A hernia occurs because of an internal weakening of the abdominal layer, resulting in tearing. The inner most layer of the abdomen forms a sac and pushes the weakening area. This results in the abdomen tissue being slipped into the sac, causing pain and other health problems. It can occur to both men and women. Apart from natural weakness of the abdomen, a hernia can get triggered from heavy weight lifting, constant coughing, gaining weight and from irregular bowel movement. 80percent of hernia cases originate near the groin.

What are the symptoms?
Some of the common symptoms of a hernia include:

Constipation
Nausea
Feeling of fullness even without eating a thing
Sharp pain while lifting weight
Burning sensation
Dull ache near the groin area
Bulge near the groin area
How is a laparoscopic hernia performed?
This mode of surgery uses a telescope-like instrument known as the laparoscope. With the help of a small incision, the laparoscope is inserted at the belly button. Since the procedure is performed withanaesthesia, it isessential for a doctor to do a routine medical check-up that evaluates the general health of the patient, past medical history, EKG, blood work etc.

Usually, the patient doesn t feel a thing while the surgery is performed. A video camera is connected to the instrument to get a detailed inside view of a hernia and the area that needs to be repaired. Before this, the abdomen is inflated with the help of carbon monoxide. A mesh is placed inside the abdomen to fix the defects of the abdominal wall and strengthen the weakened tissue of the abdomen. Once the procedure is done, the incisions that are made in the abdomen is closed with the help of surgical tapes. The mark of incision disappears within a month.

Benefits of Laparoscopic Hernia Surgery
The benefits of laparoscopic surgery are quite evident.

A lot of tiny incisions are made rather than making a large incision in the abdominal area. This ensures speedy recovery and a short stay at the hospital.
The pain is significantly less compared to the conventional surgery.
The cost of a laparoscopic surgery is lesser
Lastly, a speedy recovery can ensure that a person can return to work within a few days after the surgery is performed.
What to expect after the surgery
Doctors often suggest a week of complete rest after the surgery. The healing time can vary from person to person. A surgeon typically prescribes antibiotics and pain medications to cope up with the wound and pain. It must be ensured that these medicines are taken on time. A revisit to the surgeon might be required after a couple of weeks to assess the recovery.

An Overview Of Laparoscopic Hernia Surgery!

The gallbladder is a small organ in the abdomen that rarely gets any attention. When it does draw attention to itself, it is usually not for the right reasons. People think of their gallbladder only when they start feeling abdominal pain associated with gallstones. Gallstones aren t stones like we see in river beds but crystallized deposits of digestive fluids. They can be as small a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. Stones can occur singularly or many stones may develop simultaneously. It can cause pain in the center or upper right part of the abdomen. Though the pain may be bad, it is not a reason to worry as homeopathy has a number of ways to treat this condition.

Homeopathy is a holistic form of healing that addresses the patient as a whole instead of merely looking at the symptoms exhibited. In this way, it attacks the root cause of the problem. Homeopathic remedies may be given to infants, children and adults of all ages. One of the many benefits of this form of medication is that it has negligible side effects. However, self-medication is not advisable. This is because a remedy that suits one person may not be as effective for another. When prescribing homeopathic remedies, a doctor will look into the patient s medical history, family history, overall physical and mental health, as well as the symptoms, were seen. Thus, homeopathy does not follow a one size fits all approach. For example, an obese person will require a specific type of homeopathic medicine. At the same time, a patient complaining of acidity and a bloated abdomen will require a completely different remedy.

There are many different types of homeopathic remedies. These can be prescribed in the form of sugar-coated pills or liquids. In some cases, powders may also be prescribed. Homeopathic medicines may be prescribed singularly or in a combination of two to three medicines. The main aim of these homeopathic remedies is to reduce the size of the gallstone so that it can pass through the digestive system and be expelled from the body. It also helps relieve pain and reduce flatulence associated with gallstones.

When it comes to homeopathic remedies, one must not expect an immediate solution. It is important to be patient and to take your medication regularly for it to be effective. It is also important not to eat or drink anything half an hour before or after taking the medicines. 

Treating Gallstones With Homeopathic Approach!

Many women experience a temporary encounter with hemorrhoids when they are pregnant. Quite surprisingly, most people tend to experience this in their daily lives. By the age 50, majority of people have encountered one or more symptoms of this ailment, including rectal pain, bleeding, itching and may be prolapse where the hemorrhoids protrude out of the anal canal. Though this ailment can be rarely detrimental, it can be a painful intrusion. But thankfully, there are a lot of things we can do about them.

How may this be diagnosed?
Hemorrhoids are usually diagnosed from a plain medical history and health exam. External hemorrhoids, more commonly known as piles, are normally apparent, particularly if a blood clot is formed. Your physician shall perform a digital rectal test to detect blood in the stool. Then the physician may also inspect the anal tube with the aid of an anoscope, which is a short plastic channel interjected into the rectum with illumination. If he finds any evidence of microscopic blood or rectal bleeding in the stool, then there may be a need to perform colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy to determine the probable causes of bleeding like cancer or colorectal polyps, specifically in women aged over 50.

Is it possible to treat hemorrhoids at home?
Most of the common symptoms of piles can improve drastically with simple in-home measures. If you are suffering from occasional flare-ups, you may try the following:

    Eat a lot of fibre: It is recommended to add fibre in the diet; may be a fibre supplement like Citrucel, Fibre con, etc. When you drink a lot of water along with loads of fibre, stools get softened making them effortless to pass, which will reduce the pressure on the swollen veins. Eating broccoli, wheat, oats, beans, fresh fruits every day will help in decreasing bleeding caused due to piles. It also reduces swelling and inflammation. If you feel digestive issues with a sudden splurge of fibre in your diet, you may start slowly and gradually increase the amounts.
    Take a sitz bath: A sitz bath is a lukewarm water bath for the lower back portion of the body, which can help in relieving irritation, itching as well as spasms occurring in the sphincter muscle. You can either get small plastic tubs for a sitz bath or sit in a normal bath tub. Most physicians suggest a half an hour sitz bath after every bowel movement. Then tenderly dry the area and avoid wiping it hard.

There are several invasive treatments that can be opted if these conservative treatments are not able to help your condition. In such an instance, it is always wise to seek advice of a medical practitioner. 

How to Deal with Hemorrhoids?

Hemmorroids can be really uncomfortable and keep you in pain all through the day. One of the best and fastest way to get relief from this condition is to get them removed for good which can be easily done with the help of the surgery. The recovery period after a hemorrhoid surgery typically varies from one to two weeks depending on a host of aspects such as severity of hemorrhoids, the number of hemorrhoids as well as the type of treatment. During this span, a certain level of pain and discomfort is expected, but with some useful care tips, you can get some relief within a few days after the surgery.

Making lifestyle changes: After the surgical intervention, the patient must be on bed rest for a week or so. This is because, during this time, the surgical wounds can reopen at any time if caution is not exercised. If you have excessive body weight, it is recommended that you should lose weight after this surgery. This must be done healthily so that the stress is reduced in the rectum area while an individual squat or sits down. This could lead to the recurrence of hemorrhoids in the long run. After the first few weeks, the patient must take a 10-minute brisk walk regularly.
Take painkillers: In case the pain from hemorrhoids worsens after the surgery, you may consider taking painkillers. Many patients tend to use these medications to recover from hemorrhoids surgery, and you should take only prescription drugs only.
Keep up with a healthy diet: You should make it a habit of eating a high-fiber diet and taking adequate amounts of fluid every day. This will not just accelerate the recovery process but prevent the recurrence of hemorrhoids. For best results, this should be practiced a few weeks before and after the surgery.
Try different home remedies: In addition to the common methods of easing pain and discomfort after hemorrhoids surgery, you may also try different types of home remedies. Make sure that the wound is always clean and you can also use gels and creams for minimizing irritation.
Alleviate itchiness: During the hemorrhoid surgery recovery, you are likely to experience itchiness which is a characteristic of a recovery period. This is a common symptom of external hemorrhoids, and to reduce it, you can take a sitz bath. Your doctor may also prescribe a topical medication depending on the location and severity of the problem.
Educate yourself about the surgery and post-operative care: This is presumably the most important aspect of caring for hemorrhoids surgery. You should learn about the common complications of this surgery and how you can overcome them.
Know when you can call a doctor: During the recovery process, it is critical to follow the instructions as given by the doctor. You should maintain the follow-up treatment with your doctor so that you can report him of any health problems and discomfort to take required steps.
With care and caution, you may recover easily from hemorrhoid surgery and return to normal life soon.

Hemorrhoids Surgery - 7 Tips To Help You Recover!

Some people find it harder to lose weight as compared to others. Gastric sleeve surgery is a viable option for such people. This surgery involves reducing the size of the stomach to control the intake of food.

Here are 10 ways this surgery will affect you.

You ll need a special diet for the first few days: You will need to follow a special diet for 8 weeks after the surgery. This gives your stomach the time to heal properly. Normal food will have to be reintroduced slowly. However, alter, you can eat anything you like.
You can eat lesser: You ll find yourself taking smaller servings at all meals as your stomach is much smaller than it was. This does not mean that you ll be able to eat more frequently. It simply means that you will eat a lot lesser. A smaller stomach also means that you will feel less hungry.
Weight Loss: After a gastric sleeve surgery, patients typically lose up to 75% of their excess weight. In the first three months itself, you should see yourself lose up to 33% of excess body weight. Thus, it can help cure obesity and reduce your BMI.
Resolution of obesity-related health issues: As your weight reduces, so does the impact of other diseases. Patients suffering from diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and sleep apnea report a large amount of improvement in their conditions after this surgery.
Stronger joints: Excess weight puts additional pressure on your joints. This can cause joint pain and increase the wear and tear of joint cartilage. By reducing your weight, there is less pressure on your joints. Improved mobility and lesser knee pain are commonly experienced benefits.
Lowered cancer risk: The risk of some types of cancer is associated with the patient s weight. As a result of this surgery, the risk of colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer and endometrial cancer reduces by up to 33%.
Improved fertility: Women with obesity of overweight issues typically find it difficult to conceive. A gastric sleeve surgery can improve these fertility rates. Studies have shown that more than 50% of the women who underwent this procedure could conceive a child successfully within the next year.
Improved mental health: Your weight also affects your self-confidence. In many cases being overweight or obese contributes to depression. Undergoing this surgery can improve a patients  self-image and relieve symptoms of depression, anxiety etc.
Better sleep: Losing body fat makes it more comfortable to get a good night s sleep. Weight loss also helps treat conditions such as sleep apnea that can keep you from sleeping restfully.
Your weight loss will plateau after 2 years: As time passes, your stomach will begin to expand. Hence you may not see yourself losing too much weight after the first year. If you are not careful, you may begin to put on weight again after the 2nd or 3rd year.

Sleeve Gastrectomy -  10 Ways It Is Beneficial For You!

Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or gerd, as it is commonly known is a digestive disorder that is caused primarily due to intestinal distress. Gerd is caused in the muscle that lies between the oesophagus and the stomach, when the acid is produced in the stomach, it starts to flow backwards. For patients suffering from gerd, the acids flow back into the oesophagus instead of the stomach, causing symptoms like severe heartburn, chest pain and nausea, amongst others. So what does one do to deal with gerd? here's a brief list!

Obesity: being overweight and obese are two of the most important factors that contribute to discomfort in gerd patients. Working towards a healthier weight is a sure shot way of dealing with this ailment.

Alcohol and smoking: the muscle ring that can be found between the stomach and the oesophagus relaxes with the intake of alcohol or with smoking, which prevents it from closing to stop the stomach's juices from reaching the oesophagus. So, giving up both substances would be a good idea if you are a gerd patient.

Go gluten free: adopting a gluten free diet can help you cut out ingredients including grains and dairy products that contain more protein than what your digestive tracts can handle.

Other dietary measures: in order to handle gerd effectively, you will need to remove or reduce chocolate, fatty food, spicy food, and even oily and fried food from your diet. You may need the help of food with extra fibre, like fruit so that it can pass through the digestive tract faster.

Smaller and well timed meals: eating meals regularly and dividing them into smaller meals that can be digested quickly and more efficiently is one of the best ways of dealing with gerd to prevent the onset of backward flowing of stomach acids.

Exercise: ensuring that you do not take a nap or lie down right after a meal and putting in a small amount of exercise everyday will also help in doing away with the uncomfortable and painful symptoms of this disease.

Making lifestyle changes is one of the best ways to deal with gerd. Yet, it would be best to see a doctor regarding severe cases where the symptoms do not abate and medication may be required.

How To Deal With GERD

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

Consult for Proctologist - Online and Easy!

FilterClear All

COMMON SPECIALITIES

COMMON ISSUES