1,
What care should be taken by relatives of a bedridden patient?
- It is important that the patient is encouraged to leave the bed as early as possible. If possible it is better to sit in chair or to start to walk for small distance with support as early as possible.
- Patients who remained bed ridden for long time are likely to develop certain problems like bed sore, clotting of blood in veins of legs, deficiency of calcium etc.
- Relatives should use air bed or water bed to prevent bed sores.
- There should be change of posture every half hourly.
- Patient’s bed sheet should be clean and without creases.
- Everyday proper sponging followed by powder application to be done and if any part seen red it need to be ensured that it should not remain under pressure. Even if there is a superficial bedsore occurs immediate dressing and treatment should be started to prevent it from worsening.
- To prevent blood clotting in veins daily knee and ankle exercises should be done and if the calf appeared swollen or red, should be immediately informed to treating doctor.
- If patient has catheter for urine or hold for respiration (Tracheotomy) then proper care of it should be taken.
- Relatives should take precautions to clean the hands and surroundings to prevent any infection to patient.
- Patient’s eye and mouth cleanliness shall be maintained. And eye drops and mouth wash shall be used daily
- The food will be given only in sitting or head up position.
- If during giving food patient has coughing or food coming out from nose the doctor should be immediately informed.
- Constipation is common in bedridden patients. If patient did not pass stool more than two days please inform the doctor.
- By this simple measure we can prevent bed sores, urinary catheter infection, clotting of blood in veins of legs and aspiration of food in lungs in bed ridden patients.
2,
What are the Do's & Don'ts for a patient with Epilepsy ?
DO’S
• Do take your medications exactly as directed. They nelp in preventing seizures.
• Inform your family and friends what to do when you have seizure.
• Eat well. Good nutrition can give you energy and make you feel better.
• Control stress. Keeping stress levels low can help you cope better with epilepsy.
• Get enough sleep. If you have trouble sleeping, talk to your doctor.
• Exercise often. It can help you stay healthy.
• Do keep an updated list of all medications you are taking and show it to your doctor. Also, keep a list of all epilepsy medications you’ve tried.
• Do know that some epilepsy medications interfere with birth control pills.
• Do store pills as recommended.
DON’TS
• Don’t drive/ride alone.
• Don’t drink alcohol
• Don’t wim alone. Swim with friends or make sure there is a lifeguard nearby.
• Don’t keep sharp objects and furnitures in the house.
• Don’t operate heavy machinery, and consider a job that is safe for you.
• Don’t stop taking your medications, skip a dose, or change your medication dose without your doctor’s approval.
• Don’t change medication brands without your doctor’s approval.
• Don’t take any medicine on your own without your doctor’s approval.
3,
What to do when someone has a seizure or convulsion ?
DO’S :
• Stay calm and remain with the person until recovery is complete.
• Make the person as comfortable as possible, help the person lie down, loosen the clothes, remove the spectacles and cushion the head to avoid injury.
• Turn the body to one side, so that saliva, dentures or vomit can come out of the mouth and prevent choking.
• Prevent injury by ensuring that there is nothing within reach that could harm the person if he/she struck it.
• Pay attention to the length of seizure and subsequently inform the doctor about the same; if the seizure continues for more than 5 minutes, seek emergency help (call an ambulance).
• Explain anything that the person may have missed. Do not assume that the person is aware of what is happening or what has happened.
DON’TS
• Do not restrain the person – Do not hold the person down even if the person having a seizure thrashes around.
• Do not put anything in the person’s mouth. Contrary to popular belief, a person having a seizure will not swallow their tongue.
• Do not give the person water, medicine, or food until fully alert or conscious.
• Do not act in a way that could frighten them, such as making abrupt movements or shouting at them.
• Do not allow people to crowd around the person; open all windows to allow fresh air.
4,
Which tests are performed by Neurologists/ Neurophysicians?
- Neurologists usually perform various tests (called electrophysiological tests) like EEG (electroencephalography), NCS/ NCV (nerve conduction study/ velocity), EMG (electromyography), VEP (visual evoked potentials), and BAER (brainstem auditory evoked responses).
- EEG is helpful in cases having convulsions, epilepsy or possibility of epilepsy/ convulsions. It is also helpful for diagnosis in patients who become unconscious for sometime.
- NCS/NCV test is useful for the diagnosis of the diseases of nerves.
- EMG is helpful in the diagnosis of the diseases of muscles.
- VEP is helpful in patients having vision loss due to nerve problem.
- BAER is helpful in patient having deafness due to nerve problem
5,
What is Neurology?
• Neurology is a branch of medical science dealing with nervous system and its diseases.
6,
Who are Neurophysicians or Neurologists?
• Superspecialist doctors managing neurological diseases are called neurologists or neurophysicians. In India, their qualification is either DM (Neurology) or DNB (Neurology).
• DM or DNB course in Neurology may be joined by any medical person who has at least qualification of MD (medicine). One has to pass a difficult entrance exam taken at different Universities in India. After passing the entrance test, he/she undergoes three years of rigorous training in Neurology, which is then followed by written & oral exams.
• Thus, the full qualification of neurologist/ neurophysician would be MBBS, MD (medicine), DM (or DNB) (Neurology)
7,
Which diseases are managed by Neurophysicians/ Neurologists?
• Following are examples of diseases are managed by neurophysicians:
o Epilepsy & convulsions
o Headache, neck pain, back pain, and facial pain (pain over face)
o Stroke/ brain attack
o Various types of paralysis/weakness, involving arm/ leg or face or eyes
o Parkinsonism & tremors and other diseases characterized by abnormal, involuntary movements of the body
o Tingling, numbness, or pins-needles sensation or burning pain involving any part of body
o Coma, drowsiness, or any alteration in consciousness
o Sudden onset dimness of vision, not related to ophthalmology
o Forgetfulness and disorientation
o Difficulty in speech or swallowing
o Vertigo & dizziness and imbalance
o Walking difficulties
8,
What is Psychiatry ?
• A branch of medicine dealing with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental, emotional & behavioural diseases.
9,
Who are Psychiatrists?
• A physician who specializes in psychiatry is called psychiatrist.
• A psychiatrist in India usually has a qualification of MBBS, MD (psychiatry).
10,
Which diseases are managed by Psychiatrists?
• Following are examples of diseases managed by psychiatrists:
o Depression/ sadness of mood/ suicidal thoughts
o Agitation/ restlessness/ rowdiness/ aggressive behavior
o Lack of sleep/ Insomnia
o Other behavior related problems
o Sexual dysfunction
o Schizophrenia & other frank mental illness
o Mania/ Obsessive compulsive disease
11,
What is Neurosurgery ?
• Neurosurgery is a surgical superspeciality branch dealing with surgical treatment of diseases involving nervous system (mainly brain & spinal cord).
12,
Who are the Neurosurgeons ?
• Surgeons specializes in neurosurgery are called neurosurgeons.
• Neurosurgeons in India usually have completed their MS (general surgery) following which they undergo a rigorous surgical training & experience in neurosurgery for three years.
• Their full qualification is like this: MBBS, MS (general surgery), MCh/ DNB (neurosurgery).
13,
Which diseases are managed by Neurosurgeons ?
• Following are examples of diseases managed by neurosurgeons:
o Brain tumors
o Tumors involving spinal canal
o Various spinal related problems (e.g. slip disc, sciatica) requiring surgery
o Some medical diseases like stroke , when requiring neurosurgery
o Some cases of facial pain when surgical treatment is required
o Diseases occurring due to compression of nerves
o All cases of head trauma, and many cases of brain hemorrhage
