Health

In an era of high-stress careers and constant digital connectivity, a good night’s sleep has become a luxury. This desperation has fuelled a massive surge in melatonin gummies — brightly coloured, sweet-tasting supplements marketed as a harmless, natural way to drift off. But Indian medical experts are sounding the alarm: melatonin is no simple vitamin; it’s a potent neuro-hormone, and unregulated use is disrupting the very systems it’s meant to help. Ahead of World Sleep Day on March 13, leading pulmonologists are raising red flags about the growing misuse of these popular gummy supplements. The hormone myth: Understanding the biology of sleep The first step in understanding the risk is correcting a common misconception: melatonin is not a vitamin. As Dr Salil Bendre, director of pulmon...

Science has always fascinated people around the world, and Indians have a rich history in the field because they have made some of the most important contributions in the field over the years.  In fact, National Science Day, which is observed on February 28, marks the day one such Indian scientist and physicist, CV Raman, made the discovery called `Raman Effect` in 1928, and won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930 for it, showcasing individual excellence and Indian genius at the world stage.  Amid the constant evolution of science and the growing conversation around STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields, some Indian industry experts highlight what got them curious about science in the first place, and why they believe STEM is the future.  Somenath Ghatak, manage...

Last year, US President Donald Trump told pregnant women not to take Tylenol as he promoted unproven ties between the fever reducer and autism and touted an old generic drug as a treatment for the developmental condition. For nearly three months after that, new research found, Tylenol orders for pregnant women showing up in emergency rooms dropped and prescriptions of the generic drug for children rose. This happened despite sharp criticism of the president`s message from doctor groups saying that the drug, leucovorin, shouldn`t be broadly used for autism, and Tylenol is safe during pregnancy. "It just shows that in our country right now, health care has been politicised in a way that political messages are driving and impacting care - and not always for good," said Dr Susan Sirota, a pa...

A 94-year-old patient suffering from repeated heart failure was successfully treated by Thane doctors with a Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) at the hospital.  The patient was admitted under Dr Nitin Burkule, consultant – Interventional Cardiologist, at Jupiter Hospital. Due to severe narrowing of the heart valve, the patient had been hospitalised twice within a month with breathlessness, weakness, and extreme fatigue. Just weeks earlier, the patient had been fully independent, walking on his own and managing daily life comfortably. However, repeated heart failure episodes rapidly caused frailty and loss of mobility. Explaining the complexity of the case, Dr Burkule said, “Age was not the biggest challenge. The real concern was frailty. Until recently, the patient was comp...

In a rare but life-altering case, a young man who lost his hearing completely due to medication-induced damage has begun to regain sound and communication following a cochlear implant. This highlights the importance of early recognition and timely intervention in adult hearing loss. While cochlear implants are commonly associated with children born with hearing impairment, they are also used to treat adults who experience severe and irreversible hearing loss. In some cases, the damage progresses rapidly and cannot be corrected with hearing aids. This patient’s hearing loss began in 2019 after he was prescribed medication for a medical condition. However, the drugs included those known to damage the auditory nerve, leading to hearing loss with a devastating impact. Having previously devel...

In a rare and highly complex cardiac procedure, Kolkata doctors have successfully implanted a permanent pacemaker in an elderly woman who had an artificial bicaval valve system, giving her a new lease of life. It is a highly specialised treatment used in patients suffering from severe tricuspid regurgitation, a condition where a valve on the right side of the heart does not close properly, causing blood to flow backward, and congestive heart failure. To the best of the doctors` and hospital`s medical knowledge, this is the first such case in India and has been reported only once globally. Understanding the health condition The procedure was carried out by Dr Subhasish Deb, consultant – Cardiology, and the dedicated cath lab team at Manipal Hospital Mukundapur in Kolkata. The woman, Shya...

In a significant medical milestone, doctors at a Mumbai hospital have given a new lease of life to a woman who was suffering from a rare condition, creating possible challenges for pregnancy in the future.The doctors at Nanavati Max Super Speciality Hospital have performed, what they say, is India’s first robotic Strassmann Metroplasty, in a woman, correcting a rare congenital uterine condition that can severely impact fertility and pregnancy outcomes. The successful procedure has significantly improved her chances of carrying a pregnancy safely in the future. The 23-year-old who had been struggling with severe menstrual pain, irregular cycles, and three recurrent pregnancy losses in the second trimester came to Dr Uddhavraj Dudhedia, director and head (chief), Advanced Robotic Gynaecolog...

As many as 78 per cent of the urban population tested in India were found to be exposed to pesticide residues, posing serious health risks, according to a latest study by Bengaluru-based gut health startup MicrobioTx. The findings are based on the analysis of 200 Indian blood samples, aimed at understanding hidden chemical exposures, including pesticides, antibiotics, steroids and so-called "forever chemicals" that may be silently affecting health. According to the study, 78 per cent of those tested were exposed to pesticide residues, with 36 per cent exposed to three or more pesticides, indicating cumulative exposure that may pose serious health risks. It stated "The findings indicate widespread exposure to toxins, entering the body through everyday food consumption, plastic usage, gro...

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhopal has achieved another significant milestone in the field of medical research as the doctors have identified a special gland located in the nasopharyngeal region. During the research, the institute`s doctors have found a special gland located in the nasopharyngeal region, which is situated behind the nose and in the upper part of the throat of human beings. "Not only this, AIIMS doctors have also clearly demonstrated the duct emerging from this gland, about which no prior information was available. This discovery marks a new and important step in understanding the structure of the human body," the institute said in a statement on Friday. The entire research was conducted by a group of six senior doctors, Sunita Arvind Athavale, She...

Holi, more popularly called the festival of colours is a celebration of spirit, a vibrant explosion of joy that marks the arrival of spring. However, for your skin, the revelry can quickly devolve into a battlefield.  While many powders are marketed under the organic or herbal, the reality on the ground is often far more abrasive. Industrial dyes, heavy metals, and even powdered glass are frequently disguised as innocent gulaal, leading to a post-festive surge in chemical burns, severe dermatitis, and systemic allergic reactions. To help you navigate these hidden hazards, mid-day spoke to Indian dermatologists to provide a definitive guide on identifying, treating, and reversing Holi-related skin damage. Spotting the emergency The first step to treating an allergy is identifying it. Yo...