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  • A stock pic of partially visible person sitting in a consult session with a partially visible counsellor with a note book in her hand. In front of them is a table with a glass of water and a box of tissues
    What Is Counselling? Is It For Me?
    Life is not without its challenges. Sometimes the challenges can be overwhelming and your usual coping mechanisms may not be working too well. Tanuja Babre, a counseling psychologist currently serving as a programme Coordinator of iCALL, TISS explains the role of a counselor/ therapist and how you can decide on the right counsellor and the right form of counselling service.   Life events, whether positive or negative, can cause psychological distress. These experiences may…
  • A person's arm cuffed by a BP monitor
    How To Choose And Use A Home Use Blood Pressure Monitor
    If you plan to measure your blood pressure at home, you will need to buy a home blood pressure monitor. It is important to be sure that the blood pressure monitor you choose is accurate and the right one for you. Also, you must use the monitor properly. Sometimes a doctor may ask you to monitor your hypertension/blood pressure more frequently. In such cases, it may make sense to buy a BP monitor for home use. Here is some guidance on how to choose a BP monitor and how best to use it. How to…
  • Colorectal Cancer Screening and Prevention
    Can colorectal cancer be prevented? Colorectal cancer starts as adenomatous polyps, which relatively remain asymptomatic for a long time. Colorectal cancer can be prevented by regular screening, which can find pre-cancerous polyps. You can take the following steps to reduce your risk: Start getting screened from age 50 if you do not have any known risk factors for colon cancer Start getting screened as early as possible if you have a personal history of polyps, family history of colorectal…
  • A stock photo with scrabble tiles arranged with the word BIPOLAR
    Taking Charge of Bipolar Mood Swings
    Psychiatric counselling and therapy for people with bipolar disorder can help reduce severity and number of episodes of depression and mania and improve understanding and coping abilities, says Dr Milan Balakrishnan, psychiatrist at Bombay Hospital. Although medicines are the mainstay of bipolar disorder treatment, counselling and talk therapy also have an important role to play. How can a qualified therapist help someone in the treatment or control of bipolar disorder? Bipolar disorder, as we…
  • A stock pic of a woman with long hair holding her throbbing temples signifying migraine pain
    How To Be Prepared for Chronic Migraine
    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…
  • A person using a blood pressure monitor
    10 Travel Tips for Persons with Hypertension
    Millions of people with hypertension travel for holiday or work.  Whether you are a frequent traveler or an occasional traveler, it is important to follow certain guidelines to avoid potential complications, especially for airline travel.   1.   Get a check-up A regular check-up with your primary doctor along with vital tests should be ideally done before you book any holiday. Discuss any and all health concerns and make sure you are fit to travel. Update or take any…
  • A woman in a pink t shirt stretching a green resistance band
    After Stroke, Many Survivors Report Vision Difficulties
    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,…
  • Robotic Hand therapy equipment for Stroke Patients
    Stroke Rehabilitation Helps Relearn Lost Skills
    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 open and fallen bottle of pills spilt on the table
    What Every Patient And Caregiver Should Know About Opioid Drugs
    Opioids are essential to pain management in patients with chronic and severe pain. Since they are narcotic medications and have side-effects, it is important for patients and caregivers to be aware of the type of Opioid that has been prescribed and possible adverse reactions. Excerpted from Indian Primer of Palliative Care by Pallium India.  Opioids are a class of drugs that are used in pain management in patients with chronic and debilitating pain. They work by binding to opioid…