Asthma is a chronic lung disease that is caused due to swelling and narrowing of airways, which carry air to the lungs. These swollen airways are very delicate and react to triggers, which are micro things inhaled by the patient. These inflamed airways also create extra mucus, making it very problematic for the patient to breathe. The muscles of airways get tight, thereby adding to the problem of asthma.
Causes of asthma
The exact cause of asthma is unknown. But it is mainly caused due to genetic factors enhanced by environmental conditions. The environmental conditions include pollution and allergens, apart from certain viral infections since infancy.
The triggers of asthma include but are not restricted to dust mites, tobacco smoke, pollen, air pollution, mold, physical activity, respiratory infections, cold and allergy to some foods.
Symptoms
Asthma attack is caused when the airways in the lungs can't get enough air due to their reaction to asthma triggers, followed by inflammation of airways.
Some patients have mild symptoms when they exercise or do any other breathtaking activity. On the other hand, some people have severe symptoms, which can be treated with medications.
Diagnosis
Asthma is caused among people of various ages. First, it starts with severe coughing and shortness of breath, which don't go away. When these affected people are taken to the doctors, asthma is the first disease they suspect. Many people miss asthma because it has initial symptoms of coughing, which are considered to be a normal case.
A person suffering from frequent chest colds may be diagnosed with asthma.
Sometimes, people are wrongly diagnosed with the case of asthma, when they don’t have the condition, especially obese people. People who have frequent acid reflux or nasal allergies can have mimic asthma. For diagnosing asthma, the doctor prescribes a lung test called spirometry to check the function of the lungs.
Treatment
There is no proper cure for asthma, but it can be controlled with medicines. People who have asthma should consult their doctor and go for regular check-ups. The doctor provides guidelines for managing the condition of asthma as there are some activities that the patient will be restricted to do. The patients should avoid coming in contact with asthma triggers and take medical help to treat the symptoms. Daily treatment of asthma helps in prevention of symptoms. Often, doctors prescribe asthma inhalers, which must be taken by the patients.
Most people have head or what became in the 1980s and '90s the dreaded AIDS virus. With time and the availability of medicines, it ceased to be a killer. However, the knowledge of it helped stem its spread. Most people, unfortunately, don't realize that hepatitis C is also a killer, simply because not much has been said about it. In fact, it is also a virus, but is 10 times more infectious than HIV.
Hepatitis C is transmitted through the blood, and is usually passed on to women through infected needles and sex. At-home glucometers are often shared, or sometimes a woman's own lifestyle or her partner's lifestyle before marriage may put her at risk, because the virus can stay in the blood for years. It is also transmitted through blood products, like in the case of a transfusion, though in the case of pregnant women, this is not so common.
The dangers: The virus affects 1 in every 100 people in India, while globally 180 million are infected with it. Sometimes, it may just pass through the body, like many other viruses do, but sometimes, it can remain. If detected quickly, within six months or so, cure rates are high. the problem is that it is often not easy to detect, as symptoms resemble those of a regular seasonal viral infection: fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite. If it remains in the body, becoming chronic, then it may progress to liver disease. But the hepatitis C virus (HCV) doesn't have to be a killer. You can conquer it with these moves.
What you should do before: A number of couples who come to me have planned pregnancies-they opt for a baby, rather than the baby just 'happening' to them. This not only helps family planning, but it also helps us rule out infections or treat them if present. Usually, in the first trimester, your gynecologist will ask you to do a simple blood test for HIV, hepatitis B and C. In the case of a planned pregnancy, visit your doctor beforehand and ask if you need to take these tests before you conceive. However, there is no vaccine for HCV yet.
What you should do after: If a woman find out in the first trimester that she is hepatitis C positive, there's nothing much that can be done, as anti-viral medications cause birth defects, so a mother can only be put on them after delivery. She is advised to continue the pregnancy. A baby's chance of acquiring the infection in utero is between 5 and 7%. While this is not high, parents may like to avoid the risk. However, co-infection with HIV (if the mother is HIV positive) pushes the risk up to 19.4%. The pregnancy itself will not be hampered by the HCV infection. Nor does the risk of transmission to the child have anything to do with the mode of delivery-either vaginal or C-section. In India, there is little data on HCV transmission from mother to child. However, once the baby is born, the pediatrician may not do an immediate test to check for the virus, as it generally clears out from the baby's system in a year or so. Testing may only be done at 18 months.
Stone diseases are a part of health issues related to the urological system in our body. Depending on their position, they may be classified into kidney stones and ureteral stones. Stone diseases are extremely common in nature and if treated timely it does not cause much damage to the body.
Types of Stones in the Human Body:
There are four types of kidney stones and ureteral stones in the human body namely – calcium, uric acid, struvite and cystine. The main difference between kidney stones and ureteral stones is that of the location. Kidney stones are transformed into ureteral stones when they pass from the kidney into the ureter.
Warning Signs to detect Kidney and Ureteral Stones
Kidney stones may be present in your body but they do not cause any obstructions unless they move into the ureter. Symptoms to detect the presence of stones in your body include –
• Intense and shifting pain in the lower abdomen and groin
• Frequent and painful urination
• Presence of blood in the urine
• Nausea and vomiting
• Frequent fever accompanied by chills
Modes of Diagnosis:
The following methods are used to diagnose kidney stones/ureteral stones in the body-
• Imaging Tests – X-rays and CT scans are used to detect the presence of bigger and smaller stones respectively.
• Urine Tests – They help to detect the presence of stone forming particles in urine thus helping to diagnose stones in the kidney.
• Blood Tests – They help display levels of calcium and uric acid in the blood and monitor the general health of kidneys.
Treatment of kidney/ureteral stones:
Treatment of stones depends on their size and severity. For smaller stones, doctors recommend drinking 2-3 litres of water per day that help in flushing out the stone through urine. Doctors also prescribe medicines which helps break down the stone and reduce pain.
If the stones are large in size and exhibit severe complications, then the urologist will resort to the following treatment procedures-
• Shock Wave Lithotripsy (SWL) – In this process, a machine called lithotripter is used which passes ultrasonic waves through the skin to break up the stone into smaller components. The shattered pieces then pass out of the body through the urinary tract.
• Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PNL) – This is an endoscopic method used to remove large stones, which are not possible to eliminate through SWL. This is an invasive procedure and general anaesthesia is done prior to surgery.
• Ureteroscopy – In this process, a ureteroscope is inserted into the urethra to locate the stone and a tool is used to break it into smaller pieces or is taken out as a whole.
Prevention of Kidney and Ureteral Stones
Certain lifestyle changes can go a long way in preventing stones in the body. Some of them include drinking lots of healthy fluids, reducing consumption of oxalate-rich foods and animal protein, reducing sodium intake and controlling one’s body weight.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and taking prompt medical action in case of detection of stone lessens the harmful effect of kidney and ureteral stones in the body.
Glaucoma: an overview
This disease can be developed or inherited; it usually refers to the accumulation of fluid inside a person's eyes leading to excessive pressure on his or her optic nerve.
How to diagnose the symptoms of Glaucoma in a person?
1. A fundamental eye examination- An experienced eye doctor will check the dilated pupils of your eyes so as to take a closer look at the optic nerve that further discerns the stage of glaucoma a patient is in. Doctors tend to keep track of the sequential progression of glaucoma and its specific mode of treatment through pictures of the optic nerve taken during an examination.
2. Tonometry may also be performed- Signs of Glaucoma may be spotted through the procedure called tonometry where the doctor will test a person's eye pressure and so on so forth. A visual field test might also be conducted to check if the patient can see things at the periphery of his line of vision.
Symptoms that will help a doctor identify this condition in people:-
a) A loss of peripheral vision is experienced in the early stages of glaucoma.
b) A person may see halos when in the presence of bright lights.
c) Your eyes could turn red.
d) Hazy or blurry vision is a problem faced by young children affected by glaucoma.
e) Glaucoma could be accompanied by headaches and eye pain.
f) An affected person might repeatedly feel nauseous.
Ways to treat Glaucoma in a person:-
1. Microsurgery can effectively treat Glaucoma- Microsurgery can be performed in various ways. There is one way in which a channel is made to pump out the fluid creating extra pressure on the optic nerve. This method is referred to as trabeculectomy.
2. Eye drops can be used to remedy the condition- Eye drops can relieve you from painful glaucoma. They are known to control the formation of excess fluid in a person's eye. In some cases, they can induce the accumulating fluid to flow out of the patient's eyes.
3. Laser treatment can also work wonders- Laser surgeries can be undertaken to get rid of glaucoma. Laser can help in moving out fluid from the eyes of the affected person. It successfully hinders fluid blockage as well. There are different kinds of laser treatments available to cure glaucoma.
For a healthy body, proper digestion and absorption of food is very important. The digestion is an extremely intricate process and involves many organs. Impairment in any of the organs can hamper the digestive process, leading to a very common condition called dyspepsia. It is caused by malfunction of one of the muscular organs along the digestive tract including esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines and colon.
Causes: While dyspepsia is more a symptom, there are various reasons that lead to it including gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, infections, motility disorders, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), cancers of the digestive tract or any other abnormality in the digestive tract.
Evaluation: When a patient has chronic dyspepsia or indigestion, the first thing to do is a thorough evaluation to find out the underlying cause. As noted above, there are functional and nonfunctional causes leading to dyspepsia. While gastric ulcers or polyps are visible during an endoscopy, conditions like gastritis and malignancy can only be diagnosed under microscopic examinations.
Some of the tests that are used for evaluation of the cause of dyspepsia include:
1. X-ray: Any growth would be visible on an x-ray and further testing can then be done to confirm the exact nature of it.
2. Endoscopy: This will allow the doctor to see the actual digestive tract and identify any structural abnormalities or growth.
3. Colonoscopy: If the problem is suspected to be in the lower gastrointestinal tract, then a colonoscopy may be in indicated.
4. Gastric emptying study: This study can also reveal the abnormalities in the digestive tract
5. Culture: Dyspepsia caused by Helicobacter pylori can be diagnosed through cultures of the stomach contents.
Treatment: The treatment of dyspepsia is quite complicated and cannot be clearly outlined given the various conditions that it is associated with. Even specific foods can induce indigestion in some people. Therefore, a multipronged approach is required to treat dyspepsia.
Education: The affected person should be educated about the non-life-threatening nature of the problem and its chronicity. Some of the drugs used in treatment include:
1. Proton pump inhibitors: These reduce the amount of acid produced in the stomach and thereby help in relieving symptoms.
2. Promotility drugs: They improve the movement of the muscles in the intestinal tract and are so used in managing dyspepsia.
3. Antibiotics: If an infection is suspected, antibiotics are effective.
4. Smooth muscle relaxants: Drugs like hyoscyamine and methscopolamine have been shown to provide relief in some patients.
5. Psychotropic drugs: Anxiety and depression are frequently seen in people with dyspepsia, and managing these can help reduce the dyspepsia.
As noted, the causes, symptoms, and management are very specific to individuals and needs to be managed by the doctor.
In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!
Emphysema is a breathing disorder that has no cure and worsens with time. The symptoms of emphysema - a feeling of tightness in the chest, persistent cough, wheezing and breathlessness – are caused due to destroyed or impaired functioning of lung tissue.
Diagnosing Emphysema
A thorough physical examination which would include weight and blood pressure checks would be performed. The doctor would also listen to the heartbeat to determine if it sounds strange or different.
In addition to checking for the signs and symptoms of emphysema, a physical examination would also help the doctor in determining the following:
Tests For Emphysema
A doctor would recommend additional tests to confirm his diagnosis of this lung condition. Some of the tests are:
Management and Treatment
There is no known cure for emphysema and the condition can worsen with time. Treatment will slow the speed of decline and will depend on the severity of the condition when diagnosed. Some treatment options are:
Keeping your home clean and free of dust and pollutants will help to prevent respiratory infections and disorders such as emphysema.
A brain tumor can occur at any age and it generally occurs in people in the age group of 40-60 years. The common types of brain tumor are termed as meningioma and gliomas. These supratentorial brain tumors generally occur above the covering of the cerebellum tissue. In children, brain tumors occur at the age of 1-12 years and the most common tumors are ependymomas, astrocytoma and meduloblastomas. Brain tumor is the common cause of death even in children.
Tips for Detecting a Brain Tumor
The general symptoms that are indications of a brain tumor include severe headaches, memory changes, nausea, drowsiness, sleep problems, fatigue and sudden involuntary movements of muscles of an individual. The symptoms can be either specific or generic and the general symptoms are mainly caused by the pressure of the tumor on the brain. The specific symptoms, on the other hand, are caused when specific parts of the brain does not function properly. Many people even experience loss of control of body functions.
The other problems that are experienced by individuals include changes in the ability to perform daily activities and loss of balance. They find difficulty in hearing, speech and at times are very aggressive. If these symptoms exist, then your doctor would recommend a physical examination and ask about your health history and that of your family.
Tests to Detect Brain Tumor
The tests that are advised by doctors to detect a brain tumor include MRI, neurologic exam, CT scan, biopsy, angiogram and spinal tap.
In the neurologic exam the vision, alertness, hearing, coordination, muscle strength and reflexes are checked by the doctor. The doctor also checks for any swelling in the eyes which can be caused by the pressing of the nerve which connects the brain and the eye.
The CT scan done for detecting brain tumor provides detailed pictures of your head and it is done through an X-ray machine which is connected to a computer. The contrast material is injected into the blood vessel of your hand and abnormal areas can be seen easily.
Biopsy
In this method tissues from the brain are removed and tested for tumor cells. The cells are observed by a pathologist under a microscope mainly to check for abnormal cells. The biopsy method is used to show tissue changes that can further lead to cancer. Brain tumor can be easily diagnosed with this method.
MRI:
Magnetic Resonance Imaging or MRI as it is commonly referred to is of great use as it helps to diagnose brain tumors. In this procedure, a dye is injected through a vein in the arm using which the variances in the tissues of the brain can be identified.
Consult your doctor today for more information on the same.
Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of pain on the bottom of the heel.
Plantar fasciitis occurs when the strong band of tissue that supports the arch of your foot becomes irritated and inflamed. The plantar fascia is a long, thin ligament that lies directly beneath the skin on the bottom of your foot. It connects the heel to the front of your foot and supports the arch of your foot. The plantar fascia is designed to absorb the high stresses and strains we place on our feet. But, sometimes, too much pressure damages or tears the tissues. The body's natural response to injury is inflammation, which results in the heel pain and stiffness of plantar fasciitis. In most cases, plantar fasciitis develops without a specific, identifiable reason.
There are, however, many factors that can make you more prone to the condition:
Although many people with plantar fasciitis have heel spurs, spurs are not the cause of plantar fasciitis pain. Because the spur is not the cause of plantar fasciitis, the pain can be treated without removing the spur.
The most common symptoms of plantar fasciitis include:
Tests
X-rays provide clear images of bones. They are useful in ruling out other causes of heel pain, such as fractures or arthritis. Heel spurs can be seen on an x-ray.
Other imaging tests, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound, are not routinely used to diagnose plantar fasciitis. They are rarely ordered. An MRI scan may be used if the heel pain is not relieved by initial treatment methods.
Treatment
Flatulence, known as farting, is a medical term for releasing gas from the digestive system through the anus. It occurs when gas collects inside the digestive system; however, one should not worry because it is a normal process.
Flatulence is due to swallowed air, the breakdown of undigested foods, lactose intolerance, and malabsorption of certain foods. Some foods that increase gas include beans, cabbage, broccoli, raisins, lentil, prunes, apples, and foods that are high in fructose or sorbitol, such as fruit juices. These foods can take a long time to digest, leading to the unpleasant smell associated with flatulence. If this condition is in excess, it can be because of various pathological conditions, such as constipation, gastroenteritis, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, diabetes, ulcerative colitis, GERD, peptic ulcers, etc.
About 99% of the volume of flatus is composed of non-smelly gases. These include oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and methane. Volume range of normal flatus is around 476–1,491 mL per 24 hours. The normal range of flatus episodes is given as 8–20 per day.
Usually, this condition presents with increased frequency or excessive instances of passing gas, belching, foul-smelling gas production, abdominal bloating and/or abdominal pain or discomfort.
Medical help should be considered if you experience symptoms, such as severe cramps, fever, diarrhea, bloody stools, nausea, and vomiting and/or right-sided abdominal pain along with gas or flatulence.
Flatulence can be diagnosed in the following ways:
Diagnosis is made with the help of the patient's history and physical examination.
Most of the times tests are not required, but if required analysis of patients' breath and flatus (gas passed out of the rectum) tests are done. Other tests, such as colonoscopy, X-rays and/or CT scans are rarely performed; it depends on the case.
Flatulence can be managed in the following ways:
The body’s reacts to anything suspicious by developing an allergic reaction. Some of the common substances inducing this reaction include certain food substances, pollen, insect bites and certain metals. This body recognises these suspicious substances as antigens and produces what is known as antibodies. These produce various allergic reactions in the body ranging from something as minor as a skin rash to something drastically fatal as respiratory distress and even death.
Features:
Causes: Angioedema is usually caused by one of the following:
Risk factors: Though hives usually develop without any warning signs, the following are some risk factors for developing angioedema.
Diagnosis:
Treatment:
Non-medical treatment including loose clothing, cool compresses, and copiously moisturizing to reduce dryness and itching. This is usually sufficient in the majority of the cases.
Medical: Antihistamines like cetirizine and loratadine are the next line of treatment. Very severe cases may require steroids like prednisone.
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