best neurologist in Bangalore

January 18, 2024

Unveiling the Shadows: The Unsettling Reality of Ignored Mental Health Issues in India

In the kaleidoscope of India’s rich cultural tapestry, there exists a shadowy terrain that often goes unnoticed—the realm of mental health. Despite the growing global discourse on the importance of mental well-being, a significant portion of India’s population still grapples with mental health issues in silence. This blog seeks to shed light on the reasons behind the pervasive ignorance and neglect of mental health problems in India.

The Prime Reasons for Ignored Mental Health

Mental health issues are sometimes overlooked or ignored for various reasons, and this can have significant consequences for individuals and society as a whole. Here are some factors that contribute to the neglect of mental health issues:

Cultural Stigma

India, with its deep-rooted cultural traditions, often views mental health issues through a lens of stigma and misunderstanding. Mental health problems are sometimes perceived as a sign of weakness or a consequence of personal failure, leading individuals to conceal their struggles to avoid social ostracization.

Limited Awareness and Education

A vast segment of the Indian population lacks adequate awareness and education about mental health. Misconceptions and myths surround mental illnesses, perpetuating the belief that they are not genuine health concerns. This lack of awareness extends to both rural and urban areas, impeding early detection and intervention.

Insufficient Mental Health Infrastructure

Despite the increasing prevalence of mental health issues, India faces a severe shortage of mental health professionals and facilities. The limited availability of psychiatric services, coupled with the skewed distribution of mental health resources, makes it challenging for individuals to access timely and appropriate care.

Economic Barriers

In a country where a substantial portion of the population struggles with economic challenges, mental health often takes a back seat. The high cost of mental health services and medications can be a significant barrier, preventing many individuals from seeking professional help.

Normalisation of Mental Health Symptoms

Common mental health symptoms are sometimes dismissed as normal stress or everyday challenges. This normalisation leads to a lack of recognition of the severity of the issues, allowing them to fester untreated until they reach a critical point.

Traditional Healing Practices

While India boasts a rich heritage of traditional healing practices, reliance solely on these methods for mental health concerns can be detrimental. The delay in seeking evidence-based treatments can exacerbate conditions, leading to prolonged suffering for individuals and their families.

Lack of Government Initiatives

While there have been some positive strides, the overall allocation of resources and attention to mental health by the Indian government remains insufficient. A robust mental health policy and increased funding are essential to bridge the existing gaps in mental health care.

Know And Identify The Symptoms For Mental Issues

Mental health issues can manifest in a variety of ways, and symptoms can vary widely depending on the specific condition. It’s important to note that everyone’s experience with mental health is unique, and individuals may exhibit different signs and symptoms. Here are some general symptoms associated with common mental health issues:

Mental Health Issues	Symptoms
Depression	Persistent sadness or a low mood.Lack of interest and pleasure in activities.Changes in sleep patterns (insomnia or hypersomnia).Fatigue or loss of energy.Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt.Difficulty concentrating or making decisions.Changes in appetite or weight.
Anxiety Disorders	Excessive worry or fear.Restlessness or feeling on edge.Fatigue.Difficulty concentrating.Irritability.Muscle tension.Sleep disturbances (insomnia or trouble staying asleep).
Schizophrenia	Hallucinations Delusions (strongly held false beliefs).Disorganised thinking and speech.Difficulty concentrating.Lack of motivation.Social withdrawal.
Bipolar Disorder	Periods of intense elation or irritability (mania).Periods of deep sadness or hopelessness (depression).Changes in sleep patterns.Rapid speech and racing thoughts.Impulsivity and risky behaviour during manic episodes.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)	Flashbacks or intrusive memories of a traumatic event.Avoidance of reminders of the trauma.Negative changes in mood and thinking.Hyperarousal or difficulty in sleeping and being easily startled.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)	Inattention and difficulty sustaining attention on tasks.Hyperactivity or excessive fidgeting.Impulsivity and difficulty waiting for turns.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)	Obsessions (intrusive, unwanted thoughts).Compulsions (repetitive behaviours performed to alleviate anxiety).Time-consuming rituals that interfere with daily life.
Anorexia, Bulimia, Binge Eating Disorder	Significant weight changes.Distorted body image.Preoccupation with food, weight, and body size.Eating out of control.

It’s important to recognize that these symptoms can occur to varying degrees and durations. If you or someone you know is experiencing persistent or severe symptoms, it’s crucial to seek professional help. Mental health professionals, such as psychologists, psychiatrists, or counsellors, can provide accurate diagnoses and develop appropriate treatment plans tailored to individual needs. Early intervention is often key to managing mental health conditions effectively.

Conclusion

Addressing the issue of ignored mental health in India necessitates a multi-faceted approach. Initiatives that focus on destigmatizing mental health, improving awareness through education, enhancing the mental health infrastructure, and ensuring economic accessibility to mental health services are crucial steps. It is only through collective efforts, compassion, and understanding that India can unravel the shadows surrounding mental health and pave the way for a healthier, more empathetic society.

When we speak about mental health and people struggling with such issues often the emphasis is laid on consulting a psychologist when in turn a professional counsellor might not be able to help you until you have a diagnosis handy. Thus, we at RajaRajeswari Medical College & Hospital in Bangalore believe in clinical neurology which involves history tracking, neurological examination, and formulating diagnosis as well as investigative neurology involving imaging the nervous system using MRI, CT, and electro-physiological examination. Visit us at RRMCH today for your diagnosis and treatment needs.

October 22, 2019October 29, 2019

How Much Fiber Intake For Prevention Of Diseases

A new study revealed exactly how much fiber is required for keeping the chronic conditions as well as premature mortality at bay. The objective of the study is to set the guideline for consumption of fiber besides bringing to light information around the carbs responsible for protection against non-communicable diseases as well as curb weight gain.

The author of the study namely Professor Jim Mann, of Otago University New Zealand and the author of the paper Andrew Reynolds is a postdoctoral research fellow at Otago’s Dunedin School of Medicine.

The study was carried out by Reynolds and colleagues by examination of a data that had 185 observational studies that included 135 million person-years besides 58 clinical trials that involved the participation of 4600 people. The study analysis was carried across 40 years.

As per prof. Mann, the motivation behind this study was analysis of previous reviews and meta-analysis. The scientists studied chronic condition incidences as well as premature deaths resulting from them. The conditions included cardiovascular diseases, stroke, colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, cancers such as esophageal cancer, endometrial cancer, prostate cancer to name a few.

The results of the study revealed that people who consume more fiber daily are 15-30% less prone to premature deaths or any of the aforementioned conditions. It also determined that daily consumption of 25 -29 gms of fibre is good for health. Though consumption of more than 29 gms of fibre could be even more beneficial.

Having said that, the authors cleared that the study did not present any side effects of fibre consumption but too much fibre could also be harmful particularly for people with iron and mineral deficiencies. Even consumption of whole grains in excess can lead to iron deficiency as per researchers.

Lastly, the study also found that consumption of high amount of fibre results does relate to less weight and cholesterol levels.

Prof. Mann says “ Health benefits of fiber are supported by over 100 years of research into its chemistry, physical properties, physiology and effects on metabolism.

*Sourced from Internet

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September 9, 2019September 19, 2019

Genetic Components Related To Left Handedness – A Study

A recent study by scientists reveals about regions of the Human DNA and their association with left handedness. These regions are connected to the brains language related features. An earlier study around handedness had revealed that genes were responsible for 25% of it but the type or name of the genes was unknown.

In India and across the world there were has been a lot of stigma and taboo around being left handed. But, today rarely anyone is of the belief or even discriminates between left and right handed people.

10% of the population in the world is known to be left handed and also includes many well-known individuals like Alert Einstein and Leonardo da Vinci amongst them.

The recent study was published in the journal ‘Brain’ and involved the participation of 40,000 people including 38000 left handed ones. After doing the genetic analysis, the researchers found that it was the DNA regions that linked to left handedness strongly.

As per the researchers the three regions are inside or are responsible for protein code of brain development and patterning. Proteins play a significant role in making microtubules which are scaffolding like building block and are responsible for guiding cell construction.

Microtubules are made up of long chained molecules making up the physical structure of the cells throughout the body also known as cytoskeleton and have the ability to respond to cell singals by quickly assembling and disassembling.

The scientists did study brain scan details of 9000 participants after analyzing their DNA samples. The findings indicate that in left handed people right and left side for brain that deals with language coordinate in a better way compared to right handed ones. These findings thus pave the path for getting deeper into finding if left handed people are better in tasks that involve verbal communication compared to the right handed ones.

Well, as per Gwenaelle Dououad, associate professor at the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging that it was apparently for the first time that they had been able to establish that in humans the handedness is linked to cytoskeletal differences in the brain.

*Sourced from Internet

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April 24, 2018

Neuroendocrine Tumors, Types and Symptoms

Recently Bollywood celebrity Irfan Khan is known to be diagnosed by Neuroendocrine Tumor. In order to restrain his fans and people in general from any kind of speculation he even went on to clarify that neuro does not always mean about the brain. He had to do that post rumors of he suffering from brain tumor surfaced across the social media. Well, as he is out of the country right now and is getting treated, best wishes of all the country are with him. Well, for those who are unaware about neuroendocrine tumor here’s a rundown this condition.

Neuroendocrine tumor or NET is a tumor which does not generally show any major symptoms as it grows slowly. Once the tumor grows or if it releases hormones while it is functional is when symptoms surface.
Types of Endocrine tumors include pancreatic endocrine tumor, gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors and lung neuroendocrine tumors.

Pancreatic Neuro Endocrine Tumors – This is a rare kind of tumor. The symptoms of this cancer are subject to the hormones released by it. The symptoms generally include the following

Stomach Ulcers
Heart burn
Jaundice
Low or high blood Sugar levels
Blood clots
Patches of red itchy and painful skin
Unexplained weight loss

When the gastrin in body increases excessively it causes Zollinger Ellison syndrome further increasing the quantity of stomach acid ultimately causing small intestine or stomach ulcers. The symptoms include

Severe Diarrhea
Heartburn
Abdominal Pain
Pain in abdomen
Nausea and vomiting
Blood vomits
Weight loss

When the level of cortisol increases highly inside the body it causes cushing syndrome. When too much Adrenocorticotrpic hormone is released it leads to lung NETs which leads to adrenal glands making too much cortisol. The symptoms are as follows –

Muscle weakness
Increase in hair growth on body and face
High blood sugar
Weight gain
Fat build up above the collar bone below the shoulders
Mood swing and behavioral changes
Purple lines on skin

Gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors – This tumor develops in any part of the gastrointestinal tract besides large and small intestine. The symptoms are as follows –

Nausea and vomiting
Diarrhea
Anemia with fatigue
Weight loss
Constipation or intestine blockage
Blood in stool or rectal bleeding
Heartburn or indigestion
Abdominal/ rectal pain or discomfort

Lung Neuroendocrine tumors – This tumor develops in the bronchi. Symptoms include

Never ceasing cough
Blood in cough
Difficulty Breathing
Pneumonia
Fatigue
Skin flushing, wheezing and diarrhea (Carcinoid Syndrome)

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March 7, 2017

Vagus Nerve Stimulation Technology For Limb Rehabilitation Post Stroke – The Possibilities

Vagus Nerve Stimulation or VNS has already got a green signal from the Food and Drug Administration of USA for conditions like epilepsy and depression but the latest reports confirm its utilization in rehabilitation of the limb for stroke patients. Many of us are aware of the fact that over 80% of people who’ve recently got a stroke find significant difficulty or weakness on one side of their body. With Paralysis or Hemiparesis, there is high possibility that the patients have to live with it for the rest of their lives. It has also be observed that oral drugs have not been so effective in reducing the impairments. This is when VNS technology experiments were carried out on patients with significant arm weakness post stroke.

The test include 20 patients randomly divided into two groups and observed over a period of six weeks in Glasgow, Scotland. One group was kept entirely under rehabilitation while the other was provided VNS treatment alongside rehabilitation.

VNS treatment for stroke patient involves implanting a device surgically below the collar bone of the patient. It does the task of delivering stimulation to the vagus nerve.As per the experimental data available, VNS activates structures in the brain stem, thus causing a release of neurotransmitters like norepinephrine or acetylcholine. This temporary activation of the neurotransmitters in turn helps the brain to be more receptive with the physical therapy exercises during physiotherapy rehabilitation sessions.

The results where encouraging because the latter group that was provided the VNS treatment seemed to show an average 9% improvement. Individual variation did persist but overall it proved to be effective as it improved the motion and strength of their stroke affected limb. Thus, the results of VNS for limb rehabilitation of stroke patients seems to be quite promising and has also received a positive response from the doctors as well. It looks like, the coming times will definitely shed light on its full fledged utilization in limb rehabilitation of stroke patients.
None the less, it is a ray of hope in the direction of improvement of quality of life of the stroke patients who live through the fear of arm weakness and dependency for their lifetime.

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Source : http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/876351#vp_1