The body receives its source of energy and nutrition through the blood, which is the transport medium. The blood runs through a highly complex network of blood vessels, with the aorta being the largest one. It originates in the heart, the left ventricle precisely and supplies oxygenated blood to all parts of the body. Coarctation is a condition where there is a narrowing of the aorta. The heart, therefore, has to exert extra pressure to push out blood so that blood supply to the target organs is not affected.

The exact cause of aortic coarctation is not known, though it often develops at birth and so is known as a congenital disorder. Depending on the severity of the narrowing, symptoms develop at various times in life. While some infants demonstrate symptoms, some may not show any symptoms well into adulthood. Infants with severe narrowing may manifest the below symptoms quite early in life.

Difficulty in breathing may gasp
Difficulty in feeding
Be extremely irritable
Profuse sweating
Pale skin
When these symptoms are not noticed and treated in time, the child may have heart failure or even die. If the symptoms do not manifest early in life, the infant can grow into childhood quite normally. Symptoms may then manifest which would be different, as below.

Increased blood pressure
Headaches (frequent)
Weakness in the muscles
Nosebleeds
Chest pain
Frequent fainting spells
These are generic symptoms and it is difficult to suspect coarctation of the aorta. Therefore, further imaging would be required to rule out coarctation of the aorta. There are some risk factors, most related to the heart, which puts one at increased risk of developing aortic coarctation.

Bicuspid aortic valve
Aortic valve stenosis and/or regurgitation
Mitral valve stenosis and/or regurgitation
Patent ductus arteriosus
Treatment: Diagnosis is the first step in treating coarctation of the aorta. This would include a series of imaging tests including an echocardiogram, electrocardiogram, chest x-ray, CT scan, and MRI.
Surgery is often the most definitive mode of treatment, and the approach chosen depends on the severity and stage of identification. The most common approach is to open up the narrowed portion and keep it from collapsing again, so that blood flow is restored. This is known as a balloon angioplasty and stenting. Some of the other procedures used include:

Resection with end-to-end anastomosis
Bypass graft repair
Subclavian flap aortoplasty
Patch aortoplasty
In all affected individuals, after surgery, medications are prescribed to maintain blood pressure levels, which is often increased. In addition, lifestyle changes including exercise and healthy eating habits have to be developed.

Coarctation of the Aorta - Symptoms and Treatment

An anorectal abscess is a painful swelling near the anus or in the buttock. The swelling contains pus. 60% anorectal abscesses are superficial and resulting from infection in small anal glands present in between internal and external anal sphincters (intersphincteric space). They are known as a perianal abscess. 30% of anorectal abscesses are deep-seated and results in systemic infection. They are call Ischiorectal abscess. Submucous abscess, pelvirectal abscess and pilonidal abscess developed from versatile cause are comparatively less common. Inadequate and improper management of anorectal abscess may potentially cause complication like fistula formation.


Fast facts on Anorectal abscess-

* Anorectal abscess should be drained at the earliest.
* Conservative medical management almost invariably invites complication like fistula formation.
* Surgical drainage of pus reduces the chance of fistula formation by 50%.


What causes Anorectal abscess?

* Blocked and infected anal glands (cryptoglandular infection).
* Untreated anal fissure that becomes infected.
* Sexually transmitted infections.
* Penetrating injury of the perianal or buttock region.
* Crohn s disease.
* Colon cancer.
* Tuberculosis.



What are the symptoms of Anorectal abscess?

Superficial abscess-

* Constant and throbbing pain that worsens on sitting down.
* Swelling, redness and tenderness of the skin around the anus.
* Discharge of pus.
* Pain is often associated with bowel movement.

Deep abscess-

* All or some of the symptoms of a superficial abscess.
* Fever with chill and rigor.
* General weakness.
* Sometimes fever is the only symptom of the deep abscess.

The anorectal abscess should preferably be explored under general or spinal anesthesia. Medical management often fails and subsequently fistula is formed.

Anorectal Abscess - Know In Detail About It!

The prostate gland in a man begins to grow in size on reaching 25 years of age quite naturally, and this is known as benign prostatic hyperplasia abbreviated as BPH. Now the problem arises when the enlargement of the prostate is more than normal.

In men, the urine flows through the urethra from the bladder. An abnormally enlarged prostate blocks the flow of urine through the urethra. The cells of the prostate slowly multiply to cause it to enlarge. This puts pressure on the urethra thereby giving rise to a number of problems, most of which manifest as symptoms.

Common Symptoms of an Enlarged Prostate Gland
The condition of enlarged prostate gives rise to some noticeable symptoms which provide the signs that you need to visit a doctor to get it treated. A weak or slow urinary system is one of the most common symptoms of being affected with an enlarged prostate. This includes urinating more often, an increase in the urgency to urinate, difficulty in starting urination and a feeling of incomplete bladder emptying immediately after urinating. At times, it is seen that passing urine becomes very strenuous. All these above symptoms indicate that there is an enlargement of the prostate gland and medical help should be sought immediately to prevent the condition from worsening.

Steps to Manage an Enlarged Prostrate

Effective medication is usually the first step in the management of an enlarged prostate gland. Alpha blockers are the drugs that are most commonly used in this situation. These drugs do not reduce the size of the prostate, but they are great in relieving the symptoms to allow free and painless passage of urine. Another group of drugs known as 5-alpha reductase inhibitors can help in shrinking an enlarged prostate. The drugs work by the reducing the levels of the male hormone called dihydrotestosterone.
In some advanced stages of prostate enlargement, minimally invasive treatments are used for the effective management of the condition. Transurethral Microwave Thermotherapy or TUMT is used to treat mild blockages that reduce the frequency of urination, the urgency, and straining. However, it is not able to correct the bladder emptying issues. Transurethral Radio Frequency Needle Ablation or TUNA helps in the destruction of the prostate tissues resulting in an improvement in the flow of urine.
Prostatic stents are also sometimes used for the management of the condition of an enlarged prostate. In this treatment procedure, a small metal coil is inserted into the urethra for widening it and keeping it open. In most severe case of prostate enlargement, only surgical methods remain as the opted method of treatment. Laser surgeries are performed to destroy the tissues of the prostate for easing of the condition. Ultimately, an open prostate surgery is performed when the transurethral procedure cannot be used. In this surgery, the tissues of the prostate are removed by the surgeon in case of great enlargement.
The condition of an enlarged prostate gland requires medical attention and treatment for the most effective management, and it is best that a medical professional is consulted as soon as any of the symptoms surface.
Enlargement starts usually after 50 years. Surgery 'Transurethral resection of prostate (TURP)' either by monopolar or bipolar electrocautery. Enucleation of prostate by laser is also an option.

Enlarged Prostate - How Can It Be Managed?

Splenectomy is an operation conducted to remove the spleen. The spleen plays a vital role in building immunity against bacterial infections, located in the uppermost area of the left hand side of the abdomen, just below the diaphragm. There are some specific requirements with regard to the immunizations as well as blood work that might need to be completed before this surgery takes place.

Why is Splenectomy need to be performed?
There are a number of chronic illnesses like Hereditary Spherocytosis or Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura, which make it a necessity to get a child s spleen removed. Though it is a rare case but still any kind of trauma to the spleen along with uncontrolled bleeding can create a very serious situation, wherein an emergency might arise to get the spleen removed immediately.

Immunization of child before the operation
Before the surgery of Splenectomy is conducted, immunizations are given to children as a preventive against some specific kinds of infections that are most common for patients to arise after having undergone the surgery of Splenectomy.

How is the surgery performed?
The paediatric surgeon, who performs the surgery, need not require making a large incision for going about the process of operation. In most of the instances, a splenectomy is performed in the following manner, which includes:

A laparoscopic way through which a Paediatric Surgeon makes use of a small telescope along with some instruments of miniaturized nature, while placing them through small band-aid sized cuts on the abdomen.
The operation gets completed within three hours
At the time of hospitalization, a child would receive intravenous fluids, antibiotics as well medicines to get relieve from any kind of pain.
As and when the child feels as if he or she is fit enough, he or she would be allowed to eat, drink and also take medicines by mouth.
Essentials after the Surgery
After the surgery has taken place and the child returns home after a couple of days, there are certain essentials that require to be kept in mind:

Pain Management: Management of pain is the very first thing which should be kept in mind. The medicines prescribed by doctor for dealing with pain are not required after getting discharged from the hospital.
Most of the children would only need Acetaminophen or Ibuprophen once they get back home.
Care for Dressings: One may remove the gauze and clear plastic, which are placed over the small cuts, a couple of days after the surgery. The skin that surrounds the incision might have a reddish tinge and look bruised, which can last for few weeks.
Restrictions related to Activities: There are no real restrictions with regard to the resumption o regular activities. A child can go back to school as and when he or she feels totally comfortable.

Spleen Removal - Why Is It Performed In Kids?

Obesity is a condition characterized by the accumulation of large quantities of fat in the body. This condition drastically increases the risks of health problems. The most important cause for obesity is the intake of larger number of calories than what are usually burned through exercises or other routine activities. One with a BMI (Body Mass Index) more than 25 is considered obese. The primary ways of treating obesity are through exercising regularly and following a healthy diet.

How can Ayurveda help?
Ayurveda is a holistic system of medicine which is free from side effects, unlike conventional methods of treatment. Ayurvedic treatments focus on getting to the root cause of the disorder instead of just focusing on the symptoms. There are multiple remedies in Ayurveda that are effective in controlling obesity. They are:

Restrict your calorie intake: While this may sound easy, it is actually difficult to implement. One of the major reasons for obesity is eating too much. The idea is to avoid overeating, so you need to be aware of your portion size. Eat frequent meals but in smaller quantities; this helps in keeping your metabolic rate elevated, that in turn is a prerequisite for greater fat burning.
Start exercising: Exercise is a great way to burn those extra calories around your middle. The best and simple way to go about it is to start jogging. Low intensity jogging done over a period of time is a great way to burn fat. If you want to gain muscle, then do weight based exercises instead of just doing cardio.
Meditate: The beneficial effects of meditation are well known. Apart from reducing your stress level, it also helps in boosting your focus and concentration. Being stressed can make you eat more and thus gain weight, so meditating on a regular basis can help manage stress effectively.
Get sufficient rest: Sleeping less than 6 hours a day? You are only setting your body for obesity. Not sleeping enough brings about hormonal changes in the body which increase your appetite.
Avoid junk food: Junk food should strictly be avoided as it can make you put on some serious pounds. Instead, opt for healthier food options, but keep in mind the portion sizes.

Obesity - How Ayurvedic Remedies Are Best For It?

An ovarian cyst is a fluid sac that forms within an ovary or on its surface. The size and type of cysts vary from person to person and may affect women of all ages. There are different kinds of ovarian cysts

Functional Cysts are harmless and may disappear without any treatment. These kinds of cysts occur during the time of ovulation.
Follicle Cyst: If the follicle doesn't rupture during the time of the menstrual cycle, it gets converted into a fluid sac called as follicle cyst.
Corpus Luteum Cyst: After the ovulation process, the remaining part of the follicle is converted into corpus luteum which produces hormones and they disappear on their own. Corpus luteum turns into a cyst if it still remains.
Dermoid cysts and Endometrioma cysts are not common and if left untreated, may cause life-threatening problems.
Symptoms of ovarian cysts
Symptoms of ovarian cyst may vary from mild to severe based on the size of the cyst. Some of the symptoms are:

Pelvic pain
Fever
Nausea
Bloating of stomach
Irregular menstrual periods
Diagnosis
The doctor recommends few tests to determine the type and whether treatment is required or not:

Most ovarian cysts are detected through ultrasound.
In some cases, a CT scan may be advised if ultrasound is not enough
Pregnancy test
Blood test to check for hormonal imbalance
Most ovarian cysts go away after a while. If the larger ones persist longer, then it might need treatment. Birth control pills may be advised to stop the formation of new cysts. When the size of cysts causes problems in women who are nearing menopause, surgery may be advised.

Homeopathy treatment for Ovarian Cysts

Apart from conventional medicine or surgery, homeopathic treatment is an effective way to approach because it not only reduces ovarian cysts but also finds the permanent solution for an underlying cause of it. Homeopathic medicines are prescribed after examining the patient's lifestyle and habits to ensure targeted treatment and minimal side effects.
Surgery is not the right solution for all the large cysts. They can be reduced with homeopathy medicine and which is the safest way to live a long life without any complications.

Ovarian Cysts - What Homeopathy Can Do To Treat Them?

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