Gynecomastia is a condition where the tissues of the breasts swell in a boy or men. This is caused by the imbalance of testosterone and oestrogen. It might affect one or both the breasts depending on the level of hormonal imbalance. Although not considered as a serious condition, Gynecomastia can be a difficult condition to cope up with. There are multiple treatment options and surgery is one of them. In many cases, this condition goes as abruptly as it appeared. For cases that are complicated and difficult to get rid of, doctors suggest a medical procedure get rid of the condition.


Symptoms of Gynecomastia:
Some common symptoms of Gynecomastia include tenderness of breasts, swollen breast gland, pain in the breasts, discharge from the nipple etc.


Causes of Gynecomastia:
There could be many causes of this disease. If the condition is witnessed in babies, it could well come from the mother due to an overdose of oestrogen. Gynecomastia also appears during puberty resulting in the breast to swell up. The condition can again crop up after the age of 50 due to hormonal changes.
Certain medications can be a reason of Gynecomastia. Some of the common medications include certain antibiotics, anti-anxiety related medications, chemotherapy shots, HIV patients receiving HAART, cardiovascular medications such as Lanoxin, anabolic steroids etc.
Certain drugs such as heroin, alcohol, methadone, marijuana, Amphetamines etc.
Certain health conditions such as hypogonadism, hyperthyroidism, liver cirrhosis, ageing, certain tumours, failure of the kidney malnutrition etc.


Risk Factors Of Gynecomastia-
Certain risk factors of gynecomastia include older age, use of certain steroids, adolescence and other medical conditions such as Klinefelter's syndrome, tumour related to hormonal fluctuation and disease related to thyroid.
Diagnosis:
A doctor typically checks the history of drugs along with the health condition of the patient. He might also take a look at the health of the extended family. A careful tissue evaluation of the genitals, breast and abdomen are done. This is followed by a physical exam followed by prescribing certain tests such as mammograms, complete blood work, CT scan, biopsy of the tissue, MRI scan etc.


Treatment:
Most people suffering from Gynecomastia see a significant regression with periodic treatment. If however the condition arises from an underlying cause such as cirrhosis and malnutrition, a doctor suggests 2 option- medications and surgery:


Medications: Certain medications that are known to be helpful for breast related cancers are known to be effective in this condition. Some common examples of these drugs include evista, arimidex and soltamox.
Surgery: Only after exploring all medical options a doctor suggests surgery. There are 2 procedures namely mastectomy and liposuction. The latter removes the fat cells of the breast and the former removes the breast gland tissue.     


Gynecomastia - Is Surgery The Best Option?

It is said that the mind controls the body. If the mind is healthy so will the body be. The condition of the mind is often reflected in bodily symptoms and conditions including illnesses.

The temptation in mostly to treat with heavy drugs that might offer temporary relief but have dangerous side effects and do long term harm.

Homeopathy tackles this issue considering safety and cure in a balanced manner to ensure recovery but without harmful side effects.

The concept of psychosomatic disorders has been in existence since the time of Sigmund Freud. The belief is that with the varied emotions that a person experiences, each disease manifests with a different set of symptoms in each person, implying that each person needs to be treated differently and not given the same disease-specific medication. This is where homeopathy plays a very strong role in psychosomatic disorders as it also believes in treating the person as a whole and not just the symptoms.

In homoeopathy, we base our prescription on what we call constitutional symptoms where we give lot of importance to the mental symptom as well as to the characteristic physical symptom. Hence every prescription from a Homoeopathic physician will surely include an element of psychosomatic angle. It is beyond the scope of this editorial to mention all the remedies of Materia Medica which has the scope for the treatment of psychosomatic disorders.

The homeopath always undertakes a thorough discussion with the patient to understand the accompanying symptoms in detail and then arrive at a customized treatment plan.

Some of the most common psychosomatic disorders include irritable bowel syndrome, migraine, GERD, ulcerative colitis, and allergy disorders.
Specific substances are given to manage anxiety, depression, irritability, insecurity, paranoia, etc. These feelings are considered inducers for the above disorders, and managing them can help bring about a harmony in the patient's overall health.


GERD: Gastro esophageal reflux disease is a disorder that results from stomach acid moving backward from the stomach into the esophagus. GERD usually happens because the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), the muscular valve where the esophagus joins the stomach, opens at the wrong time or does not close properly.

Homeopathy For GERD:
Homeopathic medicine relies not only on identifying the symptoms of the disease, but on a variety of personality traits, the person's mental state and other characteristic symptoms a patient exhibits which correlate to any particular remedy. When choosing a correct remedy for the treatment of heartburn, all aspects of the patient are taken into account.
These are some of the Homoeopathic medicines that may prove beneficial:- Argentum nit, Cal.carb., China, Carbo veg, Lycopodium, Nat. phos, Nux vomica, Phosphorus, Pulsatilla, Robinia, sulphuric acid etc.


Migraine: Migraine is a form of headache. The pain is usually throbbing, pulsating and bursting in character. At times, the pain is one sided or may involve the whole head. Such pain may last for hours or even days. It is often accompanied by other symptoms like nausea or vomiting. At the same time, there is increased sensitivity to light and sound. In some cases, the pain is preceded by some warning symptoms like flashes of light, temporary blindness or tingling sensation in the limbs.

Homeopathy for Migraine:
Belladonna is widely used homeopathy remedy for migraines, where headache is throbbing and violent, occurs suddenly, worsens on touching, and relieves with pressure. Glonoine is useful in congestive headaches with a reddened face that is worsened by sun or heat. Natrum Mur is useful in cases where headache is brought on by grief or stress.

Ulcerative colitis: Ulcerative colitis is a serious chronic inflammatory disease of the large intestine accompanied by ulcerated lesions of the intestinal tissues. It is characterized by episodes of abdominal pain with profuse diarrhea in which large quantities of blood, pus, and mucus are present in the feces. There is an urgency to move the bowels, as many as, three to ten times per day. It may be accompanied with pain, nausea, and vomit. Because of the loss of blood, the patient may become dehydrated and anemic.
Complications of ulcerative colitis includes liver and kidney disease, peritonitis, toxic mega colon, and risk of developing colon cancer.

Homeopathy for Ulcerative Colitis:
To identify the actual inducing agent, some foods are removed to see if they are inducing attacks. Once identified, that is removed from the patient's diet. In addition, aloe, arsenicum album, carbo vegetabilis, colocynthis, are commonly used remedies for ulcerative colitis. The patient is asked for associated symptoms like bleeding diarrhea, color of the feces, involuntary defecation, abdominal pain, anxiety, cramps, and stress before deciding on a treatment mode.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Irritable bowel syndrome, also known as spastic colon is a functional disorder characterized by recurrent abdominal pain, cramping, and bloating. Some people suffer from constipation, which means hard, dry stools, difficult to eliminate, leading to straining without success. Some people experience diarrhea, with frequent loose watery stools.

Homeopathy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome:
Sulphur, Pulsatilla, Phosphorus, Nux Vomica, Lycopodium clavatum, Argentum Nitricum, and Silicea are commonly used homeopathic remedies. Associated symptoms that need to be considered before deciding on a therapy include frequency of stooling, nature of stools, abdominal bloating, restlessness, irritability and nervousness.

Homeopathy is a preferred mode of treatment for psychosomatic disorders as they aim at a holistic treatment of the individual and not just at symptom management.

Allergy: Allergy is an abnormal reaction or increased sensitivity to certain substances. The allergic individual produces symptoms when exposed to these substances, which are harmless to non-allergic people. The main reason for this is that allergic people make a special type of antibody called immunoglobin E (IgE), which can react with environmental substances in harmful way. These substances which lead to secretion of IgE antibodies are called allergens.

Homeopathy for Allergy:
Few important remedies for the homeopathic treatment of allergy are- Histamine, Natrum Mur, Kali Bich, Sepia, Hepar Sulph, , Carbo Veg , Sulphur, Bryonia, Nux Vom, Apis Mel, Ailanthus, and Justicia adhatoda.

Psychosomatic Disorder - Only Homeopathy Cures

What is allergic rhinitis?

Allergic rhinitis is defined as allergic symptoms in the nasal passage. Allergic rhinitis can be seasonal (occurring during specific seasons) or perennial (occurring year round). The allergens that most commonly cause seasonal allergic rhinitis include pollens from trees,grasses and weeds, as well as spores from fungi and moulds. The allergens that most commonly cause perennial allergic rhinitis are house dust mites, cockroaches,animal dander,and fungi or moulds. Perennial allergic rhinitis tends to be more difficult to treat.

How does allergic rhinitis occur ?

This condition occurs when allergens (allergy- causing substances) come into contact with the nose, and usually also the ears, sinuses, and the throat. When allergens come in contact with the lining of the nose and sinuses, they trigger the cells to release the chemical histamine, which causes the allergy symptoms described below.

What are the symptoms ?

Nasal congestion 
Sneezing 
Watery " runny nose" 
Itchy eyes,nose,or throat 
Puffy eyes or 'allergic shiners'
Post nasal drip 
Tears 
These symptoms may occur during a certain season or year long. They can occur at any age. 

What is the treatment for allergic rhinitis ? 

A number of medications ,including antihistamines, intranasal corticosteroids, and decongestants are available to control symptoms. Allergen immunotherapy could provide long lasting benefit. You can "train" your immune system not to react exaggerated to an allergen anymore.

Allergic Rhinitis - Signs That You are Suffering from it?

One of the most common cosmetic procedures performed in the world today is that of breast augmentation or reduction. This is a fairly common surgery wherein depending on the requirement of the patients; the breasts are either made bigger with the help of implants or reduced in size by excising fat and tissue. Although a majority of these patients are female, there are an increasing number of male patients, who opt for male breast surgery as well.
The need for male breast surgery-
The requirement for male breast surgery arises due to the occurrence of Gynecomastia or the development of male breasts. In this condition, fat and glandular tissues are stored within the male chest in the pattern of female breasts, thus giving it a feminine look. This is a common occurrence among men and can be a cause of social embarrassment for the man as well as affecting his self esteem. Some of the causes for gynecomastia or male breasts would be  
Excessive Weight Gain.
Hormonal changes within the body where testosterone levels drop due to conditions such as  Hypogonadism  (in men, the inability of the testicle s to function correctly) and estrogen levels increase.
Medications used to treat other disorders such as certain anti -depressants, cancer medication, and anti-anxiety medications among others.
Excess consumption of alcohol and certain drugs.
Hyperthyroidism (excess thyroid secretion by the thyroid gland).
It isn t always just fat!
While many people tend to blame male breasts due to the accumulation of fat, this may not be the case always. Even skinny or people with an athletic build may notice misshapen chest that has more of a feminine appearance and thus would like to correct that. This is obviously caused by hormonal factors and genetics of body shape as well rather than just being obese or overweight.
Types of Male Breast Surgery-
Male breast surgery revolves around breast reduction and contouring to give it a more flat and toned look. This can be achieved in either of these ways:
Liposuction   This is a fairly common procedure and is minimally invasive; meant to suck out the fat through a small opening on the skin. With the help of liposuction, doctors can easily contour your chest to have a more masculine look by removing the excess fat. This procedure is a very popular one as it takes less time to recover and also isn t invasive. However, this is used as an option for male breast surgery when the problem isn t acute.
Surgery to remove excess tissues and fat   If the male breasts have excessive glandular tissue and the problem is acute, a more extensive form of surgery wherein the glandular tissue is excised may be required. However, this is also not very invasive and you can get back to your regular routine within a few days after surgery.


Male Breast Surgery

Men also suffer from breast enlargement, medically called gynecomastia. This usually happens when the levels of female sex hormones, in the affected male, overshadow the male sex hormone levels.

Gynecomastia is different from fat accumulation in the male upper chest. It is typically characterised by an increase in the glandular tissue, which can produce milk.

Lots of adolescent boys suffer from male breast enlargement due to the adolescent hormonal surge, though, the condition can present in men at any age. Adolescents lose the breast enlargement typically in periods ranging from 6 months to a year. Beyond this period, a man with enlarged breasts has to seek medical intervention for treatment.

Typically, gynecomastia occurs due to certain medications like for renal failure and hypertension. It can also be caused due to conditions like hyperthyroidism or kidney failure, liver cirrhosis or problems with testes which causes changes in hormones in the male body.

Treatments-

Whatever be the reason, gynecomastia is a deeply distressing condition for men of all ages. Treatments are available, both surgical and medicinal and they help especially surgery.

Male Breast Reduction Surgery- Facts

Surgery for male breast reduction can be performed safely and successfully on teenagers and adult men alike.

In male breast reduction surgery, the surgeon makes an incision around the nipple and removes the excess glandular tissue and fats causing the appearance of the breast. This is the only effective treatment for gynecomastia that has long-lasting, if not permanent, results. Male breasts may also appear due to excess fat in the upper chest. Liposuction is generally very effective in treating this. The surgeon removes fats and some glandular tissue and then sculpts a new chest contour that looks natural for your body.

More severe cases of gynecomastia may require more than this. The surgeon has to then go for something called  surgical tissue excision  to achieve optimal results. Older males with gynecomastia with sagging skin also require tissue excision. This technique allows the surgeon to remove a major chunk of glandular tissue and/or skin that cannot be successfully removed by mere liposuction.

If you are planning to go for breast reduction surgery, find the best cosmetic surgeon. This will go a long way in you getting the best results and minimise scars.

Also be prepared for the after-effects of the surgery. Even though it is typically performed as an outpatient procedure using general anaesthesia or local anaesthesia with sedation, you must be prepared for soreness and swelling. Recovery time is usually a week and a patient is often given a compression garment to wear for the first few weeks after surgery to support the healing breast tissue. Also, be prepared to be off exercise for a month or so after surgery.

Can Surgery Help Reduce Enlarged Breasts In Men?

Allergies are caused by unnatural reactions between your body's immune system and foreign substances, which have gained access into the body. When these substances, known as allergens, enter your body, your immune system produces antibodies, which are responsible for warding off unwanted substances like harmful viruses or diseases and helping in the body's overall resistance.

The main cause of allergy is the uncontrolled reaction between the immune system's antibodies and harmless allergens. Allergic reactions are triggered when antibodies, like histamine, come into contact with particular types of allergens. These may include:

    Certain eatables: Peanuts or sea food
    Medications: Penicillin or penicillin-based antibiotics
    Airborne allergens: Pollen, mold, or dust mites
    Insect stings: Bee stings or scorpion stings
    Latex: Latex or other substances, which are responsible for causing allergic skin reactions

Symptoms of allergies depend upon a wide range of factors, which are subjective and vary from person to person and from allergen to allergen. Depending upon the type of allergen involved and the nature of the allergy, symptoms may include any of the following:

    Facial swelling
    Wheezing
    Severe itching
    Swollen or red and watery eyes
    Hives
    Flaky skin which can peel off

These symptoms are common in mild to moderate allergies, such as atopic dermatitis, hay fever, drug or food allergies. There are certain rare cases (say, scorpion stings), however, in which the allergic reaction turns out to be potentially life-threatening. This type of reaction is known as anaphylaxis. Here are its signs and symptoms:

    Nausea and vomiting
    Loss of consciousness
    Skin rashes
    Intense shortness of breath
    Lightheadedness

Homeopathy effectively deals with any sort of allergy by taking into account individualistic symptoms and thus nipping the root cause in the bud. Natrum Mur, Urtica Urens, Sulphur and Natrum Carb, among others, are very effective medicines against allergies. But these must be taken after due discussion with the doctor as they check out the symptoms and then prescribe the medicine basis that.

Allergies: Causes, Symptoms and How Homeopathy Deals With It Efectively

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