The three primary functions of the kidney are- eliminating waste materials and toxins from the body, producing hormones that help control your body mechanism and regulating blood pressure. Chronic Renal Failure, also known as Chronic Kidney Disease, refers to the condition where your kidney gradually stops functioning properly over time- weeks, months or years. As the condition worsens, wastes and fluids start to build up in your system instead of being filtered out. This leads to an end-stage renal failure/disease.

What causes Chronic Renal Failure?
Chronic renal failure is caused due to a condition or disease that impairs kidney function. The most common causes are- diabetes (Type 1 and Type 2), polycystic kidney disease, glomerulonephritis, interstitial nephritis. Glomerulonephritis occurs when the filtering units of the kidney become, inflamed. Interstitial nephritis refers to an inflammation in the kidney tubules and its surrounding regions. Prolonged obstruction of the urinary tract due to kidney stones or enlarged prostate, also can cause chronic renal failure.

What are the symptoms that you must watch out for?
Symptoms and signs of chronic renal failure develop gradually over time. Therefore, most of the time people suffering from this condition are diagnosed at the later stage when functioning of the kidney is significantly impaired. Nevertheless, if you encounter signs such as unintentional weight loss, weakness and fatigue, vomiting and nausea, swelling of face and legs, cramps and muscle twitches, change in the urinating pattern, easy bruising, blood in the stools etc., then you should see a doctor and have yourself diagnosed. In case the fluids get accumulated in the lining of your heart or lungs, you may experience chest pain and shortness of breath.

Role of homeopathy in curing Chronic Renal Failure-
Unlike conventional treatment methods which focus on the pathological condition, homeopathy takes a holistic approach to treat the individual. Homeopathy remedies and medicines are natural, and try to rectify the underlying causes of this condition. The medications are selected and prescribed after thorough analysis of the patient s medical history and health condition. A particular remedy is chosen keeping in mind the general symptoms of the condition. Among several homeopathic medicines, the frequently used ones are- Belladonna and a solution made from gold and sodium. Homeopathy remedies reduce swelling of the face, cures kidney inflammations, and reduce severe, recurring pain in the lumbar region. They work by stimulating your immune system so that the damaged kidney and other organs start functioning more correctly.

Homeopathy remedies do not provide substitutes for any organ of your body. They simply repair the damaged organs, improve your overall health and thereby prevent the person from suffering a relapse.

Chronic Renal Failure - How Homeopathic Treatment Is Best For You?

A Gastroenterologist is a physician with dedicated training and unique experience in the management of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and liver. If you are planning to visit one, you most likely have a problem in one or many organs like esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon and rectum, pancreas, gallbladder, bile ducts and liver. 

Visit your doctor to understand the severity of your condition and the course of treatment, as it is obvious that during this time you must be suffering from anxiety and you may not ask the questions arising in your mind. That is why you need to prepare in advance for your first visit with a gastroenterologist. Being an active partner in the doctor patient relationship is bound to have its benefits. Here are some handy tips:

1. Come mentally prepared: Don't let the anxiety get to you. If you need some extra help calming down, try yoga or meditation. You can simply go out on a walk alone to help you focus your thoughts. This is just like any other doctor visit. The good part is that you are taking the first step in easing your discomfort and starting treatment, so go with a positive mind.

2. Maintain a diary of symptoms: It is likely that you are experiencing discomfort from past few days or weeks before you finally realize the need to seek out a specialist. Try to remember as much as possible about the symptoms you experienced in a chronological order. Write down any over the counter medicines you've tried or anything unusual that you may have consumed in the past week. 

3. Take stock of your medical history: It is likely that your doctor may want to know about any historic conditions you've suffered that may or may not relate to your present condition. Many ask you to fill out forms during your first time patient registration which includes many minor details about your medical past. List down any allergies, especially food allergies you have. 

4. Take stock of your recent medical tests: Bring your latest blood tests and imaging tests (X-rays, ultrasounds, MRIs, and CT scans) with you for the doctor's visit. If you have a pre-existing condition like diabetes, thyroid or you suffer from other chronic conditions like increased uric acid, carry your most recent medical reports with you. 

5. Make a list of questions for the doctor: In most cases, the first visit is a crucial factor in determining whether you want to continue the course of treatment with a particular doctor. This comes out of your ability to trust the doctor, his knowledge and diagnosis and an overall comfort level that comes with how well he handles your questions. Start by making a list of questions you want to ask about your specific condition and course of treatment and see if you get satisfactory answers. 

6. Brace yourself: If you want to suggest a treatment option, make sure you read up all about it before you tell the doctor.

6 Tips For Your First Visit With A Gastroenterologist

It is an extremely embarrassing situation to have a bladder leakage. Social life could be altered, with reduced socialising for fear of losing control in the presence of others. Though not discussed frankly, it is an extremely common issue and about 25 million people in the United States suffer from this, with 75% of these being women.

Treatment depends on the type of incontinence, such as stress, urge, overflow, functional, or mixed. It starts with least invasive methods like lifestyle changes moving over to surgical approaches.

Ways to manage it

With trips to the toilet increasing considerably when you have urinary incontinence, simple measures can help manage leakage.

Bladder training: Train your bladder to control the urge for another 10 minutes. This happens by voluntarily contracting the muscles and holding up the urge to go to the toilet. Gradually, it will help increase the frequency of the visit to 4 to 6 hours.
Scheduled toilet trips: Whether or not there is an urge, visit the toilet every 4 to 6 hours.
Double emptying: Even after you have voided, force yourself to void one more time. The residual urine, which is almost always present in the bladder, also gets emptied.
Food/diet modifications: Stress incontinence is worsened by alcohol, spicy foods, acidic foods, and caffeine. Avoiding these can help reduce bladder leakage.
Kegel exercises: The simple repetition of contracting the pelvic floor muscles, holding it in place, and releasing it can do wonders for strengthening the pelvic floor. This can be done anywhere and any time of the day and is very effective for improving bladder control.
Catheters: These can be used if the incontinence is short-lived; the person would need to learn how to safely insert and remove it.
Absorbent pads and medical devices: The absorbent pads are helpful in preventing embarrassment during social situations. On the other hand, medical devices like pessary are inserted into the vagina to support the bladder neck and thereby prevent leakage from the bladder.
Drugs: Anticholinergics/antimuscarinics are useful to control a leaking bladder. Botox injections can help paralyse the overactive bladder muscles and provide a solution. Topical oestrogen may be used in small amounts to improve tone and reduce incontinence. Alpha blockers are also used in some people with good results. There are muscles that relax the bladder and increase the amount of urine it can contain.
Surgery: In the event that all these measures are not useful, surgical correction is possible. Sling procedure where an artificial mesh is used to support the urethra. Bladder neck suspension is where the bladder neck is given support to prevent leakage. If there is a pelvic organ prolapse, that is corrected to rectify the bladder leakage.

 Bladder Leakage - Solutions To Help You Manage It!

Cancer can affect even small glands like the adrenal glands. Adrenal glands are responsible for the production of hormones like cortisol and aldosterone. These glands are located above the kidneys and have two parts; the cortex and the medulla. Adrenal cancer generally affects the cortex of the adrenal glands. This type of cancerous tumour is rare and can be difficult to diagnose.

Most adrenal cancer symptoms are triggered by an excessive production of estrogen and androgen. Symptoms can also be caused by the pressure put on other organs by the tumour. Adrenal cancer symptoms are most easily noticeable in children as this is the stage where the body is changing and developing. Some of these symptoms are:

Facial hair growth
Excessive pubic and underarm hair
An enlarged penis or clitoris
Early onset of puberty in girls
Development of enlarged breasts in boys
Symptoms of adrenal cancer in adults includes:

Excessive weight gain in the abdomen and above the collar bone
High blood pressure
Irregular menstruation
Easy bruising
Depression
Frequent urge to urinate
Muscle cramps
Additionally, men with adrenal cancer that causes excessive estrogen production may notice an enlargement of breast tissue and tenderness in the area. Women suffering from excessive androgen production triggered by adrenal cancer may notice their voice deepening and facial hair growth. In most cases, adrenal cancer symptoms in women do not appear until the tumour presses on other organs. This includes symptoms like pain around the tumor, a feeling of fullness in the abdomen and difficulty eating because of this feeling.

The cause of adrenal cancer has not yet been determined, but conditions such as Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, Li-Fraumeni syndrome, familial adenomatous polyposis and multiple endocrine neoplasia can increase a person s risk of suffering from this disease. A thorough physical examination and a detailed medical history is required to diagnose this disease. The doctor will also need a blood test and urine test. Additional tests that may be required include:

Biopsy of the tumor
CT scan
MRI scan
PET scan
Adrenal angiography
Adrenal cancer can be cured if diagnosed in its early stages. There are three types of treatment for adrenal cancer; surgery to remove the adrenal gland, chemotherapy and radiation. However, adrenal cancer can recur and hence it is important to schedule and maintain regular check-ups with your doctor.

Adrenal Cancer - Know Its Symptoms!!

Benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH is a condition where the prostate gland gets enlarged. This is mostly common in men who are ageing. When the prostate gland gets enlarged, the flow of urine through the urethra gets blocked, and hence, several problems related to urination may occur. BPH occurs as a result of hormonal imbalance. If untreated, BPH can lead to severe bladder and urinary health conditions.
There are several symptoms and signs of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Here are 7 common symptoms:

1. A frequent need for urination: Men affected by BPH feel an increased need to urinate frequently. This gets enhanced during the night and is called nocturia. The patient may even need to urinate more than eight times a day. Due to the enlarged prostate gland, more pressure is put on the urethra, which leads to uncontrollable urination.
2. Urinating difficulties: The act of urination becomes difficult. Because of enhanced pressure on the urethra, the flow of urine to the penis from the bladder gets blocked. This makes a urine stream hard to start. The urine stream gets weak and interrupted, and more difficulty may be experienced during the end of urination.
3. Pain during urination and ejaculation: Due to pressure on the urinary tract and reproductive system, pain can accompany urination and ejaculation. Some patients tend to push urine out, which results in pain. The pain may also occur because of infection during BPH.
4. Blood in urine and an unusual color/smell: Urine may take a dark color and have an unusual smell due to urinary retention. Unpleasant urine smell signifies urinary tract infection. Blood in the urine may also result because of dilated veins present on the surface of the enlarged prostate.
5. Urinary retention: When a patient is unable to pass any urine, it is called urinary retention. Such a condition requires immediate treatment, and you need to consult a doctor immediately.
6. Urinary tract infections: Bacteria may start growing in the bladder when the bladder is not fully emptied of urine. This bacterial infection causes darkening of the urine, and emission of a foul odor.
7. Bladder stones: Bladder stones may develop because of the inability of the bladder to empty itself completely. This is a major symptom of BPH. Hard lumps of minerals or bladder stones are formed when the urine present in the bladder gets highly concentrated, which causes the crystallization of minerals. Bladder stones may cause infections, result in blood in urine, cause bladder irritation and may also block urine flow.

So you see that benign prostatic hyperplasia involves the enlargement of the prostate gland, and results in several problems related to urination and different symptoms. Hence, immediate treatment is advisable.

7 Symptoms of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Fibroadenomas are benign non carcinogenic tumors that occur in the breasts of women. Although the condition may affect females of any age; spanning from pubescent girls to middle aged ladies, yet it is most commonly diagnosed in young women below 30 years of age. Fibroadenomas can be described as a stiff, smooth, supple marble under the skin of your breasts, which move when touched. These tumors which occur in varied sizes, may shrink or expand with time. Diagnosing through biopsies and treatment by surgeries are commonly employed for such a condition.

Types of fibroadenomas
Fibroadenomas are of two types: simple fibroadenomas and complex fibroadenomas. The simple tumors are usually harmless and almost look the same under the lens of a microscope. On the other hand, the complex tumors are comprised of macro cysts (large fluid-filled sacs) and calcifications (deposits of calcium) which can slightly increase the chance of breast cancer.

What is the primary cause of fibroadenomas?
Doctors aren't able to pinpoint the chief cause of fibroadenomas, but they have reasons to believe that the condition may pertain to the reproductive hormones. The condition may occur during pregnancy or during the use of hormone therapy, owing to which, the tumors may increase in size. The tumors are usually seen to shrink postmenopause, when the hormone levels start to dwindle.

Fibroadenomas are apparent and you may be able to detect them even without a doctor. The marble like tumor within your breasts are usually:
1) painless
2) firm
3) rubbery and elastic
4) easily movable

These tumors can range from being too small to as big as 3 inches or more in diameter. These lumps, which are usually harmless may be a cause of concern if they start to grow or change. Consulting a doctor is duly advised in such cases.

Risks
Fibroadenomas, only in the rarest cases, increase the likelihood of breast cancer. A complex fibroadenoma comprising of cysts or thick tissues called calcifications may aggravate your condition. Causes of concern could be if the tumor pains, a family history of cancer or an event of a questionable biopsy report.

Causes and Symptoms of Fibroadenomas

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