancer – it happened to Sri Ramana, President Jimmy Carter, and senator John McCain. Carl Marx suffered life long with skin problems, particularly boils. 

If a boil, blister, or skin wound happens on outer accessible regions of body, then it is easy to apply bandage or antibiotic ointment (Bacitracin, Boroline, Soframycin). However, some times boils can pop up at very inconvenient places (under arm, inner thighs, etc.) and they can create unbearable pain leading to severe impairment or restricted body movement. If they show up on face – they create embarrassing situations. Often this often happens with facial acne during adolescent growth stage with active hormones. 

Now, internally what to drink or eat? We should try to keep the body in a cool state, in its own natural equilibrium. That means taking good (freshly prepared) food, fresh fruits, juice, yogurt, and buttermilk. Periodically it is advisable to give the skin an oil massage. Often boils happen near the roots of hair; oily skin massage keeps the skin clean, soft, and it helps to retain natural moisture. Avoid as much as possible dry itchy skin situations – this happens in extreme dry hot climate or in cold indoors during winter. 

So, basically we have two or three methods of handling stubborn boils: 1. Take immediate action as soon as it appears. Apply hot pack and massage gently with one of the oils mentioned above. Usually the boil should start improving in appearance. That is, it becomes less red in color and feels a bit soft to the touch. Normally within a few days the skin should return to its normal feel and color. 2. In acute cases we have to resort to minor but very careful local surgery. At this stage one can consult a physician if one can avail easily (within the bounds of cost, accessibility, etc.). Thoroughly clean tools must be used to pin prick the boil. After gentle draining of blood and pus, we have to cover the wound with gauge and keep it dry. In the last stage one can use antibiotic ointment to help in the process of healing. Even a small drop of turmeric mixed mustard oil can seal and heal the broken boil. 3. Applying a poultice is an alternative method to deliberate surgical puncturing. Here we take a warm paste (freshly cooked white rice, wheat flour mixed with castor seed oil) and apply directly to the boil. The poultice is securely fastened to the site with clean leaf (betel leaf, hibiscus, castor seed, banana, etc.) and clean cloth. Usually just one application is enough. Or, one can remove the old bandage and apply a fresh paste after ten or twenty hours.    

According to the Indian Materia Medica  the following help in the management of boils (healing, pressing down, or cracking open): Fig fruit, (country) kanda (Elephant’s Foot Yam, Zamin Kanda/Suran), boiled rice, castor seed, moon plant, fenugreek, thorny amaranthus, onion, tamarind, cilantro (coriander), cumin, clay, gongura, dhaniya, tobacco, sour poyi (Basella alba), drumstick leaves, neem oil, garlic, custard apple, lime, alum, and turmeric. “A stitch in time saves nine” – that proverb holds lot of truth in skin care. Proper nutrition (fruits, buttermilk, vitamin supplements) and a little hygiene do wonders for the skin. Otherwise even a tiny boil can make life unbearable and miserable. This article is no substitute for a doctor’s visit. No AI (Artificial Intelligence) tools were used in writing this article. Copyright 2025 by the author 

Boils, Carbuncles, and Furuncles

Boils, Carbuncles, and Furuncles - I

In several previous articles I emphasized the importance of bodily health. Health, as the Telugu adage goes is the “greatest wealth”. Without it a human being is at the mercy of doctors, nurses, family members, and even moneylenders. With good health one can accomplish a lot; more over health is one of the prerequisites for undertaking the arduous spiritual journey or any other serious mundane pursuit. We’ll be able to control and guide gently the mind to pursue any field of enquiry with good physical health. Be it art, singing, science, or advanced technology – we cannot attempt and complete any decent task without a sound body and its close companion “the sharp agile mind”. 

In this post we turn our attention to the skin, the major organ. Like indoor plants the skin needs proper moisture and moderate exposure to sunlight (vitamin D). Indoors, moisture can be controlled with open windows during spring and summer times. Moisture can also be supplemented with room or house (large) humidifiers during the prolonged dry winter months. The elasticity of skin (suppleness) can be maintained with a simple weekly oil bath. Our mothers and grandmothers used to give children oil bath every Sunday. It also included shampooing of hair with soapnut or shika-kayi (Senegalia rugata) powder. In northern India I witnessed oil bath with mustard oil during winters; at the roadside municipal water taps truck drivers used to vigorously rub mustard oil all over the body and stand in the winter sun. Then an invigorating quick cold-water bath would follow. Though a bit irritating to the eyes mustard oil makes skin very smooth. For some reason such oil baths protect the skin from minor cuts, excessive dryness, and even boils. Our skin gets a bit of oily layer due to the hair (follicles) – this happens naturally during sweating. Excessive soap usage disturbs the skin’s natural defenses.

There is quite a bit of rudimentary knowledge about these skin afflictions (boils, carbuncles, and furuncles, సెగగడ్డ, फोड़ा) on the Internet. They talk about injury to the skin, bacterial (Staph) infection, and the formation of subcutaneous boils, etc. But for the afflicted person (the patient), cure and proper management is paramount. And the remedies must be accessible and affordable to all. So, here I review some of the time tested home remedies. In the early stages when the boil is red, pressing the area with a simple hot pack helps a lot. Warm corn (salt, rice) filled cloth bags or microwave heated wet towels can work as efficient hot packs.

Often skin troubles are ignored, mishandled, or over medicated. Ignoring a boil will not help solve the problem. It can grow in size and become painful. Later the subcutaneous infection will collect pus and slowly becomes unbearable and irritating to the touch. In some instances a simple piercing with clean sterilized tool (scalpel, pin) can help to drain the fluid. Rubbing the piercing tool with (isopropyl) alcohol-dipped swab is sufficient; or, the scalpel can be gently heated in a flame to make it sterile. It is advisable to leave the wound open for natural drainage and let the skin heal naturally. Eventually the ruptured local skin will heal fully and the opening gets closed without any bump, discoloration, or scar. Occasionally some boils may leave a darker patch, a little disconcerting cosmetically but harmless. In complicated situations the uninitiated patient may seek the help of a qualified nurse or physician; skin wounds even small ones can sometimes (though rare) lead to major autoimmune disorders – therefore, one should be very careful in dealing with skin.

First let us look at the remedies, i.e., home remedies that have been thoroughly time (hundreds of years in Ayurvedic and herbal medicine) tested. One need not go into the exact scientific mechanism underlying such methods. For the individual all that matters is efficient, cost effective cure. In the Ayurvedic system boils are often associated with “hotness of the body” or some imbalance. Children develop such skin troubles in the tropics during the sweltering hot high humid climate (i.e., summer) months. This imbalance in the body can be corrected with plenty of nutritious fluids like buttermilk, lemon juice, grape juice, or orange juice. Sherbets, particularly with basil seeds also aid in cooling the body. Adults with blood glucose issues have to be careful with store bought juices – it’s because most commercial juices contain excessive sweeteners (ex: corn syrup, sugar, etc.). Better to stick with home made juice, sherbet, or diluted buttermilk. A simple freshly made lemonade from lime (or lemon) juice with a bit of salt and a pinch of sugar is very helpful in controlling summer thirst. Or, coconut water without all the added ingredients like bisulfite is also a nourishing drink with minerals. We can also prepare a very inexpensive mango drink at home; we used to gently burn raw mango over stove (hot coals) and squeeze the pulp into a glass. Diluted with sufficient chilled water it yields a tasty tangy mango drink for summer time. There was a time in India when many grandmothers, aunts, or maidservants used to be repositories of vast herbal and Ayurvedic remedies (medical knowledge). Once our maid suggested a simple trick for the skin problems: Prepare a soup with small red onions (shallots), a bit of jaggery, and a piece of green pepper. The onion soup can work wonders – it will soothe the body, lessen the imbalance, and cool the body. Even raw onion pieces taken with cooked rice or wheat roti have a beneficial effect on the body. Onions, cucumbers, radish, and fresh tomatoes are used as “salad” in North India; particularly chilled freshly cut salads are a routine during summer months in Delhi. Even in the coastal Andhra some wise people used to grow cucumbers (the vine that grows on pergola or on flat horizontal woven nets or trellis) for a respite during the hot summer months. In fact I tasted the English cucumber first in our rich landlord’s garden. We would enjoy freshly plucked cucumbers with salt and red pepper powder, sitting in the cool shade of a gazebo. Nothing like an organically grown cucumber or a vine ripened tomato!

Often skin care is neglected either due to lack of resources or lack of rudimentary knowledge. Simple things like coconut oil, sesame seed oil, olive oil, mustard oil, or ghee (even butter) do wonders for human skin. At least once a week it is worthwhile to massage the whole body with oil and wash it with besan (the soft Bengal gram dal powder). 

 

(To be Continued) Copyright 2025 by the author

Muscle Ache, Stiff Joints, and Backache

Muscle Ache, Stiff Joints, and Backache

Health is the most important wealth! I start with the Telugu adage captured by my ancestors "ఆరోగ్యము మహా భాగ్యము".  This statement holds a lot of truth – but sadly it comes into focus during bone-fracturing falls, memory loss, or other permanent impairment of the body. Usually I do not indulge in these health matters here in my blogs; over the years I must have written half a dozen articles spread over hundreds of other topics (blogs). But I come to this topic to share worthwhile inexpensive yet valuable practices (home remedies, they call it alternate therapy here in US); and  share the valuable sound practical knowledge acquired over many years and honed through trial and error.  One must care for the body, as it is the only veritable vehicle we have to advance in life. Some are lucky to walk upright with strong bones. Many fall prey to a sudden slip, hip fracture, or other serious internal injuries (head trauma, brain hemorrhage, etc.). A lot, in deed many falls can be prevented if we are utterly careful and watch our body’s internal balance. Certainly a good hearing (coupled with visual acuity) helps too (there are tiny weights in the inner ear). Even with the best care, diligence, and sound habits accidents do happen. That is life and we must accept it as part of our daily activity.

As the body advances in years it seems most of the muscle aches and stiff joint problems happen due to lack of warm-up exercise or movement. Added to this we have the effect of seasons; severe cold wintry mornings may make physical flexibility a bit hard in early in the day (morning times). During extreme hot summers too the body may experience dehydration leading to stiffness in calf muscles. Proper nutrition (with minerals and vitamins) and sufficient fluid intake (water, sugar free juice, buttermilk, coconut water, and fruits) will help a lot. Warming up exercises, yoga, or gentle stretching in the morning makes the body supple and strong. We do not need these things in the youthful days but we can learn one or two things watching the kitten or pet dogs. The four-legged (quadruped) animals do stretching while strutting around the house; invariably they gently stretch after a nap or long sleep.

Faith

We need faith in several activities of life. (భక్తిః కిం న కరోత్వహో వనచరో! భక్తావితం సాయతే) When a mother (parent) puts a honey-dipped finger in a baby’s mouth, the baby starts chewing the sweet syrup automatically. Let’s put aside all other explanations like instinct, evolution, or biology for a moment. Through such an act the mother can gently put medicine (cough syrup, antibiotic, etc.) into the baby; both mother and baby have trust in each other’s gestures. It will lead to better health outcome – though the baby does not know the details like medicine’s name, chemical formula, etc. 

For recovering from chronic knee pain or backache problems we really need such strong unshakable faith; faith in our physician, faith in Ayurvedic medicine, Yogic asanas, or a guru initiated japa (tapas). No progress can be made without faith or trust in our doctor or mentor. Doctor shopping or rapid changing of physicians may not lead to fast cure. In spiritual matters also many people keep changing gurus –many great preceptors often discourage such aimless roaming. A patient also benefits from the “placebo effect.”

My experience with a recent episode of ‘stiff back’ (severe backache) may provide some valuable tips. While gardening often I had to pick heavy pots for rearranging. One morning I hurt my back in such a routine harmless activity. I should have used proper leverage or tools. In most situations we can avoid lifting heavy weights. One can also seek help from others to move heavy pots, soil bags, etc. But such wisdom often dawns on us after a mishap! That’s why it is called hindsight or looking in the rearview mirror, sort of after-the-fact analysis.

Immediately after the sprain, I had to curtail my movements. It was pretty bad – getting from bed or bending to pick up things became almost impossible. Then I tried every trick (home remedy) in my book. I took long baths in hot water in tub with aromatic salts. The famed Federal Reserve Chairman (A. G.) used to spend four hours daily in hot water tub due to a severe back injury. When a crisis hits you, you have to throw everything at the problem; they say here (in America) you’ve to throw everything in sight including the kitchen sink! I did exactly like that to get rid of this horrible backache. Daily I used to oil massage followed by fomentation with wet towel. We have three Ayurvedic oils: Maha-Narayana Tailam, Dharasana Tel, and Puttur Tailam. I also used Dharasana Lep (Paste) three or four times. Of course there are over-the-counter pain medicines like Tylenol or Ibuprofen. I tried them too but very moderately, just one or two tablets per day. People who are on blood thinners and other medicines must be careful with these pain medications. 

Still the pain did not go away. I resorted to sleeping on the floor with a firm carpet. Sleeping on a hard wooden floor is also a good idea. Then I resorted to doing gentle Yoga (asanas). I rely on Iyengar’s book for advice on Yoga. Mostly I tried doing Paschimottana, Sarvanga, Bhujanga, and Dhanura-asana. Initially I lost the flexibility but gradually I was able to do these stretching poses; always I adhere to the firm dictum, “never push the limit forcibly”. Nowadays there are free Zoom sessions of Yoga on the Internet. I think it took about two weeks for complete recovery. Just to be on the safe side I did see my doctor. He suggested over the counter pain medication and some patience for full recovery. 

I dedicate this little write-up to my mother. She used to massage Karpura-Tailam for temporary relief from the chronic pain. We could have utilized the local Puttur Raju physical therapy for better long lasting results, alas. I wish I had better counsel and knowledge then. Mother did get the X-ray diagnosis and other modern medicine intervention; sadly it did not cure her ailment. This article is timely I think not the least due to a recent tragedy in the news. Copyright 2024 by the author

Basil

In Telugu we call it as ‘Rudra Jada’. Roughly it translates the epithet as Siva’s braid (tresses). Either it implies growing into a large bush quickly or the very aromatic flower stalks. In the village many of our friends’ homes are adorned with this cousin of our sacred Basil (the Tulasi). It is possible the plant has some repellent effects on mosquitoes and thus creates healthy ambience around the house periphery. Mosquitoes (particularly the vector of either malaria or equine encephalitis) and ticks pose great debilitating diseases for children as well as adults. 

Like the sacred Basil (Tulasi) this plant too can be grown with small cuttings or seeds. I keep some dried seeds (the flower clumps) tucked away safely in a dry place. But like many being a bit lazy I simply pick the seedlings from the local Farmers Market. Sweet Basil is a favorite plant here for many Europeans, specially the Italians. And every year the 3 inch long seedlings are sold for a dollar. We just transplant the seedlings into a large pot and it grows vigorously and puts on a few flowers. We cut the fresh aromatic leaves and store them in the fridge for months in a perforated plastic pouch. You can use them in some dishes as you like it; the leaves are delicate, so it is better to add to the culinary dish after the flame is switched off. That way you can retain the freshness of the leaves with its gentle aroma (flavor). We do not use it much in our cooking as we have plenty of coriander and curry leaf at our disposal. The coriander (cilantro) has become routinely available through out the year now. We have the curry leaf plant in a large container – and that takes care of the garnishing needs for sambar, upma, rasam, flavored buttermilk, and other curries, etc. So, we grow this sweet Basil for fun, for show, and for gifting to friends.

Now, some of the medicinal uses of this plant are as follows: In summer the seeds are useful for making tasty “sherbet”. The seeds when soaked in water get swollen and they develop a slippery soft (white) cover (sort of gelatinous coating). The fully swollen seeds with a bit of sugar form the base for a summer drink (sherbet). We can add a bit of finely grated ice and food colorant and there you get a refreshing drink for hot summer days. This low cost drink is good for children to relieve excessive dehydration and summer fatigue. In fact, in the village I used to buy this drink at the weekly Farmers Market (santa/sandai సంత ). That was the only treat I could afford after finishing all the shopping of vegetables for an entire week.

In Hindi and Urdu the plant is known as Sabja and the seeds are known as Sabja seeds. It is also known as Viswa Tulasi. The plant’s medicinal value is as follows: It cools the body, resolves early urinary difficulties (due to heat, dripping), and helps with headaches and earaches. The plant is also beneficial for neutralizing scorpion poison. Recently sweet Basil has been studied (NIH paper) for memory retention. For elders, memory and cognitive function abilities are very important. So, munch on some sweet Basil and gorge on green leafy vegetables like cabbage (and its cousins like broccoli and Brussels sprouts). 

The Walnut Tree

The Walnut Tree

In that coastal south Indian village our snacks and nuts were modest. In the evenings during idle leisure hours (we) children had access to only coconut, peanuts, puffed rice, or peas. That was before the prepackaged Haldiram, Ammas, or Lays chips showed up in the Indian markets. Some times even peanuts were a luxury! On occasion mother would give us a piece of jaggery, raisins, or popped rice. Or, even a ripe banana from our own kitchen garden. Come to think of it, our banana garden was just adjacent to the kitchen window. The large leaves would provide a cool shade to shield us from the sharp afternoon sun rays. I think the Mahatma (Mohandas Gandhi) used to favor peanuts as a snack. In small doses peanuts do no harm but when combined with a small piece of jaggery it works wonders – there would be no adverse side effects. Also it boosts the energy levels for children and adults alike. Little pieces of jaggery will quickly elevate the blood sugar and this is very useful for diabetic patients in small amounts. On long walks, trekking, or athletic sport events peanut brittle is a good source of nutrition.

I did not come to know about walnuts for most of my school and college days. But in Delhi I came to appreciate arts and humanities, a subject far removed from my specialization. Though we were mostly confined to technology and applied sciences, in the hostel we got good exposure to neighboring humanities friends. Also the JNU campus was right next door.  In those days our humanities department students started a poetry periodical (Avant-garde). Through my (poetry) submissions I got acquainted with a Kashmiri graduate student in the English Department. Once he brought a 30 lbs. sack of walnuts from his hilly garden estate. Thus sitting in his room I enjoyed freshly cracked walnuts while discussing poetry, aesthetics, and literature – across a red glowing electric heater.

But you wouldn’t know a tree like almond or walnut without touching it in the outdoors nature. In an earlier post I narrated my boyhood experiences with primitive gardening and the joy of growing an almond tree from seed. 

I get to see the nutritional benefits of walnuts first hand by observing the physically active playful squirrels in our garden and the adjoining backyard woods.  According to traditional sources (ex: Materia Medica) the nuts generate heat in the body. Walnut removes excess water from the body. It gives energy and strengthens heart and stomach. The nuts also promote male virility. Some other beneficial effects are: memory improvement, longevity, and physical vigor for the elderly. The nuts when taken with raisins (dried grapes) impart energy to the body. The antidotes for its adverse side effects are sour pomegranate, lime juice, and salt.

Here in the northeast USA we see these (wild) walnut trees majestically growing in the forests, wild areas, roadside, and even in backyards. The foliage turns bright yellow (bronze) in the autumn but the walnuts still hold on to the twigs and branches. Then our tailed rodentia (bushy tailed squirrels) get into briskly action and shake things down from above. We notice plenty of half eaten, discarded, and some barely bitten walnuts with the green outer covering on the floor during the windy fall season. The little children-like squirrels will do every trick to hide the nuts in our flowerpots, garden, overhead gutters, and in the bushes. Later in the spring and summer they wearily hunt down for every nut. Some times they succeed and some times they fail. But in the process they help the walnut trees sprout and spread all around. Walking near these thirty feet tall trees is soothing to the mind; the rustle of the overhead leaves coupled with the squirrels’ nut munching is an activity I cannot miss on my long walks in the woods. 

I forgot to mention the medicinal uses of walnuts for healthy teeth. Ayurvedic tooth powders (ex: Vajradanti) contain walnuts in their formulae. Walnut leaves and tender twigs are useful for brushing. They help in keeping dental cavities in check and the gums in healthy tight condition. Copyright 2023 by the author   

 

Toes, Toenails, and Fingernails

Toes, Toenails, and Fingernails

Though hands and feet are not directly related, I want to touch on some problems of the extremities - finger and toe problems. Many of us experience occasionally a rare fingernail (subcutaneous) abscess, in-grown toenail, or deformed toes. The last malady is also known as “hammer toe”.  Now, first about the finger nail abscess. Either due to accident or carelessness we may pull the corner of a fingernail. Thus without our awareness the nail and the surrounding parts (cuticle, the underneath surface (nail matrix), the nail surroundings) are disturbed. As a reaction to the injury, the fingertip and all the nearby areas become swollen and red. It becomes extremely painful calling for urgent attention. If pus (decayed white cells, etc.) forms under the nail then it needs some surgical intervention. In the village we used to see people going around with a tightly wrapped lemon (or lime) around the injured fingernail. This type of poultice works in most cases; it offers the required compression to aid in the healing. Alternatively, many grandmothers used to put a paste of flour mixed with Castor oil. The flour paste is warmed on a skillet and the warm soft paste is tightly applied to the fingertip. Some would also use a paste of turmeric and lime [Ca(OH)2] with good results. The well-known Mehndi leaf paste (Lawsonia inermis, Gorinta) is also very helpful for preserving the health of nails. Such home remedies are also good in preventing nail fungus. 

Once I too got into this painful predicament solely due to my own carelessness. While nail biting is mostly harmless, still it can lead to injury to the cuticle (nail corners). So, it happened once. It all started as minor pain, then redness all around, and finally the whole thing blew up into a nasty abscess filled with pus (paronychia). After exhausting all the home remedies I had to rush to the urgent care. The male nurse (compounder in the village) took care of it with a sharp scalpel, local anesthesia, and topical freezing. The earthly body gives difficulties even to personalities like Sri Ganapathi Muni. Thus once Kavya-kantha Ganapathi Muni wanted to write a major work on Indrani in Sanskrit verse; he vowed to complete the entire poetical exercise within two weeks. Sri Ramana encouraged him to do likewise as pledged. And then suddenly in the middle the poet extraordinaire developed abscess on one of his fingers that too on the right hand. Everything thing came to a standstill until an Ayurvedic doctor came up the hill (Arunachalam) and did the surgery right in time. 

In the village as kids we often wandered and walked miles without footwear. Like other school going children I too used to get bruises on feet and toes. Mother and sister would wash the wound and apply some turmeric paste. Often I used to get severe itching during monsoon season in the toes due to skin allergies. Due to constant falling and getting hit with rough stones on the road I too got a deformed toe. Luckily due to youthful suppleness, yoga, and vigorous physical activity the toe regained its normal state. Then many of us in the vast Indian small towns and villages had primitive schoolrooms. We studied the handicrafts (ex: weaving, yarn pulling) and music sitting on the tiled, concrete plastered, or even mud covered bare floors. Inevitably we ended up with warts on the little toes and ankles. Such hard knocks on the body remind me the passage of time and the limited resources of a bygone era. 

Recently while moving bookshelves I had an accident. We had to shuffle all the furniture, move stuff to different floors (levels), and bring back the shelves against gravity. It was not easy moving stuff across three floors. Some times one wants to be utterly self sufficient and determined to do things without outside help. If you hire outside help then you have to synchronize and submit to external schedules and dictates. Any way, these days getting any handyman here in the US is almost impossible. People are waiting for months to get one appliance installed; money or no money this is the reality in many places. So, while moving the heavy bookshelf (ourselves) I got my (right) big toe banged. Due to pressed wood some bookshelves weigh almost 50 – 70 lbs. At first I did not notice the splintered toenail and the profuse bleeding. But the white socks could not hide the oozing blood much longer. A cut or bruise on skin is no big deal; at the worst it would involve some stiches and a scar. But toenail is a delicate situation – healing slowly it may lead to deformed toenail, in-grown nail, underneath blood clot, or even fungus.

(Adapted from Gray's Anatomy)

Thus I got into a pickle (as they say here), all due to sheer accident. A quick tight bandage stopped the bleeding but not the pain. Also, I had to keep the big toe dry during showers using a plastic bag. A word of caution about cuts/bruises on toes for elders: Many elders may be on blood thinners and that will make things complicated. Compounding this is the uncontrolled blood glucose (Type II Diabetes). One of our dear relatives got into serious problems when her toe got injured due to walking with flip-flops (barefoot) in the village. Only prolonged dressing (bandage) with powerful antibiotics saved her toe from losing (amputated).  

In this case bleeding returned when the (constricting) bandage was released. So, I had to bear the aching wound without antibiotic cream for two days. Luckily the toe healed naturally without further complications. A doctor’s visit gave a tetanus shot in the arm. Initially I worried about distorted toenail, fungus, etc. unnecessarily. In modern manufacturing plants usually people are advised to wear a steel toe boot to prevent such accidents. I keep a homemade remedy (Dr. Elchuri’s Ayurvedic herbal oil) ready for cuticle and nail problems. And the herbal oil really helped in this case. Copyright 2023 by the author

Shaky Joints

Shaky Joints

Recently I got to see the ravaging effects of damaged knee joints on people’s lives – a first hand close observation. Ideally this topic is best addressed by an eminent doctor like Dr. Ch. Vyaghreswarudu. But availing the services of a great humane physician – is often rare in life. Many patients suffer from this extremely painful, debilitating malady, and frequently their lives pay huge toll both financially and psychologically. A close relative privately lamented thus: “I wish there is some commonsensical help for knee ache. Often vast majority of people do not know where to go, what to do, and how to manage the situation”.

First a reality check. Money cannot always solve every medical problem, including non-working knee joints. Also, lack of money does not prevent anyone from enjoying reasonably good health (cf. perfect health. There is no such thing as perfect health. If one can accomplish most of, say eighty percent of daily tasks, then one is in excellent health.) One can throw loads of money at artificial knee joints, all types of gadgets – but even people with brand new gold plated prosthetic joint implants are not free of problems.

Prevention

Take charge, act with care before injury sets in permanently. Sitting on flat bottom (with a thin soft cushion) chair is preferable to mushy low level sofas. Why? Getting up is easier, it puts less force on delicate knee joints. Always, be gentle on stairs, getting up on steps near doorway. If possible, use external supports – like side railing (banister), door handle, or vertical wall. But, look out for accidents lurking in dark – waiting to happen. These are: slippery steps, snow and ice in winter, water soaked floor tiles, moss in bathrooms, soap and shampoo in bathtubs, a loose shaky side railing. In India, it is common to see concrete stairs, even winding ones, without any side support. That is a really criminally negligent design, a severe fall, a permanent disabling accident waiting to happen. Get a railing installed, if that is too expensive, get at least sturdy rope attached to the wall. It will give some support to hold on, while climbing stairs. If you feel a walking stick would help, go for it. Forget about false modesty, useless egoistic pride. If you cannot move, walk, you will not enjoy life. Not only that, once you become less active, a bit home bound, invariably you will gain body weight, soon you become a bit depressed. They are all inter-related, it needs no rocket science to figure out. Every doctor, the first thing (s)he will say to you, “Lose some weight”. There is some veritable (though awful to hear) truth in that advice.

At every juncture, every movement, like getting up, going to bathroom, getting in bed – always be conscious about being gentle on your delicate knee joints. Wherever possible, use your arms, body, to give a little support. Use all the muscles, gently, in a sort of concerted effort to move body. If the rest of body is strong, a slightly weak right (or left) knee is no big problem. But, do not, do not try to put extra burden on the remaining healthy knee. It can bear for awhile, a little bit, but soon you may damage the healthy joint too. Then what? You get double trouble.

Care

At the first sign, what can you do? If it is an injury, occurred during daily activity, get a tape (knee joint brace). Wrap it and treat it gently. You can remove the elastic tape in between (for bathing, sleep), continue to use it till the joint recovers fully. Some athletes use ice pack. I prefer hot massage. For simple problems, anything will do. Dab a little bit of Iodex ointment, and grab a towel dipped in boiling water. Do gentle hot presses on the red tender joint (fomenting). Do it twice, thrice a day. Usually, things improve within three days. Most knee joint problems brought by injury will disappear. Even regular massage with lukewarm ghee also gives good results. Ghee can be made at home from salt-free butter (derived from cow’s milk).

Injury is one thing, what about chronic joint pain brought by years of neglect and abuse? Then you up the ante a bit. We are not giving up yet. Now, you bring the bottle of Ayurvedic medicine, Narayana Tailam. Take a little bit (just a teaspoonful) into palm and apply on the knee joint. Massage it well, till it is almost gone visibly. Again foment the part with hot (sort of Turkish towel) thick towel. Be patient, after all the chronic pain has been brewing for years, it is not going to disappear overnight. Do it with discipline, with total devotion, and with absolute faith (this is important. Whether you call it biofeedback, a sort of placebo – that is all irrelevant to seriously ill patient. If a cost effective treatment yields relief or manages the pain and symptoms, that’s all that matters) for ten days. In most cases, things will improve. You can also use warm tub bath. If half an hour tub bath in warm water relieves joint pains, if you can use rest of day fruitfully – nothing like it. Go for it. You will feel totally rejuvenated, soon you get to enjoy life.

Still, not satisfied with progress. Ok, now go and take a trip to that reputed village, Putturu near Tirupati. There are lots of nurses and doctors, fully trained to treat only bone and joint problems. That is their specialty. Such hospitals are in Bangalore, Chennai and other places. They also sell Putturu Tailam for massage. It is available in some pharmacies all over in India. From Gujarat we get Dharasana Oil and Dharasana Paste (Lep). Both are good for joint pains and muscle cramps when they are applied as prescribed.

Yogasana

Many of the diseases are not new really, people (including kings) in earlier times also suffered due to such chronic pains. That is why there are so many remedies in Ayurveda and other traditional systems for joint pains. And Patanjali, being such an advanced thinker, produced yoga for health. He, rightfully, had the correct insight, i.e., man cannot make progress in life (spiritually or materially) unless the body is fully “tuned”. For beginners, this writer suggests B K S Iyengar’s classic “Light on Yoga” or “The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga” by Swami Vishnu Devananda. Knee joint is quite complex. The movement is not just confined to a single plane, there is lateral movement also. The old habits of sitting on floor cross-legged and eating and praying are almost gone in India. Perhaps, there are still some staunch diehards in villages who follow such practices. That cross-legged sitting posture is one of the best postures for knees. In fact, if as soon as you feel joint pain, try to do a few things. Stop sitting on couch. Try to sit on floor with cross-legged or straight stretched out feet. It is hard, it not easy. But who says recovering lost youth and flexibility has to be easy?

Asanas

Padmasana, Virasana, Dhanurasana, and Sarvangasana. The vertical standing asanas like Vrikshasana are also beneficial. The beginner, should strictly adhere to all the guidelines given in the books. Patience is needed. One masters yoga-asana with steady practice, slow movements, and proper breathing synchronization. The example of ‘slow tortoise’ is very appropriate in this context. No jerky movements, no undue force, and always listen carefully to the body’s signals (feedback). Even without costly paraphernalia (guru, expensive mat, costly classes in artificial glass covered air conditioned stuffy rooms), one can simply borrow (or buy a used dog-eared yoga book) and achieve remarkable progress. Before I forget, let me pay my humble debt of gratitude to Patanjali and all benevolent kind hearted yoga teachers. I also owe countless thanks to all traditional (Ayurveda, herbal, and other alternate systems of India) healers.

This (post) is no physician’s prescription. All the information is given with only the best intention, most of it has been found to be useful. In each case, the individual has to assess all available options, knowledge, treatments herself. Equally pertinent to note here, no, I mean no legal warranties are meant, either implicitly or explicitly. There are famous people who have strictly followed yoga, they retained walking till well into very old age, almost till the last day. I refrain here giving names. That is not the point of this article. This post is to educate and outline some inexpensive options for anyone rich or poor. In the sanatana dharma (old Indian thought), there is a saying: “All disease and suffering is due to past karma”. There is some nugget of truth in it. No, the saying does not try to pile up on the victim, blaming the victim, etc.

As in any progress to recovery, one can heal oneself from knee joint pains. It is because human body (and mind) is exceptionally great. It demands lots of optimism, patience, physical activity, and gentle touch. Extraordinary illnesses demand extraordinary attention, that much is fair in life. One also has to keep an open mind in these matters. Copyright by the author 2011