Health

As health information is just a click away, a large number of people tend to Google their symptoms online before consulting a doctor. Doing so can lead to panic, anxiety, and worry. Even if online resources can help create awareness, doctors in Maharashtra including Mumbai say an increasing number of patients are delaying proper medical treatment because they believe they can diagnose and just self-treat the symptoms. However, understand that every person's health condition is different, and relying only on internet information can lead to missed diagnoses, disease progression, and complications that can further complicate the treatment. Hence, timely treatment is key to improving the quality of life of the person. Many people have a habit of using Google to search for each and every thin...

Kolkata doctors have successfully diagnosed and treated a rare neurological condition called Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH), which is a rare neurological disorder in which the pressure inside the skull (intracranial pressure) increases without an obvious cause, such as a brain tumour, bleeding, or infection; the term "idiopathic" means the exact cause is unknown).  The 50-year-old woman had been suffering from repeated fainting episodes, severe headaches, and progressive vision impairment for several months. Despite undergoing multiple cardiac evaluations, including angiography, the underlying cause of her symptoms remained undetected.  A multidisciplinary team led by Dr Koushik Dutta, consultant – Neurology; Dr Soumya Kanti Dutta, consultant – Interventional Cardiologist; an...

Doctors in Navi Mumbai have given a new lease of life to a woman, who was diagnosed with a thyroid tumour in the neck. The surgery was completed successfully without leaving any visible scar on her neck, offering both medical and cosmetic benefits to the patient. The woman, a 40-year-old homemaker from Pen in Maharashtra, noticed a lump in her neck two years ago, which gradually became a major source of stress and anxiety for her. Being conscious about her appearance, she constantly worried about the possibility of a visible scar on her neck and began avoiding social gatherings and stepping out confidently. The emotional burden affected not only her self-esteem but also her daily life. For nearly two years, she struggled with the condition, moving from place to place in search of relief a...

Obesity is no longer viewed simply as a matter of willpower, overeating or lack of exercise. It is now widely understood as a chronic metabolic disease, often linked with diabetes, fatty liver disease, hypertension, sleep apnea, heart disease risk and reduced quality of life. For many people, especially in urban India, weight gain creeps in slowly over years as a result of longer working hours, irregular meals, high-calorie processed food, poor sleep, stress and reduced physical activity, all of which play their own part. A common example seen in clinical practice is the 38-year-old professional who has tried multiple diets, lost 4–5 kg, regained it, and then stopped trying altogether. Or the middle-aged person with diabetes and fatty liver who is told repeatedly to “lose weight,” but fin...

Hip fractures and degenerative hip disorders such as osteoarthritis, avascular necrosis (AVN), and inflammatory arthritis are becoming increasingly common among older adults, often leaving them with severe pain, difficulty walking, and dependence on family members for even basic daily activities. While medications and physiotherapy may provide temporary relief in some cases, advanced joint damage often requires hip replacement surgery to restore mobility and quality of life. A team led by Dr Srisanat Rao, robotic knee & hip replacement surgeon, Zynova Shalby Multispeciality Hospital, Ghatkopar, Mumbai, successfully treated an elderly woman with a hip fracture using the Direct Anterior Approach (DAA), a modern muscle-sparing hip replacement technique. The advanced procedure enabled her...

Across India, rising humidity, damp clothes, wet footwear, crowded commutes, and prolonged sweating create the perfect environment for fungi to thrive. What often begins as mild itching, a few bumps, or a patch of irritated skin can quickly become persistent discomfort if ignored, or worse, aggravated by self-treatment and viral skincare advice. Dermatologists say monsoon-related fungal infections are among the most common skin concerns they see during monsoon season, yet they are also among the most misunderstood. People frequently confuse fungal conditions with acne, heat rash, dandruff, allergies, or friction-related irritation and often reach for strong skincare products or over-the-counter creams that end up making matters worse. The good news is that most fungal infections are manag...

A peaceful return home after an evening walk turned into a terrifying ordeal for a 75-year-old Bhagwani Singh, a resident of Lower Parel, when strong winds sweeping through her high-rise apartment triggered a scary accident. As she paused at her doorstep to remove her footwear, a powerful gust rushing through two west-facing windows violently slammed the heavy door shut on her hand, nearly amputating her index finger and causing a deep injury to another finger. In the painful attempt to pull her hand free, another gust pushed the door again, striking her forehead and leaving her with injuries that also required stitches. Nearly 18 hours later, despite the severity of the crush injury and several medical challenges, Mumbai doctors were able to treat her successfully and replant her finger....

Chronic and mental conditions are having a growing impact on the health of Australians, according to a government report published on Thursday.  The comprehensive biennial report on Australia's health for 2026 from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) found that 61 per cent of Australians, or 15.4 million people, were living with at least one chronic long-term health condition in 2022 and 38 per cent were living with two or more. It said that Australians lost an estimated 4.9 million years of healthy life due to chronic conditions in 2024, accounting for 84 per cent of the total national disease burden. The top five leading causes of disease burden in 2024 were all chronic conditions, including dementia, which became Australia's leading cause of death for the first time...

A 57-year-old woman suffering from Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis (PAP), a rare and potentially life-threatening lung disorder, has been successfully treated at a Delhi hospital through a complex Whole Lung Lavage procedure, doctors said on Wednesday. The woman was treated at Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, where doctors washed both lungs using more than 30 litres of saline in a two-stage procedure to remove the abnormal accumulation of proteinaceous material from the air sacs. She recovered well and was discharged in a stable condition two days after the completion of the procedure. According to the hospital, PAP is an extremely rare lung disease, with fewer than 100 reported cases in India. The condition leads to the build-up of protein and fat-like substances in the lungs, severely af...

Doctors at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Thane district of Maharashtra have successfully removed natal teeth from a premature newborn weighing only 1.196 kg, preventing potentially serious health complications, an official statement issued by the Thane Municipal Corporation said. The delicate procedure was carried out on July 10 in the hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), where the baby was receiving specialised care. The infant, born prematurely, was found to have natal teeth – a rare condition in which one or more teeth are present at birth, it said. Medical experts say natal teeth occur in approximately one out of every 2,000 to 3,500 births and it is a rare situation. Around 85 per cent of cases involve the lower front central teeth. Why the surgery was needed ...