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Published:  October 20, 2019 11:15 Peter Feely, Editor Commercial Publishing While you are likely to be aware of stroke — the life-threatening medical condition that effects the brain — you may not be aware of what distinguishes it from an aneurysm. The most significant difference is that an aneurysm is an abnormality that can lead to stroke. Dr Suhail Abdulla Alrukn, Consultant Neurology, Head of Stroke Programme — Rashid Hospital, President of Emirates Neurology Society, describes aneurysm as a “structural anatomy, where there is an abnormality in the wall of the artery that will give you a bulging sack and the blood will leak outside the artery and into the brain”. “Stroke is a syndrom...

Sandhya D'Mello │ Filed on September 15, 2019 Lymphoma refers to cancers of the lymphatic system, and its symptoms may be similar to those of viral illnesses. The health experts in the UAE are calling on everyone to pay attention to their bodies and get simple viral illnesses checked - because, sometimes, a cancer like lymphoma may manifest as a bad case of fever and fatigue. Lymphoma refers to cancers of the lymphatic system, and its symptoms may be similar to those of viral illnesses. It's just that in the case of lymphoma, such signs usually persist for longer periods, stretching to weeks rather than days. Patients may notice swollen lymph nodes that are usually painless, accompan...

Why being underweight can be unhealthy too?By: Keith Fernandez*Images may be subject to copyright.It may well be politically incorrect to talk about weight gain in the midst of what the United Nations’ World Health Organization has labelled an obesity epidemic, but for a significant percentage of the population, being skinny is a painfully unhealthy subject. BMI balance Last month, researchers announced that being underweight is associated with what they called a “surprisingly wide range of deaths,” which include cardiovascular disease, suicide and Alzheimer’s disease. The study, published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology, examined the data of 3.6 million people and more than 357,...

Ignored muscle sprains may cause chronic health issuesSaman Haziq │ Filed on September 7, 2019 Any pain which persists for over three months and does not get cured with medications is termed as chronic pain. Just a few months ago, AP was a gym enthusiast spending hours doing workouts until he suffered a muscle sprain. He failed to get it treated due to his 12-hour sedentary work schedule. The sprain affected the Jordanian expat's walking posture, but he ignored it until he was unable to get up from his seat due to acute stiffness in back muscles. Had he taken physical therapy sessions, things would have changed but AP didn't do the treatment until his spine got jammed leaving...

By: Sandhya D'Mello Most migraine sufferers know little or nothing about what triggers their pain. It is a condition neglected by many, who fail to recognise it as a neurological disorder. Patients often treat migraine as a regular headache and it remains undiagnosed and under-treated. The most frequently mentioned triggers among migraines in the UAE include increased screen time, stress, and consuming salty and processed foods, use of additives, irregular sleep pattern and physical exertions, among others. In women, hormonal changes and the use of medication for hormonal replacement therapy can cause and worsen the condition. The global Migraine Awareness Week (MAW), which starts today...

Teenagers gorging on fast food are not only putting their long-term health at risk but also limiting their chances of having children, doctors have said. The significant damage done to sperm quality through regular consumption of junk food has been outlined in a study by scientists at Harvard University. Fertility doctors in the UAE backed the findings, and said pizzas, burgers and other highly processed fatty food can have a devastating impact on sperm producing Sertoli cells. While switching to a healthier diet can increase sperm count within three months, experts warn the damage done to these life producing cells can be permanent. “The study strongly suggests the after-effects of an...

What you eat doesn’t just impact your waistline, it can change your mood. Published by: Keith J Fernandez The human body really is one giant biochemical lab, and studies suggest that it isn’t just how you feel that affects what restaurants you have on speed dial. Researchers believe diet may change the way you feel and react to events around you — not just immediately, but sometimes up to two or three days later. Our dietary preferences aren’t as hardwired as we think. That’s good news when it comes to everyday issues, because while we don’t have the full picture, studies demonstrate a link between diet and emotions. As part of the emerging discipline of nutritional psychiatry research, a...

Fat in abdominal area significantly increases risk of cardiovascular disease. Published by: Samihah Zaman, Staff Reporter Abu Dhabi: UAE residents do not pay enough heed to the risks of increasing waist size despite growing international awareness, doctors said. Traditionally, doctors have used body mass index (BMI) - the ratio of a person's mass to height - to ascertain overall well-being, but more studies are showing that visceral fat better indicates a person's risk of developing serious illnesses like cardiovascular disease or cancer. Most recently, as Gulf News reported in July, a 20-year University of Iowa study of 157,000 women found that those with a healthy BMI, but excess abdom...

By: Suchitra Bajpai Chaudhary, Senior Reporter Dubai: A shockingly high number of people of South Asian origin are suffering from heart attacks at an ever younger age in the UAE, according to local cardiologists. Dr. Naveed Ahmad, from Aster Hospital in Mankhool, told Gulf News: “We get about 2-3 heart cases of heart attacks per day at our hospital, which amounts to about 60 cases a month. Most of the patients who come to our hospital are of South Asian origin,” he added. “The average age of these patients falls between 30 and 40 years. “The South Asian population has a gene that puts them at a high risk of artery blockages. Combined with consuming high fat and processed food, sedentary...

Don’t be a victim of heat stroke this summer in UAE High humidity makes it difficult for the body to perspire and hence cool down Published:July 26, 2019 20:17 Suchitra Bajpai Chaudhary, Senior Reporter Dubai: Health experts have sounded a note of caution to UAE residents who might think that the dusty and hazy conditions somehow make it less likely for people to get a heat stroke. In fact, hospitals across the UAE have more patients coming into emergency rooms for treatment for heat exposure as high humidity during this period makes it difficult for the body to perspire and hence cool down. The chances of heat stroke, therefore, go up. Dr Faisal Dalvi, specialist internal medicin...