Search Results for: health

Flu vaccine that protects against all types of flu #IPromisetoStopFlu

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on November 5, 2019 20

When I moved to a new place of work almost six years back, I was not aware that seasonal cold and cough would be an everyday thing. But with a ten-month-old, you come to know such things soon. When my daughter was not a pre-schooler, it was easier to protect her from this. We just stayed at home during colder weather or bundled her up and got from home to car in record time.

Night travel or visits to relatives’ places were strictly curtailed. This caused some restrictions but was better than managing the sniffles and the problem of the entire family catching the flu.

FLU-VACCINE-Protects against 4 types of Flu virus

It’s rightly said that motherhood gives us more insight than any other life experience and that’s when I started looking for more options than staying at home for protection. A family friend’s child getting admitted with flu in a hospital made us very worried. The child hardly left home, and her caregivers were the house help and my friend’s in-laws. Soon we heard the helper was suffering too

Our mind was made up. We could hardly prevent socialization for the child or us. The problem is people are infectious from a few days before and up to five to seven days after they are themselves ill. This makes the virus spread quickly. But we needed more than personal hand and cough hygiene.

We needed complete protection against all types of influenza which endangers us. As a doctor, I know about how the influenza virus constantly mutates and has changed its antigenic character regularly. So, the Quadrivalent influenza vaccine that protects against 4 types of flu viruses, was on our minds.

What is flu or Influenza?

Influenza is a virus causing a broad spectrum of upper respiratory and lower respiratory infections. There are different varieties which affect humans and different species. It’s communicable and spreads by cough droplets while sneezing and talking, that is both nasal and oral secretions.[1]

What are the different types of flu?

There are A, B, C, D types of Influenza virus. Most of the infections are species-specific, but the problem is they can change their transmissibility and have caused epidemics and pandemics.

What are the common flu symptoms?

High-grade fever with chills and rigor is common. But cough, rhinitis, headache, weakness, sore throat, respiratory problems, can all occur.

What does the flu vaccine do?

The flu vaccine protects against 4 types of flu viruses circulating in India. It’s a quadrivalent vaccine. [3]

Can you get flu twice?

It’s unlikely that you will get infected with the exact same genetic type of flu virus, but infection with the other types is possible. The flu virus is smart and keeps changing itself. So we get ourselves the flu shot every year. It is because prevention through vaccination is the best way to keep away flu.

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References

3.https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/quadrivalent.htm?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fflu%2Fprotect%2Fvaccine%2Fquadrivalent.htm

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459363/

2. https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/health/swine-flu-virus-changing-seasonality-geography-639921)

Kanpur Khoofiya Pvt.Ltd: Book Review

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on November 2, 2019 3

I read Kanpur Khoofiya in one sitting. It’s a quick page-turner. I love a good mystery. That’s the biggest reason I picked up this book to review. The second reason was the name of the book. Something about the rhyming nature of the K words and khoofiya is just too intriguing.

Name of the Book: Kanpur Khoofiya Pvt.Ltd

Author: Richa S Mukherjee

The storyline of Kanpur Khoofiya Pvt.Ltd

A small-town detective who appears like a simpleton. But he is actually a hardworking young man, with a strong desire to be financially independent and make his extended family happy. The family is like the Suraj Barjatiya movie family type. Loving but an impossible mother.A cranky father with a lot of common sense.A crankier grandma, with the street smarts and heart of gold.

The hero has an intense desire for wanting to make everyone happy and the nature of his job makes situations tricky. He stumbles his way through his first well paying job at his agency and is almost arrested for murder. A has been a superstar, her with an emotional crisis and a broken marriage Nothing is what it seems. All’s well that ends well and our small town hero shines with his honesty, sincerity and a good dose of common sense.

What works for me

Prachand Vidya and all the adorable small-town India characters which are so familiar. It’s like the Raymond family just the Indian joint family way.

What didn’t work

The excessive mention of digestive issues. Not a fan of this.The social commentary about how the father didn’t appreciate the work done by his son. When roti, kapra and makaan are managed by Papa, one can do anything? Right? While this is not a social commentary, this is not exactly something I like. The mystery is not well thought out and the drama of the family is better written.

Should you read Kanpur Khoofiya Pvt.Ltd?

Yes. Do pick it up for the small-town family drama and very desi feel to the detective story. I rather like the hero his wife the spunky Vidhya and the characters are very vivid and will make you smile. I just wish the mystery was better!

This is a part of the Blogchatter Book Review program. I received this book as a gift. All opinions shared are personal and are in no way influenced by a third party.

Drug Abuse Problem: It’s not okay to try Drugs even once!

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on October 24, 2019 8

It’s not okay to try Drugs even once!
Drug addiction is serious and the rising incidence of toffees laced with addictive substance and illegal narcotics available easily around schools and colleges everywhere is cause for grave concern. A recent murder accused in West Bengal was allegedly just back from a four-month stint at a drug rehab center.

Genetics of Addiction

When I was a young girl, I read an article in Readers digest. It talked about the genetics of addiction. Apparently addiction has a strong genetic predisposition. This doesn’t mean every smoker will have a smoker as a son or daughter.

But that the chance of getting addicted to habit-forming substances is higher. Addictions are serious and common psychiatric problems which are also preventable causes of disability and death.

This role of genetics and environment, have a causative as well as a potential treatment option.

This also means, it’s best not to challenge fate and try your hand at a whiff of hookah which has tobacco unfiltered or smoke cigarettes, because so and so did or start drinking alcohol o just because you can.! Because believe it or not your brain is getting used to the chemical shots they get when temporary addictions occur. The harm done is long term and often irreversible.

Opioid Problem

The opioid problem in America and all over the world is unfolding at an alarming rate. Incidentally, J and J have been fined a whopping 570 million by an Oklahoma court for irresponsible behavior with regard to opioids. This prescription drugs whose efficacy was overemphasized and harmful effects not clarified.

People addicted and their families will need long term help. The worst thing that can happen to a productive society is drug addiction. You are a prisoner of your own addiction and life is as meaningful as the next dose.

According to this United Nations Office on drugs and crime report, no country is free of this problem. Our borders and each nation’s future faces a threat from drug trafficking, human trafficking, organized crimes, and terrorism. The link is unmistakable.

When it comes to recreational drug use, its best to strictly steer clear. If a friend does it , talk to your teacher tell your parents they will know what to do

The brain changes it’s neurochemistry and becomes older ., The drugs which speed you up also speed up your aging. They make dementia and age-related diseases more likely if not death from overdosing
Medical Drugs have a purpose and recreational use is not one of them,
Hepatitis C and HIV are common in drug abusers.

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Drugs of abuse

This article in Pubmed mentioned that every third person in Punjab was found to be addicted to a nontobacco, nonalcohol substance. There was also a strikingly high prevalence of heroin abuse and IV drug abuse.

Rapid situation assessments (RSA) help in identifying patterns of substance use. This RSA by the UNODC in 2002 of 4648 drug users showed cannabis (40%), alcohol (33%) and opioids (15%) being major substances used.

This RSRA of 5800 male drug users[32] found that opioid users injected buprenorphine, heroin, propoxyphene. It was also found that most drug abusers also abused alcohol (80%).

The World Drug Report,[33] of 81,802 treatment seekers in India in 2004-2005, 61.3% reported use of opioids, 15.5% cannabis, 4.1% sedatives, 1.5% cocaine, 0.2% amphetamines and 0.9% solvents.

World Drug Report 2019

Opioids are cause the most harm. They cause two-thirds of drug abuse-related deaths. People injecting drugs(11 million worldwide in 2017) are having the highest health risks. Greater than 50% of this group, are infected with Hepatitis C.One in eight have HIV. Half of the deaths due to drug abuse were related to untreated Hepatitis C.

In North America, the non-medical use of pharmaceutical opioids is still epidemic .rapid increase has occurred in overdose-related deaths. Data points towards synthetic opioid usage. Illicitly manufactured fentanyl continues to be a menace to public health and social wellbeing.

Methamphetamine use is causing rising concerns across several regions.

Conclusion

Get help. Deaddiction centers are unfortunately not very reputable in many instances It’s best if you first consult a psychiatrist or visit your nearest Government Hospital, about substance abuse problem and get de-addicted the right way.

If you think the drug problem is nowhere near you and is going away if you ignore it, you may be shocked. Stay aware and help fight this drug problem.

Working out, creative hobbies are good ways to avoid peer pressure related to substance overuse. If a friend refuses to be a friend because you won’t try something is better unfriended. Delinquency and substance abuse in peer groups is a problem,if not checked early. They can be very manipulative and criminal activities are common.

The brain centers associated with ethical behavior and choosing between right and wrong are already compromised. Addicts often turn to drug trafficking and selling, to have enough money to afford their own stuff. So don’t expect them to listen to logic or good sense.

An addict needs professional help and social support. But the first one first, because these substances can make their behavior erratic and often self-harm or harm to others is highly possible. A lifelong support system and keeping a watch for relapse is high;y recommended.

Depression is not a stigma, but this is what you should know!

6 practical ways to Heal Emotional trauma

Movies and web series about Psychopaths

How to choose Meningococcal meningitis vaccination: When does your child need it? #TogetherAgainstMeningitis

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on October 22, 2019 55

How do you choose Meningococcal meningitis vaccination? When does your child need it?If these are questions that have worried you then read on.

Meningitis is a scary disease and Meningococcal meningitis is the bad boy of all meningitis. But unlike in movies when the hero can save you every time, Meningococcal meningitis behaves like Thanos of Avengers Infinity War. It has a destructive course. As a parent and doctor, protection with a vaccine is my way of prevention and I recommend this course of action to every parent so that this dangerous disease is kept at bay.

Meningococcal meningitis can kill

How-to-protect-your-kids-against-Meningococcal-Meningitis-1

Invasive Meningococcal Disease (IMD) is a rare but potentially devastating bacterial infection. Despite advances in medical care, the disease can kill in a matter of hours!⁽⁷⁾ One strain is known to cause horrific disability and mortality in up to 50% cases.

As mothers know, when children start playschool or nursery school, the chances of getting infected are higher. Even in other age groups, overcrowding increases the chances of infection. If someone in the household is infected or is a carrier, it puts other members of the family at risk.

Since you cannot avoid places or situations, the best way to protect against deadly diseases is a vaccination.^(1,4,5)

Apart from that, you can also look out for the symptoms of Meningococcal meningitis, which are similar to the common cold and hence easily dismissed by parents. What are these symptoms? Fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea, and confusion.⁽⁶⁾

I know the above sounds scary but when we became parents, scary was something that came with the bundle of joy. The point of this is not to scare you but to make you aware.

Start early and give your child Meningococcal meningitis vaccine

First and foremost, I must stress to all parents that Meningococcal meningitis is a serious infection with a very high mortality rate, hence the need to protect against it is greater.

I know there have been talks about the efficacy of vaccines but they are here for our protection and they help us to fight deadly diseases. And I say this as a mother and a doctor, if protection is available, I will take that option and tell my patients the same.

To protect against Meningococcal disease I tell my patients and parents to vaccinate children as young as 9 months old. Talk to your pediatrician and schedule a vaccination.⁽⁴^,⁵⁾

Vaccines are good

In our quest for a healthy and safe upbringing for our children, we need to stay alert. I tell all parents to be armed with the correct information about fever, cold and everything in between and not to fall prey to rumors and gossip.

We will do anything to protect our children from harm and getting them vaccinated against deadly diseases is the right step towards that goal.

Join the movement against Meningococcal meningitis today!

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Brand Disclaimer: The views expressed in the blog content are independent and unbiased views solely of the blogger. This is a part of public awareness initiative on meningitis supported by Sanofi Pasteur India. Sanofi Pasteur bears no responsibility for the content of the blog. One should consult their healthcare provider for any health related information. This article is meant to help create awareness and spread knowledge. Any decision regarding your health and child’s health should be done after consultation with your doctor. While all efforts are made to keep articles updated, the speed of research in these fields mean the information often may change when more research knowledge is available. Healthwealthbridge or the authors should be in no way held responsible in that case.

References:

1) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Prevention and Control of Meningococcal Disease. Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR Recomm Rep. 2005;54:1-21.

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/mening/public/index.html

2) 2. Granoff DM, Harrison D, Borrow R. Meningococcal Vaccines. In: Plotkin SA, Orenstein WA, Offit PA, editors. Vaccines. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. p. 399-434.

3. Pelton SI, Gilmet GP. Expanding prevention of invasive meningococcal disease. Expert Rev Vaccines. 2009; 8:717-27.

4) Safety and Immunogenicity of a Quadrivalent Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine (MenACYW-DT): A Multicenter, Open-label, Non-randomized, Phase III Clinical Trial

*Sangeeta Yadav, #MV Manglani, $DH Ashwath Narayan, #S Sharma, $HS Ravish, ^R Arora, ‡V Bosch Castells, *S Arya, and ‡P Oste

https://www.indianpediatrics.net/june2014/june-451-456.htm

5) CDC. Meningococcal disease – Medical conditions risk factors. Accessed February 2019.

https://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/about/risk-medical.html

6) 4. Sinclair D, Preziosi MP, Jacob John T, Greenwood B. The epidemiology of meningococcal disease in India. Trop Med Int Health. 2010;15:1421-35.

7) Mechanism of meningeal invasion by Neisseria meningitidis

Mathieu Coureuil, 1, 2 Olivier Join-Lambert, 1, 2, 3 Hervé Lécuyer, 1, 2, 3 Sandrine Bourdoulous, 2, 4, 5 Stefano Marullo, 2, 4, 5 and Xavier Nassif 1

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3396695/

8) https://www.indianpediatrics.net/dec2013/dec-1095-1108.htm

9.Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics

How Honking horn Noise pollution hurts your Hearing

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on October 18, 2019 1

Honking horn and your hearing has a deep relationship.

In India, traffic jam ranks high among urban stressors. Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata are toppers when it comes to this nightmare, but Bangalore is very much in the running. In all the worry about air pollution, water pollution and social media noise ,few if any are worried about the noise pollution we face every day.

The road in front of my apartment complex had sparse traffic when we moved in almost seven years back. But for the last two years, the high volume increase in e-rickshaws led to massive traffic snarls making this road a de-clogger in the traffic system.

I could hardly sit in my bedroom without crying from the noise trauma. I thought this was bad until winter came and it got worse. With the AC unit silent there was no buffering the noise and with a little child around I couldn’t really live with a noise-canceling device stuck to my head.
I worried about me and my daughter. The little ears were exposed to so much noise that I could only pray that God helped protect her.

The more hearing loss worsens, louder the noise is required for you to hear. If you are comfortable with the excessive noise and hear television turned all the way up, you should check your ears. If you are listening to music with earphones and the volume way beyond the safe margin beware, your nerves may be silently crying.

Noise has an effect on your hearing and health in other aspects too. Occupational, social, personal and environmental noise exposures all add up in the long run. Noise-induced damage of hair cells and the nerve fibers are real.

Does noise really harm you?

Harmful effects of noise exposure include annoyance, anxiety, sleep issues, daytime sleepiness, increases incidence hypertension and cardiovascular disease. It also impairs cognitive performance in schoolchildren.

Have you ever wondered about your hearing? About the much-needed sense of hearing, which only becomes obvious when you have a cold and have a blocked ear? With the loud honking around it’s a wonder, that we can even hear!

But the e-autorickshaw which does not pollute the air, are roughly three times more than what we need in this small town. This makes traffic navigation impossible. If that wasn’t bad enough, the ceaseless honking could drive anyone crazy. This is where I realized pollution is a big equalizer.
.

I wondered how the drivers of the scooters, bikes, cars, and e-rickshaws tolerated such high decibel noise for so long. People who are spending so much time exposed to loud noise are they even hearing?

Tinnitus or ringing sound in ear and a blocked ear may be the first warning for sudden hearing loss. It can occur both after acute or chronic noise trauma. It is one of the most difficult symptoms to tolerate and treat. Its effect on the quality of life is especially challenging. Tinnitus can cause sleep problems. disturbance, attention issues, and many other problems. Alcohol, tobacco abuse, diabetes mellitus, age-related hearing loss, and certain medicines can make matters worse.

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How is the Health of the Nation: The report is an eye-opener!

Statistics

In the USA and Europe, 26% of adults have a bilateral hearing disorder which makes hearing in noisy places difficult.

Age-adjusted prevalence in Asia is close to these stats.

According to WHO, 10% of the world remains exposed to sound which can cause noise-induced hearing loss.

More than 20 studies have some shocking facts related to children and noise trauma. The environmental noise exposure harms children’s learning outcomes as well as overall cognitive performance.

Sleep disturbance is easily the most disturbing non-auditory effect of environmental noise exposure causing long term harm. It alters daytime alertness, performance, quality of life, physical and mental health

Occupational noise-induced stress can cause burnout, poor wellbeing, and decreased work performance. Common warning signs include annoyance, irritation, fatigue, and tension headaches.

What can you do?

Personal, social and community awareness. Protect your ears. Awareness about the use of microphones, loud crackers and using industrial machines near households, schools, hospitals should be carefully monitored. Traffic sound levels must be controlled at all times.

Social and environmental noise exposure are important cogs in the wheel of increasing sound pollution. While Government and policymakers have a role to play, you can make a difference in your own way.

Reference:

Babisch W. Exposure to environmental noise: risks for health and the environment. Workshop on “sound level of motor vehicles”. Directorate General for Internal Policies of the European Parliament; Brussels: 2012. [accessed July 11, 2013]. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/document/activities/cont/201205/20120524ATT45762/20120524ATT45762EN.pdf. [Google Scholar]
Fuente A, Hickson L. Noise-induced hearing loss in Asia. Int J Audiol. 2011;50 (suppl):S3–10. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Auditory and non-auditory effects of noise on health
Mathias Basner, MD, Wolfgang Babisch, PhD, Prof. Adrian Davis, PhD, Mark Brink, PhD, Charlotte Clark, PhD, Sabine Janssen, PhD, and Prof. Stephen Stansfeld, PhD

Amazon Great Indian Festival Sale 2019: Watch Mentalist on Amazon Prime (Review)

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on October 17, 2019 2

Mentalist and Patrick Jane you don’t want to miss if you love mysteries. Whenever I find a good mystery series it’s difficult not to binge-watch. Sometimes I just relax and enjoy the drama on screen. Today I will tell you about The Mentalist

The Mentalist, an American drama television series that ran from 2008, until 2015 has 151 episodes over seven seasons. Originally aired on CBS, its now available on Amazon Prime Video. It was created by Bruno Heller. Its the story of former “psychic”/mentalist, Patrick Jane (Simon Baker), working as a freelance consultant to the California Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The web series traces Jane using his exceptional observational skills (previously use to con gullible people) to solve gruesome murders and solve the mystery behind his families death at the hands of Red John,

Why Mentalist?

I am a fan of Patrick Jane for several years. Previously on CBS, the entire series is on Amazon Prime including the final season 7. Why am I telling you this? It’s because nowadays I try to see how many seasons are available on Amazon prime, before starting to watch a thriller or drama web series. After being disappointed with the unavailability of the latest seasons of several popular series I started watching, this was the only way to watch smartly.

Who is Red John in Mentalist?

Red John the psychopath is highly connected to people high up and seems to enjoy a cat and mouse game with Patric Jane. It’s scary and makes for some nail-biting suspense.

The Cast of Mentalist my Favourites

Simon Baker as Patrick Jane
Robin Tunney as Teresa Lisbon
Tim Kang as Kimball Cho Main
Owain Yeoman as Wayne Rigsby
Amanda Righetti as Grace Van Pelt

Who is Patrick Jane?

Golden Globe nominee Simon Baker stars as an independent consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation and his handling officer Teresa Lisbon is played by the charming, Robin Tunney.

He is an ex-con man who used to earn working as a Psychic. His background and intelligence make him a valuable member of the team. He helps in the psychological profiling of victims and works backward to solve the mystery.
I play a game if trying to guess. Who did it with each episode and its always fun.

5 Reason Mentalist is gripping

The team leader is a woman and she rocks. Teresa Lisbon is inspiring.
The personalities of the main characters are well defined and help to build up the story tension.

The backstory of Patrick’s family being cruelly killed by a serial killer and Patrick goes one step ahead at catching him with every episode. It is gripping and you are rooting for Jane the entire time!

The team solves one problem every day. What’s brilliant is they keep solving other crimes in each episode, while collecting clues for the big story.

Non-gruesome deaths. They shoot with style. I don’t like gore.
The actors are superb.

Mystery solving is interesting and takes you along. Patrick Jane is a charmer and he keeps you hooked to his deductions. I like how he slips out of doing boring work and focuses on productivity. Drinking tea is his favorite. He seems to read people like a book a very useful skill in all lines of work.

Conclusion

If learning to understand why people do what they do is a useful skill, then Mentalist is not just a web series, its a psychology tutorial. Do you enjoy watching psychological thrillers?

If you haven’t watched it go watch it now. But you will need access to the Amazon Prime Video. Go check it out, watch it and let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

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How is the Health of the Nation: The report is an eye-opener!

Search Results for: health

What is flu or Influenza?

What are the different types of flu?

What are the common flu symptoms?

What does the flu vaccine do?

Can you get flu twice?

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Sharing is good Karma!

Name of the Book: Kanpur Khoofiya Pvt.Ltd

The storyline of Kanpur Khoofiya Pvt.Ltd

What works for me

What didn’t work

Should you read Kanpur Khoofiya Pvt.Ltd?

Sharing is good Karma!

Genetics of Addiction

Opioid Problem

Featured post

Drugs of abuse

World Drug Report 2019

Conclusion

Sharing is good Karma!

How do you choose Meningococcal meningitis vaccination? When does your child need it?If these are questions that have worried you then read on.

Meningococcal meningitis can kill

Start early and give your child Meningococcal meningitis vaccine

Vaccines are good

Featured post

References:

Sharing is good Karma!

Honking horn and your hearing has a deep relationship.

Does noise really harm you?

Featured post

Statistics

What can you do?

Reference:

Sharing is good Karma!

Mentalist and Patrick Jane you don’t want to miss if you love mysteries. Whenever I find a good mystery series it’s difficult not to binge-watch. Sometimes I just relax and enjoy the drama on screen. Today I will tell you about The Mentalist

Why Mentalist?

Who is Red John in Mentalist?

The Cast of Mentalist my Favourites

Who is Patrick Jane?

5 Reason Mentalist is gripping

Conclusion

Featured post

Sharing is good Karma!

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