As per the most recent statistic, 71% of all spinal case injuries, occur in the age group of 20 to 49 years. This study was conducted by the Sawai Man Singh Medical College, Jaipur highlight the fact that almost 79% of these cases come from rural India and a good percentage of them being laborers. In this article, we seek to understand just what Spinal Cord Injuries mean and the steps we can take to heal. What is Spinal Cord Injury? A Spinal Cord, is essentially a mesh of nerves that run on the inside of our vertebral column. It might seem that the Spinal cord controls the voluntary actions of the body but it is interesting to note that it even controls the involuntary actions of the body such as digestion and breathing. Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries Spinal Cord injuries can be caused because of various reasons. They are as follows - Sudden falls causing trauma Accidents Spinal tumors Symptoms of Spinal Cord Injury Loss of strength Reduced sensation to touch/prick Loss of control over bowel and bladder movements Prevention of Spinal Cord Injury: Here are a few points stressing on the measures that you should adopt to...

Stroke is caused due to partial or complete obstruction of blood flow to a part of the brain, leading to permanent cell death. While a minor stroke might sometimes even go unnoticed, a severe stroke can have permanent and even life-threatening consequences for the patient. Signs of a stroke include weakness on one side of the body, loss of control, tingling or numbness of your facial muscles, severe headaches, loss of vision and an unsteady gait. Given how severe the symptoms of stroke can be, stroke prevention is considered essential by medical experts. While you may be genetically predisposed to being at high risk of suffering a stroke, there are certain lifestyle-related factors at play too. While the genetic causes of stroke can’t be controlled, you can definitely make efforts for stroke prevention by making certain changes to your lifestyle. Following are a few stroke prevention steps you can take to reduce your risk of falling prey to the causes of stroke: Maintain healthy body weight Obesity is a silent killer – it comes with a whole set of complications including high blood pressure and diabetes, which increase your chances of suffering a stroke. Your stroke prevention efforts must begin...

A stroke is the sudden death of brain cells due to lack of oxygen, caused by blockage of blood flow of an artery to the brain. After a stroke life for a patient becomes very complex. Life after stroke comes with its own set of complexities. They have long-term difficulties with walking, getting out of a chair, climbing stairs. To deal with life after stroke, the patient is usually prescribed physical therapy. However, stroke physiotherapy must begin as early as possible. Based on many studies, patients who began stroke physiotherapy right after a short time of their stroke recovered faster and got back to their independent life sooner. The goal of post-stroke physiotherapy is to lead life on one’s own terms. So, how is life after stroke with physiotherapy? Let’s find out. Usually, a rehabilitation facility will assess the patient’s condition and then schedule a customised program for rehabilitation. Stroke physiotherapy differs for each patient. Usually, life after stroke with physiotherapy means to relearn old skills. A stroke physiotherapy program may not be able to totally reverse the effects of your stroke, but it can help you regain your independence and recover some of what was lost. A stroke can...

Physiotherapy rehabilitation, also known as physical therapy or physical rehabilitation, is a scientific approach to treating diseases, injuries and deformities through physical treatments such as heat treatments, targeted exercises, counselling and other medicated therapies. This form of treatment is becoming more and more popular as, unlike drugs or surgery, it bears no adverse impact on your body. In fact, physiotherapy rehabilitation is recommended for patients recovering from joint pains, traumas and intensive surgeries to help them attain complete recovery. Physiotherapy rehabilitation can be availed by people of all age groups. It is effective in pain management, recovering faster from injuries and surgeries and help cope better with long-term conditions like COPD. It also plays a crucial role in preparing for physically strenuous activities like childbirth or running a marathon. It’s practiced by a trained physiotherapist who works closely with patients in understanding their chief complaints and accordingly come up with a rehabilitation plan that caters to their needs in the most effective way possible. Based on the patient’s past medical history and present physical condition, a physiotherapist can design customised physical rehabilitation plan for the individual to help them regain complete physical functionality. Physiotherapy rehabilitation may involve hands-on treatments by...

Advancement in medical sciences has opened new doors in the field of surgery, wherein critical ailments that, back in time bore fatal consequences, can be resolved today through intricate surgical techniques. Despite surgical remedies gaining prominence among medical practitioners, it continues to remain in the heart and minds of patients as a perilous approach in treating their respective conditions. While surgeries do carry that extra risk of things going downhill, with an able surgeon presiding the task and deft post-operative care, it is possible to maximize the benefits of surgeries in helping patients recover from several critical diseases. Post-operative care is an important part of any surgery, and it’s advisable to plan on your post-operative rehabilitation before going into the surgery. It is recommended that you consult your doctor and physiotherapist to understand what your life after surgery will look like, so that you are both mentally and physically prepared for the road ahead. The recovery process post-surgery could look different for different individuals, and hence, consulting a rehabilitation professional to establish a proper post-operative care plan will help you recover faster. Major surgeries like total knee replacement, total hip replacement and brain surgeries leave patients with limited physical and...

Traumatic brain injury also called brain injury or head injury occurs when a blow or jolt to the head results in damage to the brain. TBIs range in severity from mild to severe. While medication and post-hospitalization rehabilitation are vital to ensure the maximum possible recovery of patients affected by TBI, safety guidelines are equally important to avoid further injury. You must keep in mind that once you’ve faced injury in the brain, you have to be doubly careful as the brain is one of the most delicate parts of your body. The regular safety measures to be followed are: Always wear a helmet while riding: Make sure that you wear well-padded helmets whenever you ride pillion. Two-wheelers are at a greater risk of skidding and falling. Fatal falls might result in a blow to your skull and lead to traumatic brain injuries. A helmet will protect you from these unnecessary injuries and a relapse of neurological conditions resulting from TBI. Wear a seatbelt while sitting in the car: A seatbelt keeps you secure inside the car, should a situation of collision arise, especially if you are sitting in the front seat. Even minor blows to your head at this...

A tracheostomy is a surgically created opening in the neck leading directly to the trachea. It involves creating an opening in the neck in order to place a tube into a person’s windpipe. The tube is inserted through a cut in the neck below the vocal cords. This allows air to enter the lungs which help to create a bypass in the airway to help the patient breathe easy. When a patient is under tracheostomy care, speech will be difficult until the time comes for a special tube to be placed which may allow talking by allowing the flow of air up to the vocal cords. When there is a prolonged requirement of tracheostomy treatment, speech and swallow therapy is a requirement for these patients. Due to prolonged tracheostomy care, there may be a few complications a patient might face such as: Infection Bleeding Airway obstruction Scarring of the airway Damage to the larynx (voice box) Impaired swallowing and vocal function Burns of the airway from inhalation of corrosive material Cancer in the neck Severe neck or mouth injuries Tumours A lot of these complications might cause the patient to rely on speech therapy for tracheostomy. What is Swallow therapy?...

Spinal cord injuries are of many degrees and can have extremely adverse effects on the body. They result in different types of post-injury conditions. There are mainly two degrees of spinal cord injury: Incomplete spinal cord injury: This form of an injury results in the spinal cord being partially severed. The injured person is, however, able to retain some functional abilities. There are three major types of incomplete spinal cord injury: Anterior Cord Syndrome – Injury to the front portion of the spinal cord. Central Cord Syndrome – Injury to the central part of the spinal cord. Brown-Sequard Syndrome – Injury to one whole side of the spinal cord. Complete spinal cord injury: In this case, the spinal cord is completely severed, resulting in a halt to every kind of functional capability. This kind of spinal cord injury may even lead to a state of paralysis. Injury can occur to any part of the spinal cord. Depending on the gravity of the injury, appropriate treatment processes must be conducted without delay. The major categories of spinal cord injury are: Paraplegia: This is also known as Hemiplegia. Paraplegia is a condition in which there is an impairment of sensory and motor...

Parkinson’s is a chronic and progressive neurological disease that affects nerve cells in the area of the brain which produces dopamine, a chemical which transmits signals between areas of the brain. When functioning smoothly they help in coordinating balanced muscle movement. This disease, however, causes neurons to die, leading to a reduction of dopamine in the brain. The basal ganglia are responsible for organizing movement commands from other parts of the brain and this is where the lack of dopamine causes the symptoms of Parkinson’s to occur. What are the symptoms of Parkinson’s? The symptoms of Parkinson’s are varied such as: Tremors Shaking of hand and foot Slow movement Stiffness of limbs Pain Balance and coordination problems Constipation Midlife Obesity Decreased facial expressions Speech changes Sleeping problems Parkinson’s disease diagnosis: While symptoms can be different for each patient, over 25% of patients are misdiagnosed when it comes to Parkinson’s. Parkinson’s disease diagnosis is difficult. Currently, there are no blood or laboratory tests available to help in Parkinson’s disease diagnosis. A CT and MRI will be used to rule out other disorders that cause similar symptoms. A detailed neurologic history will be taken. This interrogation will include questions about the patient’s symptoms, medications, and...

Tracheostomy is a surgical procedure that is usually performed when the patient’s airway is obstructed or swollen and it becomes difficult for them to breathe. So, what exactly is a tracheostomy? An opening is made on the neck, through an incision, to gain access to the trachea. This surgical procedure allows direct access to the breathing tube and is commonly done in an operating room under general anesthesia. A tracheostomy may be permanent or temporary depending on a patient’s condition. It can be done in case of an emergency at the patient’s bedside or in an operating room. Most people need 1 to 3 days to adapt to breathing through a tracheostomy tube. It will take some time to learn how to communicate with others. When is tracheostomy considered? Here are a few reasons where a tracheostomy may be necessary: Obstruction in mouth or throat Swelling in trachea Difficulty in breathing Lung conditions Airway reconstruction after a tracheal surgery Impaired swallowing and vocal function Airway protection after a spinal or a head injury Long-term life support How is the tracheostomy tube inserted? It is a small tube inserted into the trachea to keep the stoma open. It is available in...