Mangaluru Doctor Enters Guinness World Records for Neuropathy Awareness
Mangaluru: Renowned neuropsychiatrist and assistant professor at Father Muller Medical College Hospital, Dr. Rahul M. Rao, has secured a spot in the Guinness World Records for his participation in a unique nationwide awareness initiative to raise awareness about peripheral neuropathy. Dr. Rao, who also practices at the Mangaluru Psychiatry Centre, was among 5,684 participants who took part in the record-setting initiative.
The record was achieved for the largest online video album of individuals holding ice, a campaign organised by Team Synergy of Sun Pharma Laboratories in November last year. Recently, the effort was formally acknowledged by Guinness World Records, and certificates were issued to participants, according to the Times of India.
Inspired by the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, this campaign was designed to raise awareness about peripheral neuropathy, a neurological disorder marked by intense pain, burning sensations, and tingling, especially in the hands and feet. Peripheral neuropathy is nerve damage that occurs in the peripheral nervous system, the network of nerves that carry signals between the brain and spinal cord and the rest of the body.
As part of the initiative, doctors from across the country recorded themselves holding ice cubes while sharing concise messages about the often-overlooked condition. According to the Daily, Dr. Rao emphasised the importance of public awareness, pointing out that while alcohol-related liver damage and diabetes-related issues such as kidney or eye damage are widely recognised, the nerve damage associated with these conditions remains under-discussed. "Peripheral neuropathy often affects people with diabetes or chronic alcohol dependence. The pain can be extremely intense and disabling. Patients struggle with basic tasks; they cannot walk properly, touch hot or cold objects, or even write," Dr Rao explained.
He highlighted that peripheral neuropathy can be just as disabling and urged greater public understanding of its impact. "Chronic high blood sugar or prolonged alcohol exposure damages small nerves. Patients wake up with pain every day, and this can lead to mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Sometimes, pain-related sleep disturbances are what bring them to a psychiatrist," he said.
“The area around the hands and feet is where the pain is often concentrated. In patients who have been diabetic for over 15 years, and whose sugar levels are uncontrolled, burning, tingling sensations are common," he further added. However, he pointed out that proper medication and awareness can be helpful for the patients. The campaign not only succeeded in entering the record books but also drew attention to a critical health issue that affects countless individuals, aiming to improve early diagnosis and intervention.
