Ovarian cysts and fertility: Is there a connection?

Having a child is one of the most profound experiences in a woman s life. The joy of being a mother and welcoming a new life is unparalleled. In the midst of such expectation, an inability to conceive can take a serious toll on any woman s health. The mental scars from such an event can never be obliterated.

This does not mean you should give up. Consult a doctor to find the cause and rectify it. With advances in medical science and technologies like IVF in the market, no fertility challenge is insurmountable.

One of the most common cause of infertility is ovarian cysts. According to research conducted by the American Society For Reproductive Medicine, ovarian cysts resulting in ovulation abnormality and infertility has been recorded among 25% of women.

There are two types of cysts that are produced as byproducts of ovulation-

1. Follicular Cysts which does not break open to release the eggs. Rather the follicle stays as a whole while the cyst continues to grow.

2. Corpus Cysts or luteal cysts is a condition when after the egg has bronek free, the follicles seal itself rather than shrinking and the fluid builds up inside.

Causes-

Ovarian cysts are mainly caused due to hormonal imbalance, abnormal cell growth where the cells overgrow and develop into cysts, pelvic infections that spread to the ovaries and fallopian tubes and causes severe harm to them, and endometriosis when the tissue attaches to an ovary and forms cell growth.

Which ovarian cyst affects fertility?

Ovarian cysts that generate complications during pregnancy include-

1. Endometriomas - This is the condition when the tissues lining your uterus or endometrium grows outside the uterus or the fallopian tubes and is largely associated with fertility problems. Endometriomas can differ in sizes from the range of less than an inch to over 6 inches. They are filled with dark coloured blood.

Some studies have demonstrated that women suffering from mild endometriosis develop a lower (2%-4%) chance of getting pregnant each month when compared to women who are healthy and have a 15%-20% chance. Another research states that 40% of unexplained infertility results from endometriosis through anatomical distortion or inflammation.

2. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome - PCOS is the condition where small cysts form inside your ovaries which prompts irregular periods, excessive stomach cramps and large hormonal imbalance. Connected to immature ovaries, they do not assist in ovulation and thus produces complications infertility. The immature follicles with an immature egg cause the ovary to be politic.

This chronic lack of ovulation also alters the hormonal levels in your body that assists in ovulation. Women with PCOS develop high levels of androgen or male hormones in your body, which gets converted to estrogen. As a result, they do not ovulate.

Does the treatment of ovarian cysts also affect fertility?

This usually depends on the kind of treatment you receive. Hormonal birth control doesn t have a long-term effect on fertility. Although surgeries can invariably damage some healthy eggs inside your body, the doctors recommend that the ovaries be removed before you have more complications. However, in both the situations, the egg count in your body decreases significantly.

Ovarian Cysts & Fertility - Is There A Connection?

Homeopathy can very well dissolve gall stones of small and medium sizes, and relieve the gall bladder and body permanently from the pain, suffering and complications coming from gall stones. One of the benefits of homeopathic treatment for gall stones is that your gall bladder does not need removal, and being an important organ for producing digestive enzymes, it is better to keep it in your body. The other benefit is that you get a side effect-free treatment, which is completely efficient and practical, and costs really low compared to other modes of treatments and surgeries.

But before one goes for a homeopathic treatment, a complete evaluation of the patient s case history must be done so that the right medicine can be given as per the case, history, severity etc. Here is a quick look at the commonly used homeopathic medicines, which doctors, depending on your case history, may prescribe for your gall stone.

Homeopathic medicines used for treating gall stones

Calcarea carbonica: If you have a family history of kidney and gall stones, are anxious and slow, overweight with high deposits of triglycerides and cholesterol, then you would be given this medicine.
Chelidonium: If you get pain in any or both of the two patterns pain originating under your right shoulder blade and pain in the upper right abdomen, which spreads to the back, you will be prescribed this one.
Lycopodium: This medicine is usually recommended in case you have a family history of stones in kidney and gall bladder, along with other complications like, chronic digestive disorders, high cholesterol, gastric problems, constipation, peptic ulcers, gas and bloating. The patient may usually get biliary colic pains late in the afternoon. He or she may also get irritated easily, and hate contradicting opinions.
Natrum sulphuricum: The patient may have any or some of the problems like chronic diarrhea, gall stone pain, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, depression, obesity and problem in joints. On top of that the patient may be too sensitive to changes in humidity and weather. In such a case, Natrum sulphuricum is given.
Nux vomica: If a patient suffers from nausea, colic pains, spasmodic pains, heartburn and acidity, gas and bloating, and takes too much of rich and oily food and drinks, then this medicine is used to treat gall stones for him or her.
As you can see, there is a remedy for all types of patients. Hence in case of small to medium sized gall stones, you can always retain the gall bladder, avoid surgeries, and keep patience with systematic homeopathic treatment from an expert doctor. You will get positive results soon.

Gallbladder Stone - Can Homeopathy Treat it?

Heartburn or acid reflex is a burning sensation that is felt in the throat or chest region after the intake of certain foods. While many of us must have felt heartburn once in our lifetime, too many occurrences such as this could be a fair indication of esophageal cancer.

How an acidburn is related to esophagus?
Esophagus is the tube which carries food from the throat to the stomach. In the case of an acid reflux, the acid from the stomach jumps to the esophagus leading to a condition known as the Barrett s esophagus. This is a condition which replaces the tissue present in the esophagus with a similar kind of tissue found in the lining of the intestine. This being said, Barrett s esophagus doesn t necessarily lead to esophageal cancer.

Key symptoms of Esophageal Cancer
Difficulty swallowing is a key symptom of esophageal cancer. This condition is known as dysphasia. As the tumor grows bigger, it becomes more difficult to swallow food. Esophageal pain is also a common symptom reported by many patients. Loss in appetite and an unexplained weight loss are some of the other symptoms of this type of cancer. Although esophageal cancer does not show any visible signs in the early stage, some of the key indicators are chronic couch, indigestion and hoarseness of voice.

Key risk factors:
Some of the key risk factors for this type of cancer are as follows:

    Men tend to run a higher risk of getting this cancer than women.
    Esophageal cancer are often detected in people above the age of 55 or more
    Chronic tobacco users have higher chances of getting esophageal cancer
    Consumption of alcohol increases the risk of esophageal cancer
    Obesity increases the risk of acid flux thereby, leading to esophageal cancer
    Radiation treatment in the abdomen or chest area might also lead to esophageal cancer

How an esophageal cancer is detected?
Primarily there are 3 ways by which this cancer is detected. The first step for an oncologist to detect this cancer is to perform an endoscopy. If this fails, doctors often try a barium swallow on suspected patients and take an X-ray to understand the esophagus lining. If all this fails, doctors rely on a CT scan to detect this cancer.

How is esophageal cancer treated?
If a patient is lucky and the cancer gets detected in a very early stage, the tumor along with the infected cell can be surgically removed. Apart from surgery, some other alternatives are radiation and chemotherapy. A combination of radiation and chemotherapy or a surgery followed by radiation can also be suggested by the doctor. The treatment plan depends on the stage of detection.

Does Heartburn Lead to Esophageal Cancer?

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers that men are diagnosed with. It is accompanied by a number of difficulties of urination and ejaculation. It can also cause difficulty in achieving and sustaining an erection. If cancer advances and affects the bone structure and the spine, it can cause weakness in the limbs, and also result in urinary and fecal incontinence. If it is diagnosed in its early stages it can be treated quite easily before it spreads.

Treatment for Prostate Cancer-
Prostate cancer generally does not show any symptom in the early stage but progressively degenerates with time. If you suspect having any of the symptoms of prostate cancer such as urination difficulty, erectile dysfunction and discomfort in the pelvic region, then consulting an oncologist is the next step. Your doctor will perform certain diagnostic tests like digital rectal examination (DRE) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. After the diagnosis of prostate cancer, doctors generally check the stage and rate of growth of a tumour by determining its Gleason score.



Once the extent of the prostate cancer is known, a treatment plan is devised by the doctor. If the cancer is localised and small, your doctor will either prescribe active surveillance or surgery. During active surveillance, there is a blood test, rectal examination, and biopsies on a regular basis to monitor the growth of a tumour. However, the tumour can also be deftly removed with surgical intervention in the form of Radical Prostatectomy. There are two types of radical prostatectomy- laparoscopic prostatectomy and robotic laparoscopic prostatectomy

Robotic Radical Prostatectomy-
A radical prostatectomy is one of the most common methods of treating prostate cancer. It involves the surgical removal of the prostate gland along with some of the surrounding tissues. This curtails the spreading of the cancerous cells to other parts of the body. A robotic radical prostatectomy is a minimally invasive procedure that involves the use of a robotic instrument that is controlled by surgeons to make the removal of the gland precise and efficient. The surgeon controls the robot by sitting at a console and makes several small incisions to enter the abdomen. This procedure reduces the risks of blood loss and any possible side-effect that includes erectile dysfunction and urinary difficulties.

Robotic Radical Prostatectomy For Cancer Prostate!

If you have taken the big decision to go ahead with bariatric surgery, one thing you need to prepare for well in advance is the additional effort that is required after the surgery to ensure it is a success. The results will be evident only after a few months post the surgery. This period requires your constant attention. 

Listed below are some after-care measures that are essential for the success of a bariatric surgery.

Hospital stay: Most patients are advised hospital stay for four days, during which the hospital staff will ensure the sleeve is working fine. No food is allowed for 48 hours. Diet is gradually advanced from water to clear liquids, about 50 ml to 100 ml and then to 150 ml.
Wound care: Depending on whether a laparoscopic or open surgery was done, the number and location of incisions will vary. However, the wound should be maintained clean and it should be ensured that there is no infection of the site. Wound care should be done by the nursing staff if required. Suture removal, if required, should be done as per doctor s advice.
Pain management: Finish the course of antibiotics and pain killers to ensure infection is completely gone. Pain would continue, if the infection is not completely controlled.
Diet: The first two weeks would be a completely liquid diet. The next two weeks will consist of a pureed diet. After these four weeks, solid foods will be introduced.
Foods to avoid after a bariatric surgery include anything with a higher protein content and anything that has too much oil as the stomach s ability to digest these is reduced. Refrain from:

Carbonated beverages
Hard meat
Nuts and seeds
Fried foods
Food items to include post bariatric surgery include those which are easy on the stomach, including:

Liquids such as soups, broth, juice, and milk
Pureed cooked vegetables and eggs
Soft mashed food including meat and vegetables
Adherence to this will reduce complications. While eating, the patient should also remember to chew nicely, eat and drink slowly, increase water intake throughout the day, and avoid fats and sugar. It is advisable to eat three proper meals a day and avoid snacking during the day.

Remember that the need for bariatric surgery arose in the first place due to uncontrolled eating of oily food. After undergoing a bariatric surgery, diet pattern is definitely going to move to a healthier side with reduced fat and sugars. It is not an easy shift, but definitely required, if the surgery is to be a success. Imagine the new you and you will be able to do it!

Bariatric Surgery - Aftercare Tips You Must Follow!

The kidneys are primarily responsible for filtering blood and removing waste from the body. They also regulate the fluid and electrolyte balance. If the kidneys stop functioning, a patient may need to undergo dialysis or have a renal transplant. Many patients prefer undergoing a transplant as it offers a better quality of life in the long run.

A kidney transplant can be described as a procedure to replace one s own kidneys with a donor's kidney. In case of kidney transplant, there are two types of donors. The human body can function with one healthy kidney and hence family members and friends of the patient may choose to donate a kidney. Else, a kidney may be sourced from recently deceased donors who have chosen to donate their organs after death. In both cases, it is important that the donor kidney match the patient s blood and tissue type.

A renal transplant surgery usually takes about 3 hours. The donor kidney is placed in the abdominal cavity and connected to the patient s arteries, veins and bladder. Usually, the donor kidney begins functioning immediately. The patient s own damaged or diseased kidneys may not be removed unless there is a severe infection, cancer or a diagnosis of large polycystic kidneys.

The patient will need to be hospitalized for a few days after the surgery. In some cases, dialysis may be needed if the kidneys are unable to produce urine. In addition diuretics and other medication may be needed to remove excess water and salt from the body. Medication will also be prescribed to suppress the immune system so that the patient s body does not reject the donor kidney. These medications typically need to be taken for the rest of the patient s life.

A renal transplant is considered a relatively safe procedure. Less than 20 out of 100 people reject a donor kidney. However, there are a few other risks involved. These include:
  Bleeding
  Severe infection
  Failure of the donor kidney
  Reaction to anesthesia
  Increased risk of infections due to suppressed immune system

Kidney transplant is not advised for people suffering from diseases such as cancer or any significant lung or heart disease. If the patient is suffering from an infection, he or she may be advised to wait until the infection subsides before undergoing a renal transplant. A renal transplant may seem to be an expensive procedure but in the long run, this can work out to be more budget friendly than dialysis.

Renal Transplant - What Should You Know About It?

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