St. Philomena's Hospital

Viruses, the bad ones, in particular, can have serious effects on the body which a person would not like to have, in any case. This is surely true when the case of herpes zoster is being talked about. This form of herpes is commonly known as shingles. But what if there was a proper solution to this issue?

When a person has blisters forming and causing a rash in a limited area, shingles is likely to be the cause of the same.

What is interesting to know too many people is the fact that the virus which is responsible for shingles or herpes zoster is the same one which is the cause for chickenpox! This virus is never cleared out even when the symptoms of chickenpox have long left the body of the person who had it. As a matter of fact, in some cases, it does reappear and affects the body again except this time in the form of shingles. However, doctors do not know why this occurs. Is that not weird?

Most people who have the bad luck of having to deal with shingles are over sixty years of age. While knowing all this is quite beneficial, what about the treatment of shingles?

When it comes to the homeopathic treatment of shingles, there is a range of options which can be made use of. That being said, it is of the highest importance to keep in mind the fact that medicine should only be taken as per the prescription of a trained professional in homeopathic medicine. Homeopathy can treat shingles very effectively. The results are very prompt in the pains and eruptions. Shingles can affect any age group. Usually shigles indicate lowered immunity. Since they are viral infection, least can be done with anibiotics. Homeopathy boosts the immunity. Genital herpes can also be very effectively treated with Homeopathy.

Arsenicum album is one of the most popular medicines from the homeopathic field. In most of the cases where it is ideally used, the patient is undergoing pain with a burning sensation on the affected area of the skin. When a rash begins to form, there is normally some tingling in the skin in the run up to it.

Homeopathic treatment is so good that there is medicine to nip the problem in the bud before it has the chance to cause the affected person a whole deal of anguish. Aconite is the medicine, in this case.

Hepar sulphur and Rhus Toxicodendron are also used often over the course of treatment. The former is useful especially for people with unhealthy skin while the latter is commonly used for herpes of the face and around the joints.

Movement of the head and neck is enabled by the various joints in this region, the main role being played by the cervical spine. This is a part of the vertebra or the spine and supports the head and neck in all movements. There are cervical vertebrae, ligaments, muscles, and nerves which ensure this movement happens smoothly. However, given the complexity of the whole structure, head and neck pain are also two of the most common joint pains.

The Neck Bone’s Connected to the Head Bone…

The vertebrae of your neck (cervical spine) support the weight of your head and all its motions, which may not seem like much – until you realize your head weighs as much as a bowling ball. When your neck bones are not positioned properly, the result is tightening of the muscles and irritation of the nerves that connect with your head. Your head and neck symptoms may include some or all of the following:

1. Sharp or dull pain or discomfort in your neck
2. Stiffness in your neck
3. Inability to turn your head to one side
4. Headache
5. Shoulder pain
6. Jaw pain

Fortunately, you don’t have to live with head and neck pain – and you don’t have to take drugs to eliminate the pain. 

Causes:

The causes for head and neck pain can range from muscle strain to arthritis to pinched nerve to cancer.

1. Posture problems: Not providing adequate support when being seated grows to be a menace. With the changing lifestyle where people end up staring at a monitor, there is tremendous stress on the neck muscles, leading to pain and stiffness. There is also loss of flexibility, leading to a stiff neck and headaches.
2. Muscle strain: This can occur due to a sudden movement, either when doing something or as a result of accident (like a whiplash injury). The muscle can be torn or injured and this can result in pain, swelling, and inflammation of the affected area.
3. Stress: One of the most common identifier of stress is the constant ache/nagging pain in the back of the neck.
4. Disk herniation: When the disk is moved out of its space due to excessive movement and rotation, the disk gets herniated and the nerve gets ‘pinched.’ This can cause a sharp, shooting pain to the area where the nerve emerges out of that disk.

Spondylitis, arthritis, etc., are other chronic inflammatory conditions which can affect the neck and head areas.

Side effects:

When there is pain in the head and neck area, the whole body function is affected. The movement is limited and therefore vision, neck movements, and other functions are affected. This, in turn, affects the overall quality of life.

Management:

1. Identify the problem with a thorough examination, X-ray, and if required soft tissue examination.
2. Ice the area for relief of pain temporarily.
3. Improve ergonomics in terms of height of the monitor, seat/chair, etc., so the strain is minimized.
4. Develop an exercise regimen, which gives adequate exercise to the head and neck muscles.
5. Manage stress. Be it physical, chemical, or emotional stress, it takes a toll on the head and neck area. Managing the stress (there is no escape from it!) will definitely see the pains and stiff neck go away.
6. Engage in pain management, which is holistic (as above) and does not always resort to medications.

Leg cramps is a very common condition which is characterized by tight and painful leg muscles. The calf muscles are the most commonly affected; it can spread further down to your thighs and feet. Once the cramping gets better, you might experience a tender leg coupled with a numbing feeling for a few minutes.

The causes of leg cramps are varied. If it is caused due to an underlying condition, it is known as secondary leg cramps. The causes of secondary leg cramps include vigorous exercises, pregnancy and usage of certain medications. The cramps cause the muscles of the leg to shorten and contract, thus making you lose control of the affected muscle.

How can homeopathy help?

Homeopathy is a system of medicine which is very holistic in nature. The goal of homeopathy is to focus on the causes of a disorder rather than just curing the symptoms. Homeopathic remedies do not yield any side effect unlike the conventional treatments. Apart from treating the symptoms, homeopathic remedies also help improve your overall wellbeing.

There are many homeopathic remedies that can be used to treat leg cramps. The remedies are focused on treating any underlying condition that may be causing these leg cramps, apart from relieving the symptoms. The first step of the treatment is to diagnose the condition, which is done by a trained practitioner. You will be asked questions pertaining to the cramps and your diet. Once the diagnosis is complete, the medications are prescribed based on the diagnosis.

There may be certain dietary restrictions that you may have to follow for the medicines to work at their optimum best. This system of medicine might also require you to not carry out any form of heavy work that involves the legs as rest is required to boost the process of recovery.

The various Homeopathic offerings are:

1. Causticum

2. Calcarea carbonica

3. Arsenicum album

4. Colocynthis

5. Pulsatilla Nigricans

6. Arnica montana

A migraine is one of the worst form of headache. It is reported that over 90 percent of people who suffers from a migraine are unable to work. The intense pain totally makes them vulnerable. A mammoth 113 million workdays are wasted globally due to this problem. This being said, if the pain is slowly starting to set in, it is possible to manage it at the workspace.

Here is a convenient guide to do just that:

1. Pain Medication: If you are a migraine patient, it is likely that you have your migraine medication with you. The first step is to try the medication. If on the other hand, the medication is not available basic painkillers can be given a shot to manage the pain. Basic pain medications, such as ibuprofen are easily available over the counter and are capable of providing temporary relief.

2. Educate co-workers: Despite awareness about migraine pain, many organisations continue to turn a deaf ear about the problem. Instead of fighting with the whole organisations, it makes sense to educate your immediate colleague about a migraine. All you require is 1-2 people who have your back.

3. Control the environment: With the onset of the pain, it becomes more and more difficult to resume work. Few environmental changes such as adjusting the monitor to the eye level, using a sachet of odour neutralizer and switching off the nearest light will help you to manage the pain for few hours.

4. Staying hydrated: Migraine tends to increase multifold if the body is not hydrated. It is, therefore, essential to drink as much water as you can. Apart from water few other drinks such as lime juice and green tea can be of great assistance to hold the pain back for quite some time.

5. Small snacks: Although eating during a migraine can be tough because of the buzzing pain it is a good idea to have small snacks throughout the working hours. An empty stomach creates acidity and further aggravates the pain. Small time snacks such cookies and chocolate bar can come really handy at this time.

6. Get enough air: A centralised workplace can be claustrophobic and intensify the pain for many. Get out of the workspace to get some fresh air. A sudden gush of oxygen can be a welcome relief from the monotonous and crowded office floor.

7. Apply water on the skull: While this might sound like a crazy idea, applying a small amount of water in the middle of the skull can give temporary relief from the throbbing effect of a migraine. If ice is available in the office pantry, make no hesitation in applying it on the migraine side of the forehead. Ice is capable of spreading a cooling effect throughout the forehead and the skull.

Many obese people and people who are concerned about their weight, try to follow a very low calorie diet. This is called as under eating as the essential amount of calories are not consumed. It has been proven that under eating does not really help you to lose weight, but in return causes malnutrition as the essential vitamins and minerals which the body requires are not obtained.

Here are 3 reasons why under eating won’t help you lose weight and causes several health complications in the body.

1. Metabolism slows down along with side effects: When a person is under eating, very few calories are consumed by the body. This makes it difficult for the body to give you power for carrying out your daily activities and more effort is needed. This may slow down your rate of metabolism. You may feel irritable, sluggish and uncomfortable. Fatigue is also likely. In order to rectify this, you need to stop under eating. The body requires some amount of time to recover the normal metabolism functions.
2. Increased risk of nutrient deficiencies: If you choose a very low-calorie diet and follow it strictly, you are likely to miss out several important food items. The variety of food intake will reduce and you will miss out on many essential nutrients. This can make you prone to several nutrient deficiencies. The type of deficiency depends on the food types you do not consume. Every person who under eats is not likely to have nutrient deficiencies. Anorexia is a type of deficiency disease, which occurs when a person starves for a long period of time or believes in crash dieting. Calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin D and vitamin B are common nutrients, the lack of which can cause health problems and deficiency diseases. Electrolyte imbalance and protein malnutrition may also be caused. Muscle loss occurs with starvation due to depletion of essential amino acids.

Under eating is certainly not a solution to losing weight. Under eating may cause several health complications, which may lead to poor health, instead of loss in weight. Under eating should be abstained from, and physical exercise should be carried out for losing weight efficiently.

Exceess weight gain is an open invitation to multiple health ailments. Not only too much weight leads to many a health problems, it also severly impacts the self esteem of obese people as they are often mocked at by others.

Maintaining a healthy body weight is the best way to control obesity. Many surgical and non surgical options are available to lose weight. Weight loss through Ayurvedic ways is not only effective, but 100% natural. The following things, if kept in mind and practiced diligently, can help you shed a lot of flab from your body.

1. Exercise: While a daily routine of exercise is a must in any life science, Ayurveda too advocates exercising for at least 45 minutes to one hour. Walking is said to be the most important and effective forms of exercise, followed by several yoga poses that can help in better weight management. Also, as per Ayurveda, it is important to move after each and every meal, so that a routine of eating and activity is built into the system.
2. Taste: Ayurveda recognizes six distinct tastes that should be incorporated into one's daily diet. These tastes include salty, pungent, sour, sweet, bitter and finally, astringent. Each of these tastes has several properties that balance the various hormones and health factors in one's body. These tastes form the various counterpoints to alleviate all kinds of health problems, which finally help in effective weight management. Also, one must eat all the seasonal fruits and vegetables to keep the body and hormones in good balance.
3. Hot water: Hot water combined with lemon juice and ginger or herbal teas acts as a natural detox. Sip on hot water throughout the day to cleanse your entire internal system from impurities and blockages. It helps to improve digestion and staves off hunger in between meals. It is one of the easiest ways to lose weight and stay healthy at the same time. It is advisable to drink boiled water as it is considered to be more effective than hot water.
4. Ayurvedic medicines: Ayurvedic medicines like triphala churan, guggulu, triushanaadi loha, shilajit, swarnmakshik bhasm and medhohar guggul are very effective in losing weight. However, these medicines should be taken under medical supervisions.
5. Avoid sedentary lifestyle: Try and avoid a sedentary lifestyle as much as possible. If your work requires you to sit for a long period of time, a short break every one hour can prove to be beneficial. Ayurveda goes a long way to keep obesity and the associated health complications at bay.

To be considered healthy, one must not only be physically and mentally sound, but one must also be sexually and reproductively healthy. Sexual and reproductive health includes a person’s ability to enjoy a satisfying sex life and capability of reproducing. Sexual and reproductive health is important for both men and women. 

When it comes to women, sexual health problems can refer to

• Lack of sexual desire
• Inability to be sexually aroused
• Inability to achieve an orgasm
• Painful intercourse

There are many factors that could trigger these problems, such as

• Relationship problems
• Emotional distress
• Gynaecological problems

Some of the common gynaecological problems that affect women’s sexual health are

• Vaginal dryness
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Vaginismus
• Endometriosis
• Uterine fibroids
• Gynaecological cancer
• Interstitial cystitis
• PCOS

Endometriosis and some of the above mentioned diseases can also affect a woman’s reproductive health and cause problems with pregnancy. Exposure to STDs is another major reproductive health problem. STDs such as HIV, gonorrhoea and HPV are dangerous not only for the mother, but also affect the health of the baby. Reproductive health problems or women also include unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions and maternal death.

Being a victim of sexual violence affects both sexual and reproductive health. Sexual violence can be defined as a non-consensual sexual activity. While anyone can experience this, women have a higher risk of facing such violence than men. Sexual violence can cause a person to fear sex itself and in some cases can interfere with their ability to reproduce.

Though men’s interest in sex is often joked about, men too can face sexual health problems. This could be triggered by a physical or psychological condition. Erectile dysfunction and ejaculation disorders such as premature ejaculation or retrograde ejaculation are the two most common sexual health problems faced by men. Anxiety and depression along with illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure can also cause a loss of libido and sexual disinterest. 

Men can also suffer from a low sperm count and low testosterone. In many cases, this can make a man infertile. Peyronie's disease and testicular cancer are other conditions that can affect a man’s sexual and reproductive health. Like women, men also need to protect themselves against STDs to ensure they remain sexually healthy. 

Thankfully, most sexual and reproductive health problems can be treated and cured with a combination of medication and psychological counselling. Hence sexual and reproductive health problems should not be considered taboo but should be addressed as soon as possible.

Birth control is a method by which unwanted pregnancy is prevented. Partners can plan their childbearing in a better way using the increased levels of awareness about birth control. When it comes to birth control, women have more options than ever — but more choices also means there’s a lot more to consider. So how can you choose which pregnancy prevention method is right for you?
 
Methods of birth control:

1. Intrauterine devices (IDs): These are most effective methods of birth control. The intrauterine device (IUD) is a long-acting and reversible form of contraception for women. It is of two types: Copper IUD (contains copper) and Hormone-releasing IUDs (progestin hormone is released into the womb slowly). It is a small device that is fitted inside the womb and it provides contraception by preventing fertilization of the egg. It prevents implantation of embryo.
2. Sterilization: This is a process of birth control that renders a woman incapable of conception or a man incapable of sperm delivery. The process is conducted with the consent of the individual and can be done using either surgical or non-surgical methods. In both the cases, tubes carrying sperms (in males) and fallopian tubes (females) are either cut or blocked.
3. Condoms: These are the most commonly used measures for birth control. Male and female condoms act as barriers and prevent the sperm from reaching the uterus.
4. Oral contraceptive pills: These pills are the most popular measures of birth control used by women across the world. This is the most convenient way of postponing pregnancy. It doesn't have that many side-effects rather it's a very safe method with minimal side effects and no effect on future fertility.
5. Contraceptive Injections: In this method, one hormone injection is administered, the effects of which last inside the body for a time period of 8 to 12 weeks i.e. 2-3 months. The contraceptive injection has the similar effects as that of contraceptive pills on birth control. Evidently, the shot is irreversible, which makes the woman infertile for a period of three months. However, similar to the pill, protection from STDs is not offered by contraceptive injections. But these injections can guarantee 99% safety and surety on being used.
6. Birth Control Implant: An implant, the size of a cardboard match stick, is implanted underneath the skin of the upper arm. There are two brands that offer this implant which are Nexplanon and Implanon. This birth control method will help protect against pregnancy for up to 3 years.
7. Diaphragm: A diaphragm is a piece of dome-shaped silicon which is inserted into the vagina, to cover the cervix and reduce the risk of pregnancy. Diaphragms prevent pregnancy by putting a barrier between the vagina and the cervix, thereby preventing sperm from accessing an egg. If the sperm cannot access an egg, fertilization cannot take place. Without fertilization, pregnancy is not possible.
8. Natural Family Planning: Even though it is not any external pill or device, Natural Family Planning is also a method of birth control. It relies on the knowledge of timings of the menstrual cycle (periods) so that the couple can avoid sex during the time period when the woman is fertile.

Heart ablation or cardiac ablation is a procedure done to treat irregular heartbeats or arrhythmias. It is performed by an interventional cardiologist, a doctor who specialises in doing procedures for heart problems and it involves threading long wires called catheters through a blood vessel into your heart. The irregular heartbeat is treated by delivering an electrical pulse using electrodes to specific areas of your heart.

Arrhythmias
A normal heart beats at a steady rate, but sometimes, your heart may beat too quickly, too slowly, or unevenly. These heart rhythm problems are called arrhythmias and one of the treatments for this heart problem is cardiac ablation. Other treatment modalities are medications and changes in lifestyle. Heart ablation is prescribed when the other treatments fail. Arrhythmias mostly happen in older people and in people who suffer from other heart problems like cardiomyopathy.

Here are answers to most frequently asked questions related to ablation

Who will benefit from heart ablation?
The beneficiaries include people who

• Suffer from arrhythmias that don’t respond to medicines
• Suffer from side effects from arrhythmia medicines
• Suffer from a specific kind of arrhythmia that respond very well to cardiac ablation
• Are at a high risk for cardiac arrest or other complications which can be fatal

Cardiac ablation is very helpful for patients who have certain kinds of arrhythmias like atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia, which cause fast heartbeats.

How to prepare for cardiac ablation?
You will have to undergo extensive tests to record your heart’s electrical activity and rhythm. Your doctor will ask and record whether you have any other disease like high BP and diabetes.

If you are a woman and pregnant, you must not get this procedure done as it involves radiation. You will not be allowed to eat or drink anything after midnight, the night before the procedure.

How is heart ablation done?

Heart ablations are done in a special room known as an electrophysiology laboratory. It usually takes three to six hours and is usually done under general anaesthesia or local anaesthesia with sedation.
The catheters are threaded either from your neck, groyne or arm into your heart. Your cardiologist also injects a special contrast dye to help him see areas of abnormal muscle in your heart. He then uses a catheter with an electrode at the tip to give radiofrequency energy to the weak heart muscle to correct your irregular heartbeat.
You may have to stay overnight after the procedure.

Risks associated

1. Bleeding
2. Blood clots
3. Damage to heart valves or arteries
4. The build-up of fluid around your heart
5. Heart attack
6. Infection

Inflammation of sac surrounding your heart or pericarditis You will have to be monitored regularly after ablation to check for problems in your heart beats.

Radiation therapy is used for destroying the brain tumor cells, and relieves the symptoms of discomfort and pain caused by the tumor. Radiation is usually used after biopsy or resection of the tumor. This is done to destroy the microscopic cells of the tumor which have been left behind. Sometimes this is also an option for unresectable brain tumors or the metastatic tumors which spread to the brain from other parts of the body.

The radiation therapy is planned on several factors like the size and type of the tumor and the extent to which it has spread. Usually external beam radiation is used for the brain cancer and the area radiated involves the tumor and the surrounding area. In case of a metastatic brain cancer the radiation is given to the entire brain. People who have lung cancer receive radiation in the brain as a preventive therapy in order to stop the metastatic cancer from developing.

Side effects of brain cancer radiation
Depending on the site, dose, and other factors the radiation therapy when given to the brain might cause side effects. Hair loss, fatigue, edema, skin irritations are a few common side effects of brain tumor radiation. In some cases some people might develop swelling of the ankle, foot, calf and blood clots in the leg.

1. Primary treatment for the destruction of the cancer cells
2. In combination with other ongoing treatments to inhibit the growth of the cancer cells
3. Prior to another treatment to shrink the cancer cells
4. Post some treatment to stop the growth of any cancer cells that have been left behind
5. To relieve cancer symptoms

Types of radiation
Some of the radiation methods commonly used are:

1. External beam radiation therapy: In this the radiation is directed from outside the body on the cancerous cells in the body. Some examples of this are IMRT, TomoTherapy, stereotactic radiosurgery, 3D conformal radiation therapy and IGRT.
2. Internal radiation therapy: Examples of this are high-dose rate brachytherapy.