Health

Hormones act like the body’s messengers, controlling many vital processes in women, including menstruation, mood, and energy. However, many women fail to pay attention to various changes occurring in the body, such as fatigue, irregular periods, or mood swings, not realizing that they could indicate a hormonal imbalance. So, women, it is necessary to monitor these key hormones such as estrogen, Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH), thyroid hormones, and prolactin, and seek timely help based on the symptoms. If there are any hormone-related fertility concerns, then consult a fertility expert. Hormonal imbalance means that your body has too much or too little of certain hormones, which can affect how you feel and function daily. Hormonal imbalance is seen in a large number of women. Many are unawar...

Social media may be driving negative opinion on contraceptive pills, leading to women discontinuing birth control drugs within two years of starting them, according to a study.  Researchers at the University of Sheffield identified a “nocebo effect” in relation to the contraceptive pill, where psychological factors such as negative expectations or anxiety about using a medicine drives a physical response in the body when the medicine is taken. Nocebo responses to the oral contraceptive pill are real and can include feelings of depression, anxiety, and fatigue. The nocebo effect is the “evil twin” to the placebo effect, where people get a positive boost from taking a dummy tablet or pill. The team highlighted that many women switch to alternative but less effective forms of contraception...

Doctors in Kolkata have successfully treated a 32-year-old female patient from Howrah, in her fourth pregnancy at over 35 weeks with a history of three uncomplicated previous deliveries, with an emergency C-section. She was brought to Manipal Hospital in Salt Lake and admitted under the care of Dr Nandini Chakrabarti, consultant Obstetrician, with an acute and severe onset of dyspnea (sudden and severe shortness of breath). Though she had been on regular follow-up at a government hospital, her critical condition required immediate advanced intervention. The patient had a history of tubercular pericardial effusion (a rare condition where tuberculosis causes fluid, the builds around the heart). She had developed pulmonary tuberculosis in 2019 and had been on anti-tubercular treatment since...

Long-term use of artificial sweeteners or low- and no-calorie sweeteners, used mainly by people with diabetes, can lead to cognitive decline, claimed a study.  Researchers from the Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil, analysed 12,000 patients who use common artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, saccharin, xylitol, erythritol, sorbitol, tagatose, and acesulfame K. The results, published in the Neurology journal, found that people who consumed the highest amounts had the greatest declines – 62 per cent -- in thinking and memory, as compared to those who consumed less. The declines amounted to 1.6 years of additional brain ageing. “We know sugar and sugar substitutes raise the risk of diabetes and malignancies. They are also linked to brain vascular cell dysfunction,” Dr. Manjari Tripath...

A new study has showed that chronic pain such as back pain and migraine could be linked with significantly higher levels of perfectionism and reduced self-compassion, underlining how psychological factors can be crucial to managing health conditions. Pain persisting beyond the expected period of healing or for more than three months is considered chronic pain. Findings, published in the journal Psychology and Health, are in line with the `perfectionism-social disconnection` model, according to which striving for excessively high personal standards can lead to interpersonal problems, potentially increasing the risk of negative outcomes. "Chronic pain sufferers may experience frustration with difficulties performing day-to-day activities and push themselves toward unrealistic or unachieva...

Nearly 40 per cent of women experience some form of sexual dysfunction in their lifetime, yet many continue to suffer silently due to embarrassment or fear of judgment and being ridiculed.  The causes can be hormonal changes during pregnancy and menopause, to lifestyle-related factors like diabetes, stress, and obesity, as well as complications from pelvic surgeries. Despite the high prevalence, women rarely seek medical help, which delays diagnosis and effective treatment. Pune doctors say it is the need of the hour to consult an expert without any delay and seek timely attention. Dr Neela Desai, obstetrics & gynaecologist, Apollo Spectra Hospital Pune said sexual problems are not only common in men but even women. “40 per cent of women tend to experience sexual dysfunction, and many...

In a rare and life-transforming case, Mumbai doctors have successfully freed a 56-year-old social worker from more than a decade of excruciating pain caused by Trigeminal Neuralgia, a neurological disorder known to cause extreme pain. The patient, Sushil Verma, had battled relentless, electric shock-like facial pain for over 10 years. Initially misdiagnosed, he even underwent a tooth extraction and years of high-dose medications — but nothing eased his agony. Eating, speaking, and even smiling became impossible, forcing him into social withdrawal and depression. At one point, the pain was so unbearable that he even contemplated ending his life. At Gleneagles Hospital, Verma was evaluated by a team led by Dr Nitin Dange, director – Interventional Neurology & Head of Department Neuro S...

More than 1 million Australians are projected to have dementia by 2065, a government report said on Friday, September 12.  According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare`s updated Dementia in Australia report, the number is expected to more than double from about 425,000 people in 2024 to 1.1 million by 2065. Women currently outnumber men with dementia, with 266,000 women and 159,000 men affected in 2024, rising to an estimated 662,000 women and 390,000 men by 2065, it said. Dementia was the leading cause of death in Australia in 2023, accounting for about 17,400 deaths, including 10,900 women and 6,500 men, said the report, which includes Alzheimer`s disease, vascular dementia, unspecified dementia, and other types such as Lewy body dementia. Dementia Australia CEO Tanya ...

The Directorate General of Health Services has issued a directive asking physiotherapists not to use the ‘Dr.’ prefix, as they are not medical doctors.  In a letter dated September 9, DGHS Dr. Sunita Sharma stated that by using the ‘Dr.’ prefix, physiotherapists will be in legal violation of the Indian Medical Degrees Act, 1916. “Physiotherapists are not trained as medical doctors and, therefore, should not use the prefix `Dr.`, as it misleads patients and the general public, potentially leading to quackery,” Sharma said in the letter addressed to Dr. Dilip Bhanushali, National President, IMA. "Physiotherapists should not be permitted to primary care practice and should only treat referred patients, as they are not trained to diagnose medical conditions, some of which may worsen with in...

Exposure to micro- and nano plastics may be linked to the development of Alzheimer`s disease, according to a study in mice.  Micro- and nano plastics prevalent in the environment routinely enter the human body through the water we drink, foods we eat, and even the air we breathe. The study, led by researchers from the University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy, showed that those plastic particles infiltrate all systems of the body, including the brain, where they can accumulate and lead to cognitive decline and even Alzheimer’s disease, especially in those who carry genetic risk factors. The research follows a previous study that showed how microplastics can infiltrate all systems of the body -- including the blood-brain barrier, which protects the brain from harmful substances as s...