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Something as simple as a pulled muscle can leave you writhing in agony and debilitated for months but, with treatment, the cure could be just days away.
Pakistani Dilbar Hassan, 52, knows this for sure after pulling a muscle in his lower back while bending to fit a television frame. The injury caused him a great deal of pain and restricted movement but now, after undergoing physiotherapy at Al Hilal Hospital in Muharraq, he is on the mend.
Mr Hassan, a carpenter and partner in Muharraq-based Abdulla Dhaif Moh’d Al Bana frame shop, said: “I have been coming to the hospital for physiotherapy sessions for over 20 days now and I can feel a big difference – up to 60 per cent.
“It was extremely difficult for me as I couldn’t sleep, sit or walk properly. But now it is not so bad, the pain has reduced a lot.”
The definition of physiotherapy is the maintenance and restoration of physical function and performance through therapy such as massage. Al Hilal Hospital offers physiotherapy services catering to routine problems of the musclo-skeletal system.
Dr Sumod Sukumaran, orthopaedic surgeon, said: “There are two aspects of physiotherapy – the treatment and the rehabilitation.
“For instance, after a fracture once the plaster is removed individuals normally have stiffness in the muscles and that has to be rehabilitated to build the muscles and help the patient to walk and mobilise his joints. This is part of the rehabilitation process.
“In children who are neurologically debilitated, for example those who suffer from cerebral palsy, we use physiotherapy to rehabilitate them and mobilise their joints so that they can walk and carry out day-to-day activities including having food and using the toilet, wheelchair, walker or crutches.
“Treatment is also offered for individuals suffering from cases such as back pain, tennis elbow or osteoarthritis – any pain anywhere in the body.
“We, thus, have various components used to treat the patients suffering from orthopaedic disabilities, pregnant women, post-pregnancy, overweight people and post-trauma and fracture patients as well tendon and ligament injuries.
“We have many instruments to help such as the use of ultrasound therapy, traction and exercises for relief and improvement.”
The 50-bedded multi-specialty Al Hilal Hospital provides specialised out-patient as well as in-patient care with specialties including emergency care, medical, surgical, obstetrics, paediatric, dental and critical care.
The hospital’s services are supported by diagnostic and outpatient treatment services that use the latest technology.
The hospital is also equipped with a state-of-the-art accident and emergency wing providing 24-hour service, six-bedded centrally monitored ICU, two operating theatres with eight-bedded male and female recovery rooms, a fully-fledged labour theatre with recovery beds and baby care unit, a minor operation theatre and X-ray, ultrasound (4D), and 24-hour laboratory unit and pharmacy.
