The World Health Organization (WHO) has sounded the alarm on a growing yet often overlooked crisis: loneliness. In its newly released report titled “From loneliness to social connection: charting the path to healthier societies,” WHO reveals that loneliness is linked to nearly 100 deaths every hour, translating to more than 871,000 lives lost annually to loneliness-related causes.

This revelation marks loneliness as more than a mere emotional experience—it is now recognized as a pressing public health concern with severe, measurable consequences.

One in Six People Affected Globally

According to the report, one in six people worldwide experiences loneliness. The impact is most severe among young people and those living in low- and middle-income countries, where systemic inequalities and lack of access to support services compound feelings of social disconnection.

WHO defines loneliness as “the distressing feeling that results from a gap between desired and actual social relationships,” while social isolation refers to the objective absence of social ties. Though distinct, both conditions significantly increase the risk of physical and mental health issues.

A Paradox in a Digitally Connected World

“Even in a digitally connected world, many young people feel alone,” noted Chido Mpemba, co-chair of the WHO Commission on Social Connection. Her comments highlight a growing paradox: while technology allows unprecedented access to communication, it often fails to deliver meaningful connection.

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom

Ghebreyesus echoed these concerns, stating, “In this age when the possibilities to connect are endless, more and more people are finding themselves isolated and lonely.”

The report points to excessive screen time, poor quality of online interactions, and social media pressures as contributing factors to the emotional disconnect experienced by many—especially adolescents and young adults.

Health Risks Comparable to Smoking and Obesity

The consequences of prolonged loneliness and social isolation extend far beyond emotional distress. The report highlights links between loneliness and serious health outcomes, including:

• Increased risk of stroke and heart disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• Cognitive decline and dementia
• Depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts
• Early death

Lonely individuals are twice as likely to experience depression, and the overall impact on the body includes heightened inflammation and stress hormone levels—comparable to those found in people who smoke or are obese.

“Social connection offers protective benefits throughout life,” the report emphasizes, stating that strong interpersonal ties can improve immune function, boost mental resilience, and extend life expectancy.

Inequality and Infrastructure Worsen the Problem

The burden of loneliness is not distributed equally. WHO identifies several contributing factors that disproportionately affect people in low-resource settings. These include:

• Poor physical and mental health
• Low income and education levels
• Lack of inclusive public policies

Limited access to transportation, safe spaces, or community services

Without adequate infrastructure and inclusive social systems, people are more likely to remain disconnected, creating a cycle of isolation that is difficult to break.

WHO’s Roadmap for Action

In response to this urgent crisis, WHO is urging governments, communities, and individuals to treat social connection as a public health priority. The report outlines a five-part roadmap for coordinated global action:

Policy Development: Integrating social connection into national health and social strategies.

Research and Data: Improving the measurement of loneliness and evaluating the effectiveness of interventions.

Scalable Interventions: Supporting local programs that promote engagement and inclusion.

Public Engagement: Raising awareness through campaigns and community involvement.

Cross-Sector Collaboration: Uniting healthcare, education, transportation, and technology sectors to build supportive environments.

“As technology reshapes our lives, we must ensure it strengthens—not weakens—human connection,” Mpemba said.

You pick up a jar on the kitchen shelf and shudder. You take a flight of stairs, and that old pain sinks into your hip. You get up in the morning, and your shoulder feels as though it has been wrung out. You attribute it to age, to a long day on your feet, to just how things are now. But what if your body is trying to tell you something very particular and you have been missing it?

Dr Apoorv Dua, Consultant, Orthopaedics, ISIC Multispeciality Hospital, in an interview with Health and Me, said that this may be a sign of bursitis—a condition that is much more widespread than most people realise, and much more treatable than most people are aware. The expert went on to answer common questions regarding extreme pain that comes with this condition.

What is bursitis?

Bursae are small, fluid-filled sacs located between your bones, muscles, and tendons. Imagine them as the natural cushioning system of the body—shock absorbers that ensure your joints move smoothly and painlessly. Under normal circumstances, you do not even think about them. However, when inflamed, due to repetitive motion, prolonged pressure, injury, or infection, they make their presence known in a very noticeable manner. This is bursitis. Although it most often appears in the shoulder, elbow, hip, and knee, it may occur in nearly any joint in the body.

Who gets bursitis—and why?

This is where the lifestyle connection cannot be overlooked. Bursitis does not discriminate, but it has definite patterns. The weekend warrior who runs ten kilometres on Saturday after sitting at a desk all week. The housewife who spends hours cleaning floors or squatting in the kitchen. The office worker who has been stooped over a computer. The gym enthusiast who does not warm up. The retired teacher who begins a walking routine too vigorously. All these individuals may be silently placing stress on their bursae, and in many cases, bursitis is the eventual outcome.

Age also plays a role—the bursae, like most of our connective tissue, grow weaker with age. Certain medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and diabetes can increase the risk. However, in many instances, the cause is simply the way we move—or do not move—in our day-to-day lives.

What does bursitis feel like?

A key characteristic of bursitis is pain that is disproportionate to the activity causing it. Reaching overhead, sitting on a hard surface, pressing on your elbow, or walking downhill—these are not dramatic movements, yet with bursitis, they may trigger a sharp, deep, or burning pain that interrupts you mid-action. The affected joint is usually swollen and tender. The area may feel warm to the touch. Movement becomes guarded. Sleep, particularly in cases of shoulder bursitis, can be difficult, as lying on the affected side aggravates the pain.

The challenge with bursitis is that its symptoms can resemble other conditions—tendinitis, arthritis, a muscle strain, or even a ligament tear. Many individuals self-diagnose, self-treat with painkillers, and hope it will go away. Sometimes it does. However, chronic, untreated bursitis may persist for months and, in some cases, lead to complications.

Bursitis diagnosis

A thorough clinical examination is usually the first step. A skilled orthopaedic specialist can identify the affected bursa through specific physical assessments. Imaging, such as ultrasound or MRI, may be recommended depending on the case to confirm the diagnosis, rule out structural damage, or guide treatment.

If infection is suspected—indicated by increased redness, fever, and rapidly worsening pain—fluid may be aspirated from the bursa and tested. Septic bursitis is a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention and is treated differently from the more common non-infectious type.

Bursitis treatment

The encouraging fact about bursitis is that it responds well to treatment, particularly when detected early. Most cases are managed with a combination of rest, activity modification, ice application, and anti-inflammatory medication. Physiotherapy also plays an important role, helping to correct movement patterns, strengthen supporting muscles, and restore the full range of motion.

In more persistent cases, a corticosteroid injection into the bursa may provide rapid and significant relief by reducing inflammation at its source. Surgery is rare and is typically considered only in chronic, recurrent cases that do not respond to conservative treatment.

Prevention is better

In many instances, bursitis is linked to lifestyle—and that presents an opportunity for prevention. Even small changes can help: warming up before exercise, avoiding excessive strain on joints, maintaining a healthy weight to reduce pressure on hips and knees, and ensuring workstations are ergonomically designed.

Pain often becomes background noise—something we get used to, work around, and push through. However, bursitis reminds us that the body communicates with precision. That pain when you pick up a jar, that discomfort on the stairs—it is not simply ageing. It is a signal worth discussing with your doctor.

The bulge that appears when an internal organ pushes through a weakened muscle wall will not recede with rest or medication—it will, in most cases, grow larger and more uncomfortable over time. Surgery is the only definitive treatment. What has changed significantly in recent years is what that surgery looks like and what recovery from it requires.

Dr Rajesh Sharma, Director – General Surgery, Minimal Access & Bariatric Surgery, CK Birla Hospitals, Jaipur, in an interview with Health and Me, spoke about the introduction of robotics in hernia treatment and how it can benefit patients.

How hernia surgeries are becoming less painful

With advances in surgical technology, minimally invasive approaches have significantly improved patient outcomes. One of the most important developments in recent years is robotic-assisted hernia surgery using the da Vinci Surgical System. In robotic surgery, the surgeon operates from a console equipped with a high-definition, three-dimensional, magnified view of the surgical field. The robotic system translates the surgeon’s hand movements into extremely precise movements of miniaturised instruments inserted through small incisions. The system also filters natural hand tremors and provides a greater range of motion than the human wrist, enabling meticulous dissection and suturing.

For hernia repair, these capabilities allow surgeons to perform delicate steps such as accurate defect closure and optimal mesh placement, which are important for the long-term durability of the repair.

Benefits for patients

Robotic hernia repair offers several advantages for patients:

1. Smaller incisions and minimal scarring
2. Reduced postoperative pain
3. Lower risk of wound complications
4. Shorter hospital stay
5. Faster return to normal activities

Because the procedure is minimally invasive, most patients experience earlier mobilisation and quicker overall recovery compared with traditional open surgery. Robotic surgery is particularly useful in complex, recurrent, or large ventral hernias, where precise reconstruction of the abdominal wall is important. While not every hernia requires a robotic approach, the technology expands the surgeon’s ability to perform advanced minimally invasive repairs with improved ergonomics and visualisation.

The future of hernia surgery

The integration of robotic platforms such as the da Vinci system represents a major step forward in modern general surgery. By combining surgical precision with minimally invasive techniques, robotic hernia repair aims to enhance patient comfort, improve recovery, and deliver durable surgical outcomes.

The liver and heart are two of the most vital organs of the body, and although they perform very different functions, they are closely connected. When the liver is not functioning properly, it can place significant stress on the heart and circulatory system of the body.

Liver disease not only affects the digestion process, metabolism, and detoxification but can also trigger serious cardiovascular changes that may go unnoticed in the early stages. Understanding this particular connection is significant for timely diagnosis and better overall care.

The Liver-Heart Connection

The liver helps to regulate the flow of blood, fluid balance, cholesterol metabolism, and inflammation as well. When liver disease develops—whether due to fatty liver, hepatitis, cirrhosis, or alcohol-related damage—all these processes become disturbed.

As a result of the same, the heart may have to work harder to maintain circulation, while blood vessels may also undergo certain changes that impact blood pressure and delivery of oxygen as well.

Changes In Blood Circulation

In well-advanced liver disease, especially cirrhosis, the flow of blood through the liver becomes restricted. This can also increase pressure in the portal vein, a condition known as portal hypertension. At the same point in time, blood vessels in the rest of the body may also widen, causing a drop in effective blood pressure.

To compensate, the heart pumps faster and harder. With the passage of time, this constant strain can weaken cardiac function and even lead to a condition sometimes referred to as cirrhotic cardiomyopathy, where the heart does not respond normally under stress.

Fluid Retention And Heart Stress

Liver disease often causes the body to retain both salt and water. This can also lead to swelling in the legs, abdomen, and surrounding tissues as well. Extra fluid in the body increases the workload on the heart, making it more difficult for it to pump blood in an efficient way. In severe cases, this may also contribute to shortness of breath, fatigue, and worsening cardiovascular strain.

Inflammation And Metabolic Impact

Some of the conditions, such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, are also linked with diabetes, obesity, high levels of cholesterol, and high blood pressure – all of which are the major risk factors for heart disease. Chronic inflammation, well-associated with liver damage, may further increase the risk of atherosclerosis and other cardiac complications.