Find out this and more from Dr Shital Raval
1. Can excess weight cause osteoarthritis?
Recent medical opinion points to excess weight as a cause for osteoarthritis. It is also known that obesity makes the symptoms worse in patients with existing osteoarthritis. This is because obesity tends to decrease mobility and puts stress on the back, hips, knees and feet, all the body parts that are commonly affected by osteoarthritis. Over time this stress can cause the…
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What is stress Stress is what happens when you have too much to handle. The body goes into fight or flight mode. Your heart rate may go up and you may breathe faster or sweat more. This response is fine within normal limits. But beyond that, it can be harmful. Stress is a global issue with 77% of people in just the US saying that they experience physical symptoms caused by stress, according to Statistic Brain, a research institute.
What is anxiety disorder Everyone feels anxious at some points in their life. But the anxiety passes once the stressful situation is over. For people with anxiety disorder, the feelings of anxiety are ongoing and don’t subside. They cause great distress and get in the way of them leading a normal life. As many as 450 million people suffer from this disorder and nearly 1 million people commit suicide every year. 1 in 4 families worldwide is likely to have at least…
Stages of prostate cancer There are 4 stages of Prostate Cancer In stage I-Cancer is found in the prostate only In stage II-Cancer is more advanced than in stage I, but has not spread outside the prostate. In stage III-Cancer has…
What is migraine Migraine is a chronic type of headache that occurs in episodes and affects the day to day activities of an individual. It usually affects one side of the head. Between migraine episodes, the patient is absolutely free of pain. Migraine is the most common neurological condition in the developed world. A migraine attack can come with an aura, which means a sense of warning, or without an aura. Migraines are three times more common in women than men. Migraine can…
Based on a discussion with Dr. Venkat Rao, Diabetologist 1. My mother has diabetes. Should I get my blood sugar checked? I am now 30 years old. Everybody should get their blood sugar tested once a year after the age of 30, irrespective of whether or not there is a family history of diabetes. This is especially true for Indians as India has a high incidence of diabetes. If you have a family history of diabetes with a tendency of early occurrence; if you are obese…
By family practitioner Dr Gita Mathai What is a heart attack? A “heart attack” is a general, rather vague, term used to describe damage to the heart muscle. This occurs when the blood supply to that particular part of the heart is compromised. The blood vessel may be abnormally situated from birth. It may be blocked with atherosclerotic plaques. The vessel may have a compromised lumen (channel inside the vessel) and then go into spasm so that the blood supply falls below critical levels and…
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by deterioration of nerve cells (neurons) in the part of the brain called the substantia nigra. The death or damage to the nerves and the central nervous system causes deficiency of one of the important chemical neurotransmitter or messengers called dopamine. The lack of or decrease in the dopamine levels hinders the brain from sending signals to other cells within the brain and muscles. Movements tend to slow down or…
Multiple Sclerosis or MS is a disease that can easily lead to feelings of isolation. Typically, at some point, it leads to significant physical disability and forces people to leave paid employment. It is particularly difficult as MS hits patients when they are young, just starting a family or developing their career. The spouse or other family member has to take on the responsibilities of caring for the patient, children and supporting the family financially. As the…
