Covid-19 and arthritis

Covid-19 has caused much loss to people over the past 3 years with many deaths and loss of business opportunities being reported. Today’s Health Capsule will focus on how Covid-19 has affected the lives of patients with arthritis. Delving deep into the topic, Consultant in Rheumatology and Rehabilitation at the Matara General Hospital, Dr. Himantha Atukorale explained how Covid-19 has compromised the lives of patients with arthritis.

Tackling brain injuries at ETU

Emergency Departments of hospitals across Sri Lanka receive a large number of patients with brain-injury daily and the manner in which these crucial cases are tackled vary depending on the scenario.

COVID-19 can cause brain shrinkage, memory loss - study

COVID-19 can cause the brain to shrink, reduce grey matter in the regions that control emotion and memory, and damage areas that control the sense of smell, an Oxford University study has found.

Don’t be short-sighted about treatment to blindness

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness and the most common cause of irreversible blindness globally. It silently robs your eyesight even before you feel it.

Immunization of Haemophilic patients against Covid-19

The wave of Covid 19 pandemic is still in the process of hitting the shores and creating a significant impact on our day to day lives and new normalcy run by several adaptations to this critical time is trying to cope up with the challenges, at its best.

“To hear for life, listen with care”

Hearing is one of the most important human senses. It helps us stay connected with our family, friends, colleagues, and the surrounding environment.

Another life-saving Covid drug identified

UK’s medical experts say they have found another life-saving drug that can help people ill with Covid.

A topic commonly overlooked

Impotence can be simply understood as the inadequate erection of penis for the purpose of sexual intercourse. Though a rarity to talk about it’s rather a very important topic lying beneath the carpet due to the hesitancy to discuss anything in relevance to our sexual lives.

Is there cause for concern?

‘Fever fits’ is a relatively common childhood condition in very young children. While it rarely affects a child’s growth and development there are many myths obscuring this condition, giving it a sinister aura. In this issue of Health Capsule we have consulted Dr. Kavinda Dayasiri, Consultant Paediatrician and Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, Ragama, to enlighten readers on this condition.

Don’t worry about those white patches anymore!

A prominent white patch on your skin may discourage you from leading a normal life. You may feel like you’re the centre of attraction; that people seem to be distancing themselves from you. The stigma revolving around vitiligo is such that people continue to think that it is a contagious health condition. But in reality, it is not.

COVID raises risk of mental health problems

Psychological stress from the pandemic may be widespread, but those who had COVID-19 are at much higher risk for new mental health problems than individuals who have managed to avoid the virus, according to a new study.

Prevention starts young

Pregnancy is a joyful news for many and is sometimes a long-awaited news for some, but the entire duration of pregnancy is one that should be spent with much care. Prenatal infections, also known as infections that occur before the birth of the baby,

Cannabis compound CBD stops coronavirus in test tube, but can it treat COVID?

Early research suggesting that a popular non-psychoactive compound derived from marijuana might help prevent or treat COVID-19 warrants further investigation in rigorous clinical trials, researchers say. Several recent laboratory studies of cannabidiol,

Surgery as a cure for Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterised by abnormal brain activity which results in seizures or periods of unusual behaviour, abnormal jerking movements and, in some cases, loss of consciousness.

What you need to know about treatment and follow-up

The news that one’s child suffers from a congenital heart condition would not sit well with any caring and loving parent because a child is the most precious gift they could ever ask for. Explaining the intricacies of congenital heart conditions Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist of the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children,

Getting high at your own risk

The dialogue on legalising cannabis has taken centre stage in the Sri Lankan and global context as it has been portrayed as an income-generating enterprise.

First woman reported cured of HIV after stem cell transplant

A U.S. patient with leukemia has become the first woman and the third person to date to be cured of HIV after receiving a stem cell transplant from a donor who was naturally resistant to the virus that causes AIDS.

Cardiovascular Disease Associated with Post- COVID condition

cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause for global mortality; which is estimated at17.9 million lives per annum, according to the WHO.

All you need to know about weaning

While breast milk plays a crucial role as the sole source of food and nutrition since the day a baby is born, after a certain age, breast milk alone cannot fulfill the nutritional requirement for his/her growth. This is where the proper introduction of other sources of food, also called complementary feeding, comes into play. This is why we decided to discuss about complementary feeding, in today’s Health Capsule. Joining us is Dr. Maheshaka Wija

Spread some love to people with Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a neurological condition involving the brain that makes people susceptible to having recurrent seizures. A seizure occurs when part of the brain receives a burst of abnormal electrical signals that temporarily interrupts normal electrical brain function. Some of the common symptoms include staring, jerking movements of the arms and legs, stiffening of the body, loss of consciousness, breathing problems or breathing stops, sudden fall

COVID-19 + Dengue in Children?

With the Omicron strain of COVID-19 raging on, and Strain 3 of Dengue having a possibility of becoming the predominant dengue virus strain in Sri Lanka, what would happen if a child is diagnosed with COVID-19 and dengue at the same time?

Palliative care is a human right

Every living being aspires to end their journey of life with less suffering and more dignity. In fact everybody deserves to have a dignified death.

Wonders are possible with generosity and empathy

World Cancer day is marked on the February 4 worldwide. Cancer is a critical health and human issue. Whilst we live in a time of great advancements in cancer prevention diagnosis and treatment, many people who seek cancer care encounter barriers in many ways.

Long Covid: Hidden lung damage spotted on scans

Some people with long Covid may have hidden damage to their lungs, a small pilot study in the UK suggests.

Dengue Strain 3 is on the rise!

With schools re-opening after a long time, there could be many mosquito breeding sites in the premises such as inside pipes, in car parks,

Pandemic causes delay in Leprosy management

On the last Sunday of January, the World Leprosy Day (WLD) is celebrated to commemorate people who have experienced leprosy, to erase the stigma surrounding the disease and to raise awareness of the disease. In 2022, World Leprosy Day is observed on January 30 under the theme. “United for Dignity”. According to the WHO, the campaign calls for unity in honoring the dignity of people who have experienced leprosy.

Preventing falls in the elderly

Falls among the elderly are a common occurrence and contribute to significant morbidity and over time, mortality. With advanced age, it gets increasingly difficult for the body to heal and the fragile frame makes the body more vulnerable to injury. Recurrent falls may indicate an underlying cause, which will have to be identified and treated.

Booster jab gives 90% Covid protection, study says

Booster doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines offer improved protection against hospitalisations due to Covid-19 variants, new studies show.

More COVID cases among children

As schools reopened while adhering to health guidelines a spike in COVID cases in children has been observed. “About a month ago we only had five or six patients but the numbers have now increased to 30,” opined Dr. Deepal Perera, Consultant Paediatrician at Lady Ridgeway Hospital. “Dengue cases too were on the rise and we have around 30-40 children in wards who have been diagnosed with dengue,” said Dr. Perera.

The impact of Covid-19 on eye-health

The Covid-19 pandemic finally seems to be achieving a controlled state but its effects on different systems of our body still continue to haunt us in both direct and indirect ways.