Apollo Hospitals Vanagaram

Abortion is the process of terminating pregnancy. It is induced, either by the use of medications or by surgical procedure. The term abortion is usually used to denote induced termination. Unsafe sex is one of the major causes of abortion, even though it is legal under a number of circumstances in most countries. The term miscarriage is used to denote spontaneous termination of pregnancy before a fetus develops. In other words, miscarriage is denoted as spontaneous abortion in medical terms.

What are the causes of abortion?
Causes of an abortion or miscarriage may be due to fetal or maternal complications. Some of the fetal factors include:

1. Unwanted pregnancy
2. Abnormal development of fetus, either due to abnormal chromosomes or teratogenic factors.
3. Immunological factors
4. Problems with implantation
5. Serious health diseases like kidney disease

What are the homeopathic treatments for abortion?
Homeopathic medication system is one of the most popular and widely accepted holistic medication approaches used all over the world. The choice of remedy for any disease is based on individualized symptoms and lifestyle habits using a holistic method. In such a way, a state of complete wellness can be achieved by eliminating all the signs and symptoms that the patient is suffering from. The main objective of homeopathy is not just to manage the adverse effects of abortion. 

Some of the homeopathic remedies that are beneficial in treating abortion or miscarriage are given below:

1. Aconite Nap: Helpful in treating anxiety, excitement or fear experienced before the procedure.
2. Apis Mel: Medication used during the 3rd month of pregnancy
3. Aletris Far: Treats conditions of typical abortion that is done due to anemia or weakness or other conditions affecting the mother
4. Arnica Montana: To manage abortion that is done after an accident to treat the mother
5. Baptisia: Used in treating abortion is done due to shock, fever or mental depression. Often used for women under the age of 21.
6. Sepia: Used when there is an abortion during fifth to seventh month of pregnancy.
7. Thuja: Used to treat women who have a history of gonorrhea.
8. Syphilinum: Used for treatment when there the abortion is done due to syphilis.

A condition that can be quite painful, but in most cases gets better on its own is Prostatitis. It occurs due to an inflammation of the prostate and requires proper treatment when an infection causes the inflammation. The course of action entirely depends on several factors such as the extent and severity of the condition, the age and overall health condition of the patient.

Treatment Options:

1. Medications: In most cases, patients affected with prostatitis are given a course of antibiotics which needs to be continued for a month or so along with pain-relieving medications. But other medicines such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and alpha-blockers may be required to help relieve the symptoms.
2. Prostate massage: When the prostatitis is a long-drawn affair without any signs of improvement, then the doctor may massage the prostate through the wall of the back passage. Gloves and gel are used to make the massage more comfortable.
3. Surgical intervention: Rarely surgery is an option for men suffering from prostatitis. In this surgery, the affected part of the prostate gland is surgically removed. It is not often done since there is a risk of making the symptoms worse and lead to a number of side-effects.
4. Complementary therapies: You may be suggested to explore some other complementary therapies such as massage, reflexology, acupuncture, hypnotherapy and aromatherapy for instance. They can help in relieving stress which will make you more relaxed. Techniques such as deep breathing, meditation and listening to music also help. Besides, sitz baths can also be helpful while self-massage of the perianal area can offer some relief from the pelvic floor issues.
5. Dietary Considerations: Some foods are thought to irritate the urinary tract and such foods include cranberries and cranberry juice, alcohol, spicy foods, acidic foods and chocolate. Being aware of the potential irritants and the number of foods that can be taken, the symptoms can be controlled.

Seek help:
Also note that when you are suffering from prostatitis, you are likely to suffer from sexual problems. It is important to take such problems into consideration and seek proper medical attention. And if the patient is older than 50 years, he should undergo an annual routine examination which may include a rectal examination along with a prostate-specific antigen test.

It is essential to understand that in order to receive the most suitable treatment option, it is important to consult with an expert at the onset of the symptoms. When you have difficulty in urinating or urination is unusually frequent or painful or that you suffer from painful ejaculation, talk to your physician. Blood in urine, fevers, chills, groin pain are some of the symptoms and it is essential to be aware of the issue and take the right measure at the beginning.

Kerala has been severely affected by floods due to the unusually high amount of rainfall which the state has so far received in the month of August 2018. Due to this massive natural calamity, more than 100 people have lost their lives, 85000 people have been displaced and 14 districts are currently put on high alert. This happens to be the worst flood to hit Kerala in the last 100 years.

Understanding the cause of the flood

From the mid-evening of 14th August, heavy rainfall has been witnessed by Kerala, which lead to overflooding of water, as the dams were also filled up to their full capacity.

The state had received 310 mm of rain within the first 24 hours. Most of the dams got opened as the level of water increased due to heavy rainfall, hence causing flood in the low-lying areas of the region.

How is the Govt planning to deal with the situation?

• The Central Government has sanctioned Rs 100 crore as assistance to deal with the situation and has also stepped up the relief efforts in the region.

• State Govt. of Kerala intends to take all the measures through their highly efficient primary health care network.

• Presently, they are also relocating people from hazardous areas along the river banks.

How floods can impact the health of people

• Contamination of drinking facilities    

• Increased risk of infection of waterborne diseases     

• Increased risk of an epidemic such as leptospirosis, malaria    

• Contamination of food

Health measures that one can undertake

• Drinking water should be boiled before consumption.

• Disinfect the dishes in which food has to be consumed.

• Use a disinfectant to clean your homes or wash the surface with hot soapy water and rinse with chlorine bleach.

• Do not touch or use any wet electrical equipment.

• Keep medication kit handy.    

• Areas which are near river banks should ensure that snakes and rodents do not enter their home.

• Do not neglect any cuts and bruises as they can develop an infection.

• Wash your hands with clean water before eating.    

• Use insect repellants.

Homeopathy treats the patient holistically. It has no side effects as such.

nderstanding the basic constitution or genetic code of a person is the most challenging part in homoeopathy.For constitutional prescription in homoeopathic remedies, understanding the patient is most important. In the same manner, in astrology, understanding nature of planets, houses and signs is important.

Babies can enter this world in one of two ways: Pregnant women can have either a vaginal birth or a surgical delivery by Caesarean section, but the ultimate goal is to safely give birth to a healthy baby.

A C-section, or Caesarean section is a surgical procedure to remove baby through an incision in the mother’s abdomen and then a second incision in the uterus.

A C-section may be a necessity in certain situations, such as delivering a very large baby in a mother with a small pelvis, or if the baby is not in a heads-down position and efforts to turn the baby before a woman gives birth have been unsuccessful.

Sometimes the decision by an obstetrician to perform a C-section is unplanned, and it is done for emergency reasons because the health of the mother, the baby, or both of them is in jeopardy. This may occur because of a problem during pregnancy or after a woman has gone into labor, such as if labor is happening too slowly or if the baby is not getting enough oxygen.

Some C-sections are considered elective, meaning they are requested by the mother for non-medical reasons before she goes into labor. A woman may choose to have a C-section if she wants to plan when she delivers or if she previously had a complicated vaginal delivery.

Reasons for a C-section may include-

1. Health problems in the mother
2. The mother carrying more than one baby
3. The size or position of the baby
4. The baby’s health is in danger
5. Labor is not moving along as it should

The surgery is relatively safe for mother and baby. Still, it is major surgery and carries risks. It also takes longer to recover from a C-section than from vaginal birth. It can raise the risk of having difficulties with future pregnancies. Some women may have problems attempting a vaginal birth later. Still, many women are able to have a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC).

How You Might Feel-

You won’t feel any pain during the C-section, although you may feel sensations like pulling and pressure. Most women are awake and simply numbed from the waist down using regional anesthesia during a C-section.

That way, they are awake to see and hear their baby being born. A curtain will be over your abdomen during the surgery, but you may be able to take a peek as your baby is being delivered from your belly.

However, women who need to have an emergency C-section occasionally require general anesthesia, so they’re unconscious during the delivery and won’t remember anything or feel any pain.

Recovering from a C-section-

After a C-section, a woman may spend two to four days in the hospital, but it may take her up to six weeks to feel more like herself again.

Her abdomen will feel sore from the surgery and the skin and nerves in this area will need time to heal. Women will be given narcotic pain medications to take the edge off any post-surgery pain, and most women use them for about two weeks afterward.

A woman may also experience bleeding for about four to six weeks after a surgical birth. She is also advised to not have sex for a few weeks after her C-section and to also avoid strenuous activities, such as lifting heavy objects.

There are many kinds of conditions and symptoms that require different kinds of surgery for treatment as well as diagnostic management. One such procedure is called a laparoscopy or the laparoscopic surgery. This is a surgical diagnostic management procedure that is known to be a low risk process with minimal invasion and suitable for various types of ailments. Read on to know everything about laparoscopic surgeries.

• Definition: A laparoscopic surgery is one where small incisions are made and an instrument called a laparoscope is used in order to take a look at the organs in the abdominal region. This tool is a long tube shaped one that comes with its own high intensity light and a high resolution camera that can easily move along the walls of the organs while the camera sends back imagery that will be displayed on a video screen in front of the doctor. This avoids the need for an open surgery and helps the doctors in getting samples for a biopsy on an outpatient basis.
• Need for Laparoscopy: This procedure is performed when the patient complains of persistent pain that is also sharp and shooting, in the abdomen region and surrounding areas like the pelvic cavity. This non-invasive method helps in diagnosis where other imaging methods like an ultrasound and CT or MRI scans would have failed to give a conclusive reason for the pain and suffering of the patient. When these tests do not supply enough reason for proper diagnosis, then the doctors usually resort to this kind of procedure.
• The Organs it can be used for: The laparoscopic surgery can be used for many organs including the appendix as well as the gall bladder, the pelvic region and the reproductive organs, the small and large intestines, the spleen, the stomach, the liver and the pancreas.
• What all can it Detect: The laparoscopic surgery can help in detecting a number of issues including any abnormal growth or mass that may be a tumour. It can also point at the presence of any disease in the liver, as well as the proper functioning of certain treatments. Also, it can show the amount of fluid that may or may not be present in the abdominal cavity and the extent of cancer's progression in the body.
• Risks: There are a few side effects or risks of this method including fever, chills, swelling, bleeding or redness of the site where the incision was made for the surgery, and shortness of breath. All these symptoms must be reported to the doctor immediately as they may point at the presence of an infection. Also, there is a risk of organ damage in this procedure.

A stroke, also called cerebrovascular accident (CVA), cerebrovascular insult(CVI), or brain attack, occurs when a part of the brain is deprived of blood flow. When the brain cells are deprived of oxygen they begin to die. When brain cells die, the functions controlled by that part of the brain also stops, which results in different types of disabilities among stroke survivors.

There are two types of strokes

• Hemorrhagic
• Ischemic stroke

The first is caused when a brain aneurysm or a weak blood vessel bursts. Most of the time, this type of stroke leads to death. The second one happens when a clot blocks the flow of blood to the brain. Patients suffering from stroke suffer from various side-effects, the most common ones being paralysis or loss of feeling in a certain part of the body, problem in understanding or talking and loss of vision in one side. The side-effects start showing up regularly after a person has had a stroke.

In certain conditions, blood flow to a certain part of the brain stops for only some time and hence the body suffers stroke like symptoms which only last a couple of hours before disappearing. This is known as a transient ischemic attack (TIA). Unfortunately, the effects of a stroke can be debilitating and also permanent. Hence its important to know the symptoms of a stroke and rush the patient to a doctor as soon as possible. Sometimes early treatment can save a lot of damage.

The primary symptoms of stroke are as follows:

1. Confusion and problems with talking and comprehension
2. Headache along with alteration of consciousness or vomiting
3. Numbness of the face, arms or legs, especially on one side of the body
4. Issue with seeing, in one or both eyes
5. Inability to walk with stability, including disrupted coordination
6. Problems with the bladder and bowel control
7. Acute depression
8. Body temperature fluctuates, and pain worsens with movement
9. Paralysis on one side of the body along with fatigue
10. Problem in expressing or controlling emotions

Risk Factors:

• Hypertension
• Diabetes
• Increased Cholesterol
• Smoking
• Obesity
• Sedentary Lifestyle

Diagnosis of stroke

Several tests are carried out to determine the type of stroke acquired. They are:

1. Physical examination, which involves observing the patient's overall condition.
2. Blood tests
3. CT scans
4. MRI scans
5. Cerebral angiogram
6. Echocardiograms

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

Intra uterine insemination is a common fertility treatment which involves positioning a sperm within the woman’s uterus in order to help it fertilize. The primary objective of this treatment is to surge the number of sperms that are supposed to reach the fallopian tubes for multiplying the chance of fertilization. It offers an advantage to the sperms by minimizing its area of traversal, but the sperm must reach the eggs for fertilizing the ovum on its own. It is a minimally invasive method and much lesser expensive when compared to in vitro fertilization.

When do the doctors recommend intra uterine insemination?
The most common reason behind opting for intra uterine insemination is decreased sperm mobility and low sperm count. But there are various other reasons why gynecologists recommend this treatment and these include unexplained infertility, cervical scar tissues from past operations, cervical mucus problems, ejaculation dysfunction and several others.
On the other hand, intra uterine insemination is not recommended for women with conditions of pelvic infections, moderate to severe endometriosis and women with acute problems in the fallopian tubes.

How does the process of intra uterine insemination work?

• Before opting for the intra uterine insemination, doctors may recommend ovulation stimulating medicines which require careful monitoring of the eggs to determine when they are mature. The intra uterine insemination will be done between 24 and 36 hours after the rise in LH hormones which indicates high chances of ovulation.
• A semen sample is separated from the semen, and then the sperm is inserted directly into the uterus with the help of a catheter. This procedure improves the positioning of sperm cells into the uterus which, in turn, increases the chances of conception.
• The whole procedure takes about a couple of minutes and gives only minimal discomfort. Then the doctors closely monitor your signs and symptoms of pregnancy. In most cases, there is minimal risk of infection after the intra uterine insemination. Also, women who take fertility medications while having IUI also have chances to become pregnant with multiples.

What is the success rate of intra uterine insemination?
The success of intra uterine insemination depends on a host of factors. If a couple chooses to opt for this treatment every month, the chances of successful pregnancy are increased by 20 percent per cycle. But factors like age of the woman, use of fertility drugs, and the reason behind infertility play a critical role.

Since intra uterine insemination is a cheaper process compared to in vitro fertilization, the success rate of this procedure can sometimes be lower than the latter. It however in most cases gives good results. So, if you are interested in this treatment, you must consult with an expert gynaecologist for discussing your options.