Hospital Blog | RRMCH

July 27, 2017

The Early You Quit Smoking The Better For Your Lungs

All of us are quite aware of the ill effects of Cigarette smoking to our health. Here is some information that you may consider as a bit of good news particularly if you’ve started smoking recently.

Experts say that if a smoker quits smoking, his/ her lungs do heal to a certain extent.

HOW SMOKING AFFECTS OUR LUNGS?
Well, as per the experts when you inhale the smoke of a cigar or cigarette, it causes inflammation and irritation of the lung’s delicate lining. Our lungs are lined with tiny hairs called cilia. After smoking, even upto several hours the brush like movement of cilia is slowed down because smoking causes temporary paralysis to them. Now, this in turn makes their job of cleaning the mucus and other substances like dust particles from the lung airways comparatively ineffective.

Furthermore, there is also an increase in production and thickness of mucus in the lungs of smokers. The inability of the cilia to chuck of the mucus out of the lungs leads to accumulation of the mucus within the lung airbags, thereby choking them and thus leading to cough issues. If smoking persists it can also lead to chronic bronchitis, a kind of lung infection.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER YOU QUIT SMOKING?
The short term inflammation caused by smoking can be reversed once you quit smoking. Though, initially for a few weeks post quitting, you may experience more coughing issues than you ever had while smoking. But, consider this as a positive signal is what experts say. You cough when the lungs are cleaning up your gunk which means that your cilia is again active and on the job of cleaning of mucus, from the airbags of your lungs.

Gradually, the breathing improves and swelling decreases as the lining of the lungs is no longer exposed to the irritants produced due to smoke. The decrease in swelling also aids in regulating the airflow through the passageways.

SOME IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT SMOKING
Statistically speaking, 10 years after you quit smoking, your chances of getting lung cancer are practically reduced to half. This does mean that there is always a risk because once upon a time you were a smoker but the 50% reduction in its possibility is off course a great consideration to quit smoking.

Having said that, one fact that which needs a mention is that not everyone’s lungs get functioning normally once they quit smoking. It actually depends on the number of packets you have been smoking and the number of years you have been doing so. The term is known as pack years and in simple words, the greater the number of pack years, the greater the damage or to put it the other way, lesser the irreversibility. Further, Lung cancer is most likely to occur amongst smokers and ex-smokers and not amongst non smokers.

So, if you’ve started smoking recently, quitting seems a smart idea. And if you have been smoking for a long time, it definitely is a wake up call to call smoking quits.

World NO Tobacco day “Awareness Initiative” and No Tobacco Day Conducted by RRMCH

June 28, 2017

Diabetes and Yeast Infections – An Overview

There is certainly a relation between yeasts and diabetes and most logically it is sugar that relates yeast infections to diabetes. Yeast are generally found growing near mucous membranes around the skin. When there is a build up of yeast, it is called yeast infection. As yeast feeds on sugar and diabetics tend to sweat, pee and secrete a lot of mucus due to high glucose levels, automatically inviting yeasts to build on and cause yeast infections. The areas where yeast grow rapidly are those with warm temperatures typically under skin folds and breasts, mouth and around genitals.

The most common of the yeast infections with women is the vaginal infection and generally occurs in people suffering from diabetics that is not under proper control. When the diabetes is not controlled properly, it also effects the immune system adversely. Apparently, it suppresses the growth of immune proteins known as beta defensins, responsible for killing microbes.

Furthermore, even after treatment, there is high possibility of re-occurrence of the infection in people with poorly controlled diabetes. This is because after colonization of the yeast in a particular area, its becomes easy for yeast to re-attack. The extra sugar levels in diabetics helps in colonization on the yeast and makes it easy for other pathogens to stick to mucous gland and skin cells as well.

Diagnosis
The doctor asks for vaginal secretion sample test to confirm the vaginal yeast infection. The microscopical review of the sample is carried out for confirmation of Candida fungus in abnormal amounts. Sometimes even urine samples are tested.

Treatment
Most of the doctors prescribe anti-fungal creams that can be easily applied to the affected area. These creams are usually available over the counter. Only when creams aren’t effective is when doctors prescribe a dose of anti-fungal medication.

Home Remedies
Alternatively, home remedies like using oregano oil, yogurt, over the counter creams, coconut or tea tree oil for treating yeast infection are commonly tried.

Prevention
Prevention is always a better idea, and particularly for diabetics, wherein there is high possibility of yeast infection to reoccur. But, certain precautionary measures can help you keep the yeast infection at bay. This includes keeping body and genital dry, using clean cotton under garments and perfumed pads of good quality. As far as diet supplements are concerned, eating yogurt on a daily basis helps a lot.

Though, treating the root cause would definitely help you the most so try keeping your glucose levels under control to prevent the complications that arise due to the same.

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June 21, 2017

Fungal Infections – An Over View

Fungal infections are very common part of our day to day lives. When our immune system is unable to handle the invasions of infection causing fungus, is when we get prone to the condition called fungal infection. There are usually two kinds of fungi that reside on human body. The helpful one and the harmful one. The invasion of harmful fungi causes infections as they cannot be killed easily and can rebound as well.

The most common types of fungal infections in humans include –
Ringworm – This infection is caused by a fungus that lives on dead tissues of skin, nails and hair. It is also responsible for causing athlete’s foot and jock itch but if it occurs on other parts of the body it is known as ringworm. Generally, doctors

Jock itch – A mildly contagious infection by nature, it is caused by fungus that breed in damp and warm regions of the body like groin, inner thighs and buttocks. It causes redness of skin accompanied by itching, chafing or burning. Doctors usually prescribe some topical anti-fungal ointments and advise patients to maintain proper body hygiene.

Athlete’s foot – As the name suggests this infection is very common with sports people and athletes. The reason for it being so common with athletes is breeding environments like shoes, sports equipments, locker rooms, socks. Though it can happen to anyone as well. Athletes feet is also treated with topical anti-fungal oinments but some serious infections need oral medicinal intake as well.

Now, that we are aware of some of the common form of fungal infections let us run down some nutrients that can help us fight fungal infections and are commonly available.

Garlic – Garlic does limit the growth of fungus called candida to a large extent as it is highly sensitive to particularly the purified extract of garlic called allyl alcohol that produced oxidative stress thus supressing the growth of it.

Tea Tree Oil – This oil is effective on candida and various other fungal isolates. It treats candida and paronychia infections effectively as well. The tea tree oil disrupts the yeast cell wall thus inhibiting its growth.

Another way of to protect yourself from the unhealthy fungus, maintaining good population of the healthy fungus particularly to avoid vaginal infections, in women. Yogurt and pro-biotics are a good source of friendly bacteria in the vagina or rectum. Even fructooligosaccharides, a form of sugar is known to boost the levels of the good bacteria in the body, so adding one teaspoon daily to your diet should help you a lot in proliferation of friendly bacteria.

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June 19, 2017

A NEW DISCOVERY ABOUT LUNG FUNCTIONING

It has been known that Lungs are involved in facilitating respiration but a recent study on mice has discovered that they play a far more complex role in bodies of mammals. This role involves production of 10 million platelets or tiny blood cells every hour, which is equal to the platelets majority in animal circulation.

The researchers in California University also found out that the blood stem cells in the lung tissue responsible for the same were wrongly presumed to be located inside the bone marrow. This only proves the significance of the lungs and that their role isn’t restricted only to respiration and play an important role in blood formation.

Earlier, it was assumed that the majority of the cells responsible for blood production belong inside the bone marrow but contradicting the earlier research findings, the news ones show that most of the platelet forming cells known as the mega karyoctes function from inside the lung tissue and more importantly are responsible of production of majority of the body’s platelets.

Now, earlier the researchers did not have the technology but with the advent of two photon intra-vital imaging that involves the process of insertion of a substance known as green fluorescent protein (GFP) in the genome of the mouse. After the insertion, the platelets strated emitting bright green fluorescence while moving around the body in real time. This helped the team determine their movement path, which wasn’t possible earlier. This is when it was revealed that most of the platelets population resided inside the lung tissue and produced megakaryocytes. Also, the production was found to be around 10 million platelets per hour in mice lungs. This automatically proves that almost half of the platelet production was carried out inside the lungs.

Though, the fascinating part about the discovery is that the mega karyoctes originate in the bone marrow, then travel to the lungs and then start producing platelets. Though, a human replication is yet to be done, none the less it makes a strong case for the functioning of the lungs.

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June 8, 2017

CHOCOLATES ARE GOOD FOR HEALTH

Yes, you read that right. Chocolates are good for health and this is how. A recent study has found that Chocolate can help prevent heartbeat irregularities, thus reducing the risk of stroke and other heart diseases. As per the researchers, chocolate has worked well against atrial fibrillation, a condition which results in heart beat irregularities. In this condition, a variation in pace of the heart’s lower two chambers and atria or heart’s two upper chambers occurs. This irregularity in the heart beat increases the risk of heart failures, strokes as well as cognitive impairment.

The study found that adults consuming around 1 ounce of chocolate two to six times during the week had the strongest effect. Though the mechanism on how chocolate helps in preventing atrial fibrillation is yet to be known, it is said that flavonoids, types of compounds found in chocolate might play a significant role in the same as they already have anti-oxident and anti-inflammatory properties.
The data study of over 55000 adults, both male and female under the age group of 50-64 was analyzed to get the results. Here are the findings:

Women
Women eating 1 ounce of chocolate once a week lowered the risk of atrial fibrillation by 21 percent.

Men
Men eating 2 to six servings of 1 ounce of chocolate per week lowered the risk of atrial fibrillation by 23 percent.

Cocoa Rich Chocolates
It was found that chocolates with high content of cocoa if had in moderation are considered to be a heart healthy snack. They have significant health benefits as well as protective constituents. The study also revealed that chocolate consumers were healthier, well educated and had less chances of high blood pressure and diabetes when compared to non consumers of chocolate.

Having said that, the debate on the geographic constraint of the study is on, but yes, we can still consider eating cocoa rich chocolates in moderation for a healthy heart.

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May 8, 2017

Side Effects Of Sunscreen Lotions

Sunscreens are a common household commodity today in India. With temperatures in India soaring across its length and breadth during summers and generally across the year in most of the regions, sunscreen is generally used by many of us for protection against the scorching sun.

But, like every coin has two sides to it, even sunscreens come with their share of pros and cons. So, let us run down the brighter side of the product and the flip side as well.

SUNSCREEN USES
They help protect the skin from sun, control aging and prevent sunburns. They also decrease the risk of cancers and reactions caused due to certain medications. The protective layer formed with sunscreens absorbs or reflects the radiations and does not allow them to penetrate deep inside the skin.

Though, for optimum effect sunscreens need to be applied properly. In general, 30 grams of cream is enough for covering the entire body. The cream needs to be applied 30 minutes before exposure to sun and needs to be reapplied every 2 hours. Sunscreens can used for people of 1 year and above and is not recommended for infants.

SUNSCREEN SIDE EFFECTS
Vitamin D Deficiency – A recent study has found that use of sunscreens on a regular basis leads to deficiency of vitamin D. The people who use highly protective sunscreens are more liable to develop deficiency of vitamin D. Already, people spend most of their time indoors than outdoors and now the sunscreen when outdoors, so its about zeros the Vitamin D availability to the body almost.

Additionally, Sunscreens can also cause side effects such as redness of skin, skin irritation and also increase the risk of breast cancer with one of its chemicals does effect the blood estrogen levels. It can also cause red spots or red itchy rashes on skin besides eye irritation.

Having said that, it does not mean that we stop using sunscreen. But, moderate exposures to sun is a good idea while using sun screens to protect skin from harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun that may cause skin cancer.

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April 24, 2017

Heartburn or Acid Reflux – Don’t Ignore This Sign

Eating habits of Indians include oily and sweet food intake and now add to it the junk food habits of the urban class.. all these roads end up to one common destination – heart burn. Heart burn is often ignored by people because it is a common condition that most of us happen to suffer from.

HEART BURN OR ACID REFLUX
Heart burn is also known as acid reflux and is also a symptom for gastro esophadeal reflux. Our body consists of a specialized muscle called esophageal sphincter (LES) placed at the lowerside of the esophagus or food pipe. When we eat food, it opens up to allow food to pass through and instantly closes down to avoid reflux or backward movement of food, acids or enzymes present in the stomach into the food pipe. In order to avoid inflammation, the stomach is provided with a lining of special protective cells. But, esophagus has no such lining for protection hence is vulnerable to damage if there is a reflux of acids and digestive juices into it. Heart burn, also a general symptom of GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) occurs when the digestive juices and acids reflux back into the esophagus.

CAUSES
Irregular and improper dietary habits usually pave the way to heartburn. Again, there are certain foods that instigate the secretion of acids in stomach again leading to the same. Some of these foods include intake of fruits containing acidic juices like pineapple, orange and veggies like tomatoes. Drugs like ibuprofen ans aspirin ,chocolates and caffeine, aerated drinks, alchohol and smoking and obesity, pregnancy and hiatal hernia, to name a few.

EFFECTS
Ignoring a prolonged condition of heartburn could lead to ulcer formation, scarring and stricture and other related GERD complications. Heartburn could also lead to change in the type of cells lining the esophagus further causing Barett’s esophagus – a condition known to increase the risk of esophageal cancer.

DIAGNOSIS
Recurring heartburn needs a diagnosis, definitely. It includes physical examination and medical history.
X- Ray Test – A X-ray test that needs the patient to consume to contrasting drugs while watching the complete process through a x-ray. This is done to check whether the esophagus muscles are in good shape, working properly as well as for inflammations or issues withing the food pipe.
Endoscopy
Endoscopy involves the use of a flexible scope fitted with a fibre optic camera for checking out the lining of esophagus and stomach.
Biopsy – This is only done if the gastroenterologists suspects possibilities of cancer.
Manometry – This is not a commonly used test in India and is carried out only if the traditional diagnosis does not give any outcome. Herein, pressure monitors are used measurement of acids inside the esophagus.

TREATMENT
The primary treatment for heart burn involves change in lifestyle. This includes eating smaller potions of meals at frequent intervals, avoiding addictions like alcohol, smoking and more. Using a high pillow for head support while sleeping, avoiding or reducing fruits and veggies with excessive acids, weight loss if obese or overweight and using antacids but in limited proportions.

For patients suffering from Barrett’s esophagus, severe reflux issues leading to wheezing and pneumonia and intensive medical therapy failure, surgery is opted. With the advancement of technology laparoscopy is also used for non invasive treatment of more serious esophagus conditions like carcinoma.

So next time, take heart burn issues seriously and if it is recurring and prolonged then do consult a doctor because little do we know that heart burn might just be a sign of life threatening kidney disease like kidney cancer or even failure. Furthermore, do consult a doctor if you need to take heartburn drugs for a prolonged time period because regular intake could lead to serious renal issues as well.

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April 3, 2017

Childhood Obesity Management In India

Going by the recent figures, it can be factually stated that Childhood Obesity is catching up like wild fire across borders. It has already reached epidemic levels in some developed countries and there is no denying that developing countries are also experiencing the brunt it.

Continents like America and Europe are leading the list with horrifying figures of over 20% affected populace. Well, the Asians and Africans are not far behind either, with startling figures that state of over 10% children caught in the claws of the monster called childhood obesity.

Apparently, limited evidence is available in India on childhood obesity and research on the same is in progress. Even-though, there are a few factors that seem to primarily influence the rise in the condition. The factors include environmental factors, genetics, metabolic programming, diet habits and sedentary lifestyle, to name a few.
Well, sedentary lifestyle alongside dietary habits particularly instant and junk foods consumption amongst children, particularly in urban settings has increased the risk of obesity associated diseases like type 2 diabetes mellitus, metabolic resistance and more as well.

Childhood Obesity
There are many causes that lead to obesity in children. Here is a run down the major two.

High Calorie Diet
Children in the urban setups are addicted to instant and junk foods which is a major cause of obesity in cities. While it actually begins at birth, when people tend to over feed their babies to make them healthy and end up making them obese. Even the school cafeteria’s do not have any meal plans depending upon individual state of health. Children eat as much as they want, many a times much more than required. Many parents also tend to forcefully feed children even if they are done due to their traditional beliefs of health and nutrition. This is one of the major factor leading childhood obesity.

Sedentary Lifestyle
Before the advent of television, video games, tablets and play stations, children used to indulge into outdoor activities, sports and games a lot. But, now children are more of confined to indoors busy playing games on computers, play-stations or watching cartoons on television. Also, commuting before was either walking or cycling, now its more about buses, cars and skateboards. The lifestyle has become sedentary and thus resulted into obesity rise.

Prevention is the Key
To put a brake on the rise of obesity cases across the globe, a unanimous solution or key is prevention of it. It primarily includes avoiding weight gain, working on reduction of weight and weight regain as well. Many initiatives are undertaken by government and private organizations of different countries in order to create awareness on childhood obesity related health hazards and also its prevention. This includes increased intake of vegetables and fruits, participation in outdoor sports activities and other physical activities like dance and more. Consumption of healthy snacks and saying no to junk foods or limiting the intake to bare minimum are some steps suggested to the populace in order to prevent obesity in the younger generation across the world.

There are many other factors that lead to childhood obesity as mentioned before and in order to put brakes on the ever increasing number of cases, prevention is the best way out. So in general, parents need to promote healthy eating habits in children and include adequate number of physical activities in their daily routine so as to promote a healthy and fit way of life right from the grassroots level, thus curbing childhood obesity to an extent.

Contact to Child Specialist in Bangalore – Rajarajeswari Medical College and Hospital

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March 30, 2017

All You Need To Know About Blood Donation In India

It’s been a daunting task for a long time for the blood banks to meet the ever rising demands of blood in India. Figuratively, the need for blood in India arises every 2 seconds and is a mammoth 5 crore units in all. This makes for a requirement of around 40K blood donations every single day. Obviously, forget meeting the requirements, even coming to terms with these figures isn’t easy.

So, apparently, India is in need of donors all the time, 24×7. However, cliche or preachy it may sound, but donating blood is a moral responsibility, each one of us should take up if not regularly atleast occasionally during blood donation camps in your area or blood donation day or week may be!

Here are a few facts about blood donation to clear off any doubts or queries on the same –

BLOOD & TYPES
You can’t make blood, but what you can do is donate. It forms 7% your body weight.

O -ve donors blood cells can be used by patients of all blood groups, but has a low shelf life, hence is in high demand.

AB positive plasma can also be used by patients of all blood types, and has good shelf life.

Due to the short shelf life of blood components, a constant supply has to be provided, thus increasing the use of auto-transfusion methods.

Platelets need to be used up within 5 days, RBC’s in around 40 days, while plasma can be stored for almost a year, under refrigeration.

Due to a drastic shoot up of cancer cases and patients opting for chemotherapy, the need for blood has also gone up. Even accident cases are in dire need of high quantities of blood.

BLOOD DONATION
Blood donation is not only good for others but good for you too because it reduces the risk of heart diseases in men other than glucose and pressure reduction. It also helps patients with iron overload prevent toxic accumulation.

The blood banks, hospitals or social service organizations organize blood donation camps and are involved in associated procedures. From the whole blood donated, red blood cells, plasma, platelets and cryoprecipitate components can be transfused, thus a blood bottle is worth many lives.

Potential blood donors have to undergo physical examination before donating blood. The basic requirements include minimum weight of 50 kg and age of 18 years.

Blood donation is extremely safe and either sterile needles or disposable needles are used for the purpose.

You can donate only 1 unit of red blood cells at a time at an interval of 56 or 112 days and as for platelets only 24 times a year that too only once in 7 days.

If you start donating blood at 18, once every three months by the age of 60 years, you would have saved over 500 lives – being a super hero is sure an extraordinary feat, but you can achieve it buy donating blood regularly, thus saving their lives.

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March 23, 2017

Pediatric Serum Sickness – Causes, Symptoms, treatment

Apparently, serum sickness is nothing but a delayed response to certain anti-serums or medications that is more common with children, a type of hypersensitivity reaction to certain medications, you may say. Well, Pediatric serum sickness is a rare possibility these days primarily due to the limited use of antitoxins, but it is still seen amongst children taking the antibiotic of penicillin and others like fluoxetine, cephalosporings, to name a few.

Causes and Symptoms
Pediatric Serum Sickness is like any other allergy you get which occurs when the body misinterprets the protein of the serum as something harmful to t he body and activates the immune system to battle it out and commonly occurs in children. Symptoms vary from individual to individual though initial ones include redness and itching around the injected area. These could be followed by joint pain, malaise, swollen lymph nodes, flushing, wheezing, diarrhea and more.

Diagnosis and Treatment
The diagnosis is based on the symptoms primarily and if the doctor suspects it to be a drug reaction, medical tests are not required. In case of doubt lab tests are considered and in rare cases biopsy. The diagnosis is positive if the lab tests show increase in WBC, proteinuria on UA, ESR and CRP while positive results for biopsy include perivascular neutrophils and eosinophils invasion as well as lymphocytic vasculities with decrotic debris.

A medical treatment is needed when such a conditions occurs even though it is said to subside within a week or 10 days, in rare cases it could cause serious nervous system disorders anaphylaxis, a life threatening allergic reaction.

In order to subside the symptoms or reduce them, medications like analgesics, medications to relieve you from the itching caused and corticosteroids like prednisone only in serious cases are prescribed by the consulting doctor.

Home remedies – Do’s and Don’ts
The traditional acupuncture therapy could be tried as it is known to be an effective means of decreasing the body’s sensitivity towards the allergic reactions.

Generally, intake of food rich in vitamin B, iron, anti-oxidants and avoiding meats, cold water fish, refined foods, coffee, to name a few, is a good idea. Drinking around 8 glasses of water and exercising for 30 minutes daily also helps a lot. But, you need to talk to your health consultant before trying out nutrient and supplement intakes.
A massage is a strict no no as a treatment for serum sickness because it not only aggravates the inflammations, but might lower the blood pressure as well.

Well, Pediatric serum sickness is generally considered to be a self limited disease that usually gets cured automatically on stopping the respective drug intake. Having said that, consulting your doctor is still highly recommended for avoiding complications, pain relief and speedy recovery of your child.

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