Conditions

And what you can do to help  Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide with more than 350 million sufferers, according to the World Health Organisation. The number is growing in all age groups in every community, and with many young people falling prey to depression.   Depression is not just about feeling sad or down. It disrupts different aspects of life – from working to eating, sleeping and socialising – and it can manifest in different…

Dr Amoha Bhatia, a cosmetic surgeon from New Delhi answers a few of our queries on baldness and hair loss. How much hair loss per day is normal? About 25-100 hair falling each day is normal. This happens because hair roots undergo 3 phases which are Anagen Phase (Growth phase), Catagen Phase (Intermediate phase) and Telogen Phase. 90% of all roots stay in anaphase phase and 10% of roots are in catagen and telogen phase. Anagen phase lasts for 3-5 years. In this phase roots are healthiest and…

Neha Sinha, a clinical psychologist by training and dementia specialist, is the co-founder and CEO of Epoch Eldercare.  She shares her knowledge on agitiation in Dementia, the triggers of agitation and how best to handle it. What is Dementia in everyday life? Visualise a situation where you suddenly open your eyes and can’t make any sense of where you are or what you are doing there? Your surroundings seem unfamiliar to you...and there is a person in your room, giving you all sorts of…

Janaki Balakrishnan is not just a parent whose son has multiple disabilities, but also a Special educator and an active member of parent support organisations. She shares her observations of parents who are in similar situations and what they should ideally avoid for stress-free caregiving roles I am a parent of a young adult with special needs and live in Chennai. My 22 year old son (only child), is deaf and mute and has multiple issues such as cerebral palsy, seizures, profound mental…

This time in our Health by Numbers/Medical Tests series, Dr Shital Raval takes a look at the importance of Calcium levels in the metabolic panel. Read the previous parts on Sodium Levels, Potassium Levels and Chloride Levels CALCIUM: Calcium is an important component of our bones, teeth, nerve cells and organs such as heart and kidneys. A blood calcium test is ordered if there are any symptoms of any bone or neurological disorders, kidney stones etc or can be a part of a Comprehensive…

Smriti Sawhney is an experienced Clinical Psychologist who feels one should not ignore Postpartum depression signs in men as it might turn serious. Men also have Postpartum Depression With joint family systems no more being in vogue, new fathers these days are often happily sharing the responsibility of looking after the new mother as well as the baby along with their own professional demands. But men are also likely to go through Postpartum depression and most of them as well as their families…

Dr Vinit Shah, an eminent Urologist from Mumbai, helps us understand frequently asked concerns about urology and men’s health. What are the five most common urological conditions you see in daily practice? The commonest problems we seen in our daily practice are prostate, stones, urinary infections, urinary incontinence and male sexual problems. What are the different causative factors of infertility? Male infertility can have several factors. You can have pre-testicular causes due to hormonal…

This time in our Health by Numbers/Medical Tests series, Dr Shital Raval takes a look at the importance of Chloride levels in the electrolyte panel. Read the first part on Sodium Levels and second part on Potassium Levels An electrolyte panel is a blood test that measures the common minerals in the body such as sodium, calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium. Electrolytes are essential for the proper functioning of the heart, muscles and brain as they are needed to…

World Brain Tumour Day Primary brain cancers account for 2% of all cancers and represent about 20% cancer deaths per year. Dr. Suresh Sankhla, Consultant Neurosurgeon emphasises that increased awareness about brain tumours can result in early diagnosis, prompt treatment, and excellent outcome. What are the common signs and symptoms of brain tumour? Following are the most common symptoms of brain tumours, which may be present in various combinations. All symptoms are initially very mild but…