Anti-streptolysin O or ASO is a group of antibodies that the body creates in response to streptolysin, a toxic substance created by the Gram bacteria, streptococci. An elevated level of the ASO antibodies in the blood indicates the presence of a serious infection. The ASO titre test is conducted to check for a strep infection caused by these bacteria. A strep infection leads to the condition of either a kidney disease named glomerulonephritis or rheumatic fever. The ASO titre test detects either of these conditions and examines the extent of the infection. The doctor provides different treatment according to the results.
Some important preparatory steps for this test include not consuming anything solid or liquid for at least 6 hours before the test. Some antibiotics lower the level of ASO in the blood for a few hours. This will increase the chances of false results. Consumption of such medicines is to be avoided. Consult your doctor regarding all the medicines that you take on a daily basis. Other than that, you only need to dress comfortably for a routine blood test.
The ASO test is used for detecting any previous or present strep infection. It calculates the level of ASO in the blood and examines the infections. It is also useful in indicating the following: Revealing whether you have glomerulonephritis or rheumatic fever so that the treatment can be done accordingly Risk of suffering from the condition of bacterial endocarditis Possibility of another streptococcal infection in the future Diagnosing other diseases such as scarlet fever
The test requires 7 ml blood as the sample. The healthcare practitioner will draw out the blood through the following steps: Tying an elastic band around your upper arm so as to stop the flow of blood and make the veins more visible. Cleaning the skin area for taking out the blood with an alcohol pad. Inserting the needle into the vein and drawing out the required sample. Cleaning the area with cotton and bandaging.
Type | Gender | Age-Group | Value |
---|---|---|---|
ASO Titre
|
Unisex
|
All age groups
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>200IU is considered positive
|
Knee replacement is a procedure where the weight-carrying surfaces of knee joint are replaced surgically to ease the pain or any disability. People suffering from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis undergo knee replacement. All these conditions revolve around stiffness and painful knee. This surgery is usually performed on people aged over 50.
Surgery Types:
Knee replacement is mainly of two main types:
Procedure: In case of partial knee replacement with minimal invasion, a smaller incision, which is 3 to 5 inches, is required. This leads to minimal tissue damage and the surgeon can work between the fibres of the quadriceps muscles. Here, an incision through the tendon is not required. This may result in less pain, recovery time is reduced, and motion is better as scar tissue formation is less.
In total knee replacement, four steps are performed:
After general or spinal anaesthesia, an incision of 8-12 inches is made in the front part of the knee. Joint part which is damaged is removed from the surface of the bones. The surfaces are then formed in a way to hold a metal or plastic artificial joint. The thigh bone shin as well as knee cap is attached to the artificial joint with either cement or a special material.
After Effects of the Procedure: After the surgery, patients may stay in a hospital for three to five days. Post surgery, notable improvement can be seen after a month or later. The patient is gradually relieved from pain with the construction of new gliding surface during surgery.
There will be slow progress in the movement. In the beginning, one may walk with a support of parallel bars and then with the help of crutches, walker, or cane. After full recovery in about six weeks, people can enjoy normal activities except running or jumping.
Presently, over 90% of total knee replacements function well even after 15 years of surgery. Hence, knee problem is no problem at all! If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Orthopedist.
1) Diabetes is curable :
Diabetes is mainly due deficiency of Insulin (hormone produced by Beta cells of pancreas), plus resistance to action of insulin, overweightor obesity and inactivity. Therefore, to treat diabetes we need drugs that initiate insulin secretion, reduce insulin resistance. In some cases insulin itself. Plus dietary control and regular exercise to maintain normal weight or reduce excess weight. Hence it can only be effectively controlled. Cure is not possible.
2) Eating Sugar or Sweets causes Diabetes :
It is incorrect to say that eating sweets and / or sugar causes diabetes. Basically excess food intake will lead to excess production of glucose. That puts excess load on insulin producing cells in pancreas due glucotoxicity. Also due to central obesity the fat around internal organs causes lipotoxicity affecting the beta cells. Therefore, excess food intake in general and weight gain are the reasons for diabetes.
3) Jaggery is better or safe in diabetes :
Jaggery and sugar both are essentially same. Both contain sucrose, as they are prepared from sugar cane juice. Hence eating either of these will increase blood glucose considerably. In jaggery there are some vitamins and a few antioxidants. But both are bad for a diabetic person.
4) Rice should not be eaten in diabetes :
Not really true. Because in south India this is the major or at times only main food. Rice has a high glycemic index so gets converted to glucose rapidly. So polished rice is not good. Brown rice is better. Quantity should be regulated. All other cereals also are converted glucose after digestion.
5)Allopathic Medications Damage Kidneys, so go for either Ayurvedic or Homeopathic Drugs :
In fact diabetes itself affects kidney, particularly the filtering membrane of glomerulurous (a filtering unit in the kidney). Even when diabetes fairly well controlled, kidney does get affected. The drugs used to treat diabetes help in overcoming kidney damage. Therefore it is wrong to think that modern drugs cause kidney damage. In fact some of the other drugs contain heavy metals (Bhasmas), which can be harmful to the kidney.
6) Sugar intake is essential for body :
Some people keep asking that eating sugar is very necessary for getting energy for the body tissues. This is not at all true. Because all the cereals like rice, jowar, wheat, ragi, bajra and other millets, contain starch as the main ingredient. Hence intake of each of these foods provides glucose after digestion. So there is no separate need for taking sugar.
Few things to be remembered and practiced are :
At times being able to conceive becomes a challenge due to certain biological reasons. Feeling positive and eating healthy naturally takes you a step nearer to getting pregnant. In case of no medical condition acting as an obstruction, consuming the right food can increase your chances of getting pregnant.
Here’s a list of supplements you can include in your diet to maximise your chances of getting pregnant.
1. Choose whole grains over refined carbohydrates: Reducing the intake of refined carbohydrates (found in milk, potatoes, corn to name a few) can reduce inflammation of the genitals, which will help increase fertility. You can still continue to have your favourite foods, but ensure they are low GI (glycaemic index- a figure used to represent the ability of carbohydrate to increase glucose in blood) carbohydrates.
You can consume whole grains, which help in reducing insulin levels that in turn reduce the risk of heart diseases and diabetes and also help lower cholesterol levels. Try having whole grain bread instead of white bread and porridge instead of sugary processed cereals to reduce your GI ingestion.
2. Harness the power of Proteins: Proteins are an important part of your diet and the type of proteins you require careful consideration as they help make new hormones. Try having 25gms of vegetable protein like seeds, legumes and nuts instead of animal protein.
Add dairy foods to your diet as they are also a rich source of protein. They provide vital minerals and nutrients like magnesium, calcium and vitamin B12 to the body and at the same time are low in calories. Include milk, yoghurt and cottage cheese to your meals so that you have a minimum of three servings of dairy products a day, which is essential to meet your nutritional needs and increase your chances of having a baby.
3. Welcome Good Fats: Processed foods, fatty meats and takeaways are high in saturated fats including trans fats. These lead to inflammation and an increase of oxygen free radicals in the body, which decrease fertility. So, incorporate good fats in your diet in controlled quantities. Try having avocado and tomato on a whole grain toast, for instance.
4. Make folate an integral part of your diet: Folate is an essential nutrient that helps in decreasing the incidence of birth defects in babies, while ensuring a healthy conception. Along with the prescribed supplements, try to increase its intake in its natural form. The best way to do this is by having green leafy vegetables, which are a rich source of folate. You can also have veggie sticks and vegetable soup along or green vegetable dishes to increase your folate intake. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Gynaecologist.
Think you may be constipated? For somewhere in the range of, a bowel development each other day is totally ordinary (however, Ayurveda would at present prescribe a few methodologies to expand consistency). For others, only one day without a bowel development is a certain indication of clogging. Likewise with most things in Ayurveda, the setting of every person (and his or her experience of the circumstance) is significantly more critical than any one-size-fits-all meaning of what is healthy or typical.
The Ayurvedic Perspective
As indicated by Ayurveda, blockage happens when vata's cool and dry qualities irritate the colon, repressing its appropriate working. The remedy is to include warmth, oil, and hydration to the framework with a specific end goal to counter the overabundance vata. The accompanying procedures particularly counter vata's cool and dry qualities and can be exceptionally useful in supporting the arrival of ordinary bowel movements.