Hernias are mostly treated by surgeries as definitive care. Post-operative period has become comfortable with the invention of minimal-invasive surgeries. Postoperative recovery is smoother and faster after laparoscopic and robotic surgeries. 

Yes, the patient has to go for a surgery, if hernias spreads to quite an extent. In such cases, there are several steps that need to be taken as a part of the post-operative care for this surgery. Hernia surgery is quite common in today s medical world. All you need to have is a good medical practitioner who would operate on you and you need to have complete trust on the expert and their methods of treatment. There are several ways to take care of yourself after the surgery. Some of these are explained below.

Diet includes liquids at first: During the first few days after the surgery, the patient is offered only liquids. Due to the anaesthesia, it becomes difficult to consume solid food initially. Only when the doctor sees that the patient is fit enough to consume solids, will solid foods be given to the patient. This is also an indicator that the patient is recovering well and might be let off soon from the hospital.
Patient is discharged only after anaesthetic effects are completely gone: For some time after the surgery, the patient is under the effects of the anaesthesia. If it is a local one then it would take a few hours for its effects to completely subside. But if it is a complex one, then it might take some more time for its effects to completely withdraw. Only after the patient is completely out of the effects of anaesthesia, will he/she be allowed a discharge.
Avoid headache: Patients are made to lie down flat on their back for at least a few hours after the surgery so that they do not experience anaesthetic headache. This can be painful and unbearable at times. But this can be avoided if the patient lies down for quite some time till the effects of it have worn off.
Shower: Usually there is a restriction in getting the operated area wet. But a shower can be carefully taken after at least two days of the operation.
Thus, these are some of the most important post-operative hernia surgery care tips. If you adhere to these points, your recovery process will speed up and it would prevent you from getting affected by any other health problems in your recovery period.

Hernia Surgery - Post Operative Care Tips 

Alzheimer's disease is a neurological problem that is characterised by a cognitive decline and memory loss. It is a type of neurodegenerative dementia. The symptoms of alzheimer's disease include not being able to absorb and retain new information, lack of reasoning and judging, not being able to take on complex tasks, impaired visuospatial abilities, problems in reading, writing and speech, among many others. If a person has at least two of these symptoms in a debilitating manner, then the diagnosis can be made in favour of alzheimer's disease. The main causes of alzheimer's are shrinkage of the brain size and death of the brain cells. The immune system is also said to trigger this neurodegenerative disease. Let us find out what medical science has found so far.

1. Connections: many a times, in alzheimer's disease, the memory and behaviour of the person changes because the brain is unable to make proper neural connections which can lead to memory loss of how a person behaved and the elements that formed the basis of the patient's cognition. Apparently, the immune system behaves in the same way within the brain and blocks the connection. This happens because there is constant communication between the brain and immune system along neurological lines, which is where the disease first emanates.

2. Inflammation: the brain is prone to inflammation or swelling that is not the normal kind. This inflammation happens as a result of the activation of the infection fighting neurotransmitters and the chemical changes that happen in the brain when an infection strikes. The inflammation usually happens in the plaques or clumps which the brain tries to protect. These clumps are made up of a protein called amyloid. The immune system is responsible for creating this inflammation in the brain of the patient.

3. Pattern recognition receptors: many of these receptors work in different manners and cooperate with each other to create a response in the brain. These prrs can be found in the brain plaques, and they develop the signs of danger which further fuels the inflammation in the brain as a matter of protection.

4. Activation of cells linked with the immune system: when the prrs begin to respond, it basically activates the immune system and the cells of the same. This is the basic reaction that causes the changes in brain which then leads to the attachment of the protein to the tissue that is diseased, in which case alzheimer's disease starts. The inflammation that we had spoken about earlier basically happens in the nervous tissue.

It is important to recognise and act on the initial signs of alzheimer's disease before it progresses beyond one's control.

Can the Immune System Trigger Alzheimer's Disease

What is endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a common condition where cells of the lining of the womb (the endometrium) are found elsewhere, usually in the pelvis and around the womb, ovaries and fallopian tubes. It mainly affects women during their reproductive years. Endometriosis is not an infection and it is not contagious.

What are the symptoms?

The main symptoms of endometriosis are pelvic pain, pain during or after sex and painful, sometimes heavy periods. It may cause problems with getting pregnant. It can affect many areas of a woman s life including her general physical health, emotional wellbeing and daily routine. Many women may have no symptoms. It is a long-term condition. Some women with endometriosis become pregnant easily while others have difficulty getting pregnant.

What causes endometriosis?

Endometriosis occurs when the cells of the lining of the womb are found in other parts of the body, usually the pelvis. Each month this tissue outside the womb thickens and breaks down and bleeds in the same way as the lining of the womb. This internal bleeding into the pelvis, unlike a period, has no way of leaving the body. This causes inflammation, pain and damage to the reproductive organs. Less commonly, endometriosis may occur on the bowel and bladder, or deep within the muscle wall of the uterus (adenomyosis). It can also rarely be found in other parts of the body.

The symptoms of endometriosis are common and could be caused by a number of other conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

There is no simple test for endometriosis.
Your gynaecologist may examine your pelvic area, this will include an internal examination.
You may be offered a scan. This can identify whether there is an endometriosis cyst in the ovaries. A normal scan does not rule out endometriosis.
For most women, having a laparoscopy is the only way to confirm endometriosis; because of this, it is often referred to as the  gold standard  test. This allows the gynaecologist to see the pelvic organs clearly and look for any endometriosis.
Several factors may influence your decision about treatment. These include:

How you feel about your situation
Your age
Whether your main symptom is pain or problems getting pregnant
What treatment can I get?

The options for treatment may be:

Pain relief

Hormone treatments: There is a range of hormone treatments to stop or reduce ovulation (the release of an egg) to allow the endometriosis to shrink or disappear. The hormonal methods below are contraceptives and will prevent you from becoming pregnant:

The combined oral contraceptive (COC) pill or patch. These contain the hormones estrogen and progestogen and work by preventing ovulation and can make your periods lighter, shorter and less painful.
The intrauterine system (IUS): this is a small T-shaped device which releases the hormone progestogen. This helps to reduce the pain and makes periods lighter. Some women get no periods at all.
The hormonal methods below are non-contraceptive, so contraception will be needed if you do not want to become pregnant:
Use of hormonal progestogens or testosterone derivatives
GnRH agonists are drugs that prevent estrogen being produced by the ovaries and cause a temporary and reversible menopause.
Some women find that recreational exercise improves their wellbeing, which may help to improve some symptoms of endometriosis.

Surgery: Surgery can be used to remove areas of endometriosis. There are different types of surgery, depending on where the endometriosis is and how extensive it is. How successful the surgery is can vary and you may need further surgery.

Laparoscopic surgery: The gynaecologist removes patches of endometriosis by destroying them or cutting them out.
Laparotomy: If the endometriosis is severe and extensive, you may be offered a laparotomy. This is major surgery which involves a cut in the abdomen, usually in the bikini line.
Hysterectomy: Some women have surgery to remove their womb (a hysterectomy) with or without the ovaries. Depending upon your own situation, your doctor should discuss hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with you if you have your ovaries removed.
What if I am having difficulty getting pregnant?

Getting pregnant can be a problem for some women with endometriosis. Your doctor should provide you with full information about your options such as assisted conception. If you become pregnant, endometriosis is unlikely to put your pregnancy at risk.

Endometriosis - Signs & Symptoms That Indicate It!

Measures to be taken before surgery for fast recovery from Abdominal Surgery.

Ancillary measures

Take regular walks several times daily to prevent blood clots and help the bowels moving.
Avoid climbing the stairs every day, at least for the first ten days. 
Avoid strenuous exercise such as lifting, carrying, pulling, or moving heavy objects (more than 5 pounds) until your surgeon advises as it may open the sutures due to pressure. Avoid lifting anything over a certain weight for at least six weeks after your operation.
Maintaining a good posture will help your wound heal correctly. Use a comfortable pillow while sitting to give rest to the operated site.
Take good sleep and proper rest for a quick recovery as most of the repair and healing occurs during sleep.
Avoid straining with bowel movements by eating a high-fiber diet or taking stool softeners to avoid constipation.
An abdominal binder can also help with the recovery process. These help keep everything in place and can decrease the possibility of a hernia.
A gradual return to work may be advised because sudden resume to work may cause opening of sutures and delay the process of healing.
Use table that easily wheels away from the bed but can also straddle the bed. This will allow you to read, use the computer, and eat without putting any pressure on your stomach or twisting around.
Cough and sneeze carefully by applying pressure to the incision with your hands or a pillow to avoid reopening of the surgical incision.
Improper dressing or not maintaining hygiene during dressing and keeping dressing unchanged for a longer period of time may lead to infection which may cause delayed healing. Thus, in order to prevent this a gentle wash with soap and water is required to avoid infection.
Dietary measures

A protein-rich diet should be consumed in order to hasten wound healing.
Have a liquid diet with lots of vitamins as vitamin C and zinc help with healing. Also, include B12 and Iron   as both aid bone marrow in forming new blood cells.
Intake of Fiber and probiotics help boost the immune system and also keeps your digestive tract moving along.
Have plenty of water-this will help the recovery process and removal of toxins from the body.
Try sitting in the sunlight as it will help with getting some extra Vitamin D.
Keep control over sugar levels if you are diabetic as increased levels of sugar in the blood helps bacteria to grow rapidly. This will further lead to infection and delay the process of healing.

Abdominal Surgery - Recovery Tips!

Chronic cold is caused by a variety of virus. They attack the mucous membrane to start with and go on replicating with every passing hour. Typical symptoms are sore throat, cough, sneezing and fatigue. There are enough home remedies that can successfully address the symptoms of chronic cold and get the stalwart immune system works faster. 


Ginger tea: A cup of freshly prepared hot ginger tea will instantly show results for a chronic cold. The compound gingerol found in ginger can sharply cut down inflammation of the mucous membrane. It also creates a safe passage for the mucus to flow out of the body. The tea not only tastes good, but adds the much needed fluid that the body requires during the cold. 2 cups of ginger tea in a day is good enough to drive the cold away.
Steam: Steam in any form is a great agent to eradicate cold and cough from within. Be it in the form of tea, a hot bath or simply breathing in and out from a hot bowl, steams are wonder agent for chronic cold and cough. Certain agents such as peppermint, tea tree and eucalyptus leaves can be mixed with hot steam and the same can be inhaled for quick relief from a stuffy nose. The antiviral effects of the above mentioned agents can dislodge congestion, make way for the mucus and give relief from throat relief.
Syrup of honey and onion: If the chronic cold is accompanied with a nasty cough and with yellow sputum, a combination of honey and onion juice can be a wonder agent. The anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties of this mix help to loosen the phlegm from the chest. It also reduces the swelling of the throat and can keep the fatigue down.
Cough syrup: This syrup is not the ones that are available over the counter. It is prepared from liquorice root, ginger, marshmallow root and cinnamon. This syrup will readily arrest sore throats, soothe the mucous membrane and clear the phlegm from inside. For some test improvement, one spoon of honey can be added to make the syrup drinkable. 2 tablespoons of this syrup should be consumed twice in a day before any meal.
Salt bath: A salt bath comprising of scented salt, hot water, lavender oil, eucalyptus oil and peppermint oil can ease the body from tiredness and congestion. It is a welcome relief from the nasty cold. A bath of 15 minutes can relax the body and reduces body pain if any.
Gargle: The old fashioned gargle is one of the best remedies for getting over from chronic cold and cough. Warm water along with salt, cider vinegar, and dried sage is necessary to make the solution. Gargle helps to clear the mucus, fixes voice and gives relief from chest uneasiness.

Chronic Cold - 6 Home Remedies To Help You Treat it

Do you know that Huntington s disease is an inherited disease? This condition leads to the progressive degeneration of the nerve cells present in your brain. Huntington's disease has severe impact on several functional abilities of an affected person and results in psychiatric, thinking and movement disorders.

Causes
Huntington s disease occurs from an inherited defect present in a single gene. It is a form of autosomal dominant disorder, which indicates that a person requires just one copy of the defective gene for developing the disorder. Except the genes on the chromosomes, two copies of every gene are inherited by a person. The affected parent may pass along the defective gene copy or the healthy copy.

Symptoms
Commonly, the symptoms of Huntington s disease start appearing during midlife. It may also affect a person during childhood. The symptoms of this disease vary from person to person. Abnormal movement and weight loss are common symptoms, which occur in all stages.

Early stage

The usual early stage symptoms include the following:

Slight coordination changes, which affect balance and make you clumsy
Uncontrollable fidgety movement
Stiffness and slowing
Irritability and depression
Problems with thinking in difficult situations
Middle stage
With passing time, the symptoms start interfering more with the patient s daily life and activities. You may start dropping things, face trouble with swallowing, and talking. Staying organized may get tough. Certain emotional changes are indicated.

Later stage
In the later stage of Huntington s disease, a patient becomes dependent on others for taking care of them. A patient cannot walk or speak, and fidgety movements are likely to become more severe or may subside.

Treatment
Huntington s disease has no fixed cure. Several measures are followed for managing the symptoms. They are as follows:

Medications are used to manage fidgety movements. Other medicines are also used for controlling any other side effect experienced.
Speech or language therapy may be beneficial in case of speech and swallowing problems.
Physical therapy may help you in improving your control movements. Assistive devices like handrails can be used for managing your changing physical abilities.
Nutritional support is used in which special utensils are used to focus on a nutrient-rich diet.
Exercise is also important for patients with Huntington s disease as it enables them to stay active and fit.
In case you experience any symptom of Huntington s disease, it is important for you to consult a doctor immediately. This is a severe disease and early diagnosis and treatment will prevent the condition from worsening.

Huntington's Disease - Understanding the Stages of Symptoms!

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