Pregnancy is definitely a new and beautiful phase in a woman s life. During this time, the woman s body goes through multiple changes during the nine months and post-delivery, extra care is needed for the body to get back to its pre-pregnancy state. The following are some tips to care for your post-partum body immediately after delivery and through the first six weeks after childbirth.

Perineal soreness: The area between the vagina and the anus stretches a lot during labour and can be sore for quite a while. In some women, this area may even be cut to enable easy passing of the baby (episiotomy). This would be more painful and can be managed with topical creams, ice packs, Kegel exercises and warm baths.
Uterine shrinkage: The uterus enlarges to accommodate the developing baby shrinks back to its original stage after delivery. This causes severe cramps, especially during the first six weeks and if required, pain medications can be taken for the cramps.
Breast fullness: The breasts fill with milk after birth to enable feeding, and the woman feels engorged. This is relieved with feeding, but if the baby is not on mother s milk, warm soaks on the breasts and a supportive bra can help. It will stop once the breasts stop making milk.
Constipation: This is common post pregnancy, and so foods rich in fibre should be consumed. Lots of vegetables, fruits and whole grains should be included in the diet. If required, stool softeners can be used.
Body swelling: In preparation for the delivery, the hands and feet swell due to fluid accumulation. This naturally subsides over the first week to 10 days. Lying on the left side and keeping the feet elevated can help.
Urination problem: Experiencing a burning sensation or pain while urinating and inability to start or stop a stream of urine are common urination problems, especially immediately after childbirth, which will subside in a couple of weeks. Drinking lots of water, Kegel exercises and warm baths are helpful measures that can be undertaken.
Fatigue: Taking care of the newborn can leave you drained. Get adjusted to the baby s routine and try to sleep with your baby. Get friends and family to help you take care of your child so that you don t feel the entire strain.
Emotional health: Changes in the hormone levels again affects your emotional health, so try and stay positive. Post-partum depression is very common in women, as they feel overwhelmed with caring for the newborn.
It is important to realise that while pregnancy is an important phase, it is a natural process. The body will adapt to these short-lived changes and allow you to bond with your baby by staying close to your child, responding to its needs, spending time together, and taking care of your newborn.

Post-Partum - How To Take Care of Your Body?

A collection of symptoms typically occurring between ovulation and menses (discharge of blood and from the uterus) is defined as premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Premenstrual syndrome symptoms can either be physical or emotional.

Physical symptoms and signs include:
i. Muscle or joint pain
ii. Headache
iii. Fatigue
iv. Weight gain due to fluid retention
v. Bloated abdomen
vi. Breast tenderness
vii. Acne breakouts
viii. Diarrhoea or constipation

While other behavioural and emotional symptoms include:
i. Anxiety or tension
ii. Depressed mood
iii. Crying spells
iv. Anger or irritability and mood swings
v. Food cravings and appetite changes
vi. Insomnia
vii. Social withdrawal
viii. Poor concentration

Causes 
The exact cause of PMS is unknown. But there are several contributing factors, such as:
1. Cyclic hormonal changes: The hormones oestrogen and progesterone fluctuate a lot while preparing for a normal menstrual cycle. This fluctuation causes some of the symptoms of PMS.
2. Chemical changes: The fluctuation of serotonin, a kind of neurotransmitter (brain chemical), affects the mood, which causes some of the emotional symptoms of PMS. For instance, insufficient serotonin triggers premenstrual depression, insomnia, food cravings and fatigue.
3. Depression: If the PMS symptoms are severe, depression could be the underlying cause, though it doesn't usually trigger all of the symptoms.

Treatment
There is no permanent cure for PMS, but a few lifestyle changes and home remedies can work very well for you. Some treatment options include:

1. To ease abdominal bloating, drink lots of fluids
2. Eat a balanced diet comprised of plenty of vegetables and fruits. Reduce your alcohol, caffeine, salt and sugar intake.
3. You can take supplements such as magnesium, calcium, vitamin B-6 and folic acid to reduce mood swings and cramps.
4. Take vitamin D supplements to relieve symptoms
5. Sleep for at least eight hours in the night to counter fatigue
6. Exercise to improve your emotional health and reduce bloating
7. Try to reduce your stress as much as you can; read a book or walk to relieve some stress.

Besides, these lifestyle changes, you can take over-the-counter medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen to reduce stomach cramps, muscles aches and headaches. Diuretics (drugs that increase urination) are excellent treatments for bloating and fluid retention. However, consult your doctor before consuming any medication or supplement.

Causes and Treatment of Premenstrual Syndrome

Picture this, you're in a restaurant for a lunch date with your friend. It's a great place and the food is delicious. While you're having a super time, you suddenly start feeling a discomfort in your chest area, and your appetite completely goes down the drain. Chances are that you might be experiencing heartburn.

Heartburn is something which is used in both the literal and metaphorical senses. However, the discomfort it entails means that it is no joking matter and your food intake habits are probably responsible if you suffer from it!

The good thing about heartburn causing foods is that they are easily recognisable, which is quite great. But, they make up a large portion of people's normal diets, which is not as great, as they are hard to refrain from. A few common examples are listed below:

1. Chocolate: To start off, there is something which is surprisingly a cause for heartburn and is likely to be the cause of a lot of disappointment: chocolate. The sad thing about chocolate is that the key things it is known to cause reflux. Take, for example, cocoa; it is a prime cause for reflux. Also, the caffeine in chocolate as well as something called theobromine is the major culprits of reflux. If a person who loves chocolate seems to be suffering from reflux, he or she knows why now!

2. Coffee: Talking about caffeine, the automatic suspect that is coffee is deeply guilty, as well! Having coffee once in a while may not cause much harm but making it a habit leads to a person setting himself or herself up for a lot of heartburn.

3. Soda: Anything which is acidic is not good for reflux but the thing is that most sodas are very acidic! This is also the case when it comes to fruit, though fruit is generally said to be good for the body. Certain types of fruit, like citrus fruit only worsens the effects of heartburn and can cause a whole load of discomfort to the person who eats them.

A lot of the foods, which should be avoided actually have their own health benefits. The case in point is garlic. But, a person should try to have food like cottage cheese or lean chicken, both of which do not cause any heartburn at all. Also, keeping away from food that is fried has a range of benefits from lower consumption of fat, to a reduced risk of cancer as well as a massive drop in heartburn. Deep fried foods should be avoided like the plague!

The rule of the thumb when it comes to the issue of heartburn is that if anything happens to be acidic, it is likely to cause heartburn to be aggravated. As long as a person can keep this in mind as a guiding principle, there is no way that they will be suffering from heartburn any more.

The Worst Foods for Heartburn

Laparoscopy surgery is a very vital component of the hernia repair. Studies have shown that many patients have a better outcome when they opt for laparoscopic surgery. Candidates eligible for this mode of surgery include those with bilateral inguinal hernias, ventral hernias, and recurrent hernia. People associated with athletics and other outdoor sports prefer to go for a laparoscopic hernia surgery as it ensures a speedy recovery and minimal tissue invasion (due to small incisions).

Laparoscopic hernia repair- inguinal
A laparoscopic surgery requires an incision of 1-2 cm at the belly (at the lower end). Two small punctures are done near the umbilicus. The punctures are done to make room for the cameras so that the surgeon is able to view the abdomen clearly. The smaller incisions allows the operating instrument to enter into the stomach.

The Procedure:
A balloon is placed in between the abdomen and the overlying muscle so that the peritoneum can be separated. When space is successfully made, the camera comes into the action to view the condition of a hernia. A hernia is pulled from its hole into the abdomen. Once the hole is detected, the defect of a hernia is fixed.

Laparoscopic hernia repair- incisional/ventral: Laparoscopic hernia repair is suitable for all types of a hernia such as an umbilical hernia, ventral hernia, recurrent umbilical hernia, epigastric hernia etc. Just like an inguinal hernia, A camera is placed into the abdomen through the muscles. Two small incisions are made for the operating instruments to get through. This is followed by the cutting of the tissue that is placed between a hernia and the intestine. The hole thus gets exposed. Through one of the laparoscopic ports, the hernia mesh gets rolled and is placed into the abdomen. A hernia is then pulled up and the mesh gets secured with 4 sutures. A special device is used to fix the healthy muscle.

Tension free repair: Tension free  repair is often used to symbolize hernia surgery. A hernia is often triggered by the weakened muscles. Few surgeons endeavors to sew the muscle around the area of a hernia. Since the muscles surrounding the hernia are weak in the first place, they pull apart causing a recurrence of a hernia. To avoid this, most surgeons use a mesh to strengthen the cells around the hernia region. This procedure ensures that the muscles aren t sewn but the mesh placed over the hole can prevent the muscle to push through the walls of the abdomen.

The use of mesh: There are some reservations about using the mesh in a hernia surgery. However, this is the safest and most appropriate way to perform a hernia laparoscopic surgery. The use of a mesh also negates the risk of open incisions and recurrence of a hernia.

Types of Hernia - How Laproscopy Can Help Manage?

Psoriasis is a skin disease, which develops in men and women often during middle age and above. Although tests and researches are being carried out in various laboratories around the world, the exact cause of this condition is yet unknown. Psoriasis is not infectious. In other words, it does not spread by coming in contact with someone suffering from it. In case you see that you are just developing psoriasis or it is in its early stages, then you can opt for some simple and natural methods of curing it. These home remedies fall under Ayurvedic treatments and help you in getting rid of this disease before it spreads further into your body.

Moist skin: Apply lots of moisturizer on your body. This is done to keep the skin moist and supple. The more your skin becomes dry, the chances of it bleeding and causing infections increase. It is often recommended to apply body oil or sesame oil before taking a bath as it softens the skin.
Use natural body soaps: Sometimes the body soaps that you use are made of harsh chemicals. These chemicals come in contact with your body and aggravate the infection furthermore. You can use home made natural soaps, which are made of natural ingredients and are gentle on your skin.
Avoid skin injuries: Skin injuries like a cut, bleeding, blisters etc. can be harmful for psoriasis. They can aggravate the inflammation and cause more damage. In fact, it is recommended that you apply moisturizer and sunscreen every time you step out of the house in order to protect your skin from further damage.
Use medicines after consultation: Certain medicines have the ability to flare up the effects of psoriasis. Thus, when you develop this disease, it is advised that you meet a general physician and discuss your medicines with him/her in order to control the same.
Reduce stress: Stress levels contribute a lot to psoriasis. Thus, you need to relax as much as possible. You can try out yoga and meditation to keep the stress level down and in turn control this disease as well.
Wear cotton clothes: Wear clothes that you are comfortable in and those which do not cause irritation on your skin. Synthetic clothes sometimes cause a lot of irritation and rashes on the skin. It is something that should be avoided.
These are some of the quick and natural remedies to cure yourself of psoriasis as early as possible.

Psoriasis - 6 Ayurvedic Remedies That Can Help!

One of the silent diseases in the female population, endometriosis can be symptomless for years and sometimes even decades, but can sometimes manifest itself quickly. The uterus is lined on the inner side by a tissue known as endometrium. When this tissue is found in other parts (fallopian tubes, abdomen, near the ovaries, etc., it is known as endometriosis.

Causes: The exact cause for endometriosis is not clear. There is a possibility that during the regular period, there could be spilling of the tissue back into the fallopian tube, from where it reaches the ovaries or other organs and gets implanted.

There are certain predisposing factors for a woman to develop this condition, including genetic correlation and non-menopausal women. The female hormone estrogen is essential for the development of endometriosis. There are also immunological reasons attributed to the development. It can range from minimal to mild to moderate to severe.

Symptoms: From being completely benign to causing severe pain, endometriosis can present itself in varying ways. The implanted tissue can be minimal like a small lump to large clumps. The symptoms are not dependent on the size of the implanted tissue, however, 

1. Painful menstruation: One of the most common causes of non-menstrual cramps, the pain is different from usual menstrual pain, starts a few days before the period and can last up to after the period.

2. Pelvic pain: One of the most common causes of pelvic pain, this can happen wherever the implanted tissue is. In severe cases, this tissue can also bind different organs, forming what are called adhesions. The bladder or the bowels may adhere to the uterus. These are more painful than individual lumps of tissue outside the uterus.

3. Intermenstrual bleeding: There could be spotting to severe bleeding between the regular cycles.

4. Painful sex: There is a deep pain within the pelvis and it can lead to losing interest in sex.

5. Infertility: The most severe symptom and complication is not being able to become pregnant.

Diagnosis: A detailed patient history, discussion on symptoms followed by ultrasound and laparoscopy can help in diagnosing endometriosis.

Treatment: If there is no symptom and fertility is not an issue, then it is possible that no treatment is required. However, depending on symptoms and complications, the following are done.
- If pain is the only main problem, painkillers are administered
- Surgical treatment may be required if there is severe bleeding and adhesions complicating the situation. 

This will also relieve other symptoms
1. Hormone therapy is also an option for treating endometriosis.
2. If you are having pelvic pain and irregular bleeding, bring it up with your doctor. Even if it is not endometriosis, a thorough check up will put your mind at rest.

Endometriosis and Complications Associated With It

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