Vocal Cord Biopsy Test

Modern women want to have it all, in personal and professional life. They want to experience the joy of motherhood but not the pain associated with normal delivery. For such women, epidural analgesia during labour is a blessing. Epidural analgesia/anaesthesia is given to pregnant women during childbirth. Epidural painkillers stop the pain signals transmitted nerves from uterus. This stops the pain sensation of labour. For epidural analgesia, a catheter (small tube) is inserted into the epidural space in the spinal cord. It is through this tube that the drugs (painkillers) reach the desired nerves. 

Types of Epidurals: 

Epidurals can be 

1. Injection with top-ups: Once given, epidurals help to relieve the pain that arises due to contractions. When the epidural starts to wear off, top-ups or refills are used. The refills can last for 1-2 hours. 
2. Combined Spinal Epidural: Compared to the regular epidurals, the combined spinal epidurals are powerful, quick, and more effective. Here too, epidural painkillers are made to pass through the catheter, once the first injection wears off. It is also known as Walking Epidural. 
3. Continuous infusion (patient-controlled epidural analgesia): Here, the other end of the epidural catheter is attached to a pump. This pump continuously infuses the painkillers into your back. For an effective response, top-ups may be used. Many hospitals allow patients to control the pump. 

Merits and demerits of having an epidural--

Merits: 

1. Epidurals make the delivery smooth and hassle free. 
2. Epidurals are relatively safe as only a small fraction of the medicine reaches the baby. 
3. Women stay fully awake and experience no pain during the cervix dilation. This enables them to push the baby out with more energy.
4. Depending on the requirement, the dosage of epidurals can be adjusted. 
5. Epidurals help to lower the cases of C-section delivery. 

Demerits: 
Though epidurals make childbirth easy, one cannot overlook its demerits. 

1. Infections can sometimes occur. 
2. Sometimes epidural analgesia can have a patchy effect, causing some pain to persist. 
3. Though rare, epidural can result in nerve damage. 
4. Epidurals bring about a fall in blood pressure. At times, this can be risky for the baby. 
5. Nausea, headache, itchiness, backache, soreness are the common side effects of epidurals. 
6. Epidurals relax a woman, thereby reducing their urge to push the baby out. 

Thus, they may take longer than usual to push the baby. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Pain Management Specialist.

Cervical spondylosis is fast becoming the bane of modern life. An age-related wear and tear problem affecting the spinal discs in your neck, cervical spondylosis is increasingly affecting the young because of the use of cell phones, laptops and the like.

Cervical spondylosis is a general term used to define shrinkage of discs in between vertebrae in the neck region. Along with disc degeneration, bony projections also form in the area and are called bone spurs.
Other causes of cervical spondylosis are dehydrated discs. Discs are thick, pad-like cushions in between vertebrae that act as shock absorbers. They are made of a gel- like material that can dry over time. This causes the spinal vertebrae to rub together causing pain. The discs also crack which allows the internal gel-like material to spill out and impinge on spinal nerves causing symptoms.

There is a narrowing of the space required by the spinal cord and nerves that emanate in the upper spine to go to various parts of the body. Pinching of these nerves can cause alarming symptoms like:

1. Numbness and weakness in your arms, hands, legs and feet
2. Lack of coordination and difficulty in walking
3. Loss of bladder or bowel movement
4. Stiffness and pain in neck

Treatment and management
Usually, cervical spondylosis doesn’t cause any symptoms. But when you start experiencing pain, stiffness and weakness of muscles, it’s best to go to a doctor who will diagnose the problem and then treat it.
Treatment for cervical spondylosis depends on the severity of your symptoms. Its goal is to get rid of pain, allow you to carry on your daily activities and prevent any permanent damage to your spinal cord and nerves.

Medicines

1. Anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed to reduce pain and inflammation. Example Ibuprofen.
2. Corticosteroids are oral medications to get rid of the severe pain. If these don’t work, your doctor can suggest steroid injections.
3. Muscle relaxants medicines relax the muscles in the upper part of the spine and help in curing neck pain and stiffness
4. Anti-seizure medications are also prescribed to dull the pain of damaged nerves in the spine. These include epilepsy medications, such as gabapentin and pregabalin.

Physiotherapy

1. Non surgical treatments are usually very effective in treating cervical spondylosis and surgery is usually not required. Physiotherapy is a bulwark for patients as it helps manage the condition very well.
2. Neck exercises that help stretch and strengthen muscles in your neck and shoulders can help manage debilitating symptoms of cervical spondylosis.
3. Few patients also benefit from traction, which can help provide more space for nerve roots within the spine.

Surgery

1. Surgery is the last resort for treating cervical spondylosis.
2. It is suggested when non-surgical treatments fail and the pain and neurological signs such as weakness in your arms or legs get worse.
3. It is done to create more room for your spinal cord and nerve roots.

Cervical spondylosis surgery typically involves removing:

1. Herniated disk
2. Bone spurs
3. Part of a vertebra. 

If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Physiotherapist.

Stammering or stuttering is a type of speech impairment where sounds or syllables are repeated involuntarily or there are unintended gaps in between words when the person is unable to make the desired sound.

People develop stutters due to genetic flaws, motor functioning defects, coordination problems or due to psychological stressors. The condition can result in anxiety, depression and withdrawal from verbal communication.

How does homeopathy help?

A stutter can be practiced away or corrected by speech therapy but there is no specific medicine that can be used to cure stammering. Homeopathic medicines can provide relief from the symptoms by fixing flawed nervous functions, improve motor coordination and modify the vocal apparatus. Different homeopathic treatments can be used depending on the nature of the condition.

The following is a list of homeopathic remedies and lifestyle changes that can be used to address the problem:

1. Foods rich in vitamin B6 like nuts, fish, bananas and chicken should be consumed regularly by children who have a stutter to help with motor functions.
2. Adults should avoid caffeine, tobacco and other recreational drugs as they cause hyper-stimulation of the nervous system.
3. Stramonium (jimsonweed) can be used when the stammering is violent and the person distorts the facial muscles heavily in order to be able to speak.
4. Lychopodium (clubmoss) can be useful for stammering as well as depression, memory weakness and sleep problems. This is especially helpful if the patient struggles with the last few words of a sentence.
5. Spigelia is beneficial for a mild stutter at the beginning of a sentence, often followed by undisturbed speech.
6. Causticum is prescribed when emotional excitability causes stammering, twitching of the facial muscles or problems in the vocal chords.
7. Staphysagria can aid in reducing social anxiety which often causes stammering i.e. the stammer only happens while interacting with strangers or authority figures.
8. Nux vomica (strychnine) is the medicine to use when stammering is a result of extreme stress or over work.
9. Fright or shock often causes speechlessness or stammering. Aconite can provide immediate relief in such cases.
10. Lachesis is an effective homeopathic medicine when the patient stutters over specific letters or syllables.
11. Gelsemium is used to treat stuttering after severe viral infections when the patient complains of a heavy tongue and lack of general coordination.

A tumor is formed due to the uncontrolled proliferation of living cells. Generally, the cells in the human body continuously die and are replaced by new cells. Some cells are replaced frequently, like intestinal lining and skin, while some like nerve cells live longer and may not be replaced once they die. Natural cell death is mediated by genetic information and the body’s bio-chemical signals. In the case of a tumor, some cells develop genetic mutations, and stop responding to the ‘cell-death’ signals. They do not die and continue to grow to form a mass, stealing nutrients and oxygen from surrounding tissue. Brain tumor can arise from any of the many types of cells in the brain or its covering. These can be benign (less harmful), or malignant (rapidly growing). These tumours cause harm by following methods: 

1. A rapidly growing tumor mass can press on normal brain tissue and damage them in the enclosed space of skull. 
2. Stealing food and oxygen from surrounding normal tissue thereby harming them. 
3. Increase the brain pressure and reducing its blood supply. 
4. Secrete harmful substances causing cerebral oedema. 
5. Some tumours like certain Pituitary tumours can secrete hormones abnormally and cause hormonal imbalance. 

Symptoms of Brain Tumour: 

1. Headache: New onset regular headaches, without any history of having such frequent headaches in past, which becomes worse because of other pressure related activities, such as sneezing, coughing, exercising might be a possible symptom of brain tumour and issues related to such sudden and frequent headaches should be taken up with the doctor without any further delay. If headache is associated with nausea or drowsiness, it is to be taken seriously. 
2. Seizures: Seizures or convulsions (fits) are amongst the most common symptoms of brain tumour, which might be limited to a particular body part or the whole body. It may manifest as frank convulsive movements of the limbs, twitching of one side of face, or may cause subtle and transient behavioral changes. New onset seizures in young people must be evaluated to rule out brain tumours. 
3. Numbness in arms/legs: Numbness in parts of the body may be caused by a tumour affecting the sensory tracts. 
4. Balancing problems: Poor coordination and balancing problems may arise as a prominent symptom for brain tumour affecting the hindbrain. 
5. Memory problems: Lack of concentration and memory loss may be the only symptoms for the presence of tumour in the frontal or temporal lobes. 
6. Nausea or vomiting: Nausea or vomiting might be the symptoms of many other possible health issues, but a headache associated with nausea and/or vomiting is a characteristic symptom of raised brain pressure. Such symptoms should be evaluated to rule out a brain tumor and should not be ignored. 
7. Facial paralysis: weakness of one half of face, like deviation of mouth, drooling of saliva from one corner of mouth, inability to close eyelids etc. may be due to facial paresis caused by a brain tumor in the opercular area or in the CP angle. Such symptoms need to be investigated for a tumor. 
8. Change in vision: A person suffering from brain tumor might also experience changes in the vision, dizziness, blurry vision, among other sight related issues. 
9. Change in speech: Sudden inability to speak or understand speech may be due to tumors of the dominant hemisphere of the brain.
10.  Hearing problems: hearing problems and other hearing related disorders might have the brain tumor of posterior fossa or temporal lobe as a possible reason. 

Diagnosing a brain tumour may include one or more of many tests, including CT scan, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), PET scan and biopsy. One should never ignore the symptoms discussed above and should visit a doctor, preferably a Neurosurgeon as early as possible. Brain tumors are easier to treat if diagnosed early. Certain small tumors can be treated with radiation alone. If surgery is required, smaller tumors diagnosed early have greater chance of cure. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Neurosurgeon.

Cervical cancer is a form of cancer which occurs in the cervix or the lower part of the uterus in women, which opens up into the vagina. Its different from the other cancers that occur in other parts of the uterus and has a high rate of being cured if detected early.

Causes of Cervical Cancer: Cervical cancer is usually caused when abnormal cells present in the cervix, get out of control. Usually, major cases of cervical cancer are caused by a virus known as the human papillomavirus or HPV. This virus gets transmitted from one person to another by sexual means or sexual contact. Abnormal changes in the cervix cells lead to cervical cancer. Usually, cell changes occur in the transformation zone in the cervix as the cells tend to change constantly, thereby leading to cancer.

Symptoms:

1. Abnormal vaginal bleeding between menstrual phases, after menopause or after having sex.
2. Pain is experienced during sex.
3. Abnormal vaginal discharge is produced.
4. Abnormal changes in the menstrual cycle.
5. Anemia due to abnormal bleeding from the vagina.
6. Recurring pain in the pelvis, back or leg.
7. Several urinary problems due to the blockage of the uterus.
8. Urine or stool leakage into the vagina.
9. Loss of weight.

How it can be diagnosed?
A routine screening test should be undertaken to observe any abnormal cell changes in the cervix and also for the screening for cervical cancer. Taking regular Pap smear test is recommended to detect abnormal cell changes so that cervical cancer can be prevented before hand. Other diagnostic tests include, Colposcopy and cervical biopsy to determine the presence of abnormal cells in the cervix, Endocervical biopsy and Cone biopsy.

Treatment options available: 
Cervical cancer can be treated when detected at an early stage. The type of treatment depends on the stage and type of cervical cancer. The most common treatment methods are as follows:

1. Surgery can be undertaken for removal of the cancer. Several types of surgeries exist and the ideal one depends on the location and severity of the cervical cancer.
2. Radiation therapy involves the use of high dosage X-rays and implants within the vaginal cavity. This kills the cancer cells and is used in some specific stages of cervical cancer. This therapy is often used alongside surgery.
3. Chemo-radiation is a combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy. This procedure can be used at various stages of cervical cancer.
4. Chemotherapy involves using medicines for killing cancer cells. It is used in advanced stages of cervical cancer.

Pelvic cancer is caused by abnormal cell changes in the pelvis. It is a common kind of cancer and can cause negative effects on the health. Proper diagnosis and treatment are essential for treating pelvic cancer. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a gynaecologist.