Health

The man with a red nose greets you politely and hands you a flower. You put your hand out and the red plastic flower shrinks away from you. Meet Dr Boing, a.k.a Sanjay Balsavar. Dr Boing says, medicines take time to cure patients, but I give instant cure – a smile. Pic: Meera K Balsavar, 37, is a magician and a clown by choice and a graphic designer by profession.  At the age of 8, fascinated by magic tricks he used to collect pocket money to buy magic books which were costly then. Building his repertoire of tricks, he has…

Recently, I was surprised by the efforts that the government takes in checking TB cases by distributing free medicines through the nearest centres. The system is made so fool-proof that the medicines are taken by the patients regularly in the presence of a medical officer.  In fact a doctor or at least a nurse visits the house of the patient and guides the family members about the importance of taking the medicines regularly, the various precautions that the family should take and ensures that the medicines are distributed from the most convenient location.  The hospitals are monitored strictly.  The doctors…

Sharad and Sheetal Agarwal, a young couple living in South Bengaluru spend Rs. 500 and above on drinking water every month. They bought a water purifier from a reputed company three years ago but felt it wasn’t safe after frequent gastro problems. "Our building receives water from tankers mainly and we aren’t really sure of the source and how effective our purifier is, so we felt buying 20 litre Bisleri bottles was a safer option," Sheetal says. The couple plan to acquire a new water purifier but are not sure which system would give them foolproof protection against contamination and…

Sankalp India Foundation® in association with Comprehensive Trauma Consortium  (CTC) proudly and happily announces "CTC Disha: The State Wide Helpline for Blood" from August  15th 2009. This Centralised Blood Stock Information Network (CBSIN) promises to bring an end to the painful process of hunting for blood at the time of emergency. CTC Disha (080-1062) was inaugurated by the Hon. Governor of the State T N Chaturvedi on September 13th 2006 for Bangalore. The helpline has networked the most prominent blood banks in Bangalore over last three years and has saved countless lives. The helpline has been receiving an average of…

One might wonder as to what is so unusual for a person to use a wheelchair at any airport; often these are people who are sick, old or unable to walk due to fractures or disability. For me it was scary, challenging and full of apprehension. That’s because I have been a patient of Parkinson disease for the last ten to twelve years.Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disorder caused by degeneration of brain cells and is a progressive disease which leads to chronic disabilities of movements such as  slowness, tremors, drooping rigidity called Bradyskinesia and Dyskinesia which cause involuntary movements…

Symptoms in children * Fast breathing * Breathlessness* Wheezing * Blue skin or lips * Not drinking enough fluids * Irritable Excessive vomiting * SeizuresSymptoms in adults * Difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath * Chest pain * Dizziness * Confusion* Excessive vomiting * Convulsions Prevention* Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth* Avoid contact with those are ill * Avoid shaking hands, kissing and hugging when greeting * Avoid crowded places * Cover your nose and mouth while coughing or sneezing * Use a cotton handkerchief or tissue * Dispose used tissues properly * Wash your hands with…

Update:Dear readers, the below list might be dated, for the new list and updates, read the latest article published in February 2015: Here is how you can manage Swine Flu in Bengaluru: See also: Doctors ask citizens not to panic… Swine Flu or A(H1N1): Everything you need to know Private hospitalsMallya HospitalVittal Mallya Rd, Bengaluru+91-80 22277979, Emergency: +91-80-22242325Vaidehi hospital#82, K.R. Puram Hobli, White Field, Bangalore 560066+91-80-28413381/82/83Ambedkar Medical Institute and HospitalKadugondanahalli, angalore-560045+91-80-25463442St Johns HospitalSarjapur Main Road, Bangalore- 560034+91-80-25532037Manipal Hospital Airport Road angalore- 560017+91-80-2502 4444 +91-80 2502 3344Manipal Specialty HospitalRajarajeshwari Nagar28608888Mallige Nursing Home Mariappa Road, SiddapurJayanagar Bangalore - 560011+91-80-26565678Lakeside Medical Centre and…

The Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD) in Jayanagar is swarmed with people waiting in line outside the H1N1 flu ward. Wearing green masks, they wait for hours to get their nasal or throat swab sample collected. Most of them complain of a sore throat or a running nose or fever, afraid that they might have the H1N1 flu, more commonly known as swine flu. Dr Shashidhar of RGICD appeals to the public to go to a general physician first instead of getting a swab sample taken. Pic: Vaishnavi Vittal. Dr Shashidhar Buggi, Director of RGICD, urges and pleads…

Last week I was working on a health-related story that required me to visit several hospitals in the city. They were, as expected, overflowing with sick patients, all thanks to the mosquito menace that Bangalore has been crying about.   I happened to visit both public and private hospitals. The rich-poor divide is so blatantly clear at these hospitals. At the private hospitals it wasn't so bad. Waiting rooms were packed, they were clean, and it all looked ok.  It's the government hospitals that are a sight. People lying on the floor, spitting in corners, broken chairs, wailing babies. It's…

Joint pain, body ache, fever. This monsoon season, Bangaloreans have been hit by the viral. City hospitals are packed as patients line up to get themselves checked for dengue fever and chikungunya. Symptoms of Dengue Cause: Aedes aegypti mosquito, a day-biter High fever Severe headache Pain in the back of the eyes Body aches & joint pains Nausea or vomiting Skin rash Symptoms of Chikungunya Cause: Aedes aegypti mosquito, a day-biter High fever Severe pain & swelling in joints Skin rash Dengue fever, also known as break bone fever or bonecrusher disease is characterised by severe headache, muscle and joint…