Neurological Conditions

Neuropathy (also known as Peripheral neuropathy) is a condition wherein the nerves of the body are damaged (from injury or disease) and thus fail to function normally. This affects the communication between the nerves and the brain. It is a fairly common condition and can affect people of all ages. It is however, more common in men and the elderly, and those with a family history of inherited neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy is not a single condition but an umbrella term for several disorders…

Stroke or Cardiovascular accident or CVA is a real medical emergency. Quick and timely intervention helps. Dr. Shital Raval tells what you should do to help someone having a stroke.  Stroke, also called Cardiovascular accident or CVA, is a Medical emergency! It occurs when blood flow to the brain or part of the brain become restricted or blocked. This may lead to damage or death of the brain cells from lack of oxygen causing temporary or permanent impairment of the functioning of the brain…

When A Chitra, 38 from Bengaluru started having seizures, she was initially treated for epilepsy but was eventually diagnosed with Malignant Glioma, a type of brain tumour. She shares how she handled the gamut of treatment and the emotional distress with the support of her team of doctors, family and friends and employer.  Chitra, please tell us a bit about your condition  I was diagnosed with brain tumour called Anaplastic Astrocytoma Grade III. It is a rare, malignant tumour…

Iftikhar Zia, together with the rest of the family, has been Zoyeb’s main support system. Zoyeb suffers from a rare neurological condition called Ataxia. Iftikhar on the journey and the accomodations required in schools, colleges to support Zoyeb’s drive for professional success. Please tell us about your son’s condition My son was diagnosed with Ataxia at 16. It is a neurological disorder affecting the balance causes poor coordination of the limbs poor gait movement slurs the speech and…

Zoyeb Zia, now an assistant professor of Zoology, has a rare condition called Ataxia. Zoyeb talks here about how he coped with the condition after he was diagnosed with Ataxia at the age of 16. Ataxia is a neurological disorder, which means ‘without order’ in Greek, affects a person’s balance, and it causes poor coordination of the limbs, poor gait movement, slurs the speech and affects the eye movement etc. Ataxia is classified as a rare disease.There are many variants of this disorder,…

Dr Shanthipriya, 45 is a YOPD warrior and consultant ophthalmologist. Devastated when diagnosed with early Parkinson’s, she talks about how she picked up the pieces, moved forward and started the SAAR Foundation to reach out to other people with neurological issues. Introduction to Parkinson’s My journey with Parkinson’s began 8 years ago with the diagnosis of YOPD (Young Onset Parkinson Disease) and the question Why Me? In early 2011 my husband and son noticed the abnormal positioning of my…

Aishwarya M,  a migraineur-teacher who teaches reading and writing to middle school girls at Pune, India shares her experience of being prepared for the uncertainty of chronic migraine.  Is it possible to have a debilitating disability such as chronic migraine and still be a together teacher? Short answer: Yes The long answer follows. In 2014, Maia Heyck-Merlin’s The Together Teacher: Plan Ahead, Get Organized, and Save Time! not only saved my time, it saved my life. I slowly stopped…

G Srinithya, Senior Occupational Therapist at NIMHANS, highlights the various specialised rehabilitation programs for different types of stroke related disabilities ranging from visual, cognitive to swallowing impairment. Which cognitive rehabilitation intervention is best for improvement of attention and memory problems in patients with stroke? Following stroke, many people experience difficulties in arousal, attention, concentration, memory, perception, problem solving, decision making,…

Stroke rehabilitation is an important aspect of the management of stroke. It can help to maximize recovery and regain as much of the body functions that is lost after a stroke, emphasises G Srinithya, Senior Occupational Therapist at NIMHANS. What is Post Stroke Rehabilitation? Post stroke Rehabilitation is a patient-centred, goal driven process that attempts to maximise the functional independence of patients who suffer from variety of stroke related disabilities. The aim of rehabilitation is…

An insightful panel discussion with persons with Parkinson's Disease and the Head of therapy and research at PDMDS on the early stages of Parkinson;s Disease with in our ‘Living Better’ series. In partnership with PDMDS. This session focussed how patients dealt with their diagnosis, the various activities they engage in, the challenges posed due to their symptoms, changes in lifestyle, how it affects relationships, and perspectives in life. We spoke with persons with Parkinsons and Head of…