Tuberculosis or TB is a highly contagious airborne disease, which is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It typically affects your lungs and is characterized by the formation of greyish, hard nodules or tubercles.

Pathology of Tuberculosis

Diagnosis of the disease depends essentially on identifying the bacteria from the tissue. Methods of diagnosis usually include the following  

Skin Test   The most common test for detection of tuberculosis is the skin test. During the procedure, a small dose of PPD tuberculin is injected onto the skin of the forearm. The injection site needs to be monitored after a couple of days. Swelling in the forearm, usually, a hard, red bump could mean that you have contracted tuberculosis.
An X-ray of the Chest   Chest X-ray can reveal calcification, cavitations, and nodes in the upper lobes
Sputum Cultures and Smears   These are mostly used to detect pulmonary tuberculosis. Three specimens of sputum early in the morning are collected on three separate days. The specimen is prepared on a slide and stained with an acid-fast dye before being observed under the microscope. The slide may show the characteristic AFB or acid-fast bacilli.
Gastric Aspirates Test   This involves placing a tiny nasogastric tube in the abdomen early in the morning and gastric contents are suctioned and processed for culture and smears.
Lymph Node Biopsy   The procedure involves removing an enlarged lymph node and culturing a portion of it. The remaining section is sent for staining and examined under a microscope.
Biopsy   Biopsy is conducted when an abnormality develops in the airways during bronchoscopy. This involves threading a thin wire through the bronchoscope and attaching tiny biopsy forceps to its end in order to remove multiple tissue samples from the bronchi. The samples are sent to the laboratory for complete analysis.
Treatment of Tuberculosis

Studies show that in the majority of cases, patients were cured with the help of the right medication. The type and dosage of antibiotic treatment precisely depend on factors like   the patient s age, health condition, and potential resistance to certain drugs, whether the disease is active or latent, and the infection site.
Patients with latent TB may require one type of antibiotic, while those having active TB   particularly MDR TB   are often prescribed multiple drugs for about 6-9 months.
Patients who received proper treatment on time have shown vast improvement on the health aspect. After a few weeks of undergoing treatment, you might be tempted to quit taking your TB medications, but it is important that you complete the full treatment course. Skipping doses may allow the bacteria to become drug-resistant, leading to tuberculosis that is more severe and difficult to cure.



Tuberculosis - All You Must Know!

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 

An STD is transmitted by means of physical contact and intercourse. These diseases are caused by parasites, virus or bacteria. Usually, STDs are preventable provided you make the right choices concerning your sexual health. Refraining from sex isn t a feasible idea at all. 

But fortunately there are alternatives too to curb the menace that STDs are:

Abstain: The most effective way to avoid STIs is to abstain from sex.
Mutual monogamy: Two people who have sex only with one another don t have any opportunity to bring a new STD into the relationship. If you and your partner have been tested and are healthy, remaining faithful to each other is a very good way to reduce your chances of contracting an STD.
Get Vaccinated: One important prevention tool against STIs is vaccination. Currently, vaccines are available to protect against infection with HPV, hepatitis A and hepatitis B. Talk to your healthcare provider to see which vaccines might be recommended for you.
Protect Yourself: Condoms work really well in stopping most STIs from being passed from an infected partner to another when they are used consistently and correctly every time a person has oral, vaginal or anal sex. Consistently and correctly means that a person makes sure they use a condom every time they have oral, vaginal or anal sex and put it on and use it the right way.
Avoid alcohol and drug use: Avoiding alcohol and recreational drug use reduce the risk of contracting an STI, having an unwanted pregnancy, or being coerced to have sex. Alcohol and drug use can reduce our ability to make good decisions. It may also make us more likely to be talked into participating in an activity without being able to give our full consent.
Coping and Support
It's traumatic to find out you have an STI. You might be angry if you feel you've been betrayed or ashamed if there's a chance you infected others. At worst, an STI can cause chronic illness and death, even with the best care in the world.

Between those extremes is a host of other potential losses   trust between partners, plans to have children, and the joyful embrace of your sexuality and its expression. If in doubt, don't hesitate to visit a skin specialist or a physician.

STDs - 5 Ways You Can Avoid Them

My child complains of Chest Pain. Should you be worried?

Chest pain is a common complaint among children. For a parent, it can be worrisome because there is a natural tendency to associate chest pain with the heart. The good news is, in more than 95% of cases, chest pain is non-cardiac in origin.

What signs will tell me that the pain may be related to the heart?

Chest pain that occurs in association with certain pointers needs a thorough evaluation. Some of the features that may suggest a heart-related condition include:

Associated breathing difficulty or dizziness
Chest pain that is brought on by exercise
When cardiac disorders run in the family or there have been sudden deaths at a young age in the family
A past medical condition like Kawasaki disease or connective tissue disorder
The following features suggest that a non-cardiac cause is likely:

If the pain follows direct trauma to the chest or is worsened on local pressure: the muscles or bones that form the chest wall are the likely origin of pain
Wheezing or fever and cough: a lung problem is likely
A burning pain beneath the breastbone, especially in relation to certain types of food: may be related to the digestive system
A stressful situation at school or home: a psychological cause of chest pain may be considered.
What can I expect at the doctor s visit?

If your child complains of chest pain, it is important to take him or her to the doctor. Your doctor will first take a detailed history and examine the child. ECG, a record of the electrical activity of the heart, gives an initial idea whether or not the pain may be related to the heart. Other tests that may be ordered include a chest XRay, a  heart-scan  (echocardiogram), a stress test, or further tests based on the findings on evaluation.

Chest Pain In Children - Should You Be Worried?

An Anal fistula (also known as fistula-in-ano) is a small tunnel that can develop between anal canal and the skin near the anus often resulting from an untreated or inadequately treated perianal abscess. No medicinal treatment shows complete cure of anal fistula except few conditions like tubercular fistula. Early surgery, short & straight fistula tract and anal fistula treatment with ksharasutra give promising results with high rate of success.

Fast facts on Anal fistula:

Essentially surgical intervention required.
Recurrence is common.
Should be planned for surgery as early as possible, late cases are mostly complicated.
Anal fistula treatment with ksharasutra shows high rate of success.
What Causes Anal fistula?

Abscess in buttock and/or around the anus.
Long standing anal fissure.
Traumatic injury to the perianal region.
Tuberculosis.
Crohn s disease.
AIDS.
Not maintaining local hygiene.
What are the symptoms of Anal fistula?

Discharging wound at perianal region or buttock which is repeatedly swelling, discharging some amount of pus and/or blood and resolving. The swelling is often associated with pain and fever.
There may be single or multiple wounds.
Passing of flatus through the tunnel like wound.
Anal fistula is notoriously famous for its recurrence even after repeated surgery. An anal sphincter sparing or minimal invasive surgery should always be the choice of patient as well as surgeon. Two stage seton fistulotomy and multistage anal fistula treatment with ksharasutra have shown promising result with lowest rate of reported recurrence and complications like incontinence of stool.

Benefits of treatment with ksharasutra:

Very less incidence of recurrence.
Least chance of post operative stool incontinence.
Minimal invasive procedure.
Minimal blood lost.
Cutting of tract and its healing goes on simultaneously.
Can be performed in elderly patients.
Can be performed in diabetic patients.
Less hospital stay
Patient can continue normal life after a sitting of ksharasutra replacement.

Anal Fistula - Know The Symptoms & Ayurvedic Treatments For It!

Contraceptive methods of birth control are usually quite successful. By these methods, you can enjoy your life without the worry of pregnancy. Modern technology has led to the formulation of avid techniques of contraception; some are temporary and the others permanent. However, no matter how well these methods work, almost all of them have got a variety of side effects on your body and health.

Here is a list of different modes of contraception and the side effects they may cause:

 Hormonal implants
This long term method of birth control is an effective one. The side effects are:
- a surgery is required where rods are inserted under your skin. This might be risky surgery
- if you want to remove it, again another surgery has to be carried out
- an infection may develop in the area where the thin rods are inserted

Intra uterine device
A device is fitted into the uterus, which does not cause pregnancy. An effective method with the following side effects:
- there is a risk of the device falling off
- this causes puncture in the uterus
- the device made of copper may lead to menstrual cramps and spotting

Depo provera hormonal injection
This mode of contraception involves taking an injection, which restricts pregnancy for a period of three months. The side effects are:
- gaining of extra weight, fatigue
- decrease of bone density
- menstrual bleeding along with spotting takes place

Birth control pills
Birth control pills are one of the most common and most effective ways of birth control or contraception. However, several side effects may be observed.
- causes nausea, headaches and also blood clots in rare cases
- in case you use other prescribed medicines along with birth control pills, severe damage may be inflicted

Vaginal ring
This mode of contraception is very effective. It also helps in making menstrual periods of women much lighter and in continuity. The side effects are:
- may cause nausea and headache
- there is a vast increase in appetite
- there is a risk of blood clot formation.

Diaphragm
A very successful mode of contraception where a diaphragm is inserted and fitted into the vagina. The negatives of this mode are:
- it may get out of place during sex and is likely to cause damage
- the process can be a mess
- causes urinary infections

All modes of contraception irrespective of their effectiveness have got some side effects on your health. Hence, you must choose them wisely.

Comparison of Side Effects of Different Contraceptive Methods

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