Sohana Hospital Mohali

  Case 3 : Choking & Asphyxiation Asphyxiation happens when the body is deprived of oxygen, which can result in unconsciousness or death due to suffocation. Step 1 : Notice the first signs of choking. Gagging, wheezing, turning blue in the face, waving of the arms and looking panicked are all signs of choking. Step 2 : Administer the Heimlich Maneuver.  Stand behind the person and make them lean forward.  Put your arms around their waist and clench your fist and place it between their (navel) and rib cage.  Grab your fist with your other hand. Pull sharply first backward and upward under the person’s rib cage in quick thrusts. Repeat until the object is out of the trachea.    Case 4 : Burns  A burn wound occurs when the skin and skin tissue comes in contact with heat or radioactive electricity or comes in contact with skin corroding chemicals.  There are degrees to burn wounds and they are a...

All living things possess the tendency to respond to fears. The part of the brain that responds to this fear is the amygdala ; the abode of the freeze, flight or fight response. When an emergency or threatful situation arises, it is the amygdala that gets activated and sends a gush of hormones, namely adrenaline and cortisol, across our body. The brain functioning is so intricate and efficient that the time used to generate this response is a little less than a fraction of a second. But, most people do not work efficiently under pressure. This feeling of threat hinders the clarity in their thought process and they are more susceptible to making mistakes or falter in their level of judgment. But taking timely action with presence of mind, are good qualities of a first responder.  Let us learn in all the ways we can be an ideal first responder for common situations of emergencies.  Discretion for the readers : First aid training and knowledge of being a first responder cannot m...

There is festive cheer all around us. Beautifully decorated marketplaces, restaurants with lip smacking menu especially curated for the holiday season. Cookies, sweets, baked goods, dishes with pleasing umami flavours, freshly concocted cocktails. Now all this may taste great on the receptors of our tongues but so immensely harmful for our heart.  This overindulgence in foods rich in salts, fats and levels of ethanol has given birth to a new problem called the Holiday Heart Syndrome . It was Philip Ettinger who coined this term in 1978 after having discovered an immediate connection between alcohol consumption and arrhythmia. Binge drinking as it is often called, is the excessive consumption of ethanol, beyond permissible limits, causes heart attacks during the festive season.  Let us discuss the side effects caused due to binge eating and drinking -  ·          Palpitations ·          Arrhyth...

  Diagnosis is the most important aspect of medicine. Diagnosis is the act of identification of the nature of the illness through the help of the patient’s symptoms. The nature of the illness then helps in ascertaining the course of treatment required to treat the illness which is also known as Prognosis, in medical terms. Diagnosis may vary symptom to symptom; however, the correct way to go about diagnosis is conducting medical examinations which include blood tests, urine tests, scans and other parameters to judge the physical health of the patient. Now, let us discuss various types of basic tests that are commonly prescribed by doctors to ascertain the nature and intensity of the ailment. ·          Urinalysis - This test is deemed important by doctors in patients with complaints related to the kidney, liver or pancreas. This test has 3 stages of examination namely visual examination- conducted to check clarity and colour of urin...

  Joint problems are persistent all year round for chronic patients but as is often noticed, joint problems prominently show up during the winters for the general population. People are often found complaining of knee pains, shoulder and back stiffness during the colder months. The Chief at Sohana Hospital, Mohali, North India’s no.1 multi-speciality hospital , discusses how lack of mobility during the winters is one of the leading reasons why people develop joint pains. Keeping the body mobile and fully functioning can keep the blood circulation in check and lessen the stiffness caused by the cold weather. Doctors also recommend people to -  Putting on adequate clothes and many layers of woolen fabric or as is required to keep oneself warm, should be encouraged. A warm water bath is recommended during the winters.  Warm oil massages keeps the circulation of the blood regulated. Oils like lavender oil, camphor oil, ginger oil, eucalyptus o...

  Childbirth is one of the most beautiful and enriching experiences for parents. The joy that these parents feel is inimitable and sacred. However, the conundrum begins after the child is born. Most infants are born with weakened immunity and require good neonatal care to survive and not immediately fall sick after their birth.  There is a list of vaccinations that are prescribed to all newborn babies including some of which need to be administered within 24 hours of the birth of the infant. For the convenience of the audience, this article can be used as a checklist for anxious parents with a newborn at home. Birth- The first shot to be administered is the Hepatitis B vaccine, BCG, OPV Polio which protects your child from getting infected with this virus from hospital staff or other family members at home. 2.             1-2 Months- Hepatitis B (dose 2) , Diphtheria, tetanus, and whoopin...

  It is impossible to start your day without looking at a gadget in this day and age. Be it opening your e-newspapers, tracking your water intake throughout the day or even reading this article, there are apps for everything and everything is digital. Amidst this huge digital wave, have you ever noticed your eyes squinting at almost anything you look at? Have you also observed a cloudy patch near your eyes? Watch out! There might be a need for medical intervention.   Now, there is no need to be frightened. Knowledge is the fastest way we may be able to pick up early signs of Cataract . Let us discuss some of them below - Blurred vision- This is one of the more common symptoms found in patients with the need for a cataract surgery. In this symptom, images may always often appear hazy, cloudy or otherwise simply vague. Sensitivity to light - Ever find yourself getting bothered by exposure to oncoming headlights at night? This could be one symptom of...

  All tears aren’t necessarily bad. Tears are in fact empirically proven to be essential for maintaining adequate eye health. With the absence of tears, we put ourselves at a high risk of eye infections and corneal bacteria. These infections could cause corneal ulcers, inflammation in the eye and vision loss (in extreme cases).The most common symptoms include scratchiness, stinging and burning sensation in the eye. Alongside these, many people face tiredness and blurred vision. All these symptoms are indicative of the dry eye disease or dryness in the eyes. We are looking at a whooping 25% of the population who have the dry eye disease.  Now that we know a little about this problem, let us also understand ways in which this problem could be managed both temporarily & permanently. Some of the ways in which dry eyes can be managed at home is by using over the counter eye drops prescribed by an ophthalmologist.  Apart from this, proper nutritional inta...

According to a study conducted by Globocon 2020, every 4 minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer in India. This is alarming because this number still does not account for all the women who do not have the access to proper health care for this screening. This number could be in thousands or millions, one cannot ascertain precisely. This article is especially addressed to all those women who do not have the resources or the access. This is your guide to be able to examine yourself under any conditions, anywhere with just the use of your own hands. Here is a step by step guide for Breast self examination (BSE)- 1.     Be unclothed on the upper part of your body and raise either of your arms above your head. In this position, the elbow should protrude outwardly and your hands should support your head. 2.     Now, with the help of your fingers (excluding the thumb) gently press down at the area of your armpit right up till the breast of the side ...

  Instillinghealthy habits within your child from an early age helps in their better growth and development. This is because they ensure your child adopts a lifestyle that doesn't make him/her compromise on their health and eat healthily. No doubt, these habits have a crucial role in maintaining the bone health of your child. Good eating habits for your child contribute to their nourishment and keep the bones strong. Consequently, they won't suffer from bone weakness later in their life.   More physical activity   Many children and teenagers are highly susceptible to juvenile osteoporosis. If your child is between 8 years to 15 years of age, they have a high chance of getting affected if their bones are weak. Walking and other exercises that involve physical activity help to treat pediatric osteoporosis. Even if your child is more than 15 years of age, regular exercise is important for him or her. This will give them strong bones while they enter adulthood. ...

  How to maintain heart-healthy habits?   One of the most common causes of death across the world is heart disease . Many people, each year, die due to one or other heart ailments that have been overlooked for a long. However, only a few people take an extra step towards securing their heart health. If you are one of those people looking forward to maintaining good heart health, here are a few tips for the same.   Balanced diet   With modernization, people have adopted habits that harm their health badly. Their lifestyle includes habits like skipping meals or relying more on junk food rather than a healthy meals. Well, when you get into a habit of having a balanced diet, your body gets the fuel in the right quantity. When your body gets the required nutrients and minerals through your regular meal, the heart remains in good health for sure.   Cut down the stress   The modern lifestyle brings along a lot of workload and stress with it in everyone's lives. Wh...

  Of all the medical conditions that exist, one of the most common ones is allergy . Many people have an allergy to dust or intermittent particles in the surrounding air. No doubt, allergies during a change of season and especially during winters are very much common. While the winter season is a favorite of many, winter allergies may make you feel awful and miserable. Without much ado, let's shed some light on the most common tips and treatments to prevent allergies during the winter season.   Main cause of allergy   When the immune system overreacts to certain substances present in the environment, an allergy may occur. Allergens are the biggest factor causing allergies and they are of varying types. Dander and pollens are the most common allergens resulting in severe allergies. If you do not take timely treatment for your allergy, the consequences may be the presence of a chronic condition.   Ways to prevent allergy   You may start using a ...