Author: Sameed Chaudhary

Screen time in Pakistan has climbed sharply over the past few years. Students attend online classes, office workers spend six to eight hours on laptops, and most people scroll through their phones well into the night. By the end of the day, a familiar discomfort sets in: tired, burning eyes that struggle to focus. A study published in the Khyber Medical University Journal (2023) found that 74.1% of medical students at Khyber Medical College Peshawar reported at least one symptom of digital eye strain, with headache and eye pain being the most common complaints. That figure is striking, but it…

That hot, prickling sensation in the soles of your feet — especially when you lie down at night — is one of the more unsettling symptoms people quietly put up with for months. Many Pakistanis chalk it up to fatigue after a long day of standing, or blame the heat in Karachi or Lahore summers. Sometimes that’s all it is. But when the burning keeps coming back, or starts waking you up at night, it usually means something else is going on. Pakistan carries one of the highest burdens of type 2 diabetes in the world, with over 33 million…

You feel a little different this month. Maybe your breasts are tender, you are unusually tired, or a smell that never bothered you suddenly turns your stomach. If you are wondering whether these could be early pregnancy symptoms, known in Urdu as حمل کی ابتدائی علامات (hamal ki ibtidai alamaat), you are asking the right question. The most common early signs of pregnancy are a missed period, tender or swollen breasts, nausea, fatigue, and light spotting, and they usually appear around four to six weeks after conception, which is one to two weeks after a missed period. A pregnancy test…

Picture this. It is late at night in Lahore, your child has a fever, and the nearest clinic is closed. Or you have a personal health concern that feels too awkward to discuss at a crowded OPD. This is exactly where online doctor consultation, known in Urdu as آن لائن ڈاکٹر مشورہ (online doctor mashwara), has quietly become a lifeline for families across Pakistan. Yes, online doctor consultation on Marham is safe and private, because every doctor is a PMC verified specialist and your personal information stays confidential between you and Marham. If you want to talk to a doctor…

If you stepped outside in Lahore this week, you already know the sky has changed. After days of hot and sticky weather touching 39°C, the second spell of monsoon rain in Lahore, known in Urdu as مون سون بارش (monsoon barish), has arrived across Punjab. The Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast heavy rain, windstorms, and thunderstorms in Lahore and most of Punjab from July 19 to July 24, with a risk of urban flooding between July 20 and July 23. The rain brings relief from the heat, but it also brings health risks that every family should prepare for. If…

Every month the same routine: book the parlour, bear the pain, deal with the redness, and repeat before the next wedding or event. If you are tired of the cycle, you have probably wondered whether laser is worth the bigger price tag. In Urdu, laser hair removal is commonly searched as لیزر سے بال ہٹانا (laser se baal hatana), and it works very differently from waxing. Waxing pulls hair out from the root and lasts 2 to 4 weeks, while laser hair removal uses light energy to damage the hair follicle itself, slowing regrowth for months to years. Laser costs…

You notice more hair on the pillow, then on the comb, then in the shower drain. First you blame the water, then the weather, then stress. By the time the hairline starts moving back, everyone from your barber to your khala has a different solution. The two treatments you will hear about most are پی آر پی (PRP therapy) and ہیئر ٹرانسپلانٹ (hair transplant), and they solve very different problems. PRP is a non surgical injection treatment that strengthens thinning hair by stimulating your existing follicles, while a hair transplant surgically moves healthy follicles to areas that have gone bald.…

Losing a tooth changes more than your smile. Chewing roti becomes one sided, hard fruits feel risky, and many people start covering their mouth when they laugh. If you or an elder in your family is facing this, you have probably heard two solutions again and again: implants and dentures, known in Urdu as مصنوعی دانت (masnooi daant). Dental implants are fixed titanium roots placed in the jawbone that work like natural teeth and can last 20 years or more, while dentures are removable artificial teeth that cost much less upfront but need adjustment and replacement over time. Implants suit…

Have you ever noticed blood while doing wuzu, or seen a pink tinge in the sink after brushing? Many people in Pakistan brush it off as normal, or blame a hard toothbrush. It is not normal. Bleeding gums, known in Urdu as مسوڑھوں سے خون آنا (masoron se khoon aana), are your mouth’s earliest warning sign that something needs attention. Bleeding gums are most commonly caused by plaque buildup along the gum line, which leads to gingivitis, the earliest and fully reversible stage of gum disease. Less common causes include hard brushing, vitamin C or K deficiency, hormonal changes, diabetes,…

Thinking about finally fixing that one crooked tooth that shows in every wedding photo? Or maybe your teenager needs braces and everyone in the family has a different opinion. Dadi says metal braces worked fine for your cousin, while your colleague swears by invisible braces. In Urdu, braces are commonly called دانتوں کے بریسز (danton ke braces) and aligners are known as شفاف الائنرز. Metal braces, ceramic braces, and clear aligners all straighten teeth effectively. Metal braces are the most affordable and handle complex cases best, ceramic braces offer the same power with a less visible look, and clear aligners…