Somebody in the world suffers a stroke every two seconds. Stroke affects physical as well as mental health gravely. It can be a life- altering situation leading to new limitations overnight. Such limitations can be physical or mental, affecting mobility and cognition. According to psychologists, cognitive functions of the brain encompass speech, language, functional memory, spatial- motor systems, ability to switch between tasks, executive functions like task organization, attention, and being able to employ tools and symbols.

When the stroke strikes, it irreversibly damages a part of the brain. It happens due to hemorrhage or blocked supply of blood. However, the brain can be trained and taught compensatory strategies. These compensatory strategies consist of attention increasing activities that require neurological utilities. These activities and exercises are formed in a way to improve the memory. Both pictorial and hearing skills are engaged in these activities.

Memory, attention span, and executive activities are dependent on each other and any problem regarding these affects an individual s daily life. That is why to improve the complete mental capacity, exercises are required. These exercises help to improve memory and attention span. In cognitive rehabilitation, goals are set as per the requirements of the patient and treatment is then followed. This requires some plans and strategies to carry out daily activities. These plans may consist of planning and analysis of the task.

The recovery varies from individual to individual depending upon the restoration of the damaged neurological functions supporting specific cognitive area. However, there are very limited types of treatments for cognitive rehabilitation, mostly generic treatments which depends on doctor s experience.

Evidence is found by researchers which supports the cognitive rehabilitation after stroke, in which the areas discussed are smaller than the issues faced by the stroke survivors. The studies fail to talk about the long-term results and common treatments for daily tasks. It is now really important for us to have a serious innovation in the field of cognitive rehabilitation with the amount of stroke patients increasing day by day.

Before one going for rehabilitation, he/ she should ensure that why they need it and what are their needs that are to be fulfilled through rehabilitation. Experts recommend rehabilitation so that patients are able to lead as normal lifestyle as possible post stroke strikes them.

Who are more prone to stroke?

Old age people, alcoholics, people with high cholesterol levels, active smokers, Diabetic patients, people who consume drugs, people suffering from Hypertension, patients going through transient ischemic attack (TIA) are all very much prone to a stroke.

It is also very important to consult a doctor after stroke. He will advise you the best possible way to treat the problem. 

Take away

Stroke these days can happen to anyone which although largely depends upon the age factor, but one's lifestyle can also make him/her the target of stroke. There is cognitive rehabilitation which can help a person to recover post stroke through activities and exercises and change in lifestyle. It is important for an individual to consult a doctor if he/she finds any difficulty in carrying out daily activities with one side of the body.

Cognitive Rehabilitation Post Brain Stroke!

Smelly feet - the medical name is bromodosis - can affect anyone. It can be embarrassing and uncomfortable. The main cause is sweaty feet and there are simple steps you can take to help prevent this.

What causes sweaty and smelly feet?

The function of sweat glands is to keep the skin moist and therefore supple, and to regulate temperature when the weather is hot or while you are exercising. There are more sweat glands in our feet than anywhere else in the body. However, unlike sweat glands elsewhere in the body, the sweat glands in the feet secrete all the time, not just in response to heat or exercise.

Feet smell when bacteria on the skin break down sweat as it comes from the pores. A cheesy smell is released as the sweat decomposes.

The main causes of sweaty and smelly feet are:

Wearing the same shoes every day. Feet become smelly if sweat soaks into the shoes and you wear them again before they are dry.
Poor personal hygiene.
Hormonal changes can cause feet to sweat more, so teenagers and pregnant women are especially prone.
If you are stressed.
A condition called hyperhidrosis, which causes you to sweat more than usual.
Not letting sweat accumulate inside your shoes is the most logical way of preventing smelly feet.

Preventing smelly feet

The best way to prevent smelly feet is good personal hygiene and not wearing the same shoes 2 days in a row. It's important to wash your feet every day and dry them thoroughly, especially between the toes. Teenagers especially should be discouraged from wearing the same pair of trainers all the time. You should also wear clean socks every day. Cotton or wool socks are much better than nylon.

If you're particularly prone to sweaty feet, you could:

Use a spray deodorant or antiperspirant on your feet. A normal underarm one will work just as well as a specialist foot product.
When you have dried your feet with a towel after a shower or bath, dab between your toes with cotton wool dipped in surgical spirit.
Put detachable medicated insoles in your shoes. These have a deodorizing effect.
Try foot-fresh socks. These are impregnated with chemicals to discourage the bacteria that break down the sweat and cause a smell. Some sports socks have ventilating panels to help keep feet dry.
Wear leather or canvas shoes. In the summer, wear open-toed sandals. Go barefoot at home if you can safely.
Sweaty feet can be treated with an antibacterial foot scrub, but avoid using these scrubs if you have broken skin or eczema.
These steps to prevent sweaty and smelly feet will usually help. If they don't, or you are worried about how much you sweat, seek medical advice.

Athlete's foot can also cause your feet to smell. You can treat this yourself with antifungal treatment available from a pharmacy. Seek medical advice if you're concerned or if the problem is not clearing up.

Causes and Prevention of Smelly Feet

Interstitial Cystitis is also known as painful bladder syndrome. It is characterized by the inflammation of the bladder wall. It is the chronic inflammation of the bladder. The exact cause has not been identified yet, though some believe that it might be due to the defect in the bladder lining or an autoimmune disorder. Interstitial cystitis is believed to resemble a bacterial infection, but the short term antibiotics have been found to be of no or less use.
The symptoms of interstitial cystitis are:

Frequency of urination during the day and night
Urgency of urinating
Pain associated with urinating or pain in the abdomen, vaginal and urethral area
Ayurvedic Treatment for Interstitial Cystitis

Chanderprabha Vati: This is a blend of 23 natural ingredients. This herbal remedy is useful in patients who are suffering from excess urination problem. This formulation has properties, which are helpful in the urine retention and reduce the inflammation in the pelvic areas. Dosage of this is two tablets twice a day with lukewarm water.
Chandanadhi Vati: This consist natual ingredients like Shweta chandana (Santalum album), Maricha (Piper cubeba), Gandha biroja satva (Pinus longifolia sap), Kattha (Acacia catechu), Amalaki (Emblica officinalis), Rala (Vateria indica extract), Karpura (Cinnamomum camphora), Chandana taila (Sandal wood oil) and Daruharidra (Berberis aristata). The product helps to resolve interstitial cystitis by controlling urination, reduces inflammation and burning sensation. Two tablets twice a day with lukewarm water are taken.
Punarnava Mandur: This is a pack of the herbal remedies and has quite satisfactory results in the patients. This balances the vata and pitta, the major dosha and causes of interstitial cystitis. Two tablets twice a day with lukewarm water is the ideal dosage.
Varunadi Vati: This is a blend of natural products like Varun (Crataeva nurvala), Punarnava (Boerhavia diffusa), Gokshur (Tribulus terrestris) and Shuddha guggulu (Comniphera mukul). The ingredients have the property to treat the symptoms of interstitial cystitis. This is helpful in urine retention and reducing inflammation. Dosage of this is two tablets twice a day with lukewarm water.
Boswellia Curcumin: This is prepared by the extracts of Shallaki (Boswellia serrata) and Curcumin (Curcuma longa). This herbal product has anti-inflammatory properties and provides relief from inflammation in the pelvic area and other symptoms associated of interstitial cystitis. The dosage of this herbal product is one capsule twice a day with plain water. Also, if had after meals then it is very effective.

Interstitial Cystitis - How Ayurveda Can Treat it? 

Stroke is a condition known to all for its deadly impact. Even if the affected person survives, the after-effects can be immensely debilitating right from affecting movement to speech. Being informed, you can protect yourself and your loved ones from both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Here are the common signs of stroke that you should be aware of:

Numbing of arms and legs: Many people wake up and find that their arms and legs are numb and they tend to assume that it is due to compression of the nerve. But the actual reality is that the flow of blood through the arteries running up to the spine is reduced, and it has led to weakness or numbness on either side of the body.
Double vision and blurriness: Vision problems can also be a strong indicator of stroke even though most people think it is due to long hours of work or aging. When you see two images of the same object, it doesn t have to mean that you are reading too much. It could mean that the blood vessel in charge of supplying oxygen to the eyes has been disrupted or blocked.
Slurred speech: Some medicines, particular painkillers can cause speech issues. But this is not the case always; if it is not a side effect that you typically experience after taking painkillers, you should consult a healthcare expert without any delay. 
Confusion and trouble over thinking and articulating: When you find yourself in a state where you cannot recall the right word to explain the right thing, you may rest assured that it is an issue stemming from the stroke. If you find yourself to struggle thinking or finding a word very commonly, then you are heading for big trouble.
Balance problems: Some people have balance issues, and they think it is due to the dose of alcohol, but experts say it is crucial to identify whether this assumption is correct. You will never have delayed balance problems, and therefore, you cannot blame a drink that you had last day. So, if you have balance issues without any identifiable reason, it is advisable to call a doctor.
A headache that becomes intolerable at times: Headaches can be a sign of a migraine but in case you are not prone to this ailment, then the debilitating headache could indicate a stroke. Migraine headaches can also mean stroke since both of them have similar signs and symptoms.
Fatigue that won t let you stay upright: If you are not doing any physically strenuous job but still feel tired most of the time, it could be a warning sign of stroke. If it continues for over a week, it is recommended that you consult an expert immediately.
Equipped with this knowledge, stay aware and pay attention to the indications your body gives to take care of yourself.


7 Signs You Are Having A Stroke!

Herpes is caused due to the presence of the herpes simplex virus in your body. Herpes can appear on multiple areas of your body, but more commonly manifests in the genitals as well as the mouth. The two types of herpes are HSV-1 (oral herpes) and HSV-2 (responsible primarily for the outbreak of genital herpes). 

Causes of Herpes Simplex:

Herpes is contagious in nature and can be passed to you by having sexual intercourse with anyone who has been infected. HSV 2 is the primary form of the virus, which is transmitted in this manner. 
Herpes could be transmitted to an infant from their mother if she was infected while pregnant. 
It can also get passed through direct contact like using the same plates or spoons or even the sharing of lip balm. Even kissing can spread the virus if the infected person has cold sores.
Symptoms of Herpes Simplex:

The presence of blistering sores within the mouth or in the genital area is a telltale sign that you may have contracted genital herpes.
If you are having painful urination then you should check with your doctor for the herpes virus.
Continuous itching in certain areas such as the genitals.
Not wanting to eat, having a fever could also be symptoms of herpes simplex virus in your body.
Herpes can spread to your eyes and is known as herpes keratitis. It can cause pain in your eyes.
Diagnosis of Herpes Simplex:

The common way to diagnose herpes is with an actual physical exam. Doctors will generally look out for sores on your body and may also check for some similar symptoms which might indicate herpes simplex. 
HSV testing (alternately called herpes culture) is done to check the presence of a virus on the genitals. A fluid sample from the genitals is sent to laboratory for tests and will require a visit to the health center.
There are blood tests to look for antibodies for both forms of HSV to diagnose the infections. However, this test is done only when there is and absence of sores or visible symptoms.

Herpes - 5 Signs You are Suffering from it 

Study of the brain has fascinated specialists all over the globe since time immemorial. The brain being the most vital organ for survival and coordination is perhaps the most complex of them all too. This has led to a limited understanding of its working in spite of the available advanced technology. However, with the advent of techniques for diagnosis and treatment, therapeutic strategies are evolving. This is a major step towards rendering Neurosurgery safer than ever in the history of mankind.

Neurosurgery through the 20th Century-

During the beginning of the 20th century, Neurosurgery was considered as a specialty. The clinical-neurologist would draw conclusions related to lesions in the brain through neurological examination and clinical history. It enabled diagnosis of vascular lesions, spinal disorders, and brain tumors. During the second and third decades of the 20th century, vascular pathologies and brain tumors could be diagnosed indirectly through techniques like angiography, ventriculography, and pneumoencephalography. But since the operative techniques were too crude and the lack of skilled professionals were rampant, there were high rates of morbidity and mortality due to neurological conditions. Generally, after diagnosing the nature of brain lesion and its site, surgery was performed with inadequate maintenance and control of intracranial pressure and through not too sophisticated surgical instruments.

During the fifth and sixth decades of the 20th century, chemotherapy and radiation treatment came into the picture for treating malignant brain tumors, thereby reducing mortality to a good extent.

During the seventh decade of the 20th century, Computed Tomography (CT) scan provided a better understanding of the location of lesions in the brain which slightly substantiated the earlier techniques. Then, the procedures for cerebrospinal fluid diversion significantly improved management of intracranial pressure during surgery.

It was only during the last decade of the 20th century that the Neurology saw a giant progressive leap through the introduction of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and powerful high magnification microscopes. Combined with Neuroanesthesia and Intracranial Pressure Management, this aided surgeons to work on a relaxed brain. This promoted safe removal of the brain tumor and better management of vascular lesions. Moreover, the understanding of micro-surgical anatomy improved drastically, leading to a boost in confidence levels of the micro-neurosurgeons performing the operation.

Neurosurgery in the 21st Century-

The 21st century is actually a revolutionary era that uses powerful computers in almost all the fields possible. Computer-based applications such as Neuro-imaging, Neuronavigation, Intra-operative Neuro-monitoring, and Neuro-modulation are now used in standard neurosurgical practice as a part of the routine. Extremely powerful CT scans and MRIs are used for diagnosis before surgery. The advent of nanotechnology and its application in Neurosurgery is doing great and has a promising future ahead based on the current study of scenarios. Moreover, there is a possibility of most of the Neurosurgical procedures becoming minimally invasive. Frameless Stereotaxy is another technique that helps in locating the exact position of the tumor, which further helps the neurosurgeon in navigating with great precision the very sensitive, high-risk areas of the brain. Such techniques, to a great extent, have lowered mortality and morbidity, lessened the rate of recovery, and chances of infection related to Neurosurgery.

Take Away-

A number of techniques for diagnosis and precise location of the tumor in the brain have made Neurosurgery much safer today, due to advancement in science and technology, than it ever had been in the history of mankind.

Advancements In Neurosurgery - Know How Safe It Is!

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