CHANDIGARH,27.O04.24-The Department of Neurology at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Educational and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, in collaboration with the PGI Neurological Society (PNS) and the Indian Academy of Neurology (IAN), successfully conducted a public awareness campaign today.

The campaign, held under the theme "Janta ke saath-PGI ka haath," aimed to educate the public on recognizing and addressing headache alarms. The event took place at the APC auditorium complex, drawing attention to the importance of understanding the signs and symptoms of serious headaches.

The session was inaugurated by Dr. (Prof.) Vivek Lal, Director of PGIMER, who was the driving force behind the entire event. He emphasized the relevance of headaches in the Indian context. His presence underscored the institute's collective commitment to prioritizing health awareness. He highlighted the role of exercise and weight management in ones life.

Following Dr. Lal's address, Dr. Saurabh Mishra, Senior Resident in Neurology, delivered a comprehensive presentation on the various types of headaches, key identification features, and red flags necessitating urgent attention. The informative session aimed to equip attendees with essential knowledge for early detection and intervention.

"It's heartening to witness such diverse participation in our efforts to raise awareness about headaches," remarked Dr. (Prof.) Vivek Lal.
The engagement of students, patients, faculty, and healthcare professionals from various disciplines underscores the collaborative approach taken by PGIMER in addressing healthcare challenges and promoting holistic well-being.

Moderated by Dr. Aastha Takkar, Associate Professor of Neurology, the panel discussion facilitated an open dialogue wherein audience members described their experiences and raised questions related to headaches.

The session saw active participation from individuals representing diverse backgrounds, contributing to a rich exchange of insights and information. Red flags of headache- like new onset headache in elderly, most severe headache of one’s lifetime, headache with blurred vision or double vision, headache which wakes you from sleep were discussed.

Faculty members from the Neurology department- Prof Dheeraj Khurana, Prof Parampreet Singh Kharbanda, Dr Sahil Mehta, Dr Sucharita Ray, Dr Kamalesh Chakravarthy, Dr Ritushre and Dr Karthik Vinay Mahesh joined in the discussion, sharing their wealth of experience and knowledge on the topic. Prof Vipin Koushal- MS PGIMER, Dr Rajaramachandran- Associte professor, Department of Nephrology, Dr Nancy Sahni- incharge dietetics department, Dr Akhilesh – Associate Professor, Psychiatry department also contributed to the discussion. It was highlighted that management of hypertension, stress control, weight management and regular exercise can help us in managing headaches. The importance of good sleep hygiene was also discussed.

Dr. Karthik Vinay Mahesh, Assistant Professor of Neurology, extended a Vote of Thanks, expressing gratitude to all participants for their active involvement and contributions towards making the event a grand success.