Salman Khan is battling brain aneurysm, trigeminal neuralgia: What are they?
What is a brain aneurysm?A brain aneurysm is a bulge in a weak spot of a blood vessel in the brain. Think of it like a balloon swelling with air, except it's blood. Over time, this bulge can grow and, if it bursts, can cause bleeding in the brain. This life-threatening situation known as a hemorrhagic stroke.Brain aneurysms are often linked to high blood pressure, stress, smoking, and certain genetic conditions.Sometimes, they don't show any symptoms and are found only during scans. But if they rupture, they can cause sudden, severe headaches, blurred vision, or even unconsciousness.What is an AV malformation (AVM)?An arteriovenous malformation is a rare tangle of abnormal blood vessels in the brain. Normally, blood flows from arteries to veins in a steady manner. But in AVM, the blood rushes directly from arteries to veins, skipping the tiny capillaries in between. This disrupts normal circulation and puts pressure on the veins.advertisementAVMs are usually present from birth but may not show symptoms for years. When they do, they can cause headaches, ringing in the ears, seizures, weakness, or speech problems. In severe cases, they may lead to strokes or brain bleeds.What is trigeminal neuralgia?This condition is often called the "suicide disease" because of how painful it can be.Trigeminal neuralgia causes sharp, electric shock-like pain in the face. The pain comes suddenly and can be triggered by simple activities like eating, brushing teeth, or even smiling.It happens when a blood vessel puts pressure on the trigeminal nerve, which controls facial sensation. It is a chronic disorder and the pain can be difficult to manage, often needing medication or even surgery.What do these conditions say about stress and health?While Salman Khan didn't blame his health issues on his lifestyle, experts say stress and irregular routines can make these conditions worse. Dr Samrat Shah, consultant physician at Ruby Hall Clinic Pune, explains that poor sleep, stress, and erratic schedules disturb the body's natural rhythm.Over time, this can increase blood pressure and weaken blood vessels, making the brain more vulnerable to aneurysms or AVMs."Chronic stress increases cortisol and blood pressure, which can damage blood vessels over time and raise the risk of serious conditions like heart disease or even brain aneurysms,' Dr Shah tells IndiaToday.in.advertisementWhy Salman's health matters to all of usDespite dealing with painful and serious conditions, Salman Khan continues to work, even performing action scenes. His story is a reminder that health problems can affect anyone, no matter how strong or fit they look on the outside.Working long hours, skipping rest, and neglecting regular health check-ups can silently harm the body.How can you protect your health?Here are a few simple things anyone can do:Get enough sleep: Aim for 7–8 hours daily.Manage stress: Try breathing exercises, yoga, or mindfulness.Eat healthy: Avoid too much junk food or skipping meals.Stay active: A 30-minute walk daily can do wonders.Listen to your body: If something feels wrong, see a doctor early.Must Watch
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Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
NHS doctor shares '5 everyday habits that are ageing your brain': Doom scrolling to skipping meals, especially breakfast
Dr Amir Khan, a general practitioner working in the UK-based National Health Service, shared in a July 7 Instagram video that keeping your brain healthy as you age is crucial for maintaining cognitive function, independence, and overall well-being. Also read | Top 5 habits that can help keep you young and healthy forever Did you know excessive exposure to negative news can increase stress and anxiety? (Freepik) He revealed '5 things that could be ageing your brain'. By being aware of these habits, you can take steps to modify them and support brain health. According to Dr Khan, 'here are 5 everyday habits that are quietly ageing your brain': 1. Constant multitasking "We think we are being productive, but jumping between tasks stresses the brain, and it can weaken short-term memory and increase our cortisol levels. Over time, that can affect our brain battery, which is linked to focus and emotional control," Dr Khan said. 2. Chronic sleep deprivation He added, "Every bad night impacts memory and attention. Long-term lack of sleep, particularly deep sleep, limits the brain's lymphatic system, that is the brain's waste disposal system increasing plaque formation on the brain, which is linked to Alzheimer's and dementia." 3. Doom scrolling "Hours of passive scrolling overstimulate the brain, trigger the stress response and reduce dopamine sensitivity, affecting memory and mood. Plus, the blue light exposure before bed impairs melatonin release, affecting deep sleep," he shared. 4. Skipping meals, especially breakfast According to Dr Khan, "Glucose is the brain's primary fuel. Intermittent fasting can be helpful in some cases, but skipping meals too often can reduce concentration and trigger brain fog, especially in people with busy lives or hormonal fluctuations." 5. No social contact He added, "Social interaction is protective. A study shows loneliness is as harmful to cognitive health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Socialising boosts cognitive reserve and reduces dementia risk, even just chatting with a friend or neighbour. So, remember, keep your brain healthy by not doing these five things." Would you like tips on replacing these habits with healthier alternatives? Click here to know five habits that can help in improving brain performance, from reading books to prioritising sleep. Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Business Standard
Indian-origin Sabih Khan appointed Apple COO in major leadership shift
Apple has appointed Sabih Khan, an Indian-origin executive and 30-year veteran of the company, as its new chief operating officer. The announcement was made in a company statement on Monday. Khan will succeed Jeff Williams, a longtime Apple executive who is stepping down from the role this month and retiring later this year. The transition marks a major shift in leadership during a turbulent period for the iPhone maker, which is grappling with tariff challenges and slowing iPhone growth. Jeff Williams to retire after nearly three decades at Apple Williams, who has served at Apple for more than 27 years, will continue to oversee the company's design team and health initiatives until his retirement. In the interim, he will report to chief executive officer Tim Cook. Following his departure, the design team will report directly to Cook. Cook praised Williams for his contributions, saying, 'Jeff and I have worked alongside each other for as long as I can remember, and Apple wouldn't be what it is without him. He's helped to create one of the most respected global supply chains in the world; launched Apple Watch and overseen its development; architected Apple's health strategy; and led our world-class team of designers with great wisdom, heart, and dedication.' Khan to oversee operations, likely to add AppleCare portfolio Khan joined Apple's executive team in 2019 as senior vice-president of operations. Since then, he has managed procurement and manufacturing, taking charge of the company's global supply chain. Positioned as Williams' successor, Khan will report to Cook and is likely to assume responsibility for additional divisions such as AppleCare. Commenting on Khan's appointment, Cook said, 'Sabih is a brilliant strategist who has been one of the central architects of Apple's supply chain. While overseeing Apple's supply chain, he has helped pioneer new technologies in advanced manufacturing, overseen the expansion of Apple's manufacturing footprint in the United States, and helped ensure that Apple can be nimble in response to global challenges.' Cook added, 'He has advanced our ambitious efforts in environmental sustainability, helping reduce Apple's carbon footprint by more than 60 per cent. Above all, Sabih leads with his heart and his values, and I know he will make an exceptional chief operating officer.' Leadership change amid broader industry and regulatory headwinds The leadership transition comes as Apple faces significant external pressures. The company is attempting to shift parts of its production from China to India to mitigate the effects of tariffs imposed by the US administration under President Donald Trump. Additionally, Apple is under regulatory scrutiny, including enforcement actions in the European Union that require changes to its App Store operations. It is also the subject of a US Department of Justice lawsuit, which could jeopardise a $20-billion-a-year deal with Google, Bloomberg reported.
India Today
4 days ago
- India Today
Insured, but still denied
Aajaz Ahmad Khan did everything by the book. He paid his premiums. Declared his medical history. Bought a health policy, thinking it would be there when he needed it wasn't.'The hospital said they had no tie-up with Star Health and refused cashless treatment,' he said. 'I had to arrange money urgently.' His insurer, Star Health Insurance, claimed the policy was cashless. The hospital in the middle, Khan kept writing to Star Health. 'I wrote them twice but the claims were rejected on both occasions. The replies were not prompt.'He didn't escalate the matter, like so many others who don't fully understand the fine print.'I had lost all hope,' he said. Only when he turned to InsuranceSamadhan, a grievance redressal platform that helps policyholders fight unfair rejections, did the claim finally get story is not an exception. It is the TO DISTRESS Source: IRDAI Health insurance companies rejected claims worth Rs 26,000 crore in FY24, marking a 19% rise over the previous year. According to data from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) for FY24, 11% of all health insurance claims were denied, and another 6% remain stuck in Parekh thought his injuries from a bike fall would be covered. He had health insurance. He filed a was rejected.'The insurer said it wasn't an accident,' he recalled. 'I spoke to five different executives. One said my claim would've been accepted if a third party had been involved. Another said it didn't count as an accident at all. It was just excuse after excuse.'He didn't go to court. He just kept sending emails, hoping someone would explain. 'No one gave me a straight answer,' he said. Meanwhile, surgeries piled up. So did stress. So did bills.A PATTERN OF DENIAL?It's not just bad luck. It's widespread. According to a LocalCircles survey covering over 100,000 respondents across 327 districts, nearly half the people who filed a health insurance claim in the last three years faced serious issues: outright rejections, partial approvals, or discharge delays. Source: Insurance Samadhan In the financial year 2024–25 alone, InsuranceSamadhan received 14,621 complaints. Health insurance accounted for 76% of them. Of those, 9,528 were about rejected claims. Source: Insurance Samadhan And life insurance? The problem isn't payouts. It's deceit. Out of 3,507 life insurance complaints, 3,320 involved allegations of fraud or mis-selling at the time of sale. Source: Insurance Samadhan Monu Kumar knows what it means to feel shut out. After his father's death, he filed an accidental death claim under Tata AIG's health policy. The response came fast. A said there was no post-mortem report.'I contacted them repeatedly through email and phone,' Kumar said. 'They responded but kept repeating the same thing, that they wouldn't pay.'He didn't know about the Insurance Ombudsman. He didn't know he could push further. 'I felt abandoned and unsure of what to do.'CLAIMS DENIED WITHOUT EXPLAINATIONIn Hyderabad, freelancer VLV Satya Narayana was rushed to AIG Hospitals after a bike accident. He had a cashless policy. His pre-existing conditions had been disclosed. His paperwork was in the claim was denied.'There was no communication. I kept following up for three months. Around Rs. 2.5 lakh was stuck,' he said. 'It became a huge burden.'Only when an advisor from OneAssure intervened did the insurer respond. The claim was eventually each rejection is a clause. A loophole. A silence.A policyholder under Niva Bupa's ReAssure 2.0 plan was hospitalised and diagnosed, for the first time, with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. She hadn't known about the condition before. Her insurer accused her of hiding it.'Even their legal team wasn't aware I had been a customer for over two years,' she said. She approached the Insurance Ombudsman, who ruled in her favour. 'But I still have doubts. What if they do it again? They never issued an apology.'Sometimes, it's just a Dileep Kumar was hospitalised. ICICI Lombard denied his cashless claim, stating the treatment could have been done via OPD. He applied for reimbursement after discharge. That too was rejected.'I couldn't fight back while in the hospital,' he said. 'There was no communication. I feel like the policy is useless.'advertisementJUSTICE DELAYED, STILL NOT DELIVERED Legal expert Advocate Dhananjay Sharma, Founder, Ambikeya Law Chambers, has seen it happen over and over.'Many insurers reject claims over minor issues, a missed hospital name or a mismatched document. In some cases, they don't even specify what's missing,' he believes 30-40% of rejections can be resolved if policyholders go to the Ombudsman. But the process lacks teeth. 'Even if people win, insurers delay execution. The Ombudsman doesn't have enforcement powers. It's like a toothless tiger.'Even successful rulings often leave policyholders in ROAD TO COMPENSATION In rural Maharashtra, Sunita Deshmukh lost her warehouse to a fire. Her claim was denied. The insurer said the policy had been renewed a day late, though she'd paid the premium before the state consumer commission dismissed her complaint. But in 2025, the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ruled in her favour. She was awarded Rs 80 Delhi, Ravi Malhotra lost his father. The life insurer denied the claim, alleging non-disclosure of alcohol-related liver disease. Medical records proved otherwise. The court ordered a payout of Rs 9.5 lakh, plus Bengaluru, Arvind Shetty's gold chain was stolen, not from his home, but his sister's. The insurer rejected the claim, citing the 'insured premises' clause. The court disagreed and ordered full families won, but only after years of legal battle. And while many fight, many more never even know there's a battle to be BUT UNAWARE A majority of those under 35 never read the full policy document. Many rural users cannot even name their insurer. Women and low-income groups remain severely underinsured. Source: CoverSure CoverSure's 2025 survey found that 79% of Indians aren't sure if their policies offer adequate coverage. In countless homes, dependents don't even know a policy exists. So when tragedy strikes, claims don't just get rejected. They never get filed.'Insurance is treated as an individual purchase,' said CoverSure CEO Saurabh Vijayvergia. 'But claims are always collective. If your family doesn't know you're insured, how will they access it in time?'CLAIMS LOST IN RED TAPEEven when a claim is valid, collecting the payout isn't always straightforward. A massive chunk of insurance money, over Rs. 20,000 crore according to IRDAI, remains unclaimed in Kanakia, founder of OneAssure, points to a critical gap. 'While you can check the unclaimed amount online, the entire process of claiming it is offline. That's why the unclaimed amount remains more or less the same year after year,' he said. 'The ideal way would be to let people check if they're owed money and claim it online. We already have the tools to do this.'He adds that awareness is another major hurdle. 'Most policyholders or their nominees don't even know the policy exists, so they'd never think to check the portal.' For NRIs, it's worse. 'If someone has moved abroad, they're expected to physically return to claim the money. There's no way to process it remotely.'TRAPPED BY THE FINE PRINTInsurers blame documentation lapses, non-disclosure and medically unnecessary Saxena, Chief Technical Officer- Commercial, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance, said that Health insurance claims can be delayed or rejected for a variety of reasons, some of which are avoidable, while others stem from policy conditions or operational takes a broader view.'Hospitals inflate bills. Some customers commit fraud. Both drive up premiums. Honest policyholders are paying the price,' he said. His answer is more tech. 'Automated processing, better fraud detection — that's how we build trust again.'But trust is already FY24, total health insurance claim rejections rose to Rs. 26,000 crore, up 19% from the previous year, according to IRDAI. One in ten claims is denied. Another 6% are stuck in insurers, consumers all agree: policyholders must read the fine print and disclose truthfully. Families must be kept informed. Insurers must end the evasions and communicate with empathy. The Insurance Ombudsman must be given enforcement maybe then, people like Khan, Parekh, Kumar, Narayana and Shetty won't have to beg for the protection they were promised.'I bought insurance so I wouldn't have to beg for help in an emergency,' one policyholder said. 'But when I needed it, I was made to feel like a liar.'(In Part 3, we will trace the root of the problem, examining where the system is breaking down, what insurers have to say, and what needs to change to rebuild trust. Stay tuned.)- Ends
