The year 2014 has seen a massive increase in the number of patients affected by Gonorrhoea. The most infected age group is between 15 and 24. This is mainly due to lack of knowledge in this age group about the disease. Here are some facts about Gonorrhoea that one must know.

Gonorrhoea Transmission
Gonorrhoea, also known as drip, is transmitted when a normal person comes in contact sexually with an infected person. Infected fluid of a mother can also pass to her newborn infant during delivery. The disease can affect both the genders.

Cause of Gonorrhoea
Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacteria cause the disease. The bacteria grow in mucus membranes and usually grow in the warm and moist areas of humans' reproductive tracts such as uterus and fallopian tube of women. These can also grow in anus, mouth as well as throat. As a matter of fact, the infection can be passed even via oral or anal sex.

Symptoms of Gonorrhoea
An infected person will develop symptoms of the disease in 2 to 14 days. Men may feel burning or painful sensation while urinating. Other symptoms are as follows:

1. Swollen and painful testicles
2. Swollen or redness at the tip of the penis
3. Penis may have a drip or discharge
4. Frequent urination
5. Recurrent soreness of throat

Females have milder symptoms of the infection. This makes it difficult to diagnose, and is sometimes misinterpreted as common vaginal yeast or other bacterial infection.

Following are a few symptoms of the disease in women:

1. Burning or painful urination
2. Frequent urination
3. Vaginal discharge
4. Soreness in throat
5. Fever
6. Lower abdominal pain
7. Pain while sexual intercourse

If the disease is not treated, infection spreads in blood stream leading to rashes, fever and even pain in the joints. Such unnoticeable symptoms make it difficult to treat.

Testing Methods of Gonorrhoea
One method is that penile or vaginal discharge samples are taken from patients and examined under a microscope by adding reactive stain. However, this is not an accurate assessment.
Another test is conducted where exposing samples are incubated. In case of infection, colony of gonorrhoea shows growth. Preliminary test may take 24 hours. Final assessment may take around three days. Samples can be from the patient's anus, joint fluid, blood, throat, vagina or tip of the penis.

Treatment
The disease is treatable under proper medical supervision. However, the bacterial resistance to Azithromycin drug has made it more difficult for treatment.

Protection
It is highly recommended to have a protected intercourse. Women of age group less than 25 need to have STI evaluation once a year.

Know All About Gonorrhoea

Chronic kidney disease or CKD is the decreased function of the function of the kidney for a minimum of three months or more. In this the end stage renal disease usually refers to the end of the kidney function where the kidneys work for less than 15% of what they are supposed to. The kidneys play a vital role in the human body and if they do not function properly then a person can die. The functioning of many organs depends on the kidneys. However, the main function of the kidneys is to remove the products and regulate blood and water, control blood pressure, promote healthy and strong bones, and produce hormones.

Here are 5 facts about kidney disease you should know about:

1. Causes of the kidney disease: There are two main common causes of the end-stage kidney disease. These are preventable causes. These are diabetes and high blood pressure, but then kidney disease can be caused by other inherited diseases such as infection, trauma or polycystic kidney disease.

2. Serious Stages: The kidney disease has five stages and stage 5 is known as the end stage renal disease; this is the point where patients usually need dialysis or kidney transplant to lead a sane life. The stages of kidney disease are:

Stage 1   Slight kidney disease
Stage 2   Mild decrease in kidney function
Stage 3   Moderate decrease in kidney function
Stage 4   Severe decrease in kidney function
Stage 5   End stage renal disease

3. Detection of the disease: Kidney disease is usually difficult to detect because of the presence of very few symptoms. Age, gender along with the blood test is one way to determine information regarding kidney function. The people who are at a risk of getting kidney disease are:

    Over the age of 55 years
    People who suffer from hypertension and diabetes
    Ethnic groups such as Asians, Africans, Americans, Pacific Islanders and Hispanics

4. Signs and Symptoms: CKD is usually considered to be a silent disease and many people don t know that they are suffering from the disease. The signs and symptoms of the disease are:

    Fatigue and weakness
    Nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite
    Dizziness
    Numbness and headaches in hand and feet
    Frequent urination

5. Renal Replacement Treatment: This is the treatment for the end stage of the kidney disease. Dialysis involves the replacement of some part of the lost function of the kidneys and is usually continued throughout life. There are 2 types of dialysis:

    Hemodialysis: This cleans the blood via an artificial kidney which is hooked to the machine
    Peritoneal Dialysis: This removes the excess water and waste products and cleans the blood of the body by using the peritoneal cavity as a filter. 

5 Facts About Kidney Disease You Should Know

Ringworm is something which is quite unpleasant to have, to say the very least. However, there are just so many myths about it and if a person is to avoid it, debunking of these myths is something which is quite critical!

It comes in all forms! 

Ringworm can affect a person even when he or she thinks it is something else. As a matter of fact, a barber s itch is not a form of lice, as many people believe it to be. In actuality, it is a beard ringworm! The effect of this sort of ringworm can be quite irritating as what happens is that there is swelling of the face and sometimes even the person s neck. There are various parts of the body which can be affected by ringworm, apart from the face. These include the scalp, the feet and sometimes, even the groin area.

Anyone can get it! 

Many people are of the opinion that it is only children who are at risk to get ringworm. While it is true that children seem to have the propensity to be diagnosed with it, it is something which can affect people across all age groups. As a result, it is very important for a person to be aware of ringworm and what it looks like regardless of his or her age.

It is not caused by worms!

No matter how misleading its name may be, there is actually no worm as such which leads to the problem known as ringworm. In fact, it is caused by dermatophytes, which are a sort of fungi. The reason why it is called ringworm is due to the effect it has on the skin; it red spots on the skin in the pattern of rings, usually. However, if a person happens to get ringworm of the scalp, then he or she may not develop the rings which are associated with ringworm. In its stead, he or she may see that the scalp is getting progressively flaky. A flaky scalp is often seen due to the effects of dandruff. In fact, both conditions are often confused.

Antibiotics don t work!

When a person in a house has ringworm, it is generally thought that the problem is one which would go away as a result of following a course of treatment which involves some antibiotics. However, when it comes to ringworm, this is not the case. On account of the fact that it is a fungal infection, it is treated with anti-fungal medicines. Antibiotics kill bacteria. The fact that ringworm can be caught or given to a pet makes it something worth worrying about!

Ringworm - Decoding Common Myths!

Problems with the arteries and veins present in the hands or legs can lead to vascular disorders. The arteries carry blood from the heart to other parts of the body in order to deliver nutrients and oxygen. The veins carry the blood back to the heart, after the nutrients have been used up. If these blood vessels of the arteries or veins become blocked or narrowed, it can lead to a vascular blockage.

A vascular blockage that occurs in the hands or legs comes under the category of Peripheral Artery Disease or PAD. These type of disorders are less common in the upper extremities of the arms or hands than in the lower extremities of legs. Few of the signs for the same are:

Pain and difficulty in movement due to decreased blood flow
Numbness or weakness of leg or fingertips
Sores on the toes or feet
If the blockage is deep, symptoms of redness, swelling, extreme pain or cramping can be experienced
Abnormal color changes in the fingertips
Ulcers or wounds that don t heal
Skin sensitivity problems when in cold temperatures
How can it be diagnosed?
The blockage can be detected by various methods namely-

Physical Examination   Your doctor may find decreased pulse at armpit, wrist or fingers, full veins, masses, wounds or gangrene.
Doppler or Ultrasound examination to determine the blood flow in the arteries and veins
MRI Scan of the affected area to pay special attention to the blood vessels
Cold Stress Test
Arteriography to show clear blood vessel details
Angiography to map blockages and narrowing of the arteries
What are the Risk Factors for Peripheral Artery Disease?
An individual is at risk for developing vascular blockages in the hands or legs if one or more of the following factors are present:

Smoking
Diabetes
Heredity Factors   A personal or family history of blood vessel disease
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Aging   People aged above 50 years and older are more prone to vascular blockage
Can it be treated?
Treatments for vascular blockage can vary depending on the age, cause of the blockage, intensity and overall well-being.

Treatments can include:

Self-care   Reducing risk factors and making lifestyle changes to quit smoking, sedentary life or diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol management can reverse symptoms of vascular disease.
Medications   A variety of drugs can be prescribed to lower the risk and progression of narrowing blood vessels or prevent blood clotting.
Interventional Procedures   Minimally invasive surgery like saloon angioplasty, stenting or removal of artery plaque build-up.
Surgery   If the blockage is severe, surgery may be performed to lessen the vessel narrowing, reconstruct the artery or tie it off, depending on the circumstances.

Pain in the Hands or Legs!

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!

When is Your Throat Pain, a Serious One?

Throat pain mainly occurs due to two conditions-'sore throat' or 'strep throat'. Often the terms 'sore throat' and 'strep throat' are used interchangeably, but they don't indicate the same thing. While a sore throat is a condition mostly followed by common cold, runny nose or congestion; strep throat is a bacteria-induced infection. The bacterium called Streptococcus is responsible for strep throat.

The most common reason behind a sore throat is a viral infection like flu or cold. So, if you've a sore throat that is caused by virus, there is no reason to worry as it can be treated easily. But if you are suffering from strep throat or streptococcal infection, then antibiotic drugs for additional treatment will be required to avoid complications.

Signs and symptoms of a strep throat (which indicates that your throat pain is serious and needs attention) include:

Pain while swallowing food
Sore throat which usually persists for more than 48 hours
Small red spots at the roof top of your mouth
Swollen and red tonsils at times with streaks of pus or white patches
Fever
Swollen, benign lymph nodes in your neck
Headache
Rash
Body aches
Vomiting or feeling of nausea, especially amongst younger children

When these signs and symptoms become noticeable, you need to promptly visit your doctor for test and treatment. And, if the reports indicate strep throat, then your doctor will prescribe you some oral antibiotics to reduce the complications and severity of symptoms so that it doesn't spread to others. You are advised to follow your prescription properly and stay indoors for at least a day after starting your medication.



When is Your Throat Pain, a Serious One?

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