Staying up late at night intentionally is not insomnia. If you find it difficult to fall asleep, or cannot sleep soundly for long, then it is indeed a case of insomnia. The inability to sleep can have terrible repercussions on your physical and psychological health.

A number of reasons could cause insomnia. Understanding the causes could help you identify your sleeplessness as insomnia and seek treatment right away.

What Health Issues cause Insomnia?

Here are some health problems of both the mind and body that can keep you awake  

  Stress Chronic stress and worry born out of our tense lives is a direct cause of insomnia. Long-term anxiety, panic disorders, as well as PTSD can induce sleeplessness.

  Irregular Sleep Patterns Your body would hate it if you deviate from the Circadian Rhythm   the body clock. It regulates the functions of your body, including your sleep patterns. But if you defy your body clock by sleeping at irregular hours   suppose you are staying up late to get some extra work done, or you may have opted for a night shift, or if you are experiencing a jet lag   then you will notice that when it is finally time for you to hit the bed, sleep will be elusive.

  Depression Depression is a horrific psychological disorder that makes a person lose interest in life itself. And one of the indicators of depression is loss of sleep. It is not just depression, but also other illnesses that cause psychological turbulence such as bipolar disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorders, triggering insomnia.

  Breathing Issues Sleep apnoea is a dangerous disorder that stops your breathing multiple times every night and will wake you up every time. Yet you will possibly not even remember waking up. However, this does disturb the quality of your sleep and affects your health adversely.

  Dementia Dementia is accompanied by a gradual loss of memory. But sometimes people who are suffering from dementia display anxiety, restlessness or even aggressive behaviour when it is time for them to go to bed. This is called the sundown syndrome and it might even keep them up all night.

  Pain Pain is one of the commonest reasons for losing sleep. Pain can originate due to any number of reasons   arthritis, a sprained joint, an injury, or if you are undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy, then it may keep you awake at night. This is actually a vicious circle because the inability to sleep will aggravate your pain. Talk to your doctor who will prescribe the appropriate pain medication.

  Parkinson s disease This disease is another reason behind insomnia. Parkinson s disease interferes with your nerve signals and this might cause disruption in your sleep.

  Menopause When a woman inches closer to her menopause, her body reduces the production of oestrogen and progesterone. This imbalance of hormones can trigger sleep loss.

How long can you go without sleeping?

There is no data on how long a human can function without sleep. The longest someone stayed awake is 11 days. Usually, the body cannot last that long without some sound shut-eye. Your brain flushes out the waste matter its cells produce during sleep. That is why even 24 hours without sleep can make your brain sluggish and disoriented. If you stay awake for more than 48 hours at a stretch, your cognitive abilities will start failing you. Sleep is instrumental to a healthy mind and body. If you are experiencing insomnia, talk to a doctor immediately or look up some remedies.

Health Problems That Keep You Awake!

Epilepsy is a form of chronic disorder and it is characterized by recurrent seizures. The episodes of epileptic seizures may differ from person to person. These seizures could be a result of a genetic disorder or a result of trauma or stroke. During a seizure, a patient may also experience symptoms of neurological disorders and sometimes lose consciousness.

Medical help for epilepsy
Epilepsy itself cannot be cured using medication, but proper medicines help in eliminating recurrent seizures. These medicines stabilize the electrical activity within the brain preventing seizures.

How effective is the medication for epilepsy?
The success of controlling seizures using medicines depends on the type and severity of epilepsy. Medicines for epilepsy are usually very effective and may fully keep seizures under control. However, controlling seizures caused due to brain problems may be more difficult. Usually, epilepsy medicines can control seizures for a long period of time when they are taken regularly.

When is medical help needed?
The decision about when to start medicines for epilepsy is a tricky one. This is because a first seizure cannot confirm whether a person has an on-going epilepsy problem. A second seizure may occur after many years or may not happen at all. Prediction of seizures is also quite difficult.

The severity of seizures also indicates when to start medicines for treatment. In case a first seizure is quite severe, medication should be started at once. Some people have very mild seizures even though they may be recurring in nature, and medication can be avoided in this situation.

The decision of starting medication will vary from case to case and in most cases, medications may be prudent after the first seizure itself. You should always consult a doctor to know when you need to start taking medicines to treat the condition.

For making the most out of the medicines to control seizures, you should follow certain steps:

You must take medications exactly as your doctor has prescribed.
Before switching to generic versions of your medicines or before taking other prescribed medicines, you must consult your doctor.
You should never stop taking the medicines.
In case you experience enhanced depression, mood swings and suicidal thoughts, you should talk to your doctor immediately.
In case you have the migraine, you should let your doctor know so that he can prescribe you anti-epileptic medicines, which also prevent migraines.
Medicines cannot treat the underlying cause of epilepsy, but these help in controlling seizures and this is the most common symptom of epilepsy. Medication should be started at a proper time and must be continued without stopping.

Epilepsy - When To Seek Medical Help?

It's International Women s Day yet again. A time to celebrate women s accomplishments- both those of legendary creators including Mother Teresa, Kiran Bedi, Anuradha Koirala   the anti-sex-trafficking activist & Mary Kom to name a few and the women in our lives who mentor and inspire us every day. It s a day to celebrate our journey towards gender equality and women empowerment.

This year s International Women s Day theme is  Time is Now: Rural and urban activists transforming women's lives.  It comes on the heels of unprecedented global movement for women s rights, equality, and justice. The theme has taken the global campaigns and marches on issues ranging from sexual harassment and femicide to equal pay and women s political representation.

Women still have a long way to go to attain equality and non-discrimination from her male counterparts. 2018 International Women s day is an 'iron in the fire opportunity' to bring a call to action to entrust women with what they actually deserve, not only in a particular sector but to every woman who resides in urban as well as rural areas. It is a step to respect and appreciate the women who step out every day for the livelihood of their families and kids - a step to stop casual sexism faced by urban women in the workplace.

Women, experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace, not only bear strained relationships with their counterparts but also are at risk of numerous health problems. Let us know about the health effects of sexual harassment:

Depression: Self-doubt and criticism can lead to depression and loss of interest in work or other activities. Women also experience loss of self-confidence and feelings of failure & powerlessness.
Anxiety: Many women feel anxious about going to work, communicating with co-workers or being involved in social situations.
Insomnia: Sexual harassment trauma can cause nightmares and may lessen the woman's ability to sleep properly.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Studies say that sexual harassment meets the Criteria A1 and A2 of PTSD. The stress of sexual harassment may cause a woman to relive the trauma even when it is not happening, or avoid things or people that remind her of the sexual harassment.
The International Women s Day echoes a word for transforming the lives of women with a bold determination not just on papers but in reality to support the women all around the globe. Many working women have sad tales to tell as they are exploited at a very high level, and they actually lead a stressful life in comparison to their male counterparts.

So, the spotlight this year is to fight against the injustice that most women face every day and to bring about a change that will be remembered for years and will outshine the lives of such women who devote themselves for the livelihood of their families.

Join a campaign, embrace your inner activist and empower the women in your life...

The #TimeisNow To-

Raise your voice
Support each other
Share the workload
Get involved
Educate the next generation
Know your rights

#TimeIsNow - This International Women's Day, Empower The Woman In Your Life! 

Dealing with Migraine through Homeopathy

A migraine is a headache that causes a distinct pulsating pain, usually in one side of the head. It is different from normal headaches in the sense that the pain is much more intense and it may be accompanied by nausea or vomiting as well. Some patients have also complained about light sensitivity while others have also complained about pain in all areas of the head.

Some of the factors that separate a migraine from a normal headache are as follows:

While a headache may last at best a day, migraines may last longer, sometimes even up to 3 days.

- Feelings of nausea or actual vomiting
- Sensitivity to light
- Extreme sensitivity to changes in sound

Causes Behind Migraines

Some of the common and known causes, which may trigger migraines in people are:

- Hormonal changes in the body that may have adverse effects
- Dehydration is also known to trigger migraines
- Patients with hypoglycemia may also face migraines if the blood sugar level drops within their body
- Change in air pressure due to change in altitude may also cause migraines to appear
- Lack of sleep
- Stress
- Lifestyle issues such as smoking and excessive alcohol consumption.

Remedies for Migraine in Homeopathy

Migraine is treated in homeopathy by attacking the root causes that may trigger them. Rather than temporarily alleviating pain, homeopathic treatments aim at curing the problem completely.

Some of the medicines that are known to be effective are:

Natrum Mur: This provides great relief from migraines, which may have been caused by stress. Also, if a proper dosage is taken, it can help cure it as well.

Belladonna: This had been known to be a great provider of relief for people who regularly face throbbing headaches.

Glonoine: For people who frequently have migraines due to congestion of the sinuses, this medicine has been known to be very effective.

Spigelia: To treat migraines in the left side of the head.

Sanguinaria: Is highly effective for situations where the migraine is on the right side of the head.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

Dealing with Migraine through Homeopathy

On a normal, run-of-the-mill day, most people go about their daily chores in a mundane manner and then one day they get a splitting headache, and everything comes to a standstill, because even thinking about it seems like a chore. That s because headaches that refuse to go away could be migraines.

It is good to know that the field of homeopathy has some solutions which go a long way in improving the abilities of the body to resist migraines. However, there is a lot of ambiguity in the minds of many people with respect to what a migraine is, and how it differs from a normal headache.

What is a migraine?
A migraine usually forms on one side of the head. Also, the cause which is most directly attributable is that the blood vessels begin to dilate. It may be surprising for many people to know that allopathy looks to only reduce the ill effects of the migraine instead of curing the root cause. As a result, a lot of people are steering towards homeopathy as the solution when they have run out of options with other ways to treat migraines. In fact, they turn to homeopathy when they have spent way too much time and money suffering without addressing the main problem.

How homeopathy helps?
There are about seven different medicines or medicinal compounds in homeopathy which can be made use of to treat migraines. Considering the fact that homeopathy is a much customised field of medicine, the course of treatment may also include a combination of various medicines if the situation demands this.

Homeopathy is also great when it comes to migraines as it can seek to treat the main or core issue while also reducing the havoc which is wrecked by the symptoms of a migraine. The fact of the matter is that a migraine can be caused by a large variety of things or triggers. Only homeopathy has a way to address these in the most comprehensive manner possible.

One of the many great things when it comes to using homeopathy to cure migraines is the fact that there are no side effects. On the other hand, certain medicines from the field of allopathy can be the causes of migraines themselves. These medicines are usually made use of, ironically, to suppress pain.

There is a troubling cocktail of stress, eye strain and loud noise to which a lot of people are exposed today. As a result, there is a much greater incidence of migraines. However, if a person is willing to stay dedicated to homeopathic treatment, there is a lot of respite in sight!

Migraine - Role Of Homeopathy in Treating it!

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative condition that affects your brain cells which produce dopamine and thus hampering all kinds of motor functioning and other emotional responses. After the disease is diagnosed, medication and therapy can help to provide relief from the symptoms to a large extent but a permanent cure is not possible.

Causes:

The disorder does not have a definite set of causes. A small percentage of the cases have been related to hereditary factors and others have a range of environmental causes associated with them.

1. Genetic factors:

Specific gene mutations and gene variations have been proved to cause Parkinson's, such as SNCA, PARK2, PARK7, PINK1 and LRRK2. These make or recycle proteins which are linked to the disease.

Research shows that men are at a 1.75 times greater risk of developing the condition than women are. Also, age plays a role with most cases occurring after the age of 60.

2. Environmental factors:

Regular exposure to inorganic insecticides, pesticides, herbicides and heavy metals or other toxins may cause the disorder. In rare cases, Parkinson's disease occurs in the aftermath of a severe head injury or immune disorders.

Symptoms:

The symptoms can be classified into two broad categories-

1. Motor symptoms:

The hand tremors when in resting position
The grip loosens
Walking slows down
Facial muscles freeze partially
Speech is slurred
Balance is disturbed
Swallowing is painful
Urination is abnormally frequent
Dementia-like symptoms are seen
There is involuntary twitching of the fingers and toes
Repetition of the same movement in quick succession is nearly impossible
2. Non-motor symptoms:

Dental problems
Vision impairment
Skin disorders
Panic attacks
Excessive secretion of saliva
Extreme weight loss or gain
Sexual problems
Loss of sense of smell
Lowering of the pitch of the voice
Fatigue

Causes and Symptoms of Parkinson's Disease

Don't wait any longer, manage your Neurophysiologist online with a Lybrate doctor today

Consult for Neurophysiologist - Online and Easy!

FilterClear All

COMMON SPECIALITIES

COMMON ISSUES