In our lower primary classes, our English teachers would ask students to write an essay on morning walk. A majority of students could not conceive an idea what to write on the topic. Fortunately my mother was throughout stay-at-home while my father had a very high stress job that required him to attend his clinic, hospital and spend long days at these places. He was uptight and on edge always. Obviously I would look upto my mother to assist me to write on that subject. She would gladly help me and I remember her word’s taking a walk barefoot on green grass in the morning helps us maintain healthy eye sight, additionally, walking improved blood circulation, including to the brain, enhancing cognitive function and memory. It can make heart muscle stronger, and maintains strong bones and is an excellent exercise.
Never would I know then, that walking will become a hobby for me, all my life. And undoubtedly it is beneficial, inexpensive, refreshing and with all benefits for maintaining a good health. Walking provides me with an escape, and helps me to be in the present moment.
Rain or shine I would walk invariable covering a distance of 4-5kms each day, making it yearly 1500 kms. Undoubtedly I remained in the pink of my health all through 77 years. Though with multiple age related issues like essential hyper tension, hypo thyroid, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and with pre-diabetes that I have been able to control with life style modifications and walking I believe kept it at bay, and delayed the inevitable past so many years.
Of late, unfortunately while on a routine mid-day walk after covering a distance of less than 200 meters I felt walking imbalance, a tremor like feeling, confused with off balance decided to return home. Checked up my blood pressure that was normal. Balance disorder prompted me to consult an orthopedic doctor as some decades before I had experienced intense sensation of spinning (vertigo).Fallowing this, an x-ray confirmed herniated discs. An MRI advised by orthopedic doctor provided a clear image of the herniated discs, besides brain atrophy, that in aged adults occur because of aging. Many other medical checkups fallowed including, ENT, Cardiac, Neuro, Gastro etc., nothing abnormal was detected. Physiotherapy was advised and of course medication that was mostly nerve soothing.
Despite many similarities in diagnosis, I still thought it better to look for information that many doctors weren’t able to tell me. They didn’t know what the cause was. So I was really adamant to find out what the possible cause would be.
After surfing on Google and researching subject that were already diagnosed by competent medicos in my case, were by and large uniform, though the amount of information was quite massive, but I tried and kept narrowing it down to things that are useful for my condition. Thank Allah (SWT) I am making steady progress in my recovery every day, with the advice of health care professionals.
Bottom line: I personally don’t think it’s advisable to search for medical advice on the internet. Using the internet for medical knowledge maybe all right, but using it for medical advice is quite different. The internet doesn’t know you or your body’s idiosyncrasies. So it often inflicts unnecessary fear. On the other hand it also sometimes brings people to the doctor who might not have gone otherwise.
It broadly depends on the motivation and responses to the information you find. But some of us surf internet frequently and end up with panic attacks, that’s inadvisable to Google symptoms. It is better to absorb information about health issues, and remain calm, and always prefer a qualified doctor for checkup and prescription.
(The author is former Civil Servant of the JK Govt. Feedback: [email protected])
