Health

Amid reports of Mpox cases in Sweden, and Pakistan, an infectious disease expert on Friday urged health authorities to begin screening for the deadly infectious disease at key airports in India to help curb the spread.  Mpox (formerly Monkeypox) has been declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa CDC this week, after the latest outbreak spread to 13 countries in Africa, including four new countries. The latest outbreak due to the more virulent and deadly strain -- Clade 1b has also spread to Sweden. The WHO has warned of more cases in Europe. Pakistan has reported 3 cases, but the strain causing the disease is yet to be known. “Mpox is being taken seriously as an international and not purely regional concern. It would be wise at this point ...

Work-related stress, particularly high job strain and effort-reward imbalance, may significantly increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib) -- an irregular heart rhythm condition, a study claimed on Wednesday.  AFib, the most common form of arrhythmia, can lead to serious cardiovascular complications such as stroke and heart failure. The study, published in the `Journal of the American Heart Association`, included nearly 6,000 white-collar workers in Canada, and found that those experiencing both high job strain and effort-reward imbalance faced 97 per cent increased risk of AFib compared to those not exposed to these stressors. Previous studies have linked work-related stress with coronary heart disease, but this is the first to examine its impact on AFib, noted senior ...

The West Bengal government and UNICEF have joined hands for promoting the involvement of fathers in encouraging new mothers to breastfeed their babies till six months of age.  According to the West Bengal Minister incharge of the Women and Child Development and Social Welfare Department, Dr Shashi Panja, as part of the initiative, workers at Anganwadis have begun to discuss the benefits of breastfeeding with fathers of the newborn and other family members. “Breastfeeding should not be discussed with the mothers alone. This awareness-building exercise should start immediately with the conception of a child so that the entire family comes forward in easing the mother into breastfeeding,” said Panja, who is herself a medical practitioner. According to her, the state Women, Child Development...

Passive smoking, also known as second-hand smoke, poses significant health risks to children, who are particularly vulnerable due to their developing lungs and immune systems, experts said on Saturday. Passive smoking in children can result in respiratory problems, Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), ear infections, developmental delays, and future heart disease. Preventing it entails keeping a smoke-free home, avoiding children, and avoiding public smoking areas. Supporting cessation programmes and educating family members can also help to protect children. "Passive smoking in children can cause respiratory issues, SIDS, ear infections, developmental issues, and future heart disease. Preventing it involves maintaining a smoke-free home, avoiding children, and avoiding public smoking ...

A team of doctors has successfully reattached half of a young girl`s palm and four fingers, which were severed in a tragic machinery accident.  The 20-year-old patient Nikita Kumar suffered the severe injury after inadvertently placing her hand in a foam-cutting machine while delivering lunch to her brothers at their factory. The accident resulted in the amputation of all her fingers at the mid-palm level of her right hand. Nikita was brought to BLK-Max Hospital’s Emergency within 30 minutes, bleeding profusely and with her severed right hand. The team of surgeons led by Dr Lokesh Kumar, Principal Director and HOD - Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery, immediately took action to preserve the amputated parts and control the bleeding.  In a complex and challenging 12-hour-long surgery, the...

Nowadays, in the fitness-obsessed world, it is not an uncommon sight to see people looking repetitively at their smartwatches to meet their desired step target/burn calories etc, without knowing that this can trigger anxiety, experts said on Saturday. Wearable devices, particularly medical-grade ones, have grown in popularity, especially among the younger generation who want to stay informed about their health. And to treat the body like a temple is certainly a noble thing to do, but doing it in extremes proves counter-effective, as Oscar Wilde said, that whenever a man does a thoroughly stupid thing, it often has a noble motive. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association on July 16, 2024, found that patients with irregular heartbeat or atrial fibrillation...

For elite athletes, the impact of an inguinal hernia can be significant, affecting performance and requiring careful management, said doctors in the wake of reports on Neeraj Chopra suffering from a long-standing inguinal or groyne hernia. An inguinal hernia is a bulge of abdominal organs like the omentum or intestine through the natural openings through which testicular vessels and cord structures pass from the abdomen to the testes. Chopra, India’s leading track and field athlete, bagged a Silver medal in the recently concluded Paris Olympics 2024. His performance was reportedly impacted due to the condition during the men’s javelin final at the Olympics, finishing behind Pakistan`s Arshad Nadeem. The 26-year-old javelin star, while speaking to the media, said that he has been sufferi...

If you are someone who regularly uses earbuds or earphones, beware as its prolonged usage can significantly damage your ear health, said experts on Monday. Prolonged exposure to loud volumes through headphones or earphones significantly increases the risk of permanent hearing loss. Regularly listening at high levels can damage the delicate structures in the ear, leading to irreversible hearing impairment. It`s crucial to monitor volume levels and take breaks to protect your hearing. This risk is particularly heightened among young people who frequently use these devices for extended periods. Additionally, using noise-cancelling headphones at moderate volumes can help reduce the need to turn up the sound, further safeguarding your hearing health. Regular hearing check-ups are also recomme...

Cocaine, a drug that has long been infamous for multiple overdose deaths, and erratic behaviour -- from rock prodigy Tom Petty to Charlie Sheen, once Hollywood’s highest paid sitcom star -- has ruined talents and fortunes for long.   Now scientists have uncovered what exactly is in cocaine that makes it such a dreaded narcotic substance.  A team at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) has uncovered how cocaine triggers a specific protein in the brain to hijack normal brain circuitry, promoting further drug-taking behaviour. The discovery, detailed in an article in `Nature Communications`, sheds light on the mechanisms behind drug-context associations, which are critical factors in relapse vulnerability. The study, led by Christopher Cowan, Chairman of the Department of Neuros...

While diabetes has been linked to the risk of developing uterine fibroids, the association is not completely proven, said experts on Sunday.  Uterine fibroids are benign tumours of the uterus that frequently occur in women during their childbearing years. The incidence of uterine fibroids is becoming a major gynaecological concern in young women in the country, but the precise cause remains unknown. The factors that are frequently associated with the condition include genetics and certain lifestyle factors. “The idea that diabetes is linked to uterine fibroids is not proven, but the relationship is complex and still under study,” Dr Chetna Jain, director of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Gurugram, said. “There is evidence suggesting that fa...