"Radiation Therapy is a single machine under one roof to cater to our entire Radiation Oncology department in our hospital. In short, if one needs any sort of technique of radiotherapy in the entire world to treat any patient for any condition, we at BGS Gleneagles Hospital are equipped with it.

With one single machine called the TrueBeam STx for external radiation and a 24 channel BAT therapy machine for internal radiation. A machine with such accuracy and precision of delivering that patient is not very simple. It starts with a journey that starts with an MRI. One can see the nerve only with an MRI, but the computer only understands a CT for calculation. To fuse is not an easy task. If one is drawing on an MRI and then the fusion doesn't happen, it is going to deliver somewhere else. If it is a 1 millimetre MRI and it is exactly fusing with the CT, then it means that we have gone through the exact precise planning with a very experienced Radiation Physicist.

Whatever is seen on the computer screen has to be delivered to the patient exactly. In 45 minutes, the machine goes around the patient and does another CT Scan to exactly localize whether the patient is not even a millimeter away from where we are giving the radiation. Though the treatment takes another half an hour to give that high dose, the patient cannot afford to move nor can we allow them to move. We follow an advanced way of masking without having to poke into the patient. We have a very good mask that protects the patient and the machine keeps working on the imaging with great precision and with sub millimeter accuracy.

We have successfully delivered a number of patients with this technique. We in order to make the process faster have now started using something called RapidArc technique, a brain-led software and precision CBCT on the couch. This is just like any other treatment. We focus on the patient from different places and everything goes down into 1 point inside the ball. Imagine our head like a ball and we give the treatment from different directions. With this the entire brain receives one thousandths or one ten thousandths of the dose, but 100% into the tumour. This way the brain doesn't get affected at all and at the same time, the tumour is completely killed. RapidArc has changed a lot of this scenario, though it was used mostly for head and neck and brain cancers. We have been using this for stereotactic radio surgery concepts also. "

The world is fighting a deadly disease. Most of the countries are under lockdown, and companies and businesses have asked employees to work from home for the safety of the public. If your organisation has asked you to work from home, you should stay at home and support those who are working day and night to keep the city safe.

However, working from home tends to put you in a lazy mood and you may tend to slouch when typing on your laptop or phones. And you could harm your back with these habits; it could lead to bad posture, back pain, neck pain, and other problems. So, here are some tips to avoid back pain and keep your core strong.

Practice Good Posture

If you have a proper work station at home, with a desk and a chair, place your feet flat on the floor, and rest you back against the chair - straight. Do not round your lower back, adjust the height of your chair to avoid it.

Use Low Back Support

Use a small pillow, or roll up a towel, t-shirt or a part of a blanket as support. Place this support horizontally between the chair and the gap created by the curve of your lower back. This will help you sit up straighter and provide the appropriate support, and will also help you improve your posture.

Take Breaks and Move

Sitting in the same position for too long can lead to back, neck and shoulder pain. Get up and move around the house every few hours. Not only will it help you avoid back problems, but it’ll also freshen you up. I suggest, set up alarms on your phone to remind you to take a walk.

Take multiple short breaks frequently, instead of taking a few long ones. Taking breaks gives the muscles a chance to relax, and it prevents your back from getting stiff and tense. Make sure you take a break from the screen too. Do not switch between your computer and mobile screen while taking breaks. Avoid looking at your phone, look out the window instead, give your eyes rest too.

Have an Appropriate Desk Setup

Place your computer directly in front of you. It shouldn't be placed too high or too low, because either way, it’ll stress your neck. The computer screen should be at an arm’s length. Keep the keyboard at a comfortable distance.

Exercise

Exercise can help relieve back pain, and strengthen the lower back. It can also enable the blood flow to the lower back region, which may reduce the stiffness. Make sure you don’t do any heavy workout or heavy lifting if you suffer from back pain. You can perform simple exercises like knee rolls, bridges, knee-to-chest stretches, pelvic tilts, etc. You can easily find videos on how to perform these exercises, online. Three sets of sooryanamaskar will go a long way to prevent back and neck pain. Now, if your back pain is associated with shooting pain or weakness of the leg, I suggest you consult your orthopedic and spine surgeon immediately.

Follow these tips and you can avoid chronic or acute back pain and spine-related problems in the long run.

Disclaimer:The views and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author. They do not reflect the opinions or views of the organization.