Category: Health

Mumbai, Feb 19: The Ministry of Ayush, Government of India, commemorated World Unani Day 2026 by organising a two-day National Conference on “Innovation and Evidence in Unani Practice” on February 14–15, 2026, in Mumbai. Held under the aegis of the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM), the conference brought together policymakers, researchers, academicians, and industry stakeholders in a hybrid format.

Shri Prataprao Jadhav, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Ayush and Minister of State, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, graced the occasion as Chief Guest. Shri Babasaheb Mohanrao Patel, Minister of Co-operation of Maharashtra, and Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush were present as the Guests of Honour. The event was also attended by senior dignitaries including Ms. Monalisa Dash, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Ayush; Dr. M. A. Qasmi, Advisor (Unani), Ministry of Ayush; Dr. Syed Shah Alam, Director, NIUM, Bengaluru; and Dr. N. Zaheer Ahmed, Director General, CCRUM.

Observed annually on February 11 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Hakim Ajmal Khan, Unani Day highlights the legacy and contemporary relevance of Unani Medicine. The 2026 conference focused on strengthening scientific validation, promoting innovation in diagnostics and therapeutics, advancing clinical documentation, and fostering integration of traditional knowledge with evidence-based medical approaches.

The deliberations addressed the growing need for rigorous research, standardisation, and outcome-based studies to enhance the credibility and global acceptance of Unani practice, particularly in the context of rising chronic and lifestyle diseases.

An industry delegation led by Hamdard Laboratories also participated in the conference, represented by Mr. Abdul Majeed, Chairman and Managing Trustee, Hamdard Laboratories, along with other senior representatives. On the occasion, an MoU was exchanged between Hamdard Laboratories (India), represented by Dr. Santosh Joshi, Head, R&D, Hamdard Laboratories and Dr. N. Zaheer Ahmed, Director General, CCRUM, to strengthen collaborative research and innovation in Unani Medicine.

The conference served as a platform for knowledge exchange, thematic discussions, and showcasing research outcomes aimed at reinforcing the role of innovation and evidence in advancing Unani practice within India’s evolving healthcare framework and the broader vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 17, 2026) — The National Institutes of Health and the National Institute on Aging have awarded a multi-institutional research team led by investigators in the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai $7.5 million to further study how damage to tiny blood vessels contributes to heart disease, cognitive decline and frailty as women age.

The new, five-year grant to examine sex-based differences in multiple age-related diseases supports the Microvascular Aging Effects—Women’s Evaluation of Systemic Aging Tenacity in Heart, Brain and Frailty study, commonly called MAE-WEST HBF. The acronym is a nod to the late actor, who reportedly once said, “You’re never too old to become younger.”

MAE-WEST HBF builds on prior research from Cedars-Sinai’s Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center that showed small blood vessel disease, chronic inflammation and iron buildup in women are linked to impaired heart, brain and kidney function, and declining physical strength.

“Armed with this funding, we are eager to continue uncovering biological mechanisms behind sex-based differences in aging and heart health,” said C. Noel Bairey Merz, MD, the principal investigator of MAE-WEST HBF and director of the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center in the Smidt Heart Institute. “A better understanding of the causes of common age-related conditions in women could lead to more effective prevention and treatment strategies.”

For more than two decades, Bairey Merz and her team have made landmark discoveries in women’s heart health, particularly in coronary microvascular disease—a condition that occurs more often in women and results from damage to the heart’s smallest blood vessels. Symptoms of the condition, which can be subtle, were previously often dismissed, misdiagnosed or undertreated. But improved diagnostic tools and treatments resulting from Bairey Merz’s discoveries have contributed to significant reductions in cardiovascular deaths among women.

The new study brings together a multidisciplinary team of experts, including Pascal Sati, PhD, director of the Neuroimaging Program in the Department of Neurology at Cedars Sinai. Collaborators at UCLA will oversee biostatistical analysis, while those at the University of Texas at Arlington will lead frailty research.

“We now have effective treatments for small vessel dysfunction in the heart,” Bairey Merz said. “If we can better understand its effects on the brain and musculoskeletal system, we may be able to find ways to prevent or slow multiple age-related diseases—including declines in cognition and mobility—in both women and men.”

Although women generally live longer than men do, women experience higher rates of chronic conditions and so spend more years in poor health. Ultimately, investigators hope the new study will pave the way for a future in which healthy aging for women includes earlier screenings, advanced technology, and preventive care that identifies risks and stops diseases before they begin.

“After more than 25 years of progress in women’s cardiovascular research, this grant helps advance whole-person care that supports heart health, brain function and physical strength,” said Eduardo Marbán, MD, PhD, executive director of the Smidt Heart Institute. “All three are equally essential to healthy aging.”

Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University is advancing groundbreaking research and educating future leaders in medicine, biomedical sciences and allied health sciences.

New Delhi, Feb 16: With chronic back and joint pain increasingly common among working professionals, the shift toward non-pharmacological pain management is gaining momentum among physiotherapists. The focus is on restoring function, improving mobility, and reducing discomfort.

Global research indicates that up to 70–80% of adults experience it at least once in their lifetime, and physiotherapy-based interventions are known to provide significant improvement for a large proportion of cases. More than half of chronic back pain patients can be managed effectively without long-term dependence on pain medication, a study suggests. 

According to Dr. Dharam P. Pandey, Managing Director, APARC Healthcare, said: “Pain is often a sign that the body’s mechanics are off balance — weak muscles, poor posture, or restricted joints. Through progressive strengthening, flexibility drills, aerobic conditioning, and joint mobilization, we help patients move better and feel better. The goal isn’t just pain relief, but restoring daily function.”

Physiotherapy blends therapeutic exercise, manual techniques, and non-invasive modalities to relieve pain and improve mobility. Strengthening and flexibility exercises reduce stiffness, build support around affected joints, and stimulate the body’s natural pain-regulating mechanisms. 

Hands-on manual therapy, including soft tissue work, myofascial release, and joint mobilization, eases tension and restores movement. Tools such as TENS, ultrasound, heat, cold therapy, and dry needling help control inflammation and modulate pain without pharmacological intervention. Patients are also guided on posture, ergonomics, pacing, and stress management to prevent recurrent flare-ups and support long-term recovery.

While painkillers are useful during acute injury or high-intensity pain, especially where inflammation must be controlled quickly, long-term use is not without risk. Commonly used NSAIDs may lead to gastric irritation, acidity, kidney strain, or elevated cardiovascular risk when consumed frequently. Stronger medications, including opioids, may also carry dependency risks if used improperly.

Dr. Meenakshi Rajput, HOD Physiotherapy, Jaipur Golden Hospital, Rohini, Delhi, says: “Medication certainly has a place in pain management. But physiotherapy equips individuals with tools to stabilize, strengthen, and protect their bodies, reducing reliance on medicines for chronic problems and improving long-term outcomes.” 

Physiotherapists emphasize that chronic back and neck pain, arthritis-related stiffness, sports injuries, sciatica, and post-surgical rehabilitation respond especially well to structured physiotherapy, particularly when treatment begins early, and compliance is high.