Blood in urine, medically known as Hematuria is not usually a cause of concern, but it can translate into an adverse condition if left unevaluated. The kidneys and other structures in the urinary tracts such as urethra (tube connecting the bladder to the outer part of the body); bladder (that stores the urine) and ureters (tube joining the bladder to the kidney) are the sources of blood flow to the urine. Hematuria can be accompanied by symptoms such as discharge of tea-colored, brownish-red or pink colored urine due to the presence of red blood cells, traces of which can only be detected under the microscope.

Underlying causes behind this disorder might be

Urinary tract infection is where the bacteria enter the body through the urethra and begin to proliferate in the bladder.
Kidney infections (pyelonephritis) is when bacteria infiltrate into the kidneys from the bloodstream or travel up from the uterus to the kidneys.
A kidney or a bladder stone is marked by the minerals in the concentrated urine precipitating out and molding into crystals that deposit on the bladder or kidney walls.
Enlarged prostate is a condition in which the prostate gland, that is situated just below the bladder surrounding the upper part of the urethra, starts growing as males head towards their middle age.
Kidney disease such as glomerulonephritis causes swelling of the kidneys, thus disrupting the filtering system.
Bladder, kidney and prostate cancer are also possible causes.
Hereditary disorders such as sickle cell anemia (a hereditary disease of the red blood cells in the hemoglobin) can also pose as a cause behind this disorder.
Kidney injury as a result of heavy blows, accidents or injuries sustained while playing a spot can also contribute to this condition.
Medications such as penicillin or the anti-cancer drug  cyclophosphamide 
Strenuous physical exercises like intense workout or running may also result in Hematuria.
Treatments
There is no fixed cure for Hematuria; instead the doctor would work on treating the repressed conditions behind the symptoms, such as prescribing antibiotics to heal the urinary tract infection or a medicine to shrink and normalize the enlarged prostate or administer a shock wave therapy to destroy the kidney or bladder stones. 

Blood in Urine - 10 Reasons Behind It!

Should You Oil Hair If You Got Dandruff?

You're said to suffer from the problem of dandruff when the skin renewal cycle of your scalp accelerates all of a sudden. This brings about the development of patches of dead skin on your scalp surface and the resultant dry, skin flakes called dandruff.

The causes of this very common problem can be:

- Not shampooing your hair regularly can cause skin cells and oils to build up in the scalp leading to the outbreak of dandruff.

- Having dry skin can also cause dandruff to develop, which are less oily and smaller in nature.

- Even irritated oily skin, more commonly known as seborrheic dermatitis can cause you to suffer from these white skin flakes. The problem can be easily identified by its distinguishing yellow or white flakes over the red greasy skin surface.

- Sensitivity to certain hair care products and the presence of Malassezia (a type of fungus) are other causes that can lead to dandruff problems.

How to keep dandruff problems at bay?

Having poor scalp hygiene as well as the lack of proper scalp conditioning can cause dandruff to occur. Thus, proper conditioning of your scalp is vital for fighting the flakes that form on your head. Oiling your hair is the most effective measure that you can take against this scalp problem. While the ideal time to do this is at night so that you can wash it off the next morning, one should also remember that hair oil shouldn't be left on the hair for over 24 hours. 

Additionally, dry scalp makes it very easy for dandruff to develop as the oil-secreting glands found in the scalp's epidermal layers produce low or no natural oil. Application of oil helps in keeping the scalp nourished as well as enables glands to produce oil. But leaving it on for more than the recommended hours can intensify your dandruff problem and further accelerate the hair fall process.




Should You Oil Hair When You Have Dandruff Problem?

Know Your Cholesterol 

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that’s found in all cells of the body. The term cholesterol is often directly related to a heart condition. But the truth is that not all types of cholesterols are harmful for your body. It is important that one knows about the different types of cholesterol, having healthy levels of both types of lipoproteins is important, deal with them appropriately and lower the chances of having a stroke or getting a heart disease. Bad cholesterol levels can be high in people irrespective of them being thin, if it is genetic or if they are smokers.

Types of Cholesterol.

The Bad One:

LDL cholesterol sometimes is called “bad” cholesterol. A high LDL level leads to a buildup of cholesterol in your arteries. Lowering your cholesterol may slow down, reduce, or even stop the buildup of plaque in your arteries. It also may reduce the risk of plaque rupturing and causing dangerous blood clots.

The Good One:

HDL cholesterol sometimes is called “good” cholesterol. This is because it carries cholesterol from other parts of your body back to your liver. Your liver removes the cholesterol from your body and  is important for the body as it reduces the risk of heart attack, disease and strokes.

Cholesterol count of the body is counted by adding the two types of cholesterols (LDL and  HDL) along with body's triglyceride level. Triglycerides are a type of fat found in your blood. Too much of this type of fat may raise the risk of coronary artery disease.

The level of your cholesterol shows the level of risk your body is in, to have a stroke or a heart condition. Other factors which determine the risk are whether the person is a smoker, diabetic, has high blood pressure along with their age, sex and race.

Cholesterol levels are affected by:

1. Genetics: Genetics have a direct effect on your cholesterol level. If the levels have been high in the previous generations, you are automatically at higher risk of this condition.An inherited condition called familial hypercholesterolemia causes very high LDL cholesterol.

2. Age and Weight: Once we cross the age of 20, our cholesterol level starts to rise. Being overweight however is also a high risk factor of increased levels of bad cholesterol in the body as well as developing heart disease.

3. Lifestyle: Less or no exercise is another reason which reduces the good cholesterol in the body, as does being overweight. Regular exercise however reduces LDL and increases HDL in the body. Also a diet rich in saturated fats makes your LDL levels shoot up and puts you to higher risk.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.


 Know Your Cholesterol: Good Vs Bad

Whooping Cough (another name for Pertussis) can be termed as an infection to the respiratory system caused by the bacterium Bordetella Pertussis (B. pertussis). It generally affects infants (below one year of age) and who have not yet been immunized; also kids between 11 to 18 years of age whose immunity graphs are on a downward spiral.

What are the Signs and Symptoms?
Initially, whooping cough produces signs and symptoms that may just seem to overlap with those exhibited during the average cough and cold; mild coughing, sneezing, runny nose, low fever, etc. These persist for about a week or two and then slowly, there is the onset of the dry, irritating cough which again turns to prolonged coughing spells. The child s face may seem flushed with a purple hue. The child may also vomit or make the distinctive whooping sound at the end of one such spell. Breathing difficulty can be another issue.

What is the Diagnosis?
The doctor performs an initial check-up followed by tests of mucus sample from the nose or throat. The mucus is checked for the presence of the Bordetella pertussis bacteria. To make a more thorough diagnosis, a blood test is also advisable.

What is the Treatment?
Hospitalisation might be required in case of acute distress. Respiratory support may also be provided if required. If there is intense dehydration, intravenous (IV) fluids may also be administered. As this disease is on account of a bacterial infection, antibiotics will be needed. But these will just treat the immediate effects and the cough cannot be completely done away with.
What can be the Possible Complications?

The possible immediate complications include:

Brain Damage
Pneumonia
Convulsion
Haemorrhaging in the brain
What can be the Prevention?
Vaccination is needed in order to prevent whooping cough. The vaccines are advised to be administered at the age of two months, four months and six months respectively. The 1st booster dose is to be given at 16 to 18 months age and 2nd booster dose is given on 5 year completion of age. An optional booster may be given at 10 year age.

Whooping Cough in Kids - How It Can Be Treated?

Strokes occur when blood to the brain gets interrupted or reduced. When this occurs, brain cells begin to die as they don't get enough nutrients and oxygen. Such life-threatening episodes can strike you anytime.


Many myths surround this medical condition:


Myth 1: Women don't suffer from strokes
The opposite is true. It is women who suffer strokes more often than men. This is because women tend to live longer than men whose longevity gets affected by heart disease. Since they live longer than men, they tend to be more vulnerable to strokes.


Myth 2: Strokes aren't easy to recognise
Strokes can be easily diagnosed through the face, arm, Speech and Time test (FAST). If you suffer from slurred speech, facial droop or numbness on one side of the body, you're said to suffer from a stroke.


Myth 3: Strokes are a form of heart attack
Although strokes and heart attacks are closely related, they are not the same. In strokes, blood supply to the brain gets interrupted; on the other hand, in heart attacks, blood supply to the heart gets severely affected.


Myth 4: Only older people suffer from strokes
This isn't true young people can experience strokes as well. About a quarter of stroke cases are reported by people aged 65 and below. More importantly, irrespective of the age group, the warning signs are the same; it is only in response that differences can be found between younger and older people.


Myth 5: Strokes can't be prevented
Through changes in your lifestyle, strokes can easily be prevented. You can reduce your chances of getting a stroke by having a balanced diet, exercising, keeping an optimum body weight and limiting alcohol consumption as well as quitting smoking. Moreover, up to 80% stroke cases can be prevented by leading a healthy lifestyle.


Stroke - Debunking Myths About it 

Everyone dreams of having a flawless and smooth looking skin but it is not just the looks that are impacted if the skin rough and cracked, it is also your skin health. There are many skin issues which people suffer from, dry skin being the commonest of all. Read on to know more about the condition.

Ques 1 - What is dry skin?
Rough, dry, red patches on the skin which are usually itchy can be termed as dry skin. Dry skin is medically known as xeroderma.

Ques 2 - What are the causes of dry skin?
Though long hot showers and seasonal changes are the main causes of dry skin. There are other factors which may lead to dry skin such as indoor heating, frequent hand washing, lack of moisturizing, dehydration, licking your lips and unhealthy eating habits.

A hot shower with some harsh soap washes out the amino acids, salts and oils from your body that are responsible for your skin s natural moisture protection barrier. This makes the skin lose its ability to hang on to water and stay hydrated.

Ques 3 - What are the main symptoms of dry skin?
Itching is the most annoying and noticeable symptom of dry skin. As your skin gets drier, the itching becomes worse. This leads to the  itch-scratch  cycle where you constantly scratch to get rid of the itch and it just causes more itching. Scaling and cracking of the skin are the other common symptoms. The cracking may be severe in some cases leading to bleeding.

Ques 4 - How do you treat dry skin?
The best way to handle dry skin is to be nice to your skin. Here are some tips that can help manage dry skin effectually.

Moisturise - Moisturizing is one of the best treatments for managing dry skin. No matter what the season is, you need to ensure that you use a proper moisturizer after a shower or after even washing your hands. Coconut oil is also a great substitute for a moisturizer.

Use mild soaps - Most shower gels and soap now days are loaded with harsh chemicals. You should opt for milder soaps or go for the organic and natural shower gels to avoid the problem of dry skin. Excessive use of soaps and cleansers can also lead to dry skin.

Avoid extreme weather conditions - Extreme hot or cold can both have an adverse effect on the skin resulting in acne breakouts, itchy skin, rashes, bumps and dry patches.

Ques 4 - What are the most common areas of dry skin?
Your legs are the first to get affected. Dry skin is commonly seen on the hands and forearms as well. Although all parts of the body can present with dry skin.

Dry skin is just a skin condition reminding you to care for your skin and pamper it. Cleanse and moisturize daily to have a smooth and healthy skin. 

Healthy Skin! Happy You!

5 FAQs About Dry Skin!

Don't wait any longer, manage your Naturopathic Physician online with a Lybrate doctor today

Consult for Naturopathic Physician - Online and Easy!

FilterClear All

COMMON SPECIALITIES

COMMON ISSUES