Heartburn is a common symptom experienced by many people, but is often overlooked as indigestion. Besides making you uncomfortable, this can be a sign of a much bigger health problem. While the occasional heartburn can be treated with antacids, chronic heartburn can be a sign of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or acid reflux. Here are three important reasons you should not ignore heartburn.

It can promote tooth decay:The acid regurgitated might not necessarily stop in the esophagus. It can often also make its way into your mouth. When this happens frequently it can promote tooth decay and wear out enamel. This can also leave your mouth with a sour taste. Acid reflux induced tooth erosion can easily be prevented by the early treatment of acid reflux,but in most cases is noticed only after the damage has been done.
It can cause cancer of the esophagus:Chronic acid reflux that persists for years can lead to changes in the cells of the esophagus. This can lead to a cancerous condition known as Barrett's esophagus. The condition has no other symptoms can if left untreated can develop into cancer of the esophagus. Women are at a higher risk of this form of cancer than men. Though esophageal cancer is relatively rare, it is not something to be trifled with. The survival rate of esophageal cancer is very low in comparison to other forms of cancer. Only 15-20% patients live longer than 5 years after this condition is diagnosed.
It can lead to breathing problems:Heartburn is caused by stomach acid flowing back into the esophagus. If it is inhaled after regurgitation, it can worsen asthmatic conditions and pneumonia. At the same time, treating acid reflux with medication like PPIs can also increase the risk of pneumonia as it can promote bacterial growth and suppress coughing. Thus, when consulting a doctor for acid reflux treatment ensure that you mention any existing asthmatic conditions so that you can be treated with your lung functioning in mind.
In addition, acid reflux can also impact a person's health and quality of life. To prevent heartburn people often find themselves avoiding certain foods. This can impact their social lives and in turn make them withdrawing into themselves. A person's sleep can also be affected by heartburn. Hence, it is important to treat heart burn as early as possible and not wait for it to become a chronic problem.

GERD / Heartburn - 3 Reasons Why You Should Not Ignore it 

SGLT2 (sodium-glucose-co-transporter 2) inhibitor is an oral tablet used in conjunction with exercise and diet to improve blood glucose control in Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.

The medication works by targeting and helping prevent sodium-glucose transport proteins from allowing glucose that has been filtered by the kidneys to be reabsorbed into your bloodstream.

Who is SGLT2 Inhibitor suitable for?

This drug is not suitable for everyone. Selection of the right patients is crucial to understand the mechanism of the medication and see improvement in the condition.

SGLT2 Inhibitor is given to patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus as a second-line drug in case the first line of treatment, metformin, fails to keep high blood sugar levels in check.

If the patient has hyperglycemia i.e. high, uncontrolled blood sugar, and a Body Mass Index (BMI) equal to or greater than 30 due to the accumulation of fat in the abdominal region (central obesity), then SGLT2 Inhibitor could be a useful medication. The drug not only works to reduce high blood glucose but also helps with weight loss. However, in patients with normal BMI, the medication does not induce weight loss.

SGLT2 Inhibitor may not be suitable for patients with a history of urinary tract infection. Hence, it is advisable for all patients to undergo a urine test before starting with the dosage. If the test results are normal, then only you can discuss the dosage with your doctor/healthcare provider and start taking the prescribed medications immediately.

Benefits of Taking SGLT2 Inhibitor :

The benefits of using SGLT2 Inhibitor are as follows  

Helps reduce excess weight if the patient is obese. If taken in the correct dosage as prescribed, you can lose up to 5 Kgs in about three months.

Helps reduce Systolic blood pressure   if a diabetic is living with hypertension, SGLT2 Inhibitor can bring down systolic blood pressure.

As an anti-diabetic drug, SGLT2 Inhibitor works to control high blood glucose and improves glycemic control. Thus, with the help of the drug, Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients can keep their HbA1c levels at 7% or less.

Side Effects

One major side effect of SGLT2 Inhibitor is urinary tract infection. SGLT2 Inhibitor drug filters excess blood sugar from the body in the form of urine. Frequent urination or filtering of wastes through the urethra may lead to infections. Therefore, it is imperative that patients are informed about the mechanism of the drug and its probable side effects before taking the medication. One way to avoid urinary tract infections is to maintain good hygiene   wash and clean your private areas after urination.

SGLT2 Inhibitor can also cause dehydration in the patient, as a lot of fluid is drained out of the body. Patients are advised to have a glass or two of water more than what they usually drink.

SGLT2 Inhibitor is an effective oral medication for Type 2 Diabetes mellitus. Speak with your doctor and get yourself thoroughly checked before you start taking the drug.

SGLT2 Inhibitor - Know Merits & Demerits Of It!

For someone suffering from Tinnitus, a perpetual sense of ringing in the ears is the main complaint. It s annoying, to say the least. But more importantly, it is a sign of hearing loss. This is why people need to see an audiologist if he/she has a sense of tinnitus for some time. An audiologist can treat this problem in different ways.

Diagnosis

The first step in treating tinnitus like any other disease involves determining the cause. The doctor may perform different tests such as-Hearing:

Hearing exam

During this test, one needs to sit in a soundproof room and wear earphones. Specific sounds will be played into the ears, one at a time, through these earphones. People have to indicate when they hear different intensities of sound. The results are compared with empirical results for comparable age. This helps the audiologist identify possible or rule out specific causes.

Movement

One may need to clench the jaw, move the eyes or neck, or even move the arms and legs as part of the test. If tinnitus symptoms get better or worse at any of these postures, the audiologist can identify the underlying disorder.

Imaging Tests

The doctor may suggest an MRI or CT depending on his suspicions.

TreatmentRetraining

 Treatment involves identifying an underlying problem, if any. If the tinnitus symptoms are due to some health conditions, the audiologist may take the following steps:

Clearing the Earwax

Impacted earwax can cause a variety of problems, including tinnitus symptoms. An audiologist can remove the ear wax.

Treating Vascular Conditions

Underlying vascular problems that require surgery or any other treatment may treat the condition.

Changing Medication

Tinnitus can also be a side effect of medication. If the doctor suspects that he may recommend reducing or stopping the drug completely. He may also recommend a different medication.

Noise Suppression

If there is no underlying health condition or medication responsible for tinnitus, the doctor may take recourse to noise suppression.  The patient may need to wear an electronic noise suppression device. These devices include:

White Noise Devices

These machines produce simulated sounds such as those of ocean waves, falling rain etc. This is often found to be effective in treating tinnitus. He may also recommend using pillow speakers, fans, dehumidifiers, air conditioners and humidifiers to suppress internal noise at night.

Hearing Aids

If a hearing problem is associated with tinnitus, the audiologist may prescribe hearing aid.

Masking Devices

Such devices mask the internal sounds of tinnitus and are worn in the ear in a similar fashion as hearing aids.

Retraining

This device delivers programmed music to mask the sound of tinnitus. This technique usually helps the patient get accustomed to the sound of tinnitus.

 Depending on diagnosis and findings, audiologists may also recommend medicines. Audiologists use medicines usually for severe tinnitus only, since these may have side effects. It may also help reduce symptoms.



 Tinnitus - How Can Audiologist Treat It?

The immune system within your body is what protects you from all the attacks of various microbes from the world outside. However, the immune system itself can face problems and can defend the body only so much. Thus it is wise to add some homeopathic medicines and help the immune system fight the possible intruders better. Let's have a look at some of them:

Gelsemium: this medication is extracted from the vine gelsemium sempervirens, and is known as a very effective remedy when you have flu like symptoms with the cold such as, exhaustion, body ache and fever.
Arsenicum album: a very well known remedy for food poisoning as well as other digestive disorders, arsenicum album can be very effective in treating a wide variety of stomach related illnesses caused by the reaction to foreign microbes.
Oscillococcinum: this medication contains trace amounts of duck liver and heart and is known to be a good immune booster. Effective in the cases of cold and flu like symptoms, oscillococcinum can effectively treat fever with flu and other symptoms, although it may take a bit of time for it start acting. It is thus best to consult with your homeopathic doctor before starting a course.
Allium cepa: if you have flu like symptoms with teary eyes and nasal congestion, allium cepa is a very good remedy. You have to take a few doses before the symptoms start subsiding. One dose contains three to five pellets and you might have to take about two to three doses daily for a couple of days for the symptoms to subside.
Combination medications: there are multiple medical combinations, which can help you boost your immunity as well. Consult your homeopathic doctor to get the best combination for your specific condition. Some of these combinations are:
Calcarea carbonica 30-1 dose, phosphorus - 1 dose, lycopodium 30-1 dose: this combination is very effective in treating sensitive colds where fever may or may not exist but causes extreme nasal blockages.
Lycopodium 30, sabadilla 30: this combination is very effective when the cold and nasal blockages are due to pollen sensitivity and occur during the pollinating season. This can be used in a regular dosage to not only stop the symptoms but to also stop the allergy from happening in the first place.

5 Homeopathic Medicines to Increase Immunity

While most people recover from first and second degree burns without fatal consequences, third-degree burns pose a different story altogether.

Third-degree burns occur when the damage to the skin extends beyond the dermis, and perforates deep within the tissues. This sort of injury is the most serious one. For instance, injuries sustained from a fire breakout, acid attack, etc.

Symptoms include-

Charred/black skin
Numbness
The damage to the nerves caused by third-degree burns are so extensive, that the victim may feel very little or no pain.

Complications-
There are several complications associated with third-degree burn injuries, such as the following-

Infection
Sepsis
Scarring
Low volume of blood
Very low body temperature
Joint/bone problems
How Ayurveda heals third-degree burn injuries-
Burn injuries, especially of third-degree, leaves behind ugly, unpleasant scars. Moreover, such distressing marks can be traumatic for the victim as it may bring back horrific memories of the incident. Many times the person may feel hesitant to visit a doctor or go for a therapy. This is when Ayurveda comes to your aid.

Ayurveda uses therapeutic and natural remedies- essential oils, herbs and spices- to relieve pain, and helps you get rid of those burn scars. Some of the natural ingredients used in Ayurvedic treatment include-

Use of herbal oils Lavender and Calendula helps in quick relief from burn injuries.
An ointment prepared from red sandalwood, gairika, tugaksiri, and plaksa extracts can be applied on injuries caused due to third degree burn.
Applying cucumber juice or Jatyadi oil on the affected area with cotton balls offers relief from the pain.
Prepare a paste using mustard oil and henna leaves, and apply the same on burn injuries. This will provide instant relief from irritation.
Prepare an herbal pack using, turmeric, amla, etc. that are rich in anti-inflammatory, antibacterial properties. This can heal burn scars and ease pain.
Apart from these, Ayurveda also suggests following a bland (without spices), healthy diet so that the injury does not aggravate the injury further.

Third-Degree Burn Injuries - An Ayurvedic Approach!

Heel bone spur is a form of calcium deposit that causes a bony protrusion under the heel bone. An X-ray can reveal up to a half inch elongation under the hill. Without image report, this condition is commonly known as heel spur syndrome. Heel spurs are mostly painless but reports of pain in not uncommon. They are often related to plantar fasciitis. The latter is an inflammation of the connective tissue that stretches through the foot bottom connecting the heel bone and the football.


What causes heel spurs?
Heel spurs are a result of prolonged calcium deposit. This condition can result from the heavy strain on the muscle of the foot and ligament, stretching of fascia and wear and tear of the heel bone membrane. These injuries are frequently observed among athletes who are involved with activities such as jumping and running. 


What are the risk factors?
1. Walking abnormalities that involve putting more than normal stress on the bone, nerve and ligament in and around the heel.
2. Running on surfaces that are hard in nature
3. Shoes lacking arch support
4. More than normal body weight 
5. Spending too much time on the feet
6. Too flat or too high arches
7. A person suffering from diabetes
8. In case the protective pad of the heel is fading away due to old age or other bone disorder
Non-Surgical treatment
Unlike common belief, only rest may not be the best way to treat heel bone spurs. On the contrary, a patient might feel sharp pain immediately after sleep. This happens when he tries to walk and the plantar fascia elongates all of a sudden. The pain decreases with more walking. Some treatment methods that work for 90 percent of the sufferers includes wearing the right shoe, stretching exercises, wearing orthotic devices inside the shoes and physical therapy. Over the counter medicine such as Aleve, Tylenol and Advil can be consumed to reduce the pain and for improving the overall condition. Corticosteroid injection also tends to give relief from the inflammation.


Surgical treatment
If heel spurs persist for more than 8-9 months, surgical options should be explored by the patient. There are two angles on which a doctor works, either removing the spur or release the plantar fascia. Pre-surgical exams are necessary to ensure that a person is eligible for surgery and all non-surgical avenues are explored. Post-surgical activities are equally important for the process of healing. Usage of bandages, crutches, splints and surgical shoes is a mandate to avoid complications such as infection, numbness, and scarring. Possible side effects should be discussed with the surgeon well before the surgery. The estimated healing time from this procedure is close to 8-12 weeks.

Heel Bone Spurs - Causes and Risks Associated with it?

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