Dr. Anil Kumar M

All healthy individuals will always have some amount of urea in the blood. Yet, when the urea level in the blood becomes too high, that means there is a malfunction in some part of the body due to which the body is not being able to remove this excess urea successfully. This urea can be formed in the liver when there is a process in terms of the protein metabolism's chemical balance. This urea is then transported to various parts of the body until the kidney cleans it out as urine. But when this urea does not get cleaned out properly, the urea gets concentrated in the blood and signifies a problem with the kidneys and other internal organs as well as the blood flow to the kidneys. 

The cause may include burns, heart failure, renal artery embolism, vomiting and loose motions as well as more serious ailments like Diabetes. This can lead to long term kidney damage and symptoms like thirst, fluid retention, headaches, fatigue, dizzy spells, accelerated pulse, restlessness in limbs, pain in the abdomen and more. Here are the best ways to reduce the blood urea levels in a natural manner.

Herbal Medicines:

Ayurveda is an ancient science that can be used for the benefit of many patients suffering from chronic and painful ailments like diabetes, kidney failure, cardiovascular ailments and more. One of the mainstays of Ayurveda includes the use of herbs to create medicines and concoctions that will help in giving relief with their 100% natural elements. Medicines like Mutrakrichantak Churna, Punarnava Mandur, Varunadi Vati and many others can be used to avoid dialysis and bring down the urea levels in the blood by aiding better functioning of the kidneys.

1. Punarnava: The name of this herb has been derived from two words - Puna and Nava. While Puna means again, Nava means new and together they help in renewed functioning of the organ that they treat. This herb helps in flushing out the excess fluid in the kidneys by reducing the swelling without any side effects. This herb is basically a kind of hogweed.
2. Varun: This is the common caper which can be used to break down the stones present in the renal region and even as a cure for urinary tract infection. This herb helps in removing any element that may be obstructing the urinary tract and finally removes the excess fluid build up and inflammation.
3. Gokshur: This is a diuretic that can be used as a herbal tonic to give strength to the weak kidney cells for regeneration.

Other aspects of Ayurvedic treatment for this condition include proper protein intake and better hydration along with massages and Yogic postures.

Studies have shown that those who beging their sex lives before the age of 17 years have many partners, are very much susceptible to cervical cancer. Cervix is the neck of the womb or uterus. Women between the age of 50 to 75 years who are or show signs of hypertension, or are sterile can suffer from endometrial cancer. Endometrium is the lining of the uterus. It rarely occurs before menopause.
Pap test is performed to detect cervical cancer. A thin wooden spatula spatula which is smaller than the tongue depresor is inserted into the cells. These are cancerous or otherwise. Pap test should be done every year for the first three years after a women becomes sexually active. A visual examination can be made by the aid of calposope by which little portions of the tissue are taken to perform.
The usual symptoms are heavy menstruation lasting longer with excruciating pains.
Surgery cryosurgery or laser therapy is used to destroy abnormal areas of the cervix. In more serious cases, the cervix, uterus, tubes & lymph nodes of the areas are removed.

Uterine prolapse is a condition which occurs due to a weakness in the muscles and ligaments of the pelvic floor which are responsible for supporting the uterus. This condition results in the bulging out of the uterus from the vagina. The continuous stretching in the muscles of the pelvic floor due to the lifting of heavy things might initiate uterine prolapse. If you suffer from severe uterine prolapse, the doctors might suggest laparoscopic surgery to get rid of the pain. Lack of diagnosis might form infected ulcers in the pelvic regions.

Risk Factors
The risk factors that can trigger a uterine prolapse are as follows:

1. You are more prone to suffering from uterine prolapse as you age because aging causes a significant reduction in the estrogen (the hormone responsible for the overall development of the pelvic muscles) levels of the body.
2. If your pelvic muscles and the adjoined tissues have suffered sustained damage during pregnancy or childbirth, you have a higher risk of suffering from uterine prolapse.
3. Obesity, sustained episodes of constipation or coughing make you more vulnerable to uterine prolapse.
4. In women, estrogen levels reduce significantly after menopause.
5. A woman who has undergone vaginal childbirth multiple times can suffer from uterine prolapse.
6. Having undergone surgery in the pelvic region and experiencing severe pain during excretion raises the risk levels even more.

Symptoms
The symptoms of uterine prolapse vary with the severity of the condition. If the prolapse is a minor one, there will be no symptoms. But severe uterine prolapse might bring with it the following symptoms:

1. Severe pain in the lower back region along with significant problems during urination such as leakage of urine.
2. Bulging out of tissues from the vagina.
3. Recurrent instances of constipation and abnormal discharges from the vagina.
4. Infection in the bladder and experiencing severe problems during sex intercourse.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

The presence of a lump or a tumor in the breast is not always indicative of breast cancer. In some instances, the breast tumor can be benign or noncancerous as well. Thus, to understand breast cancer better, one should know the difference between a benign and malignant breast tumor. In this article, we will discuss the factors that differentiate a benign breast tumor from a malignant one.

Breast Fibroadenomas

1. Breast Fibroadenomas are benign breast tumors that often affect women in their early 20s and 30s (can also affect women of other age groups). Research suggests that in spite of being benign and noncancerous, breast fibroadenomas make a woman more susceptible to breast cancer in the future.
2. It may be difficult to decipher the underlying factor that triggers fibroadenomas. However, increased use of birth control pills (that results in an elevated estrogen level) can be a contributing factor.
3. Thus, in spite of no discomfort, it is safe to get fibroadenomas removed by lumpectomy or by radiation therapy. There are also instances when fibroadenomas dissolved on their own.
4. Sometimes, the lobules of the breast can undergo enlargement resulting in the formation of lumps (can be a tumor or a cyst) that are non-cancerous in nature. Such tumors are known as Adenosis.
5. The benign tumor growth can also develop in the milk ducts of the nipples, a condition known as Intraductal papillomas (characterized by discharge from the nipples).
6. To stay safe and lower the risk of breast cancer, doctors often recommend the removal of the tumor.

Differences between Benign and Malignant Breast Tumors

1. One of the major factors resulting in a tumor is the abnormal growth of cells that could be triggered by an injury, an infection or prolonged inflammation.
2. A factor that plays a pivotal role in differentiating malignant from benign breast lumps or tumors is its ability to metastasize or invade other organs, cells and tissues of the body.
3. A malignant tumor starts off as a primary tumor that remains confined within its point of origin. Gradually, the cancerous growth metastasize, invading other neighboring as well as distant cells and body organs (Secondary cancer or tumor).
4. Benign tumors, on the other hand, contains chemical adhesions that prevent their metastasis and invasion to the other vital organs in the body.
5. As compared to malignant tumors, benign breast tumors, once removed, do not recur.
6. On the cellular level, microscopic examination reveals that malignant breast tumors often contain unusual, mutated, and modified genes and chromosomes.
7. More than often, malignant breast tumors give rise to Paraneoplastic Syndrome. The Paraneoplastic Syndrome is characterized by an elevated production of substances (can be antibodies or hormones) by the cancerous growths or tumors. The hormones or the antibodies circulate in the bloodstream and can alter the functioning of a host of vital body tissues and organs with deleterious health consequences.

Such things seldom take place in the case of benign breast tumors. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

A Pap Smear is a screening test done to to test for occurrence of uterine cancer. Carried out in a quick and simple way to extract a sample, the sample is collected from the cervix area of a woman during a pelvic exam. The examination of the sample takes place under a microscope thereafter to find abnormalities that can point towards cancer and pre cancer changes.

There are many reasons why women should get a pap smear screening done:

1. Women who are HIV positive should get this test done regularly so as to detect any anomalies in the cervix. This condition usually comes with higher risk of infections and cancer, which is why regular screening is required.

2. Age is also another factor and women over the age of 30 should go through an annual screening on a compulsory basis. This is also true for women who have been through pregnancy and child birth.

Preparing for a Pap Smear: To prepare for a pap smear test, you need to ensure that you are not menstruating at the time. Also, you may want to avoid sexual activity just before the test so as to get the most accurate readings. During the process, remember to stay calm and relax your body physically.

Procedure: The pap smear procedure is a quick one that might be only slightly uncomfortable. This test is usually carried out on the examination table at the gynecologist's clinic. The legs will need to be spread and placed in stirrups. The doctor will insert a speculum to hold open the vaginal opening so that the spatula can be inserted easily to take a sample from the area. This sample of the cells will be tested in a lab after due preservation.

Test Results: The test results can either be normal or abnormal. An abnormal result does not point at the presence of cancer. Rather it can simply mean that abnormal cells exist in the cervix. The doctor may ask you to go through these tests and screening more frequently so as to study the anomalies in a more detailed manner. Consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Noncancerous growths of the muscle tissue surrounding the uterus are known as uterine fibroids. This is a common disease which about 70 to 80% of women contract by the time they are 50 years of age. The uterine fibroids can sometimes be very big and cause heavy periods as well as severe abdominal pain while at other times, uterine fibroids give no signs or symptoms whatsoever and go away on their own. This is why it is crucial to know what type of uterine fibroids you have and how to diagnose them. Here are the types of uterine fibroids and how to diagnose them;

Types
There are three main types of uterine fibroids. They are;

1. Intramural fibroids
The most common type of uterine fibroids are intramural fibroids. They typically appear in the endometrium and may grow larger which results in your womb getting stretched.

2. Subserosal fibroids
Subserosal fibroids are called so because they form on the serosa. The serosa is the outside of your uterus. Sometimes, Subserosal fibroids may grow so large that your uterus appears bigger on one side.

3. Pedunculated fibroids
Pedunculated fibroids tumors are basically Subserosal fibroids with a stem. A base which supports the tumor is called the stem.

Diagnosis
There are a number of tests done to diagnose uterine fibroids. They are;

1. Pelvic exam
A pelvic exam is a thorough inspection of a woman pelvic area. The organs which are in the pelvic area include the cervix, ovaries, uterus and vagina. Normally, this and the next test in this article are enough to diagnose uterine fibroids.

2. Medical history
The history of your periods as well as the other symptoms you have will often be enough to diagnose the uterine fibroids. If your medical history is not enough, then you might need to undergo a pelvic exam.

3. Pelvic ultrasound
An ultrasound is when high-intensity sound waves are used to produce images of the pelvic area. This is only done when a pelvic exam and your medical history are not enough to diagnose uterine fibroids. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Gynaecologist.