Health

Swimming in some lakes with still water can lead to infection with Legionella -- a bacterium that can cause pneumonia -- said a team of researchers on Tuesday calling out on people who engage in open water swimming to be aware of the risk.   Also referred to as legionnaires` disease, infection with legionella causes severe lung inflammation that is characterised by fever, chills, malaise, chest pain, cough, fatigue, respiratory symptoms, and sometimes diarrhoea. "Legionella infection represents a public health hazard owing to its ability to spread through exposure to natural water bodies and human-made water reservoirs," said Dr. Ashley Bryson, an internal medicine resident at the University of Manitoba. In an article, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, the experts e...

Exposure to pollution from car brake wear can prove to be more harmful to the lungs than diesel exhaust, according to a study.  The study, led by researchers from the University of Southampton in the UK, emphasised that focusing on particulate matter (PM) exhaust emissions alone may be inadequate to mitigate the health effects of vehicle-derived pollution. Airborne PM2.5 is known to reach the alveolar regions of the lungs and is associated with more than 4 million premature deaths per year worldwide. While road traffic -- diesel exhaust emissions -- is a major source of PM in urban environments, non-exhaust emissions, especially from brake wear, represent an increasing component of traffic-related PM, about which there is a paucity of information. The researchers argued that car brake w...

In a remarkable medical feat, a Mumbai Central-based hospital has successfully treated a rare and critical case of aluminium phosphide poisoning, which has an almost 100 per cent fatality rate.  A 16-year-old boy, Neev Jain, along with his parents, were exposed to toxic fumes after home pesticide treatment. Due to severe inhalation, Neev`s condition deteriorated rapidly, leading to multi-organ failure.  However, with the prompt intervention of a multidisciplinary medical team at Wockhardt Hospital Mumbai Central, he was stabilised using advanced life support systems. The Jain family unknowingly inhaled Aluminium Phosphide fumes the morning after pest control was conducted in their home. Neev, who had been unwell for a few days before exposure, suffered the most. The boy`s heart’s pumpin...

Headaches can be experienced by people at different times of the day and in varying intensity. It is especially common at the end of a long or stressful day. While sometimes a headache can occur as a result of stress, at other times, it can signal a deeper issue. Mechanism of headaches The cause and impact of a headache often depends on its timing, which is guided by several factors. Dr Aakash Agrawal, Consultant Neurophysician, Manipal Hospital, Bhubaneswar, informs, “The timing of a headache is mostly guided by our internal clock, or circadian rhythm, and managed by the supra-chiasmatic nucleus in our brain. This is a shared rhythm that dictates when that kind of headache is most likely to happen.” “Tension-type headaches (TTH), for instance, tend to occur later in the day or evening,...

Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Sunday urged the youngsters of the country to use cycles as a commuting option whenever possible to remain healthy and promote a better environment. Mandaviya led Fit India Movement`s flagship programme, Sundays on Cycle, here this morning with an aim to create awareness among the masses to lead a fit and healthy lifestyle through cycling, while also promoting a solution for pollution. "I urge everyone, especially younger people, to use cycles to commute whenever possible. This will not only make them healthy; it will improve the overall health of our environment," he said. The ride was flagged off from the Gateway of India with more than 500 cyclists constituting wellness experts, various cycle clubs and individual fitness enthusiasts joining ...

Researchers have found that the heart possesses "sweet taste" receptors, similar to those on our tongues, and stimulating these receptors with sweet substances can modulate the heartbeat. The discovery opens new avenues for understanding heart function and potentially for developing novel treatments for heart failure. The new research found that these receptors are not just present on heart muscle but also functional. When the researchers stimulated these receptors in both human and mouse heart cells using aspartame, a common artificial sweetener, they observed a significant increase in the force of heart muscle contraction and accelerated calcium handling – key processes for a healthy heartbeat. While taste receptors are traditionally associated with the tongue and our ability to perc...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s eighth edition of Pariksha Pe Charcha took place on Friday, focusing on the importance of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle in managing exam stress. The special episode featured renowned experts in nutrition and wellness, including author and macrobiotic nutritionist Shonali Sabherwal, author and nutrition and wellness expert Rujuta Diwekar, and health and nutrition influencer Revant Himatsingka. Moderated by Sharat Bhattatiripad, the discussion provided valuable insights on maintaining a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle to manage exam stress. Rujuta Diwekar emphasised the importance of variety in one`s diet, saying, "As we have different subjects in school, we should have variety in our diet. There are a few food items that are good destressers. ...

A study has found that hormonal contraceptives are related with a higher risk of stroke and heart attack. However, researchers from the University of Copenhagen said that while the overall risk remains low, clinicians should consider the potential risks before prescribing them. Following over 20 lakh women in Denmark for more than 10 years, the team found that the most commonly used hormonal contraceptive -- the combined oestrogen-progestin pill -- was associated with double the risk of ischaemic stroke and heart attack. The results translated to one extra stroke for every 4,760 women using the combined pill for one year, and one extra heart attack for every 10,000 women per year of use, the researchers said. They stressed that even though the risk remains low, given the widespread use...

Jumping workouts may be key to thwart the risk of cartilage damage and boost bone strength in astronauts during long space missions, claimed an animal study on Thursday.   The findings, although in mice, comes even as Indian-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams is stranded in space since June last year. Williams along with colleague Butch Willmore are stuck in space due to technical problems with Boeing`s Starliner which took them to the International Space Station (ISS). Recent experiments by the European Space Agency (ESA) also showed evidence of cartilage degradation in astronauts who spend several months aboard the ISS. The reduced movement can lead to cartilage thinning and cellular clustering -- early indicators of arthritis. The new study, appearing in the journal npj Microgravi...

Life can change in an instant. One moment, everything is normal, and the next, something unexpected happens altering the course of one’s future. Such was the case for 66-year-old businessman Gopal Roy from Barasat. A seemingly regular day turned into a never-ending nightmare when he fell off a bike, and a bus ran over his hand injuring it critically. Rushed from one hospital to another, he and his family were repeatedly met with uncertainty. The initial diagnosis was devastating—his hand was mangled beyond repair, bones shattered, and the possibility of amputation loomed over him. They started to lose hope until he was finally transferred to Manipal Hospital, Salt Lake, where a team of expert surgeons made it their mission to save not just his hand, but his way of life. Dr. Arya Roy, cons...