Wondering if abnormal bleeding, pelvic pain and leg swelling are signs of something fatal?

According to Dr Ninad Katdare, Consultant Surgical Oncologist, Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre, they may be symptoms of cervical cancer. While many may expect drastic signs such as severe pain, heavy bleeding or obvious illness, identifying certain symptoms can help with early diagnosis and treatment.

Cervical cancer develops in a women's cervix (uterus opening) due to abnormal cell growth, primarily caused by persistent HPV infection, a common infection that's passed through sexual contact.

When exposed to HPV, the body's immune system typically prevents the virus from causing damage however, in a small percentage of people, the virus can survive for years and pave the way for some cervical cells to become cancerous.

Treatment involves surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, with early detection significantly improving outcomes, though it remains a major cancer in low-income countries. Cervical cancer can also be prevented through vaccination and regular screening (Pap/HPV tests).

Dr Katdare told News18: "In its early stages, it is often more of a whisper than a shout. As a cancer surgeon who has treated hundreds of women with gynaecological cancers, I can say with confidence that recognising these subtle cues can lead to earlier diagnosis and significantly better outcomes."

He recommends looking out for these early signs:

1. Intermenstrual Bleeding

2. Changes In Vaginal Discharge

But Dr Katdare warns that any sudden or abnormal changes in discharge may be a symptom of the cancer. “Because discharge issues are commonly linked to infections, many women self-medicate or delay seeking care," he said. “While infections are far more common, chronic or unusual discharge especially in older women requires thorough evaluation."

Discharge may become persistent, watery, foul-smelling, or tinged with blood or pink, brown, or rust-colored if you're suffering from this kind of cancer.

3. Persistent Pelvic Pain

Consistent pelvic pain particularly that occurs outside the menstrual cycle or during sexual intercourse should be a point of concern. According to Dr Katdare, "Pain during intercourse, or dyspareunia, is especially important. It should not be dismissed as ‘just dryness’ or an age-related change. In cervical cancer, this pain may result from inflammation or tumour growth involving the cervix and surrounding tissues."

4. Leg Swelling

5. Urinary And Bowel Symptoms

“These symptoms are often evaluated in isolation because they don’t seem related to the cervix," said Dr Katdare, “which can delay the correct diagnosis."

Ultimately the expert advised: "“Cervical cancer does not always announce itself loudly,. Sometimes, it leaves silent clues. The sooner you listen to them, the better the outcome. If something feels ‘off,’ trust that instinct and seek medical advice. Early action can make the difference between a curable disease and a life-altering diagnosis."

Seychelles Chikungunya Virus Outbreak: The United States warned travelers to be careful if they plan to visit the Seychelles islands anytime soon as it is currently undergoing a chikungunya outbreak. As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a 'Level 2' advisory for the island has been issued and travelers have been asked to 'practice enhanced precautions' if they do plan to visit.

Unique Symptoms Of Chikungunya: What Is The Disease?

Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne viral disease transmitted primarily by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, the same mosquitoes that spread dengue fever. Symptoms typically appear three to seven days after a bite and include sudden fever, severe joint pain, headache, nausea, fatigue, and rash in about half of cases.

However, there are certain unique symptoms of chikungunya. For instance, unlike a Dengue fever, chikungunya leaves lingering effects along with joint pain and fatigue that lasts up to weeks.

Unique Symptoms of Chikungunya: What Are They?

While common symptoms like high fever often >102 degree F is common there are other symptoms too, which includes:

• Headache
• Muscle pain
• Fatigue
• Joint Swelling

• Some unique symptoms of this disease includes neurological complications such as rare instances that could lead to encephalitis or the inflammation of the brain, meningitis, or severe nerve issues like Guillain-Barré syndrome.

• Ocular symptoms include red eyes like conjunctivitis, eye pain, or temporary vision problems.

• Unique symptoms could also include bleeding, while it is more common in Dengue, rare bleeding from gums and nose could occur in Chikungunya.

• Other unique symptoms may include chronic and persistent symptoms like joint pain that does not subside after the initial week and lasts for months or even years.

• Other symptoms include cardiovascular and respiratory issues and skin manifestation, which could go beyond the common rash. Some patients may experience vasculitis-like skin lesions.

Unique Symptoms of Chikungunya: How Long Does It Last?

Chikungunya symptoms usually occur with in 3 to 7 days after a bite. However, the symptoms could often last long. While fever could subside in a day or two, chronic symptoms especially like joint pain and muscle pain could last for months. Weakness too could persist.

Unique Symptoms Of Chikungunya: Outbreak In Seychelles Led To US Issuing Travel Advisory

A Level 2 travel advisory has been issued, which means the travelers are expected to practice enhanced precautions as compared to a Level 1 advisory that only asks travelers to practice usual precautions.

In more serious cases, Level 3 advisory is issued that asks travelers to reconsider non-essential travel, whereas a Level 4 advisory asks travelers to avoid all travel.

Read: CDC Travel Advisory Issued For These Islands Amid Chikungunya Outbreak

As CDC issues travel advisory, here is what travelers are expected to do:

• Travelers are expected to protect themselves by preventing mosquito bites, which includes using insect repellent, wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants, and staying in places where air conditioning or that have screens on the windows and doors
• The CDC also tells travelers to get vaccinated for those who are visiting the area affected by a chikungunya outbreak
• If a traveler is pregnant, they are asked to reconsider travel to affected area, especially if they are closed to delivering their baby. Mothers infected around the time of delivery can pass the virus to their baby before or during delivery. Newborns infected in this way or by a mosquito bite are at risk for severe illness, including poor long-term outcomes
• If someone has a fever, joint pain, headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, or rash during or after the travel, they must seek medical care

Why do some relationships feel effortless and magnetic, while others slowly unravel despite our best intentions? According to neuroscientist Andrew Huberman, the answers lie deep within our early childhood experiences and the intricate wiring of the brain.

In a recent episode of Huberman Lab titled “Essentials: The Science of Love, Desire & Attachment,” Huberman explores how biology and psychology work together to shape the way we connect, commit, and sometimes drift apart. What makes the conversation compelling is how it bridges hard science with very human emotions.

Our First Bonds Shape Our Love Stories

Huberman begins with a powerful idea: the way we love as adults often echoes how we were loved as children.

He refers to the landmark “Strange Situation” experiment by psychologist Mary Ainsworth. In this study, toddlers were briefly separated from their caregivers and then reunited. Researchers closely observed how the children reacted. Some felt secure and soothed upon return. Others were anxious, avoidant, or distressed.

These early attachment patterns, Huberman explains, frequently resurface in adult romantic relationships. A securely attached child may grow into a partner who trusts and communicates well. An anxious child may become someone who fears abandonment. An avoidant child may struggle with emotional closeness.

The hopeful part? These patterns are not destiny. Awareness allows change. Once people recognize their emotional blueprint, they can reshape it.

Love Is Not in One Spot in the Brain

Romantic connection is not housed in a single “love center.” Instead, multiple brain regions activate in sequence to create desire, attraction, empathy, and long term bonding.

Huberman clears up a common myth about dopamine. Many people think of it as the pleasure chemical. In reality, it is more about motivation and pursuit. Dopamine fuels craving and drives us toward a person we find compelling. It is the chemical that makes you check your phone, wait for a message, or feel a rush at the thought of someone.

But desire alone does not sustain love.

For deeper attachment, empathy circuits come into play. The prefrontal cortex and the insula are especially important. The insula helps us sense our internal bodily state, a process known as interoception. It allows us to feel our own emotions while tuning into someone else’s. This shared emotional awareness strengthens bonds.

The Role of “Positive Delusion”

One of the most fascinating ideas Huberman discusses is what he calls “positive delusion.” For long term stability, the brain benefits from believing that your partner is uniquely special. This slight bias, almost a romantic illusion, reinforces commitment.

It is not about ignoring flaws. It is about genuinely feeling that this person, out of billions, holds a singular place in your emotional world. Biologically, this strengthens attachment pathways.

Why Relationships Fall Apart

Huberman also references research from the Gottman Lab at the University of Washington. Decades of data reveal four behaviors that predict relationship breakdown: criticism, defensiveness, stonewalling, and contempt.

Stonewalling happens when one partner emotionally withdraws and stops responding. But the most toxic behavior is contempt. Researchers have described it as acid to a relationship because it corrodes trust and shuts down empathy. Once contempt takes root, the neural circuits that support connection begin to weaken.

In the end, love is both chemistry and choice. Our brains may set the stage, but awareness, empathy, and daily behavior determine whether attachment deepens or quietly falls away.

For decades, scientists believed the gradual loss of the Y chromosome in ageing men did not matter much. But a growing body of research now suggests otherwise. Studies show that losing the Y chromosome in blood and other tissues is linked to heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and even shorter lifespan. The crux is simple but striking. As men age, many of their cells quietly lose the Y chromosome, and this loss may be shaping men’s health in ways we are only beginning to understand.

Aging And The Disappearing Y Chromosome

Men are born with one X and one Y chromosome. While the X carries hundreds of important genes, the Y is much smaller and contains just 51 protein coding genes. Because of this, scientists long assumed that losing the Y in some cells would not have serious consequences beyond reproduction.

However, newer genetic detection techniques tell a different story. Research shows that about 40 percent of men aged 60 have some cells that have lost the Y chromosome. By age 90, that number rises to 57 percent. Smoking and exposure to carcinogens appear to increase the likelihood of this loss.

This phenomenon, known as mosaic loss of Y, does not occur in every cell. Instead, it creates a patchwork in the body where some cells carry the Y chromosome and others do not. Once a cell loses the Y, its daughter cells also lack it. Interestingly, Y deficient cells seem to grow faster in laboratory settings, which may give them a competitive edge in tissues and even in tumors.

Why Would Losing The Y Matter?

The Y chromosome has long been viewed as mainly responsible for male sex determination and sperm production. It is also uniquely vulnerable during cell division and can be accidentally left behind and lost. Since cells can survive without it, researchers assumed it had little impact on overall health.

Yet mounting evidence challenges that assumption. Several large studies have found strong associations between loss of the Y chromosome and serious health conditions in older men. A major German study reported that men over 60 with higher levels of Y loss had an increased risk of heart attacks. Other research links Y loss to kidney disease, certain cancers and poorer cancer outcomes.

There is also evidence connecting Y loss with neurodegenerative conditions. Studies have observed a much higher frequency of Y chromosome loss in men with Alzheimer’s disease. During the COVID pandemic, researchers noted that men with Y loss appeared to have worse outcomes, raising questions about its role in immune function.

Is Y Loss Causing Disease?

Association does not automatically mean causation. It is possible that chronic illness or rapid cell turnover contributes to Y loss rather than the other way around. Some genetic studies suggest that susceptibility to losing the Y chromosome is partly inherited and tied to genes involved in cell cycle regulation and cancer risk.

However, animal research offers stronger clues. In one mouse study, scientists transplanted Y deficient blood cells into mice. The animals later developed age related problems, including weakened heart function and heart failure. This suggests the loss itself may directly contribute to disease.

A New Chapter In Men’s Health

So how can such a small chromosome have such wide ranging effects? While the Y carries relatively few genes, several of them are active in many tissues and help regulate gene activity. Some act as tumor suppressors. The Y also contains non coding genetic material that appears to influence how other genes function, including those involved in immune responses and blood cell development.

The full DNA sequence of the human Y chromosome was only completed recently. As researchers continue to decode its functions, the message for men’s health is becoming clearer. Ageing is not just about wrinkles or grey hair. At a microscopic level, the gradual disappearance of the Y chromosome may be quietly influencing heart health, brain health and cancer risk.

Understanding this process could open new doors for early detection, personalized risk assessment and targeted therapies that help men live longer and healthier lives.