'Excessive use of AC may cause facial paralysis'

KT
April 13, 2018

Dubai, Apr 13: With temperatures ready to soar in the UAE, experts are warning residents to be aware of a certain condition that is caused by a high usage of air conditioners across the country. The sudden transition from extremely warm temperatures outdoors to cold temperatures indoors is one of the leading concerns associated with Bell's palsy, a facial paralysis caused due to the inflammation of the facial nerve in the skull.

The lesser-known condition is characterised by the inability to move one side of the facial muscles and is often mistaken for a brain stroke by patients' due to appearance similar symptoms. Bell's Palsy also causes drooping of the facial muscles, twitching, weakness, drooling, pain around the ear and increased sensitivity to sound.

According to most international population studies, 15-30 cases per 100,000 population of Bell's palsy are observed annually. Additionally, Bell's palsy accounts for 60-75 per cent of acute unilateral facial paralysis cases with the right-side being affected 63 per cent of the time. In rare cases, the condition can occur on both sides of the face.

Due to the onset of summer, doctors are advising people of all age groups to be careful and seek medical assistance in case of any sudden numbness on the face. Sleeping in extremely cold temperatures, leaving your hair wet in cold temperatures and sudden fluctuations between extreme temperatures should be avoided as much as possible.

Recounting a recent case of a young UAE resident, Maria Kristina, physiotherapist, Canadian Specialist Hospital, said: "Eliza was on vacation in Europe when she developed the condition. Following a hot shower, Eliza left the window open and fell asleep with her hair still wet and woke up with numbness around her mouth the next morning. The condition worsened in the next 48 hours and the right side of her face appeared to be paralysed."

Eliza decided to fly back to the UAE for a second opinion. At the Canadian Specialist Hospital, she was referred to the rehabilitation department, where she was treated by physiotherapy in addition to the traditional medication. Eliza completely recovered her facial symmetry after eight sessions and was able to move her facial muscles like before.

"When Eliza visited us, she was unable to fully close her right eye and move her right eyebrow, she couldn't smile, whistle, eat or even drink properly. However, after her third session itself, her muscles had started functioning and she was able to move her eyebrows and lips," said Kristina.

The methods used during physiotherapy include electrical stimulation to help restore the tone and strength of the facial muscles, infrared radiation to improve blood circulation, facial massages to prevent drooping and facial exercises to regain muscle movement. Due to the lack of muscle movement, patients suffering from Bell's Palsy are unable to close their eye leading to increased exposure to light and dust. The constant exposure to air may lead to eye dryness and damage, hence, patients are advised to wear protective eyewear at all times.

"Bell's Palsy is more common than thought due to the high usage of air conditioners in the region. The condition may occur from the transition of cool AC temperatures to the warm temperatures outdoors. Extreme cold temperatures in offices, houses, malls and cinemas may trigger damage to the facial nerve in rare cases and should be avoided. Kids area should always be moderately cool as they too are at risk of developing the condition", added Kristina.

Speaking about the main cause of the disease, Dr Caesar Zahka, consultant neurologist at Burjeel Hospital for advanced surgery, said: "Many people get it after they get out from a warm or hot place (like out of a hot shower) to a cool place with high AC. This sudden change in temperature could be responsible for activating a latent virus in a person causing the problem. The recovery from Bel's palsy takes from few days to at times a year or more. About 10-30 per cent of people may not recover at all."

In addition to medications, doctors now recommend immediate physiotherapy as it expedites the growth of the damaged nerve and helps gain full recovery. Moreover, physiotherapy helps restore the original symmetry of the face and regain complete muscle movement.

What is Bell's palsy?

The condition may occur due to a viral infection or sudden change in temperature which may trigger the nerve damage in the skull leading to paralysis of facial muscles. The damage causes the facial nerve to die and requires proper medications and treatment to help the nerve regrow to its initial length.

Key tips to stay safe in summer:

>Stay clear of the AC vents to avoid direct gush of cold air

>Ensure that there isn't a vast difference between your car's indoor temperature as compared to outdoors

>Use an umbrella, sunglasses or scarf to protect yourself

>Keep yourself hydrated at all times

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Agencies
January 15,2020

New Delhi, Jan 15: A Delhi court on Wednesday granted bail to Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad in connection with the Daryaganj violence case.

The court has ordered him not to hold any protest in Delhi till February 16th.

While hearing the case, the Judge had asked Azad's counsel to read out some of his social media posts.

Advocate Mehmood Pracha, representing Azad, had on Tuesday said that the petitioner was sent to jail without any evidence in connection with anti-CAA protests in Delhi's Darya Ganj area last year.

"I think the court's comments should become a precedent for the country. The Public Prosecutor at the behest of police tried to make this a communal issue. We told the court that the government has a problem with Azad because he made the CAA-NPR-NRC an issue for everyone. 
The Court also sought evidence," Pracha told ANI after Delhi's Tis Hazari court deferred the bail plea of Azad till today.

On Wednesday, the court pulled up the Delhi Police for failing to show any evidence against Azad.

Azad was arrested on December 21 last year after he led a march from Jama Masjid against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. He was sent to judicial custody till January 18 at Tihar jail.

The Bhim Army chief was charged with rioting, unlawful assembly and inciting the mob to indulge in violence after vandalism in Delhi's Daryaganj area.

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News Network
February 11,2020

New Delhi, Feb 11: The Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday appeared to be heading back to power for a second term in Delhi with the party leading in 52 seats of the 70 and the BJP ahead in 18 as votes for last week's assembly elections were counted, according to Election Commission figures. The contest for political power over the national capital was a bipolar one with the Congress nowhere in the reckoning, according to initial trends.

AAP supremo and chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was leading in the New Delhi seat by 4,300 seats, while his deputy Manish Sisodia from Patparganj seat was ahead by 102 votes.

BJP leader Vijender Gupta, who is also leader of opposition in the Delhi legislative assembly, was trailing by over 1,200 votes from Rohini.

As early celebrations broke out in the AAP headquarters in Rouse Avenue, BJP's Delhi unit chief Manoj Tiwari asked his party supporters not to lose hope.

"There are 27 seats where the difference of votes is between 700 to 1,000," Tiwari told reporters.

Looking ahead at victory, he said he was not nervous and was ready to take on the responsibilities that a win would bring.

"All talk is over. We have to wait for the blessings of the people. I am confident it will be a good day for BJP. We are coming to power in Delhi today. Don't be surprised if we win 55 seats," Tiwari said.

Kejriwal, who had led his party to a spectacular win of 67 of 70 seats in 2015, is expected to address party workers and the media later in the day. However, his party workers were upbeat and in celebratory mode.

"We have been saying since the beginning that the upcoming polls will be fought on the basis of work done by us... You wait and watch, we will register a massive win," AAP spokesperson Sanjay Singh told reporters.

"We hope we get such a clear majority that a message goes out that doing Hindu-Muslim politics will not work anymore," said AAP volunteer Fareen Khan at the party office.

The headquarters were decorated with blue and white balloons and big cutouts of Kejriwal were placed in different parts of the office.

Labour minister and AAP's Delhi unit convenor Gopal Rai was leading in Badarpur constituency by 1,994 votes.

Atishi, AAP's Kalkaji candidate, who was also instrumental in the transformation of Delhi government schools, was trailing by 190 votes.

AAP's Timarpur candidate Dilip Pandey was leading by over 1,500 votes.

BJP's Tajinder Singh Bagga was trailing on Hari Nagar seat by over 50 votes, while AAP's Raghav Chadha is leading from Rajinder Nagar constituency.

Congress' Chandni Chowk candidate Alka Lamba, who is sitting MLA from the constituency, was trailing by over 5,800 votes.

Counting centres are spread across 21 locations in 11 districts, including at the CWG Sports Complex in east Delhi, NSIT Dwarka in west Delhi, Meerabai Institute of Technology and G B Pant Institute of Technology in southeast Delhi, Sir CV Raman ITI, Dheerpur in central Delhi, and Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Bawana in north Delhi.

The assembly elections were held on February 8.

A total of 672 candidates, including 593 men and 79 women, were in the fray for the hotly contested, often divisive polls with the anti-CAA protests in Shaheen Bagh occupying centrestage towards the end of the campaign.

While the AAP, of course, put forward Kejriwal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath were among those who extensively campaigned for the BJP.

The Congress, still recovering maybe from the death of its three-time Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit in July last year, got into campaign mode much later. Former prime minister Manmohan Singh and party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were among those who campaigned for the Congress.

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News Network
July 20,2020

The International Cricket Council (ICC) today confirmed the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia 2020 has been postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic

At today’s meeting of the IBC Board (the commercial subsidiary of the ICC), windows for the next three ICC men’s events were also agreed to bring clarity to the calendar and give the sport the best possible opportunity over the next three years to recover from the disruption caused by COVID-19.

The windows for the Men’s events are:

1. ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 will be held October – November 2021 with the final on 14 November 2021

2. ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 will be held October – November 2022 with the final on 13 November 2022

3. ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 will be held in India October – November 2023 with the final on 26 November 2023

The IBC Board agreed to continue to monitor the rapidly changing situation and assess all the information available in order to make a considered decision on future hosts to ensure the sport is able to stage safe and successful global events in 2021 and 2022.

The IBC Board will also continue to evaluate the situation in relation to being able to stage the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2021 in New Zealand in February next year. In the meantime, planning for this event continues as scheduled.

The Board will also continue to evaluate the situation in relation to being able to stage the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2021.

ICC Chief Executive Manu Sawhney said: “We have undertaken a comprehensive and complex contingency planning exercise and through this process, our number one priority has been to protect the health and safety of everyone involved in the sport.

“The decision to postpone the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup was taken after careful consideration of all of the options available to us and gives us the best possible opportunity of delivering two safe and successful T20 World Cups for fans around the world.

“Our Members now have the clarity they need around event windows to enable them to reschedule lost bilateral and domestic cricket. Moving the Men’s Cricket World Cup to a later window is a critical element of this and gives us a better chance of maintaining the integrity of the qualification process. This additional time will be used to reschedule games that might be lost because of the pandemic ensuring qualification can be decided on the field of play.

“Throughout this process we have worked closely with our key stakeholders including governments, Members, broadcasters, partners and medical experts to enable us to reach a collective decision for the good of the game and our fans. I would like to thank everyone involved for their commitment to a safe return to cricket.”

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