Grading of brain cancer is entirely different as compared to the staging of other cancers in the body. Cancer in the breast, lung, colon etc. are staged depending on the possible spread, location of a tumor and lymph node involvement etc. However, brain tumors are graded based on the aggressiveness of the tumor cells under a microscope. The resect ability and the grade of the tumor cells guide a doctor on the treatment decisions. The decision of a brain surgery depends on factors such as the location, spread of a tumour and the general health of the patient.

Types of Brain Tumor Grading:

Grade 1 tumor- These sets of tumors are medically known as the juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma and subependymoma. They are slow growing and non-invasive. There is a likelihood of the patient getting cured with surgery.
Grade 2 tumor- These are brain tumors that do not possess dead cells as part of the tumour. But, they do portray a lot of abnormal cells. Tumors of this type can be categorized under oligodendroglioma, astrocytoma, and ependymoma.
Grade 3 tumor- Tumors of this type are graded based on the cell type of the cancer cells. For instance, an anaplastic astrocytoma is a grade 3 tumor that has no dead cells but possesses dividing cells. In contrast, anaplastic ependymoma and anaplastic oligodendroglioma are grade 3 tumor cells that have dead cells in them.
Grade 4 tumor- Tumors of this type are referred to as glioblastoma. The tumor cells are actively dividing, the growth of blood vessels is witnessed and areas of dead tissue keep expanding.

Treatment options:
Surgery- If the location of a brain tumor is such that it is accessible to a surgeon, the latter goes ahead and removes most of the tumor if not the whole. If, however, the brain tumor cells are placed very near to the surrounding very sensitive brain tissues, a doctor might remove a small portion of the tumor to curb its growth.
Radiation Therapy- This mode of treatment uses high energy X-ray beams to kill targeted cells of the brain. External beam radiation usually targets a small area of the brain. A whole brain radiation, on the other hand, is usually employed when a tumor has spread to most parts of the brain. Radiotherapy is now so evolved that it is highly targeted to tutor cells that kills cancer and spares normal brain .
Chemotherapy- Chemotherapy employs drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy can either be taken in the form of an IV or in the form of pills. The dosage of chemotherapy is decided based on the concentration of cancer cells, spread frequency, platelet count of the patient etc. The most common chemotherapy drug that is prescribed by doctors to fight cancer cells is temozolomide.

Brain Tumor - Stages and Treatment!

Hearing loss is not something limited to elderly men or elderly women only. This is something that can affect any adult at any stage of life. The good news is that it can be managed. Today, there are a number of hearing aids that can help improve hearing ability. These aids allow an individual who has lost part of his or her hearing to live a normal life. For best results, hearing loss should be arrested in its early stages.

Here are a few signs you should look out for.

Muffled Speech: When you hear people talk, their speech should be clearly identifiable. If you hear muffled noises that you have to interpret as words, it could be a sign of hearing loss.
Difficulty understanding words: The human ear has the ability to separate conversational sounds from ambient noise. However, in some cases where the inner ear is damaged, a person might find it difficult to separate the two. In such cases, the person might not be able to understand words clearly as they get confused with background noise. This is a sign that must never be taken lightly.
Feeling the need to ask people to repeat themselves: Once in a while if you find yourself asking another person to repeat what he or she said, there is nothing to worry. However, if this becomes a regular occurrence and happens with many people, then the fault lies in your hearing. Thus, if you notice yourself needing to ask people to repeat themselves or talk slowly, consult a hearing specialist.
Increasing the volume of the radio or television: As children, we are taught that playing music or watching TV at a very high volume can damage the ears. The radio, television and other such appliances should be played at a volume where the information being relayed is clearly audible and people can have a conversation alongside without needing to shout. If you find yourself having to increase the volume constantly, it could be a sign of hearing loss.
Withdrawing from conversations: As hearing loss is aggravated, people begin to feel conscious of having to ask others around them to repeat themselves or talk slowly. This can make them withdraw from a conversation and other social situations. In many cases, the simple reason for avoiding a party could be the discomfort of not being able to hear the other person clearly in a conversation.
 All hearing problems can be better handled by proper investigation, different test, sign and symptoms of the patient, which are carried by a specialist of hearing, called as AUDIOLOGIST, who can look your hearing problems, plan out treatment plan, rehabilitation pre and post etc. Audiologist will definitely help you hear again. 

Common Signs Of Hearing Problems In Adults!

Spinal cord is a very important part of your body as it renders support to your body.  It also gives your body a good posture and thus maintaining a healthy spine is very essential. An unfit spinal cord can lead to various complicated problems. The following are five must do exercises in order to maintain a healthy spine:

    Exercising your core muscles can help you to maintain a fit spine. Your core muscles refer to the muscles of your lower back and your abdominal muscles. These muscles give support to your spine. So exercising them can give you a healthy spine.
    Walking regularly can also give you a healthy spine. It is suitable for people of all age groups. Daily walking can help you to recover from various spinal illnesses as well such as spinal stenosis.
    Swimming is also a good exercise for maintaing a fit spinal cord. Swimming helps to exercise all back muscles and thus, gives you a healthy spinal cord.
    Lying down straight with your face down on an even and firm surface for about twenty minutes can help you to get a healthy spine and also a good body posture.
    Cycling can also help you achieve a healthy spine. While cycling, all your back muscles and the muscles of the lower part of your body are engaged in physical activity. If the muscles of your lower back are strong, then it can help you to keep your spine fit.

Other than these exercises, stretching your limbs and other stretching exercises are also beneficial for a healthy spine. But it is highly recommended for you to consult a doctor before doing any exercise in order to be guided in the proper manner and avoid further complications.


Want a Fit Spine: 5 Must Do Exercises

All parents expect their child to start going to school, learn writing and learning and do well in academics. However, children with dyslexia may not be able to progress at school at the same pace as others. The good news is that there are early pointers that can help a parent to identify dyslexia in the early stages. This can be helpful in training and support the child socially to learn and socialise normally.  Dyslexia is a disability that affects both spoken and written language. They have a different learning style and when supported and encouraged, instead of mocked and insulted, they can become avid readers. The following are common 10 indicators of developing dyslexia in children, in general, and at school.

10 Behavioural signs to watch for in general:

The child usually has difficulty concentrating and following instructions
The child is easily distracted, seems to daydream, and tends to forget words.
Poor personal organisation skills and is not very good at time keeping.
May get confused between today, tomorrow, yesterday; east and west; right and left; up and down.
Has difficulty remembering seasons, months and days.
Tends to be doing something to avoid work.
Seems distracted, and  daydream,  does not seem to listen
Requires a lot of effort focusing on things at hand and is constantly tired.
Slow pace of processing in terms of spoken or written language
Often appears withdrawn or lost in his own world.
10 Behaviours to watch for at school:

Poor standard of writing and written work in comparison with oratory skills.
Poor handwriting with badly formed letters.
Confused easily between similar looking letters like m/w, n/u, b/d.
Usually, messes up work by using close but wrong spellings and rewriting the same
Mixes up words by using similar-looking words   quiet and quite, tired and tried.
Same word is spelt differently at different times
Poor motor skills and pencil grip leading to slow, inaccurate writing
Produces a lot of phonetic spelling which does not change with repeated corrections
There is difficulty in blending words together, and struggles a lot when asked to read out loud, can miss out or add words that are familiar in between
Has difficulty connecting the story that is being written or read
As noted, these children have very inconsistent behaviour with very limited understanding of nonverbal communication. If these symptoms go on increasing as they grow, it is advisable to seek professional help so that support can be provided and the condition can be arrested at the early stages.

Dyslexia - 10 Signs Your Child Maybe Suffering From It!

Epilepsy is a relatively common disorder. Most cases of epilepsy can be controlled with a combination of drug therapy and healthy lifestyle. In some cases, surgery may also be advised. Epilepsy affects not only the lifestyle of the patient but also that of their caregiver. Each person reacts to epilepsy in a different way and hence the type of care needed also varies from person to person. While some patients have few seizures and require care only when they're having a seizure others need round the clock care. Here are a few tips to keep in mind if a loved one suffers from epilepsy.

Know what type of epilepsy he/she is dealing with: Not all epileptic seizures are the same. Find out what type of seizures your loved one suffers from and what are the possible triggers associated with Involve yourself in their lifestyle. Epilepsy should not be a reason for your loved one to lock themselves in a room to stay safe. Participate in activities with them of you feel the activity may be a safety risk if they were to have a seizure; for example - swimming.
Notice seizure triggers: Often an epileptic patient may not remember the seizure after it has occurred. As their care giver, keep a seizure diary to track their seizures and its related triggers. Look for patterns in the triggers to their epilepsy attacks.
Keep them safe during a seizure: When experiencing a seizure, the patient will lose consciousness, experience muscle convulsions and may grit his teeth. If the person is standing, hold them so that they do not fall. If they are lying down, try turning them onto their side. Do not put anything into their mouth.
Take care of them after a seizure: After the seizure, people are most likely to be confused, tired and have a headache. Check for injuries and keep them calm till medical help arrives. Loosen clothing around their neck and ensure that there is nothing inhibiting their breathing.
Medical identification: While someone who suffers from seizures often is likely to always have someone with them, others who have rare seizures may often venture out alone. In such cases, ensure that they always have medical identification on them. Also make sure that their friends, colleagues etc are aware of their medical condition.
Help them maintain a healthy lifestyle: Staying active is essential for people with epilepsy. Avoid contact sports and pick low impact exercises like walking, running or swimming. Following a buddy system is essential when an epileptic person works out. If you wish to discuss on any specific problem, you can consult a neurologist and ask a free question.

How to Deal With Epilepsy?

Autism and the role of homeopathy in treating this condition

A mental condition that takes shape during early childhood, Autism is identified by characteristics like difficulty in communication, the use of language, understanding abstract concepts and building bonds with other people. This brain development disorder is also characterized by the performance of repetitive behaviors in the affected individual.

Homeopathy approach in treating Autism

Diagnosis of the condition by a homeopath requires the adoption of an extensive and intensive approach. From collecting detailed information about symptoms like a reaction to vaccines, thermal sensitivities and medical history of the family to understanding sleep postures; treatment of this condition requires an understanding of every vital factor associated with the condition. The hardcore approach is vital for understanding the stimulus/response connection of symptoms. This is because whenever an autistic child undergoes stressful situations, the reaction is a sign that a homeopath cannot ignore. By completely understanding the cycle of stress and reaction, a homeopath can only be able to suggest the right treatment program.

What about the remedies prescribed for treating the condition?

Being a holistic branch of medicine, homeopathy takes into account the complete physical as well as the mental makeup of the individual. Additionally, in this alternative medicine, the homeopath also takes into consideration the details of the disease while recommending remedies. Remedies like Carcinocin, Secretin and Thuja are favored the most for treating the condition. At the same time, the appropriate remedies are recommended after having a thorough understanding as to whether the individual falls within the constitutional makeup of the remedies considered.

Another essential aspect of this branch of medicine in the treatment of this brain development disorder is the practice of using LM potencies (homeopathic medicines on the last scale of potencies). These remedies are not only acted faster but are also gentler compared to others. They have been found to be very effective in preventing the individual from falling prey to the old symptoms and can be frequently repeated as well as used for a long time. 

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Can Birth Conditions like Autism be Treated with Homeopathy?

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