Tag: hospitals in bangalore

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Zika Virus – Symptoms, Causes and treatment

Recently, Zika virus has taken a toll in Jaipur with over 42 confirmed cases. A fatal virus, Zika finds its roots in Uganda, where it was discovered in the year 1947. The same mosquito responsible for tracing yellow fever, chikungunya and dengue virus is known to transmit Zika. Thought it can be transmitted through the following besides mosquito –

  • Pregnant women to her unborn child
  • Blood Transfusion
  • Sexual intercourse
  • Possibly through saliva while kissing (may or may not)

Zika virus can cause various disorders/ Complications like Premature birth, severe dehydration, hearing impairment, eye problems in infants, Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM) and the following as well –

Zika Virus - Symptoms, Causes and treatment

Congenital malformations
When the virus is transmitted to the unborn child through a pregnant woman, it is bound to attack the nervous system of the child and cause microcephaly or prevent brain growth. It may damage the fetus, which could not be visible immediately but many years of birth. This virus is present in the milk of an infected mother as well.

Guillain Barre Syndrome
After the Zika virus enters the nervous system, some people tend to suffer from a disorder known as Guillain Barre Syndrome. It can also get into the brain and cause other neurological symptoms. This virus has the ability to not directly attack but get the immune system to attack the nervous system.

Symptoms
The symptoms of people infected by Zika include the following

  • Fever
  • Joint pain
  • Rash
  • Nausea
  • Headache
  • Conjunctivitis
  • Chills
  • Bloodshot eyes
  • Sweating
  • Cheek Swelling

Diagnosis
The diagnosis of Zika can be done using a blood, saliva , semen and urine test.

Zika Treatment
As on date there is not treatment or vaccination available for Zika. You only can treat the symptoms using fever reducers and medicines for reducing vomiting or rash.

*Sourced from the Internet

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Be Aware of the Silent Killer Called Ovarian Cancer

Many women aren’t aware that ovarian cancer is also known as the Silent Killer because generally no visible symptoms indicate the presence of this cancer and the symptoms surface only during the final stages. This cancer has known to affect as many as over 20K women across the world every year and due to the lack of visible symptoms indicating the cancer, it makes this cancer even scarier.

CAUSES AND RISKS
The causes of this cancer are not clear as yet but family history is one of the risk factors and the women having a family member or relative with ovarian cancer or breast cancer are definitely at a higher risk of the same. Age can also be termed as one of the risk factors because most women get it after 60 -63 years. Also, the women who have had one or more pregnancies before the age of 26 are at a lower risk. The risk is lower if the number of pregnancies is higher. Even using contraceptives frequently tends to lower the risk of ovarian cancer. As per doctors there is this contraceptive hormone called DMPA or Depo pro-vera CI that if injected of more than 3 years, reduces the risk of ovarian cancer even further. Women who make use of infertility treatment drugs over a period of one year are also known to have a high risk of getting ovarian cancer. Other risk factors include obesity, hormone therapy and gynecologic surgery as in surgery of reproductive organs and getting endometriosis at the age of 30 years.

Ovarian Cancer

DIAGNOSIS AND STAGES
The doctor on examination will ask for some tests that include blood test, a CT scan or MRI as well as Laparoscopy, biopsy, abdominal fluid aspiration test or colonoscopy for that matter.

Stages
As per the American Cancer society ovarian cancer has four stages
Stage 1 – This is the preliminary stage of ovarian cancer where only the ovary or the ovaries are affected.
Stage 2 – This is the secondary stage where the cancer is out of the ovaries and spread around the areas like fallopian tubes, uterus, rectum or the bladder.
Stage 3 – This is a later stage of cancer where the cancer affects the lymph nodes, abdominal lining or even the back of the abdomen.
Stage 4 – The last stage of cancer where the cancer has spread to other parts of the body outside the peritoneal cavity viz. abdomen or pelvis upto the liver, fluid around the lungs or the spleen.

SYMPTOMS
The initial symptoms of ovarian cancer are easy to miss because they are very much similar to premenstrual syndrome. So, you have to be alert and if you find any of the below mentioned symptoms that persist for a long time then good idea is to go for checkup.

Recurring Abdominal Pain
If you have been experiencing stomach ache for a long time even if you don’t have your monthly cycles then its time you get it tested.

Appetite loss and Nausea
When ovarian cancer starts spreading around, it affects the bowel system and causes nausea. If you feel you have been experiencing and loss in your appetite or feeling full sooner than ever, check it out.

Bloating and Constipation
When a tumor is growing inside you even when you do not eat much you feel fuller and bloated. It can also affect your bowel movement leading to regular constipation issues.

Irregular monthly cycles
A tumor in the ovary will cause your monthly period to become irregular or sorts. So, if you haven’t been experiencing any irregularity in your monthly periods earlier but only lately for a while, good idea to meet up with your doctor.

Frequent urination
If you have been making frequent trips to the bathroom for peeing then this could be the sign. Do not ignore and visit your doctor.

TREATMENT
The treatment is based on the diagnosis of the stage of the cancer and includes procedures like surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy as well as hormonal therapy. One or more treatments in combination are usually used depending upon the stage of the cancer.

Surgery types
The extent of surgery is also based on the stage and includes removal of ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus as well the affected surrounding tissues. Then there is de-bulking surgery and lymph node dissections also which is done to reduce the cancerous tissues if the cancer is spread beyond the pelvic region and removal of lymph nodes near the aorta respectively.

Therapy types
Chemotherapy is generally done post-surgery to kill the remaining cancer cells. A medication known as cytotoxic medication poisonous drugs to the cells in-order to prevent growth and division. This is a recurring process based on the cancer growth. Targeted Chemotherapy is another treatment that involves target specific function or pathways of cancer cells. Another therapy that is used as a part to treatment is Hormone therapy. It is done to cut the supply of estrogen from the cancer cells in order to slow their growth. Radiation therapy is also used for treatment of cancer and is generally used in advanced form of cancer.

Survival
As the stage increases the survival rate decreases. While for Stage I there is a 90% chance of survival, for stage IV, the chance is 17%.

Know more about Best Cancer Hospital in Bangalore

 

*Sourced from the Internet

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All you Need to know about Brain Tumor

A brain tumor is a condition that is caused when abnormal cells in the brain grow within the brain or the spinal cord. It can be life threatening because it can disrupt brain functioning. There are two types of brain tumors, ones that are benign (cancerous) and the other malignant (malignant). The life expectancy varies depending upon the stage of the cancer.

Benign Tumor – This tumor grows slowly and does not spread to other tissues, thus is not cancerous in nature.

Malignant Tumor – This tumor grows very fast and contains cancerous cells that invade other parts of the brain and is considered to be life-threatening condition.

Brain Tumors are also classified as primary and secondary tumors depending on their origin. If the tumor starts in the brain it is known as primary tumor and if it originates from some other part of the body, it is known as a secondary or metastatic tumor.

Brain Tumor - signs

Symptoms

The symptoms of a brain tumor depend upon the type of tumor and the origin of it. The symptoms are mild initially and gradually increase. Sometimes there may be no symptoms at all. Some common symptoms –

A headache that persists
Nausea, vomiting, and drowsiness
Speech issues
Memory Issues
Seizures or convulsions
Personality Change
Coordination Change

Diagnosis
Diagnosis involves various tests to be carried out including the following-

EEG – An electroencephalogram is used to record brain activities for abnormalities if any using electrodes that are attached to the head.

CT Scan – It gives a detailed X ray picture of the patient’s brain

MRI Scan – It makes use of magnetic field as well as radio waves and provides a detailed image of the brain
Even biopsy is used to further confirm the presence of a tumor.

Treatment
The treatment depends on the diagnosis. It includes factors like the type of tumor, the age of the patient, size of the tumor, tolerance levels of the patient to name a few.

Surgery – The first course of treatment for Cancer starts with surgery and removal of the tumor or a part of it as much as possible. Due care is taken to avoid any harm to the neighboring tissues. The remaining tumor is removed with the help of various cancer therapies.

Chemotherapy – Chemotherapy is used for treating a serious type of malignant tumor. It stops the cells from multiplying or duplicating.

Radiation Therapy – Radiotherapy uses intense energy beams to destroy the tumor and prevent it from growing. It attacks the tumor cells, leading to shrinkage in the tumor, which can further be managed using an immune system of a person.

Radio Surgery – Also known as stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), this treatment involves giving a targeted and precise dose in the form of an X-ray radiation.

Risk Factors – There is no definite reason behind brain tumors. It might be hereditary but in rare cases. The only risk factor associated with the brain tumor is radiation exposure.

Survival – The survival rate post the diagnosis also depends on a lot of factors but for malignant tumors of a primary type, the 5-year survival rate is even less than 35%.

RRMCH is one the best hospitals in Bangalore and amongst the best Neuro hospitals in India. Equipped with the latest in Medical Technology, it also offers the expertise of the best neurologist in Bangalore.

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Nose and Emotions – The Inter Relationship

Nose and Emotions - The Inter Relationship

Now, here is some news related to the ability to expressing emotions. A study has found that the rare condition experience by 10% of the healthy population called alexithymia leads to difficulty in understanding emotions, talking or relating to them or even expressing them.

The researching scientists adopted a completely untested approach of study which included testing 62 individuals divided into categories based of severity of alexithymia as low, medium and high. The testing was known as olfactory tests and were carried out to find out their reactions on different kinds of stimulation.

The scientists were also explained the reason behind using the olfactory test’s suitability in studying this psychological conditions. According to them, between the areas in the brain there is a partial develop that deals with olfactory perception besides with those that are into processing emotions.

One of the important finding of the test were that scientists found the alexithymic patients react differently than others when it comes to smells. Apparently, its a result of their psychological parameters like accelarated heart rate or electrical skin conductivity. Additionally, the scientists also observed difference in reactions in subjects suffering from affective alexithymia and effective alexithymia wherein the areas of imagination, sensation and creativity are restricted compared to subjects with congnitive alexithymia, wherein identification, expression and distinguishing ability is compromised.

The results clearly stated that altered psychological response to olfactory stimuli is one of the characteristics of alexithymia. The test also brought to light an interesting fact that The psychological reactions of individuals suffering from alexithymic conditions to smell induced emotions are apparently more intense, contradicting general expectations on the same.

A significant observation as it may be and counter intuitive too, subjects with alexithymia become insensitive to difference, changes or color shades that are said to enrich our routine lives scientifically due to the situation of extreme perpetual activation with respect to emotions, they are said to be in.

Well, now you know how nose and emotions are interconnected or interdependent for that matter.

Know more about ENT Hospitals in Bangalore