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HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) is a pregnancy hormone produced by the placenta, and its levels help doctors track how your pregnancy is progressing. Monitoring HCG can also indicate concerns like miscarriage risk, multiple pregnancy, or ectopic pregnancy if levels rise too slowly or abnormally.
Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve is compressed, causing radiating pain from the lower back to the legs with possible numbness or weakness. Regular stretching exercises can help reduce discomfort and improve mobility.
A breast lump is a swelling or growth in the breast tissue that may feel hard, soft, smooth, or movable, and can occur due to cysts, infections, or other conditions. Although breast lumps can be a sign of cancer, most (around 80%) are non-cancerous and still require timely medical evaluation if persistent or unusual.
Occasional forgetfulness is a normal part of ageing. Walking into a room and forgetting why, blanking on someone’s name, or misplacing spectacles are all common, and usually pass without any trouble. What deserves more thought is forgetfulness that becomes more frequent and starts to change how a person manages their day. It can be a sign of Alzheimer’’ disease.
Keep reading to learn what Alzheimer’s disease is, its early signs, how it is diagnosed, and how it can be managed.
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Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia, and the WHO estimates that more than 57 million people live with dementia worldwide.
The Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI) estimated that 5.3 million people aged over 60 were living with dementia in India in 2020. This figure was projected to rise to approximately 7.6 million by 2030.
Alzheimer’s is a neurodegenerative disorder, which means brain cells gradually stop working and die. It is the most common cause of dementia, the broader term for memory loss and thinking problems serious enough to affect daily life.
Two proteins are central to the damage.
Together they disrupt communication between cells, and the cells gradually lose their ability to function and eventually die.
The damage usually begins in the hippocampus, the part of the brain that forms new memories. This is why recent events, like a conversation from this morning or what was eaten at lunch, tend to fade first. Older memories are stored more widely in the brain and are often preserved for longer.
Many people assume memory loss is the only sign of Alzheimer’s. It is often the most visible one, but not the only one. Following are the other patterns to look for:
Forgetting a name and remembering it after a few hours is ordinary ageing. Forgetting the whole conversation, and not recalling it even when reminded, is what needs to be timely addressed.
One more thing worth knowing. Memory lapses are not always due to Alzheimer’s. Low vitamin B12, an underactive thyroid, depression, poor sleep and some medicines can look very similar, and some of these can be treated. This is one of the better reasons not to wait and see.
Neurologists usually describe three stages:
Treat these stages as a rough map. A person may show signs of more than one stage at a time. An infection or another health problem can also temporarily worsen confusion or other symptoms.
Changes linked to Alzheimer’s disease can begin in the brain 10 to 20 years before the first symptoms appear. Age, genes and lifestyle factors can all influence a person’s risk of developing the disease.
What about early-onset Alzheimer’s?
Alzheimer’s that develops before age 65 is less common. Although some cases are caused by rare inherited genetic mutations, these account for an estimated 1% or less of all Alzheimer’s cases. Most people with early-onset Alzheimer’s do not have one of these rare, strongly inherited forms.
Diagnosis is usually handled by a neurologist, and it happens in stages rather than in one visit. A typical evaluation includes:
Common Mistake: Testing Memory at Home
A common mistake is to quiz the person at home with random questions, like “who is the Prime Minister?” or “what did you have for lunch?”, to see if they really remember. It tends to embarrass them and tells you very little. It is more useful to write down real examples of what you have noticed, so the doctor has something specific to work with during the evaluation.
Alzheimer’s cannot be cured at present, but that does not mean nothing can be done. Treatment focuses on easing symptoms, slowing decline where possible, and making daily life more manageable for the person and the family.
Your neurologist may suggest medicines that help nerve cells communicate with each other. These can ease symptoms for a period, mostly in the mild to moderate stages. They work differently for different people, and the benefit is usually modest.
Treatment also covers the problems that come with the disease, such as disturbed sleep, anxiety, low mood and agitation.
Most of the day to day difference happens at home.
If memory changes are getting in the way of daily life, book a visit with a neurologist and take along the family member who sees it most. An early check either finds a treatable cause or gives your family time to plan, so you are not making big decisions in a crisis.
At the CK Birla Hospital, our experienced team of neurologists can help you and your family manage this condition. Book a consultation to get your questions answered.
You snore. You wake up tired. You need three alarms to get out of bed. By afternoon, you are fighting the urge to nod off at your desk. It is easy to blame it on a hectic schedule, late nights or simply “not getting enough sleep.”
A restless night occasionally is normal. Persistent snoring, disrupted breathing and daytime exhaustion are different. The real problem is not how long you sleep but how well you breathe in your sleep. That is why it is essential to understand the concept of Sleep Apnea.
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Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops or becomes reduced during sleep. The most common form is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which occurs when the upper airway becomes repeatedly narrowed or blocked.
During normal sleep, breathing continues automatically. In obstructive sleep apnea, the muscles and tissues around the upper airway relax enough to partially or completely obstruct airflow.
Breathing may stop for short periods before the brain triggers a brief arousal and breathing starts again. These interruptions can happen many times through the night, often without the person being aware of them.
The result can be fragmented sleep, drops in blood oxygen and repeated stress on the body, even when you have spent seven or eight hours in bed.
And that is why persistent snoring and daytime sleepiness deserve more attention than they usually get.
Snoring alone does not mean you have sleep apnea. Common symptoms include:
When any of the above signs are noticeable, it is worth discussing with a doctor.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea can have several contributing factors.
In Central Sleep Apnea, the brain temporarily fails to send the appropriate signals to the muscles responsible for breathing. Its causes and treatment are different from obstructive sleep apnea. This is why persistent symptoms should be evaluated rather than assumed to be simply a consequence of lifestyle.
Every episode of interrupted breathing can cause changes in oxygen levels and trigger brief arousals from sleep. The body’s stress-response system may become repeatedly activated throughout the night.
Over time, if left untreated, this obstructive sleep apnea gives way to high blood pressure. If someone has persistent snoring, poor-quality sleep and daytime fatigue alongside hypertension, it may be worth considering whether an undiagnosed sleep disorder is contributing to the picture.
Several cardiovascular conditions, including coronary artery disease, heart failure, abnormal heart rhythms and stroke, become probable due to the rising blood pressure levels. Other than this, there can be various metabolic factors that might be triggered due to sleep apnea that in turn affect cardiac health.
This does not mean sleep apnea is the sole cause of cardiovascular disease. Heart health is influenced by multiple factors, including genetics, diet, physical activity, smoking, blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and age.
But untreated sleep apnea can be one of the factors that deserves attention.
The relationship between sleep and metabolism goes both ways.
Research has linked obstructive sleep apnea with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, as well as other cardiometabolic conditions. This becomes particularly relevant when several issues appear together.
For example, someone may be dealing with:
Weight gain + snoring + daytime fatigue + high blood pressure + abnormal blood sugar
It is tempting to treat each as an independent lifestyle problem. But sometimes, an underlying sleep disorder may be part of the larger health picture. That is why sleep health increasingly needs to be considered alongside metabolic and cardiovascular health, rather than as a completely separate concern.
This is a common concern of every patient with Sleep Apnea. The answer is simple: eight hours in bed does not translate to eight hours of restorative sleep. If you have sleep apnea, the following is a regular occurrence at night:
Some patients describe it simply as feeling like they have “never really slept.” This resultant daytime sleepiness is also more than an inconvenience. It affects concentration, reaction time, work performance and everyday safety.
Sleep apnea cannot be diagnosed reliably by snoring alone. A sleep specialist will typically consider your symptoms, medical history and risk factors before deciding whether a sleep study is appropriate.
Depending on the situation, testing may include a home sleep apnea test or an overnight polysomnography, commonly known as a sleep study. These tests monitor factors such as breathing patterns, oxygen levels and other physiological signals during sleep.
Smartwatches and smartphone applications can sometimes identify sleep patterns that prompt further investigation, but they cannot replace a clinical sleep evaluation or diagnostic sleep study.
Yes. Treatment depends on the type and severity of sleep apnea, as well as the individual’s health and preferences.
For obstructive sleep apnea, treatment may include:
Treatment is not necessarily about choosing one solution for everyone. A proper diagnosis helps determine what is appropriate.
Not every case of sleep apnea can be prevented. Anatomy, age and genetic factors can play a role. However, several measures can reduce risk or help manage the condition:
The bigger idea is simple: sleep symptoms can sometimes be health signals.
A partner complaining about your snoring may be pointing to more than a noisy night. Repeatedly waking exhausted may not simply mean you need another cup of coffee.
Consider seeking medical evaluation if you or people around you start noticing these things:
The goal is not to label every snorer as having sleep apnea. But to recognise when a pattern deserves investigation.
Sleep apnea is a treatable medical condition, and leaving persistent symptoms unexplored can mean leaving an important cardiovascular or metabolic risk factor unaddressed.
So if you regularly find yourself fighting sleep during meetings, while reading, watching television or even during routine daytime activities, it is worth looking beyond caffeine and late nights. Talking to your doctor will help you address the underlying causes that lead to sleep apnea and take care of the condition before it gets worse.
You sleep for seven or eight hours. You wake up tired. By afternoon, you are tired and sleepy again. You blame it on work, stress, late nights or simply a lack of sleep.
But what if you are sleeping enough and still not sleeping well?
For people living with obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes or fatty liver disease, this is an important question. One possible answer is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a sleep-related breathing disorder that can affect both sleep quality and metabolic health.
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In Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), our upper airway repeatedly narrows or becomes blocked during sleep. Breathing may stop and restart several times through the night, often without the person knowing it. These interruptions can fragment sleep and contribute to daytime sleepiness, fatigue and difficulty concentrating.
More importantly, obstructive sleep apnea frequently overlaps with the metabolic conditions that are increasingly common today.
There is a difference between not sleeping enough and not sleeping well. If you regularly sleep five or six hours, daytime fatigue may simply reflect insufficient sleep. But if you are spending seven or eight hours in bed and still waking up exhausted, the quality of your sleep deserves attention.
With obstructive sleep apnea, the airway repeatedly becomes obstructed. The brain responds by briefly arousing you so that normal breathing can resume. These arousals may be so brief that you do not remember them the next morning.
Your sleep may therefore look uninterrupted on the clock while being repeatedly disrupted physiologically. That can leave you asking: “Why am I still sleepy after 8 hours?”
Everyone feels tired after a demanding day. Daytime sleepiness is different. It is the tendency to feel that you could actually fall asleep during routine activities.
You may struggle to stay alert during a meeting, nod off while watching television or find yourself reaching for caffeine throughout the day. That colleague you see snoozing between meetings, is actually unaware of the choke hold this condition has on them.
Concentration may become harder, and you may feel as though you have started the day already exhausted. You may need several alarms to wake up. Loud or habitual snoring, gasping during sleep or breathing pauses noticed by a partner make obstructive sleep apnea more relevant.
Consider a patient who says: “I have no energy anymore.” They may already have obesity, diabetes, insulin resistance or fatty liver. The fatigue could reasonably be attributed to their existing condition, lifestyle or stress. For this we need to explore the link between OSA & Metabolic Health.
Obstructive sleep apnea does not exist in isolation. It frequently occurs alongside obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and hypertension. They not only complicate matters but also increase the likelihood of developing OSA.
Excess weight: Especially around the neck, narrows the upper airway increasing risk of obstruction in sleep.
Fragmented sleep, gasping & reduced oxygen: This further influences glucose regulation and insulin sensitivity.
Unaware of how sleep disorder symptoms are concealed within daily habits, a person may be managing their weight and blood sugar all the while being overexhausted from their undiagnosed condition during the day.
Why does it matter? It is because persistent sleepiness make healthy routines harder to maintain. Exercise may feel more difficult, staying awake is a struggle, concentration and motivation may suffer.
But sleep apnea doesn’t cause obesity or diabetes in every person, it is an effect that creates bigger troubles when ignored. Metabolic disorders have multiple contributing factors. But when obesity, insulin resistance or diabetes occur alongside loud snoring and unrefreshing sleep, OSA deserves consideration.
The connection between obstructive sleep apnea and the liver is particularly interesting.
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), previously known as NAFLD, commonly occurs alongside obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Research has also identified an association between OSA and fatty liver disease.
Studies have linked OSA with features of liver disease including hepatic steatosis, inflammation and fibrosis. One potential explanation is intermittent hypoxia.
When the airway repeatedly closes during sleep, oxygen levels can fall and then recover when breathing resumes. Repeated fluctuations in oxygen may contribute to oxidative stress, inflammation and metabolic disturbances. OSA and MASLD share several biological and lifestyle risk factors, making it difficult to separate the contribution of each condition. But the overlap is clinically relevant.
The brain is one of the main organs affected by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA affects the brain through three overlapping mechanisms:
1. Repeated drops in oxygen: When the airway repeatedly closes, oxygen levels can fall and then recover when breathing resumes. This is called intermittent hypoxia.
2. The brain keeps being pulled out of sleep: Every apnea episode can trigger a brief arousal so that breathing resumes.
3. It may impact brain structure and connectivity: Some neuroimaging studies have reported changes in grey matter and white matter in people with OSA, including findings involving the hippocampus and frontal regions.
Obstructive sleep apnea is treatable. Treatment depends on the severity of OSA, symptoms, anatomy and the individual’s overall health.
CPAP or PAP therapy is an established treatment that uses positive airway pressure to keep the airway open during sleep. It can reduce breathing interruptions and improve symptoms such as excessive daytime sleepiness.
Selected patients may benefit from oral appliances, positional therapy or other approaches. Weight management can also be important when excess weight contributes to OSA. In certain anatomical situations, surgery ma=y be considered.
Treating OSA should not currently be presented as a stand-alone treatment for fatty liver or liver fibrosis. However, a patient with obesity + insulin resistance + MASLD + OSA may benefit from addressing all of these interconnected factors rather than viewing sleep as an unrelated problem.
Sleep assessment can therefore become another piece of a broader metabolic-health strategy.
Sometimes, the answer really is lack of sleep. Sometimes it is stress, medication, another medical condition or another sleep disorder. But if you consistently spend enough time in bed and still wake up tired and sleepy, it is worth asking a different question:
What is happening while I sleep? – Do you snore loudly? Has someone noticed that your breathing pauses? Do you wake up unrefreshed? Do you have obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes or fatty liver? Are you struggling with daytime sleepiness even after what seems like a full night’s sleep?
These questions do not diagnose obstructive sleep apnea. They tell you when it may be worth looking further. Afterall, sleep is part of metabolic health.
A persistent cough, unexplained weight loss, chest pain or blood in the sputum can be unsettling. What makes these symptoms particularly confusing is that they can occur in both tuberculosis (TB) and lung cancer. So, can TB and lung cancer look alike? Yes.
There is a strong overlap of symptoms and this may even look similar in imaging as well. Therefore a more careful assessment is warranted in such cases.
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Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It primarily affects the lungs and can cause inflammation, tissue damage, nodules, cavities and lymph-node changes.
Lung cancer, on the other hand, develops when abnormal lung cells grow uncontrollably and form a malignant tumour.
However, none of these symptoms can diagnose either condition on their own.
Yes. It can. TB can sometimes produce a lung nodule, mass-like lesion, cavity or enlarged lymph nodes that resemble malignancy on imaging. A specific form called a tuberculoma can appear as a well-defined pulmonary nodule and may be difficult to distinguish from a tumour based on imaging alone.
CT scans can provide much more information than a conventional chest X-ray, but even CT findings can overlap. For example, both TB and lung cancer may show:
It is notable that TB can mimic malignant disease on imaging and that definitive diagnosis may require microbiological or pathological confirmation.
In India TB is more common, therefore a lung lesion may initially be suspected to be tuberculosis, when accompanied with symptoms like cough, weight loss or fever. This complicates when underlying cancer is not considered when symptoms or imaging abnormalities persist.
Patients with lung cancer have sometimes initially been treated for TB because the two conditions share symptoms and radiological features. That does not mean every patient whose X-ray resembles TB has cancer. It means that persistent or unexplained abnormalities deserve appropriate follow-up rather than assumptions based on appearance alone.
When TB and lung cancer have similar symptoms or appear alike on a scan, doctors usually don’t rely on a single test to tell them apart. Instead, they look at the whole picture. Your symptoms, medical history, scan findings and, when needed, laboratory or tissue tests.
The aim is to understand what is actually causing the changes in the lungs rather than making a diagnosis based on appearance alone.
CT imaging is an important part of evaluating suspicious lung findings. Some patterns can provide useful clues.
But there is considerable overlap. A study comparing patients with TB alone and those with TB plus lung cancer found differences in features such as spiculation, lobulation and cavitation, while also demonstrating the diagnostic challenge of distinguishing the conditions.
Most importantly, a CT scan can identify a suspicious lesion, but imaging does not always establish whether that lesion is cancer or TB.
Even PET-CT has limitations. Active TB and other inflammatory conditions can show increased metabolic activity, potentially producing a “hot” lesion that resembles cancer.
Yes. A person can have tuberculosis and lung cancer at the same time. Pulmonary TB can be further complicated by lung cancer, and studies have found overlapping clinical and CT features between patients with TB alone and those with both conditions. This is clinically important because finding evidence of TB does not automatically rule out another lung condition.
TB does not simply transform into lung cancer. Tuberculosis is an infection, whereas lung cancer involves malignant changes in cells.
However, researchers have found a common link between the two in the form of Chronic inflammation, tissue injury and scarring. But an association between two conditions should not be interpreted as proof that TB directly causes cancer.
Therefore, TB can mimic lung cancer, lung cancer can mimic TB, and both can coexist, but TB should not be described as directly transforming into lung cancer.
If someone has been diagnosed with TB but symptoms persist, worsen or fail to follow the expected course despite appropriate treatment, the diagnosis and treatment response may need to be reassessed.
Persistent symptoms do not automatically mean cancer. Treatment adherence, drug resistance, another infection, residual lung damage and other respiratory conditions can also explain ongoing symptoms.
However, an unresolved lung lesion or persistent symptoms may warrant further evaluation. A history of TB should therefore not prevent doctors from investigating a new or changing lung abnormality.
Speak with a qualified pulmonologist or physician if you have a persistent cough, coughing up blood, unexplained weight loss, ongoing chest pain, breathlessness, recurrent chest infections or an abnormal chest X-ray or CT scan.
The important message is not to self-diagnose based on symptoms or scan images found online. TB and lung cancer can overlap, but they require very different treatments. The right diagnosis comes from putting symptoms, medical history, imaging and appropriate laboratory or tissue testing together.
TB and lung cancer are different diseases, but they can look remarkably similar. Their symptoms may overlap, imaging can sometimes be difficult to interpret, and both conditions can occasionally occur together.
The diagnosis should be established through appropriate clinical evaluation, imaging and, when necessary, microbiological testing or biopsy.
When a lung abnormality does not fit the expected clinical picture or fails to respond as expected, it deserves a closer look.
You are eating more protein. You have started going to the gym. You are walking more, cutting down on sugar and watching your portions. Yet the weighing scale barely moves. And eventually, you start wondering: “What am I doing wrong?”
Sometimes, the answer is not another workout, a stricter diet or another protein shake. It may be worth looking at something that is often overlooked: sleep.
More specifically, it may be worth considering obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a common sleep disorder in which the upper airway repeatedly narrows or becomes blocked during sleep. Breathing can stop and restart multiple times through the night, fragmenting sleep and sometimes causing repeated drops in oxygen levels.
This matters because sleep is closely connected to metabolic health. Poor or disrupted sleep can affect appetite, energy levels and insulin sensitivity, while obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and PCOS are themselves closely associated with sleep apnea. Research suggests that restricted or disrupted sleep can increase hunger and energy intake and reduce insulin sensitivity.
So, can sleep apnea make it harder to lose weight? It can be part of the picture.
OSA does not automatically cause weight gain, but untreated OSA may make weight management and overall metabolic health more difficult.
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Sleep is not simply the time when your body switches off. It is an important part of metabolic regulation.
When sleep is consistently restricted or disrupted, research has found changes in hunger, food intake and insulin sensitivity. A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials found that sleep restriction increased subjective hunger, increased daily energy intake and reduced insulin sensitivity. That does not mean that one late night will make you gain weight. The concern is persistent poor-quality or insufficient sleep.
If you are constantly tired, maintaining an exercise routine may become harder. You may have less energy to move, poorer recovery after exercise and greater difficulty maintaining healthy eating habits.
Poor sleep does not mean you will gain weight. But consistently poor sleep can make the behaviours and metabolic processes involved in weight management more challenging. And when the poor sleep is being caused by something like OSA, simply trying to “sleep more” may not solve the problem.
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the upper airway repeatedly becomes narrowed or blocked while you sleep. You may not fully wake up each time your breathing is interrupted. Instead, your sleep can become repeatedly fragmented as your body responds to the obstruction.This can leave you with a strange experience:
You spent eight hours in bed – but you still wake up feeling exhausted. Over time, repeated breathing interruptions, sleep fragmentation and intermittent drops in oxygen can become relevant to metabolic health. OSA is particularly important to consider in people living with obesity and in those with metabolic conditions such as insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. It can also coexist with PCOS and fatty liver disease.
The relationship between sleep apnea and weight is not as simple as saying “sleep apnea causes weight gain.” Excess weight can increase the risk of OSA. At the same time, untreated OSA can contribute to fragmented sleep, daytime sleepiness and metabolic disturbances that may make weight management more difficult. Think of it as a cycle – not a universal cycle, and it does not mean that everyone with obesity has sleep apnea. It simply highlights why sleep deserves to be considered alongside diet, physical activity and other metabolic factors.
You may be doing strength training three or four times a week, increased your protein intake, started tracking calories and improved your daily step count. But if you are constantly exhausted, it may be worth asking a different question: “Am I actually sleeping well?”
Ask yourself:
Exercise remains an important part of metabolic health and weight management. But exercise cannot compensate for every underlying health problem. If untreated OSA is leaving you chronically sleepy, sustaining an active lifestyle may simply become harder.
The answer is not necessarily to work harder. It may be to find out what is making it harder to recover in the first place.
For women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the connection deserves particular attention. PCOS commonly occurs alongside metabolic factors such as obesity and insulin resistance. OSA can also occur alongside these conditions, creating overlapping metabolic risk factors.
Research has found an association between PCOS and OSA, and an updated meta-analysis published in 2024 found that OSA was present in a substantial proportion of women with PCOS. Women with both conditions also showed worse metabolic parameters than women with PCOS alone in the studies reviewed.
This does not mean that PCOS causes sleep apnea. But if someone with PCOS also has: Loud snoring + daytime sleepiness + unrefreshing sleep =>it is worth discussing whether sleep apnea could be contributing to the broader metabolic picture. Persistent fatigue should not automatically be attributed to PCOS.
Sleep and glucose metabolism are closely linked. Experimental research has found that sleep restriction can reduce insulin sensitivity, while broader evidence connects poor sleep with metabolic dysfunction and type 2 diabetes risk. OSA adds another layer because repeated breathing interruptions can cause intermittent hypoxia and sleep fragmentation.
If someone has obesity, insulin resistance or diabetes alongside loud snoring and excessive daytime sleepiness, sleep health becomes relevant to the overall assessment. Instead of looking at blood sugar, weight and sleep as completely separate problems, it can be useful to understand how they interact.
The sleep–metabolism connection extends to the liver too. Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, or MASLD, commonly occurs alongside obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. One possible mechanism is intermittent hypoxia.
When breathing repeatedly stops during OSA, oxygen levels can fall and then recover. Repeated fluctuations may contribute to oxidative stress, inflammation and metabolic disturbances. However, this relationship should not be oversimplified.
OSA does not automatically cause fatty liver, just as fatty liver does not mean someone has sleep apnea. But if obesity, insulin resistance or MASLD occur alongside loud snoring and unrefreshing sleep, assessing sleep health may be relevant to the bigger metabolic picture.
Persistent fatigue is common, and it has many possible causes. You may feel tired because you are not getting enough sleep. But fatigue can also be associated with stress, anaemia, thyroid disorders, medications, other sleep disorders and several underlying medical conditions.
So being tired does not automatically mean you have sleep apnea. The pattern matters. For example, persistent daytime sleepiness combined with loud snoring, witnessed breathing pauses or unrefreshing sleep is more reason to discuss your sleep with a healthcare professional.
The same applies if you regularly wake after seven or eight hours of sleep but feel as though you barely slept.
Snoring alone cannot diagnose sleep apnea.
A doctor will usually consider your symptoms, medical history, risk factors and physical health before deciding whether testing is appropriate. A sleep study may then be recommended.
Depending on the individual and the clinical setting, this may involve a home sleep apnea test or an overnight polysomnography conducted in a sleep laboratory.
These tests monitor breathing and other physiological changes during sleep to determine whether sleep apnea is present and, if so, how severe it is.
Smartwatches and smartphone apps may identify sleep patterns or signs that encourage you to seek medical advice, but they should not be treated as a substitute for a proper clinical assessment or diagnostic sleep study.
If you regularly wake tired despite spending enough time in bed, snore loudly, experience breathing pauses or struggle with excessive daytime sleepiness, speak with a healthcare professional about whether obstructive sleep apnea could be part of the picture.
Weight management is influenced by much more than food and exercise. Sleep, metabolism, hormones, blood sugar, liver health and body weight are interconnected parts of your overall health. That does not mean every weight-loss plateau is caused by poor sleep.
It means that when the usual advice, eat better, exercise more and sleep well, doesn’t seem to be enough, it may be time to look more closely at how well you are actually sleeping.
तब होता है जब दिमाग तक खून की सप्लाई रुक जाए या नस फट जाए। अचानक चेहरा टेढ़ा होना, हाथ-पैर में कमजोरी या बोलने में रुकावट – ये थकान या गैस नहीं, इमरजेंसी के संकेत हैं। स्ट्रोक में हर मिनट कीमती होता है और यही “थोड़ा इंतज़ार कर लेते हैं” वाली सोच सबसे भारी पड़ती है।
इस ब्लॉग में जानें स्ट्रोक के शुरुआती लक्षण, FAST नियम, इसके कारण और इलाज के तरीके। अगर ऐसे लक्षण दिखें, तो तुरंत न्यूरोलॉजी विभाग और इमरजेंसी एवं क्रिटिकल केयर के विशेषज्ञ डॉक्टरों से संपर्क करें।
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दिमाग को लगातार ऑक्सीजन और पोषण वाला खून चाहिए। जब किसी नस में थक्का जम जाए या नस फट जाए, तो उस हिस्से की कोशिकाएं कुछ ही मिनटों में नुकसान झेलने लगती हैं। इसे ही ब्रेन स्ट्रोक, ब्रेन अटैक या आम बोलचाल में लकवा का दौरा कहते हैं।
एक बात अक्सर गलत समझी जाती है: स्ट्रोक दिल का दौरा नहीं है, और इसमें ज़रूरी नहीं कि दर्द हो। कई बार सिरदर्द के बिना, बस हाथ-पैर में कमजोरी से शुरुआत होती है।
स्ट्रोक मुख्य रूप से दो तरह का होता है। नीचे की टेबल से फर्क एक नज़र में समझ आ जाएगा।
ध्यान रखें कि बाहर से लक्षण देखकर प्रकार तय नहीं किया जा सकता। यह CT या MRI स्कैन से ही पता चलता है, और इलाज इसी पर निर्भर करता है। इसलिए घर पर कोई दवा देने की कोशिश न करें।
एक तीसरी स्थिति TIA (मिनी स्ट्रोक) भी है, जिसमें लक्षण कुछ मिनटों या घंटों में अपने आप ठीक हो जाते हैं। यह राहत की बात नहीं, बल्कि आने वाले बड़े स्ट्रोक की चेतावनी हो सकती है। इसमें भी उसी दिन जांच जरूरी है।
स्ट्रोक के लक्षण अचानक शुरू होते हैं। यही इसकी सबसे बड़ी पहचान है। धीरे-धीरे हफ्तों में बढ़ती कमजोरी आम तौर पर दूसरे कारणों से होती है, पर उसकी भी जांच करवानी चाहिए।
सबसे आम संकेत:
क्या हर चक्कर या सिरदर्द स्ट्रोक है? नहीं। माइग्रेन, कान की समस्या, लो ब्लड शुगर,कम बीपी और घबराहट में भी चक्कर और सिरदर्द होते हैं। फर्क यह है कि स्ट्रोक में अचानक सिरदर्द और चक्कर के साथ कमजोरी, बोलने की दिक्कत, चेहरे का टेढ़ापन या देखने में बदलाव जैसे दूसरे संकेत भी जुड़ जाते हैं। लक्षण अकेले दिखें या मिले-जुले, शक होने पर जांच करवाना ही सुरक्षित है।
FAST एक आसान तरीका है, जिससे कोई भी व्यक्ति, बिना मेडिकल जानकारी के, 30 सेकंड में स्ट्रोक का शक पहचान सकता है।
याद रखें: स्ट्रोक के इलाज में हर मिनट कीमती है। लक्षण दिखने पर इंतजार न करें, सीधे अस्पताल पहुंचे।
कारण और जोखिम कारक एक चीज़ नहीं हैं। जोखिम कारक स्ट्रोक की संभावना बढ़ाते हैं, जबकि कारण वह सीधी वजह है, जो किसी एक व्यक्ति में स्ट्रोक करवाती है (जैसे थक्का या फटी हुई नस)।
| जोखिम कारक | प्रभाव / असर |
| हाई ब्लड प्रेशर | नसों को कमजोर और सख्त बनाता है। |
| डायबिटीज | लंबे समय तक शुगर बढ़ने से नसें क्षतिग्रस्त होती हैं और थक्के बनते हैं। |
| हाई कोलेस्ट्रॉल | नसों में वसा (Fat) जमाकर खून का रास्ता तंग करता है। |
| Atrial Fibrillation | दिल की धड़कन अनियमित होने से बने थक्के दिमाग तक पहुँचते हैं। |
| धूम्रपान व तंबाकू | खून को गाढ़ा करता है और नसों को नुकसान पहुंचाता है। |
| अस्वस्थ जीवनशैली | मोटापा, शराब और निष्क्रियता सीधे BP व शुगर बिगाड़ते हैं। |
| उम्र व जेनेटिक्स | बढ़ती उम्र और फैमिली हिस्ट्री। |
बीपी और डायबिटीज स्ट्रोक के सबसे बड़े जोखिम कारक हैं। सही समय पर जांच और नियंत्रण से स्ट्रोक का खतरा काफी हद तक टल जाता है।युवाओं में यह खून की बीमारियों, नसों में चोट/फटाव (Dissection), दिल की जन्मजात समस्याओं या नशे की लत के कारण हो सकता है।
यदि स्ट्रोक के लक्षण दिखें तो निम्न बातों का ख्याल रखें –
| श्रेणी | क्या करें (Do’s) | क्या न करें (Don’ts) |
| आपातकालीन सेवा | तुरंत एम्बुलेंस (108/112) को फोन करें और “स्ट्रोक का शक है” स्पष्ट कहें। | लक्षण “अपने आप ठीक हो जाएंगे” – यह सोचकर इंतजार न करें। |
| समय का रिकॉर्ड | लक्षण शुरू होने का सटीक समय नोट करें। | घरेलू नुस्खे, मालिश या झाड़-फूंक में समय न गंवाएं। |
| मरीज की स्थिति | आराम से बैठें/लेटें। उल्टी या बेहोशी की स्थिति में करवट देकर लिटाएं। | मरीज को कुछ भी खाने या पीने को न दें। |
| दवाइयां | मरीज की पुरानी दवाओं की पर्ची और मेडिकल रिपोर्ट साथ रखें। | अपने मन से एस्पिरिन या BP की कोई दवा न दें। |
| अस्पताल का चुनाव | ऐसा अस्पताल चुनें जहां 24 घंटे CT/MRI और न्यूरोलॉजिस्ट उपलब्ध हों। | बिना आपातकालीन व्यवस्था वाले छोटे क्लिनिक में जाकर समय बर्बाद न करें। |
| स्ट्रोक का प्रकार | मुख्य इलाज |
| इस्केमिक स्ट्रोक (नस में थक्का) | Thrombolysis: थक्का घोलने का इंजेक्शन। Mechanical Thrombectomy: बड़ी नसों से थक्का निकालने की सर्जरी। |
| हेमरेजिक स्ट्रोक (नस का फटना) | सख्त BP नियंत्रण, खून बहना रोकने के उपाय और आवश्यकतानुसार न्यूरोसर्जरी। |
| दोनों में सामान्य देखभाल | स्ट्रोक यूनिट/ICU में निगरानी, दिमाग की सूजन रोकना और जोखिम कारकों का इलाज। |
महत्वपूर्ण: स्ट्रोक के इलाज में समय ही सबसे बड़ा कारक है। मरीज जितनी जल्दी अस्पताल पहुंचेगा, उसके ठीक होने की संभावना उतनी ही अधिक होगी। अंतिम निर्णय विशेषज्ञ डॉक्टर स्कैन और मरीज की स्थिति देखकर ही लेते हैं।
सीके बिरला अस्पताल केप्रिवेंटिव हेल्थ औरकार्डियोलॉजी विभाग में ऐसी जाँचें और जोखिम आकलन कराए जा सकते हैं।
स्थिति स्थिर होते ही अस्पताल में ही रिहैबिलिटेशन शुरू कर दिया जाता है। रिकवरी की गति स्ट्रोक की गंभीरता, प्रभावित हिस्से और मरीज की उम्र पर निर्भर करती है।
रिहैबिलिटेशन थेरेपी और उनका काम:
| थेरेपी प्रकार | मुख्य लाभ / मदद |
| फिजियोथेरेपी | हाथ-पैर की ताकत लौटना, चलना-फिरना और संतुलन सुधारना। |
| ऑक्यूपेशनल थेरेपी (Occupational Therapy) | रोजमर्रा के काम जैसे नहाना, कपड़े पहनना और खाना खाना सीखना। |
| स्पीच थेरेपी | बोलने, भाषा समझने और खाना निगलने की समस्याओं में सुधार। |
| काउंसलिंग | स्ट्रोक के बाद होने वाले डिप्रेशन, उदासी और चिंता से उबरने में मदद। |
स्ट्रोक में सबसे बड़ा फर्क लक्षण पहचानने की गति से पड़ता है। FAST याद रखना एक छोटा-सा कदम है, पर यह किसी की ज़िंदगी और चलने-बोलने की क्षमता बचा सकता है। अपने बीपी और शुगर की जांच नियमित रखें और घर के बुजुर्गों को भी ये संकेत बता दें।
अगर आपके परिवार में स्ट्रोक की मेडिकल हिस्ट्री है, या आप बीपी, शुगर जैसे जोखिमों का सामना कर रहे हैं, तो न्यूरोलॉजिस्ट से सलाह लेना उपयोगी हो सकता है। आपातकाल की स्थिति में सीधे एम्बुलेंस बुलाएं और अस्पताल में जा कर इलाज लें।
According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 2.4 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer worldwide in 2024.
When it is found early, many of these women are treated successfully and go back to their routines. Yet a significant number still reach the doctor at an advanced stage, when the cancer has already spread beyond the breast.
Often, that is because the first signs don’t look like breast cancer at all. A backache, a stubborn cough or a loss of appetite is easy to explain away. This article covers what those signs can mean and when they are worth getting checked.
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Metastatic breast cancer, also called stage 4 or advanced breast cancer, means cancer cells that began in the breast have travelled through the blood or lymph system and settled in another part of the body. The most common sites are bones, lungs, liver and brain.
Many people hold the assumption that metastatic cancer happens only in women who were diagnosed late. That is not always so. It can appear months or many years after treatment for an early-stage cancer. A small number of women are also diagnosed with stage 4 disease at the very beginning.
Another common misconception is that cancer spread always causes noticeable symptoms. But that’s not always true. Early on, signs can be vague, which is exactly why many people do not take them seriously.
Once breast cancer spreads, the symptoms usually come from the organ it reaches, not from the breast, which is why they are so easy to misread.
Bones are among the most common sites where breast cancer spreads. You may experience deep and persistent pain usually in the back, hips, ribs or thighs, and it often feels worse at night or when resting. Bone metastases can weaken the affected bone and cause pain or, sometimes, fractures. Some people develop high calcium levels, which can cause thirst, constipation and unusual drowsiness.
When breast cancer spreads to the lungs, it may cause breathing difficulties or irritation in the surrounding tissues. You may notice:
These signs can look a lot like seasonal illnesses, which is why they are easy to dismiss. If any of them does not settle after three or four weeks, it is worth getting examined.
Because the liver has few pain-sensing nerves, early spread to it may not cause any obvious symptoms. When symptoms come, they include:
Headaches that are new, steadily worsening, or worse in the morning need to be addressed timely, particularly if they come up with vomiting, blurred or double vision, confusion, weakness on one side of the body, difficulty speaking, or seizures.
An occasional headache after a stressful week is nothing to worry about. A headache that follows a new pattern, unlike anything you have had before, is worth discussing with a doctor.
Some symptoms are less specific and don’t point to any one organ. For instance, you may feel persistent fatigue, exhausted even after a full night’s sleep, lose interest in food or notice sudden weight loss without any change in diet or exercise.
Cancer itself can cause fatigue and weight loss, but so can anaemia, infections, medication side effects and other conditions. If you often feel so tired that it affects your everyday activities, or your weight keeps dropping without effort, let your healthcare team know.
The most common mistake is waiting to see if a symptom goes away on its own, usually out of fear rather than carelessness. On the other hand, some people don’t ignore symptoms at all. Instead, they worry constantly about every small ache, which is also not helpful because it causes enormous anxiety and is exhausting to live with.
A balanced approach sits between the two. Note when a symptom started, how it behaves, and whether it is changing. If it lasts more than two to three weeks without a clear reason, or if several symptoms appear together, book an appointment with a breast care specialist.
A doctor visit usually begins with a conversation about your symptoms and history, followed by a physical examination. Depending on what you describe, your doctor may recommend:
You must see a breast care doctor promptly if you have:
Get emergency help immediately if you have a sudden, severe headache, confusion, weakness, a seizure, trouble breathing, or a bone that breaks without a clear injury.
If you are a breast cancer survivor, keep up with your scheduled follow-ups, even when you feel perfectly well.
At the CK Birla Hospital, we have a dedicated ‘Breast Centre’, so your tests, treatment and follow-up are handled by the same team. Our oncology team can help you work out whether a symptom needs investigation and, if it does, guide you through each step without rushing you. A consultation is a good place to start, whatever the answer turns out to be.
योनि में खुजली, जलन या दही जैसा सफेद डिस्चार्ज होने पर कई महिलाएं घबरा जाती हैं या शर्म के कारण बात टाल देती हैं। इसका एक आम कारण योनि में यीस्ट संक्रमण (यीस्ट इंफेक्शन) हो सकता है। यह एक फंगल संक्रमण है, जो कैंडिडा नाम के फंगस के बढ़ जाने से होता है। यह गंभीर बीमारी नहीं माना जाता है और सही इलाज से आमतौर पर ठीक हो जाता है। फिर भी हर खुजली या डिस्चार्ज यीस्ट इंफेक्शन नहीं होता, इसलिए लक्षणों को पहचानना और जरूरत पड़ने पर जांच कराना जरूरी है।
अगर आपको ऐसे लक्षण दिख रहे हैं या रिपोर्ट को लेकर कोई चिंता है, तो विशेषज्ञ डॉक्टर से सलाह लेना सही कदम हो सकता है। सीके बिरला अस्पताल की स्त्री रोग विशेषज्ञ टीम ऐसे मामलों में जांच और इलाज में मदद करती है।
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योनि में कई तरह के बैक्टीरिया और थोड़ी मात्रा में कैंडिडा फंगस स्वाभाविक रूप से रहते हैं। जब तक संतुलन बना रहता है, कोई परेशानी नहीं होती। संतुलन बिगड़ने पर फंगस तेजी से बढ़ते हैं, जिसके कारण संक्रमण बन जाता है। डॉक्टर इसे वल्वोवैजाइनल कैंडिडिआसिस (vulvovaginal candidiasis) कहते हैं। लगभग 85 से 90 प्रतिशत मामलों में कारण कैंडिडा एल्बिकन्स (Candida albicans) होता है।
कितना आम है? CDC के अनुसार लगभग 75 प्रतिशत महिलाओं को जीवन में कम से कम एक बार यह संक्रमण होता है, और करीब आधी महिलाओं को एक से ज्यादा बार। यानी महिलाओं में यीस्ट संक्रमण बहुत सामान्य है और इसमें शर्मिंदगी जैसी कोई बात नहीं है।
लोग इसे यौन संचारित रोग (STI) समझ लेते हैं, लेकिन ऐसा कुछ नहीं है। हालांकि यौन संबंध के बाद कभी-कभी लक्षण शुरू हो सकते हैं। यह उन महिलाओं को भी हो सकता है जो यौन रूप से सक्रिय नहीं हैं।
यीस्ट संक्रमण के कई कारण हो सकते हैं जैसे कि –
यीस्ट संक्रमण के लक्षण हल्के भी हो सकते हैं और तेज भी। चलिए इसके सभी संभावित लक्षणों के बारे में जानते हैं –
लक्षण लगभग वही रहते हैं, लेकिन गर्भावस्था में ये अधिक आम और कभी-कभी ज्यादा तकलीफदेह हो सकते हैं, क्योंकि एस्ट्रोजन बढ़ने से योनि में फंगस के लिए अनुकूल माहौल बन जाता है। इस दौरान सफेद डिस्चार्ज बढ़ना सामान्य भी हो सकता है, इसलिए सिर्फ मात्रा देखकर नहीं, बल्कि खुजली, जलन, लालिमा और डिस्चार्ज के स्वरूप को देखकर समझें। गर्भावस्था में खुद से दवा शुरू करने के बजाय पहले डॉक्टर से पूछना जरूरी है।
यीस्ट के कारण योनि की परत में सूजन आ जाती है और फंगस व मृत कोशिकाएं मिलकर गाढ़ा, छेने जैसा सफेद स्राव बनाती हैं। हालांकि, हर सफेद डिस्चार्ज संक्रमण नहीं होता। पीरियड्स साइकिल के बीच और गर्भावस्था में पतला, बिना गंध वाला, बिना खुजली का सफेद स्राव होना पूरी तरह से सामान्य हो सकता है।
घर पर केवल लक्षणों से पक्का पता लगाना मुश्किल है, क्योंकि कई संक्रमणों के लक्षण आपस में मिलते-जुलते हैं। डॉक्टर आमतौर पर पहचान के लिए ये तरीके अपनाते हैं –
यीस्ट संक्रमण का इलाज एंटीफंगल दवाओं से होता है। ये योनि में लगाने वाली क्रीम, पेसरी या खाने वाली गोलियों के रूप में आती हैं। कौन सी दवा, कितने दिन और किस रूप में दी जाए, यह डॉक्टर लक्षणों, संक्रमण की गंभीरता और आपकी स्थिति देखकर तय करते हैं।
| स्थिति | इलाज का सामान्य तरीका |
| साधारण (पहली बार या कभी-कभार) | एंटीफंगल क्रीम/पेसरी या एक खुराक वाली खाने की दवा |
| गंभीर लक्षण | अधिक दिनों का कोर्स |
| बार-बार होने वाला संक्रमण | लंबा शुरुआती कोर्स, फिर कई महीनों तक मेंटेनेंस इलाज |
| प्रेग्नेंसी | आमतौर पर योनि में लगाने वाली दवाएं, कुछ दिनों के कोर्स में। खाने वाली एंटीफंगल दवाओं से बचा जाता है |
“कितने दिनों में ठीक होता है?” ये सवाल अक्सर पूछा जाता है। साधारण संक्रमण में दवा शुरू करने के कुछ दिनों के भीतर राहत मिलने लगती है और पूरा कोर्स आमतौर पर एक से सात दिन का होता है। राहत मिलने पर भी कोर्स पूरा करना चाहिए। गंभीर या बार-बार होने वाले संक्रमण में ज्यादा समय लग सकता है।
गर्भावस्था में इलाज योनि में लगाई जाने वाली एंटीफंगल दवाओं से किया जाता है, जो आमतौर पर सुरक्षित मानी जाती हैं और इन्हें अक्सर थोड़े लंबे कोर्स के लिए दिया जाता है। प्रसव के समय बहुत कम मामलों में शिशु के मुंह में फंगस (थ्रश) आ सकता है, जिसका इलाज आसान है। इसलिए गर्भावस्था में लक्षण दिखें तो डॉक्टर को बताएं और बिना सलाह के कोई दवा या क्रीम न लें।
घरेलू उपाय इलाज की जगह नहीं ले सकते, लेकिन कुछ आदतें राहत और बचाव में मदद करती हैं जैसे कि –
योनि के अंदर डूश (douching) करने, सिरका, लहसुन, टी-ट्री ऑयल या दही का इस्तेमाल करने से बचें। ये योनि के प्राकृतिक pH संतुलन को बिगाड़ सकते हैं और संक्रमण बढ़ा सकते हैं। दही या प्रोबायोटिक खाने से संतुलन बनाए रखने में मदद मिल सकती है, पर इसे इलाज का विकल्प न मानें।
दोनों में डिस्चार्ज और बेचैनी होती है, इसलिए लोग अक्सर इन्हें मिला देते हैं। पर इलाज अलग है, इसलिए फर्क समझना जरूरी है, जिसे आप नीचे बताए गए पहलुओं से आसानी से समझ सकते हैं –
अगर एक साल में चार या उससे ज्यादा बार संक्रमण हो, तो इसे रिकरेंट माना जाता है। इसके पीछे अनियंत्रित डायबिटीज, बार-बार एंटीबायोटिक का इस्तेमाल, हार्मोनल कारण, कमजोर इम्यूनिटी, या कभी-कभी कैंडिडा की ऐसी प्रजाति हो सकती है, जिस पर सामान्य दवा कम असर करती है। ऐसे में केवल दवा बदलने से काम नहीं चलता, कारण की जांच जरूरी है।
डायबिटीज से खतरा बढ़ सकता है, खासकर जब ब्लड शुगर लंबे समय तक ज्यादा रहे। शुगर बढ़ने पर योनि के स्राव में भी शर्करा बढ़ती है, जो फंगस को पनपने में मदद करती है। डायबिटीज की कुछ दवाएं (जैसे SGLT2 इनहिबिटर) भी जननांग के फंगल संक्रमण का जोखिम बढ़ा सकती हैं। इसलिए बार-बार संक्रमण होने पर शुगर की जांच करवाना समझदारी है।
इनमें से कोई भी स्थिति हो तो तुरंत डॉक्टर से मिलें –
योनि में यीस्ट संक्रमण आम है और सही दवा से ठीक हो जाता है। असली जरूरत इस बात की है कि लक्षणों को नजरअंदाज न करें, खुद से अंदाजे पर इलाज न करें, और गर्भावस्था या बार-बार संक्रमण की स्थिति में विशेषज्ञ की राय लें। जांच और सही इलाज के लिए आप सीके बिरला अस्पताल के स्त्री रोग विभाग में अपॉइंटमेंट ले सकती हैं।
पिछले हफ्ते माँ ने तीसरी बार पूछा कि आज कौन सा दिन है। पापा रसोई में गए तो याद नहीं आया कि क्या लेने आए थे। आपने हंसकर टाल दिया, “उम्र हो गई है।” लेकिन रात को मन में एक सवाल चुभता रहा: क्या यह सिर्फ उम्र है, या कुछ और?
अगर आप भी इन सवालों के घेरे में हैं, तो आप अकेले नहीं हैं। हर परिवार कभी न कभी इन परिस्थितियों को देखता है। सामान्य भूलने और डिमेंशिया में अंतर समझ लेने से डर कम हो सकता है और सही फैसला लेना आसान हो जाता है। अगर आपके मन में शक है, तो हमारे अनुभवी विशेषज्ञ से आज ही अपॉइंटमेंट बुक करें, क्योंकि जल्दी जांच से आगे की राह आसान हो जाती है।
Table of Contents
हां, थोड़ा भूलना उम्र के साथ आम बात है। 60 के बाद दिमाग नई जानकारी को थोड़ी धीमी रफ्तार से प्रोसेस करता है। किसी का नाम जुबान पर आकर अटक जाना, चश्मा कहां रखा यह याद न रहना, या कोई तारीख भूल जाना, ये सब उम्र बढ़ने से होने वाली सामान्य भूल की श्रेणी में आते हैं। फर्क यह है कि थोड़ी देर बाद या किसी के याद दिलाने पर बात याद आ जाती है, और आपकी रोजमर्रा की जिंदगी पर असर नहीं पड़ता।
लेकिन यहां एक जरूरी बात है। भारत में डिमेंशिया पर हुई एक रिपोर्ट के अनुसार डिमेंशिया उम्र के साथ बढ़ता जरूर है, पर यह बुढ़ापे की सामान्य पहचान नहीं है। यानी हर बुज़ुर्ग को डिमेंशिया नहीं होता, और इसे “बस उम्र का असर” मानकर छोड़ देना सही नहीं है।
डिमेंशिया कोई एक बीमारी नहीं है, बल्कि लक्षणों का समूह है। WHO के अनुसार यह आमतौर पर धीरे-धीरे बढ़ने वाली स्थिति है, जो याददाश्त, सोचने, समझने, भाषा और निर्णय लेने की क्षमता को उम्र से अपेक्षित स्तर से ज़्यादा कमज़ोर कर देती है। अल्जाइमर इसका सबसे आम कारण है। दूसरा बड़ा कारण वैस्कुलर डिमेंशिया है, जो दिमाग तक खून पहुंचाने वाली नसों की समस्या से होता है और सीधे हृदय व रक्त संचार की सेहत से जुड़ा है।
WHO का अनुमान है कि दुनिया में 55 मिलियन से ज्यादा लोग डिमेंशिया के साथ जी रहे हैं, और 2030 तक यह संख्या 78 मिलियन हो सकती है, जो इसे गंभीर स्थिति बनाती है। भारत में ARDSI की रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक 2020 में 60 साल से ऊपर के लगभग 53 लाख लोगों को डिमेंशिया था, और 2030 तक यह आंकड़ा 76 लाख तक पहुँचने का अनुमान है।
अक्सर लोग भूलने की बीमारी और डिमेंशिया में अंतर समझ नहीं पाते। इस टेबल से स्थिति आपके मन में साफ हो जाएगी –
| पहलू | सामान्य भूलना | डिमेंशिया |
| भूलने का तरीका | कभी-कभार, फिर याद आ जाता है। | बार-बार, अक्सर याद नहीं आता |
| क्या भूलते हैं | नाम, चाबी, कोई छोटी बात | हाल की बातचीत, अपॉइंटमेंट, परिवार के सदस्य |
| रोजमर्रा के काम | सामान्य रूप से चलते हैं। | खाना बनाना, बिल भरना, दवा लेना मुश्किल होता है। |
| रास्ता/जगह | कभी-कभी कन्फ्यूजन | पहचानी जगह पर भी खो जाना |
| बातचीत | बात करते समय शब्द अटकना | बार-बार वही सवाल पूछना, बात समझाने में दिक्कत |
| स्वभाव | कोई बड़ा बदलाव नहीं | चिड़चिड़ापन, शक, उदासी, अजीब व्यवहार |
| जागरूकता | व्यक्ति खुद स्वीकार करता है कि उससे भूल हुई है। | अक्सर व्यक्ति को अपनी समस्या का अहसास नहीं होता। |
| समय के साथ | स्थिर रहता है। | धीरे-धीरे बढ़ता है। |
आसान भाषा में कहें तो चाबी कहाँ रखी है, यह भूलना सामान्य है। चाबी का क्या करना है, यह भूल जाना चिंता की बात है।
डिमेंशिया के लक्षण शुरू में इतने हल्के होते हैं कि परिवार अक्सर उन्हें नजरअंदाज कर देता है। इन संकेतों पर ध्यान दें –
डिमेंशिया की पहचान में सबसे अहम बात यह है कि ये बदलाव व्यक्ति के पुराने व्यवहार से अलग हो और रोज के जीवन में रुकावट डालें। एक-दो लक्षण दिखने का मतलब डिमेंशिया नहीं है, लेकिन कई लक्षण साथ दिखे तो जांच जरूरी है।
निम्नलिखित स्थितियों में देर न करें और तुरंत डॉक्टरी सहायता लें –
डॉक्टर आमतौर पर याददाश्त की स्क्रीनिंग, खून की जांच और जरूरत पड़ने पर MRI या CT स्कैन करवाते है। जल्दी जांच का सीधा फायदा यह है कि इलाज योग्य कारण पकड़ में आ जाते हैं और परिवार को देखभाल की तैयारी का समय मिलता है।
बिल्कुल, और यह राहत की बात है। हर भूलना डिमेंशिया नहीं होता। इन वजहों से भी याददाश्त कमजोर लग सकती है –
इनमें से कई कारण इलाज से ठीक हो जाते हैं। इसलिए स्वयं निष्कर्ष निकालने की जगह जांच कराना सबसे समझदारी भरा कदम है।
डिमेंशिया के साथ अक्सर शर्म और डर जुड़े रहते हैं, इसलिए लोग जांच टालते हैं। लेकिन डॉक्टर के पास जाना कमज़ोरी नहीं, अपने प्रियजन के प्रति जिम्मेदारी है। अगर आप या आपके घर में कोई भूलने की समस्या का सामना कर रहा है, तो अकेले चिंता न करें। हमारे विशेषज्ञ से अपॉइंटमेंट बुक करें और जानें कि आप उनके अच्छे स्वास्थ्य के लिए क्या कर सकते हैं।
