Wockhardt Hospitals Blog

A headache is a condition characterized by mild to severe pain in the head; symptoms that are often experienced by may people the world over. The most common types of headaches are due to tension or migraine, or a combination of both. More serious causes of headache such as stroke, brain tumor, bleed inside the skull, infections (meningitis), etc are rare and it is advisable to consult your doctor if the pain is severe or if continues for extended periods of time.

Tension Headaches

Tension Headaches often develop after a hard days work involving physical and emotional stress, anxiety and worry. Most people experience it during the course of their lives but it is often harmless and tends to go away with a little rest. Tension Headache makes the head feel like it is in a vice like grip or like a tight band is rapped around it, both sides of the head are generally affected and there may be a feeling of tension or discomfort around the upper back, shoulders and the neck.
Migraine Headaches
Migraine Headache is a type of vascular headache. According to researchers the cause is often genetic.

Symptoms

Migraine attacks are a chronic condition associated with headache often on one side of the head. It is often accompanied with nausea, sensitivity to light & blurred vision. A pounding or piercing sensation is felt with the pain and it could range from being very mild to being extremely severe preventing the person from performing normal tasks. Headaches can last from 24 hours up to a few days.

Migraine headaches are most common among women in their mid teens to late forties; men also suffer from this condition but not as often as women.

Causes
Treatment

Early and mild conditions can be controlled with anti-inflammatory drugs, however the use of steroids is not recommended. Drugs that control nausea may also be used if the patient feels nauseated and is vomiting very often. A combination of aspirin and caffeine may be very useful to relieve the symptoms. Severe cases require specialised medical care and patients are advised to visit their physician to rule out any other causes.

Prevention

Migraine is a chronic condition, however patients can keep it at bay by following a disciplined routine - Eat at regular times, don’t skip meals, keep physically fit, try to get at least 6 hours of sleep a day during the regular sleep hours, avoid unnecessary stress and stressful environment, stop smoking and reduce the intake of alcohol.

What does the Doctor say?

Generally most headaches go away with a little rest. However one should take it seriously if there is a change in pattern of a longstanding headache, associated fever or vomiting, visual problems like blurring or double vision, it is advisable to consult your doctor. Timely medical evaluation and diagnosis is mandatory.


Dr Chandran Gnanamuthu, MD, DM, FIAN, FAAN
Senior Consultant Neurologist, Wockhardt Hospitals

Wockhardt Hospitals,MulundMumbai has launched the E-One Emergency care Network Services to complement its current ne Hospitals one of India's leading super-specialty hospital groups today to complement its current network of Intensive Care Units(ICU’s) located strategically across the central suburbs of Mumbai.

The E-one service is a comprehensive network which connects all Wockhardt Hospitals ICU’s through a fleet of well equipped ambulances thereby ensuring not only the immediacy of the response but also timely emergency medical intervention at a well equipped ICU. E-One Network ambulance is a mobile emergency service— a state-of-the-art ambulance equipped with sophisticated life-saving equipment and trained paramedics. Rtn Ashok Nangia, President Rotary – Mulund flagged off the E-ONE service in the City.

The E-One Network will currently facilitate critical care to the patients by connecting them to the Intensive Care Units located at Wockhardt Hospitals in Mulund, Vashi and Kalyan and Pancholee Hospital in Ghatkopkar. Currently the network has 75 critical care beds and the number is expected to go up significantly in the near future. The dedicated emergency service will initially have a fleet of 5 mobile intensive care unit ambulances equipped with all advanced life saving equipments. The ambulances are equipped with a suction pump, syringe pump, ventilator, defibrillator, oxygen cylinder along with all important medicines needed in an emergency. A team of specialists trained in Emergency medicine and a team of paramedics provide 24x7 support and cover.The service ensures that in times of medical emergency the patients are treated with new generation emergency care management protocols which are uniform within the Wockhardt Network of ICU’s.

Speaking on the occasion Dr. Ravindra Karanjekar, Associate Vice President, Wockhardt Hospitals Mumbai said, “As most medical emergencies like a sudden heart attack, stroke or an accident does not give anyone the time to think and where to head to for emergency care, time and connectivity to the right centre is a critical factor. The E-One Network Care not only serves as a fully equipped ambulance but also brings the patient to the nearest Wockhardt Hospitals led intensive unit for further treatment”.

During a critical medical emergency when 67994400 is dialed at Mumbai the call is connected to Wockhardt Hospital’s E one central emergency care command centre, which promptly directs an ambulance from the nearest Wockhardt Hospitals ICU that's closest to the location of the emergency. These ambulances can be tracked through the network thereby ensuring constant monitoring of the status of the patient while the patient is in transit to the ICU.A two way communication system also ensures that the facilities at the Emergency bay and the ICU are kept ready to ensure minimum loss of time.

In critical cases expert guidance is issued via a dedicated telephone line by trained doctors from the closest branch of Wockhardt Hospitals. The trained doctor in E-ONE is in constant touch with the super specialists in the hospital. This ensures that no time is lost, and the immediate steps of treatment are already in motion even before the victim reaches the hospital.

Dr. Deepu Bannerjee, Consultant Neurosurgeon, Wockhardt Hospitals says "In most cases the first one hour after accidents is vital; it is called the Golden Hour, it is very important for the patient to get necessary treatment in this golden hour. Generally accident victims reach the hospital very late. The E-One service will benefit the patients in receiving the initial medical attention during an emergency and reaching the appropriate ICU unit on time as the biggest challenge in Mumbai today is reaching the right destination on time.”

Flagging off the E-One Network Rtn Ashok Nangia President Rotary, said, "This is an excellent initiative by Wockhardt Hospitals to save lives. The quality of Medical care rendered during an emergency decides the outcome of the quality of life. E-ONE as a comprehensive emergency care service is a solution which Mumbai needs”.

Dr. Manjeet Juneja, consultant cardiologist Wockhardt Hospitals Mumbai said, “The science of medical emergency management is evolving rapidly across all specialities.It is important that patients receive the most appropriate therapies of treatment and in this context we are backing the E one emergency care network service with a team of super specialists across different specialities who can provide the most contemporary critical care”.