People who suffer from human immunodeficiency virus, commonly known as'hiv, are known as hiv positive people. The virus is the agent of aids that is currently incurable. Hiv is known to alter the human immune system and makes people much more susceptible and vulnerable to diseases and infections. 

Body fluids such as semen, blood, breast milk, vaginal fluids etc. Of an infected individual contains the virus, which can be passed from one person to another during blood-to-blood and/or sexual contact. Hiv positive women may even pass on this virus to their children during pregnancy, delivery or by breast feeding them. Hiv is also transmitted during oral, anal or vaginal sex, by contaminated hypodermic needles and by blood transfusion. 

Mentioned below are a few issues that a hiv positive woman have to face apart from discrimination and stigma, fear of infecting their children or partners, violence and abandonment. 

1. Menstrual disorders: changes in menstrual cycles are frequently reported by hiv infected women. However, menstrual dysfunctions are due to varied reasons that aren't directly related to the disease. Although most of the hiv positive women suffer from amenorrhea i. E. The unusual absence of periods, it is not just due to hiv but also because of weight loss or immunosuppression. 
 
2. Contraception: it is very important that the contraception a hiv positive woman chooses not only acts as birth control, but also to prevent the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases and hiv. Although condoms do not provide exceptional pregnancy prevention, they are excellent at preventing transmission of the hiv virus. Permanent sterilization is usually the most chosen contraceptive method for hiv serodiscordant couples.

3. Surgical complications: hiv positive women are at a higher risk of undergoing gynecologic surgery. This is because they are more vulnerable to pelvic infectious disease that requires surgical intervention. There is also a greater risk of developing vulvar cancer in hiv positive women. 

4. Fertility: there has been an increase in the number of seropositive women contemplating pregnancy and childbirth. Most couples resort to assisted reproduction to lower the risk of horizontal hiv transmission. Studies show that undergoing hiv treatment and having an undetectable viral load is helpful in preventing the transmission of hiv. It is important to consult a medical expert if you are unable to get pregnant after at least 6 months of trying. Fertility problems are more common in hiv positive women than hiv negative women.

Issues for HIV Positive Women

Are you suffering with pins and needles in your hand? You may be suffering with carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel is a tunnel made of bones in the wrist. Roof of the the tunnel is made of a ligament. This tunnel contains a nerve and some tendons which help in bending of fingers.

This nerve is called median nerve and it acts as a electrical wire carrying sensation from certain parts of hand. It also functions as a wire carrying power signals from brain to hand. Increased pressure of the tunnel causes compression of the nerve and this condition is called as carpal tunnel syndrome. This syndrome gives symptoms of pins and needles in part of hand and weakness in grip. (Pins and needles in Hindi is commonly known as झुनझुनाहट or झुनझुनी or सुन्न पन). Often patient will wake up in night because of pins and needles and shake their hand to relieve the symptoms. It can also manifest as burning sensation or pain in hand.

Carpal tunnel can be caused due to multiple factors. It is commonly seen in pregnant females. Repeated use of hand in certain postures can also lead to carpal tunnel syndrome. Other causes are thyroid problems, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and injury to wrist.

Diagnosis of carpal tunnel is mainly clinical and nerve conduction study is a useful tool in confirming the diagnosis. Special (Neuropathic ) pain killers can help with the symptoms. Physiotherapy and posture training can also reduce pins and needles. Night splints are often helpful. If symptoms fail to improve with non operating measures, surgical decompression of carpal tunnel is indicated. Carpal tunnel surgery is performed as a day case procedure under local anaesthetic. It has very satisfying results and a quick recovery.

This article is for information purpose only and not a substitute for proper medical advise.

Pins & Needles In Hand - Carpal Tunnel Syndrome!

You might have a wonderful morning routine to keep you healthy. However, do you know what really determines health is also your bed time routine? Each night you end one day and stand at the brink of starting a new one. It is therefore crucial how you organize your bed time.

Here are 7 things to adopt for your bed time- 

1) Plan for next day: Preparing in advance always gives you more time and leaves you stress free. Things like looking for keys, deciding what to wear etc make you late and add to your morning stress. Prepare also for breakfast or what to cook the next day. Planning at night doesnt take much time and makes your next day start on a good note.

2) Shut out the buzz: Most of us say goodnight to family and head to bed only to spend the next hour checking Facebook and social media. Or you end up watching a funny video or movie late into the night. If you keep yourself distracted, you can't go off to sleep early or get quality sleep. The light from your gadget's screen can be harmful and stress inducing. It is best to give yourself an hour away from your mobile phone or other gadgets before you sleep.

3) Write a 'Thank-You' Diary: There are many ways to become a more positive person and the best is to have appreciation. Try finding out that 1 thing (more is better) that you are thankful for. Do it everyday. This practice right ahead of your sleep time calms you down, makes you feel happy, satisfied and goes on a long way in contributing to a heathy lifestyle.

4) Stretch it out: Like most people do you also have a job where you keep sitting for long hours? Stretching really works, it helps lengthen tendons and muscles and can reduce the frequency and severity of cramps ensuring you get a better night's sleep.

5) Try meditating: Our work life has become ever so demanding, we are constantly bombarded with information via the television, social media, the internet, friends and work which results in stress and anxiety! Few minutes of meditation before bed, slows down your brain activity which results in a deeper and more peaceful sleep. You will wake up feeling well-rested, energized and ready to take on the day!

6) Book by your side: Reading before bed is has amazing benefits. Firstly, it calms the nerves by eliminating excess sound and vision stimulus (exactly the opposite of what you get from watching television!). It helps you to wind down and sleep better, it also improves brain function, your memory and the thinking process overall.

7) Sleep is crucial: Foremost is to simply make sleep a priority. It is not as simple as it sounds. Sleep deficiency directly relates to increased stress, weight gain and productivity loss. Going to bed late and managing with 5 or 6 hours sleep sets a bad tone for your day.

Your happiness and general wellbeing is controlled by how relaxing you make your bed time.

Click on Consult Privately to ask me a private question on this topic or a related one.

From Lybrate: If you found this tip useful, please thank the doctor by clicking on the heart icon below. Also, spread good health by sharing this tip with your loved ones.

Dr. Sapna Zarwal Tells You How To Improve Your Bed-time Routine

Burning your skin is a very traumatic experience and can leave behind scars that remind one of the traumatic incident. Scarring caused by burns may fade a little with time but are usually permanent. Apart from affecting your appearance severe burns can also affect the functioning of the body. Burns can make a person withdraw socially by making him or her afraid of how people will accept them with their scars as well as make them depressed about their appearance.

Burn repair surgery can be categorised under two headings: Acute and Reconstructive

Acute repair surgery happens immediately after the burn and deals with large burns and burns that affect critical areas. The focus here is to close the skin in case of open burns and help the skin heal.
Reconstructive burn surgery addresses the skin after the initial burn wounds have healed. The goal here is to improve the appearance of the scars and ensure no lasting loss of functioning. Reconstructive burn surgery has a high success rate.
There are many types of reconstructive surgeries for burns and the type of surgery best suited to a patient is based on the location of the scar, the extent of scarring and the patient s personal goals.

Skin grafts: This involves the removal of healthy skin tissues from one part of the body and transplanting it to the burn site. This skin graft may include only a few outer layers of skin or may involve the entire dermis. This is used in cases of severe burns where a large section of the dermis is affected.
Microsurgery: This is a procedure where the surgeon reattaches or reconstructs severed fingers, toes, ears etc by sewing together blood vessels and nerves. This is often used alongside other surgical procedures.
Free flap procedure: In this procedure, muscle, bone or skin is transferred from one part of the body to another to reconstruct the area. This type of surgery is often accompanied by microsurgery.
Tissue expansion: This involves the insertion of a balloon expander under the skin near the burn site. As the balloon is filled with saline, the skin stretches and grows. Once the skin has stretched enough, the expander is removed and the skin can then be used to repair burn scars.
This procedure has many advantages as the skin colour and texture are a near perfect match thus reducing scarring to a large extent. However, it is a very slow procedure and can take a few months.

Burn Repair Surgery - How Effective It Is?

Arrhythmia is a disorder which is characterized by improper and irregular heartbeats; be it too slow or too fast. This problem occurs when the electrical impulses that are used to regulate your heartbeat don t work in the correct manner. Your heart may beat irregularly, too slow or too fast.

Symptoms
Although this disorder does not yield many symptoms, a few noticeable symptoms of arrhythmia are slow heartbeat, or a racing heartbeat, chest pain, breathing difficulties and dizziness. Arrhythmia can lead to inefficient pumping by the heart, leading to bouts of fainting. A severe symptom of this disorder is ventricular fibrillation, wherein the ventricles tend to quiver instead of transporting blood. This symptom can cut off blood supply to the vital organs, which may lead to death.

Causes

Coronary artery disease: In this disease, arteries of the heart can get blocked, leading to irregular heart beat and impaired heart functioning.
A heart attack: An ongoing heart attack usually leads to irregular heartbeats.
High blood pressure: High blood pressure problems make you more vulnerable to this condition.
Impaired functioning of the thyroid glands: An overactive or underactive thyroid gland can lead to heart arrhythmia.
Excessive smoking and alcohol consumption: These habits can cause problems with the blood vessels in the body, thus increasing risks of this particular condition as well as other cardio-vascular diseases.
Stress: Too much stress can lead to high blood pressure; that is again linked to heart arrhythmia.
Treatment
Mild symptoms of arrhythmia do not require treatment. However, complications resulting from it warrant treatment. The various treatment options for this condition are:

Pacemaker: A pacemaker is a device that is used to regulate your heart rhythms. It is placed in the body by a surgical procedure and an insulated wire is put, connecting the heart to the pacemaker. In case of an irregular heartbeat, the pacemaker sends out impulses to correct the improper heartbeat.
Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator: This device is used to prevent a dangerous symptom of heart arrhythmia, a symptom wherein the ventricle quivers. It is similar to a pacemaker as it is also placed near the collarbone. In case it detects an abnormal rhythm, it sends out shocks to reset the heart rhythm.
Maze procedure: This is a surgical procedure wherein incisions are made on the upper heart tissue to create a scar tissue. Scar tissues act as insulators to prevent stray impulses.
Alternative therapies: Alternative procedures such as yoga and meditation can help remedy the disorder.

Is Your Heart Missing a Beat Regularly - Could it be Arrhythmia?

Epilepsy is a brain triggered disorder that can result in the affected person having seizures or convulsions of the body. Such convulsions last about a few minutes and the person undergoing epileptic seizure might be unaware of what s happening to him/her during those brief moments. They may recover and appear disoriented for a few minutes more. 

Epilepsy can t be cured but is treated through medicines called anticonvulsant drugs.

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder brought about due to unusual electrical activity in the brain
The person having the disorder can have episodes of seizures where there can be sudden involuntary movements of the person s whole body and shaking of the arms and legs lasting a few minutes
The condition can occur to anybody irrespective of age but children seem to suffer more from the condition following a head injury or emotional trauma
Electroencephalogram or EEG is the best way for the doctor to understand the exact nature of the disorder and this will help in the treatment.
Treatment through drugs is the most popular way of keeping the convulsions under check
Medically, if the patient goes without seizures for a few years under regular medication then there is every possibility the person may not suffer further convulsions
Apart from medication, dietary regulations have also been adopted by many physicians to treat the condition. Low carb and high protein items are advised as a way to reduce/stop the epileptic seizures
In some cases, the doctor might decide to conduct a surgery to remove the aberrant part of the brain to treat the individual for epilepsy
People with epilepsy have to take a lot of precautions in their daily routines to avoid getting seriously injured if they were to suffer a sudden attack of seizures
Driving and swimming are to be avoided by them
People standing around can help reduce the suffering by turning the person over to one side and offering a support to the head. Care can also be taken to remove any object that can cause injury to the person while having the convulsions.
Some doctors study the pattern of the seizures occurring and help in regulating them in such a manner that the person gets the convulsions only in the nights while asleep
This can limit the damage done to the person and can also help the person in going about normal routines
Parents must inform the school authorities if their children suffers from epilepsy so that they can provide first aid to such students immediately if episodes occur in school
Epilepsy is a brain-related disorder that can cause the person to go through involuntary shaking of the body and the limbs. It is usually treated with drugs.

Epilepsy - Common Facts About It!

Don't wait any longer, manage your Home Remedies For UTI online with a Lybrate doctor today

Consult for Home Remedies For UTI - Online and Easy!

FilterClear All

COMMON SPECIALITIES

COMMON ISSUES