Gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD is a chronic condition that can cause discomfort and a burning sensation in the chest. This is caused by stomach acids or bile that flows backward into the food pipe. If this happens more than twice a week, the patient may be diagnosed with GERD. Mild cases of GERD may be treated with lifestyle changes, antacids, diet changes and proton pump inhibitors. In more serious cases, surgery may also be needed. This aims at repairing or replacing the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). This valve is responsible for the backward movement of acids from the stomach to the food pipe.

Types of Surgery for GERD
Surgery is usually the last option for doctors treating GERD. This relieves symptoms of GERD and eliminates the need for long-term medication. There are many different types of surgical treatments. Some of the factors that determine the best type of surgery suited to a patient include the patient s age, weight, overall health etc.

Fundoplication: This surgery focuses on tightening the LES. Fundoplication may be performed as an open surgery or as a laparoscopic surgery. In both cases, the stomach is wrapped around the lower esophagus to reinforce and strengthen the LES. Fundoplication is the most common surgical procedure used to treat GERD and has a high success rate.
Stretta Procedure: This is an outpatient procedure that is performed using an endoscope. The doctor will pass a thin tube with an electrode at one end down the patient s esophagus. The electrode heats the tissue in the esophagus and makes tiny cuts. These cuts will then form scar tissue that strengthens the muscles surrounding the esophagus and blocks acid reflux. This is a fairly new procedure and hence the long-term results are still not clear.
Bard EndoCinch System: This procedure is not very common. It involves the use of an endoscope that is used to make stitches in the esophagus so as to create pleats in the LES. This helps strengthen the valve and prevent acid reflux.
Linx Surgery: This is a minimally invasive surgery where a special device called a linx is wrapped around the LES. A linx can be described as a small ring of magnetic titanium beads. This ring allows food to pass through but otherwise keeps the opening between the esophagus and stomach closed. Linx surgery is a relatively new procedure that has shown good results.
Recovering from Surgery for GERD
Recovering from surgery for GERD depends largely on the type of surgery undergone. Laparoscopic procedures have a short recovery time and are associated with less pain as compared to traditional open surgeries. Open surgery usually takes 2 weeks for full recovery while a patient may recover from laparoscopic surgery within a week.

Surgery For GERD - Types, Results and Recovery

Are your regular exercises and the strict diet proving futile on your quest for a tighter and a flatter tummy? You can consider getting an 'abdominoplasty' or 'tummy tuck' done. This cosmetic surgery helps in flattening your abdomen by taking off the extra skin and fat and tightening up the muscles in the walls of your abdomen.

The procedure
1. The first step involves choosing a surgeon for consultation.
2. There are two types of  tummy tuck  surgery, both carried out under general anesthesia.  Complete abdominoplasty  whereby, your surgeon would dissect your abdomen from one hipbone to the other and then give an outline to your muscle, tissue and skin.  Mini or partial abdominoplasty  are recommended for people whose fat deposits are underneath their naval region.

Complete Abdominoplasty
 Complete Abdominoplasty  involves making a big incision around the lower part of the tummy from one hip to another, making a second cut in order to free the belly of the tissue that surrounds that region, separating the skin from the walls around the abdomen, re-aligning the muscles in the abdomen, removing the supplementary skin and fat and then pulling forth the skin remains and stitching them too.

Partial Abdominoplasty
Partial Abdominoplasty requires making a large cut on the lower belly, separating the skin from your abdominal wall, cutting out the excess fat, removing the additional skin and holding the remaining part of the skin together and finally stitching it in place.

Time taken for the surgery
The surgery may stretch from one to about five hours.

Pre-requisites

You will have to cut down on the consumption of alcohol and especially smoking; smoking leads to more complication and slows down the healing process.
It is recommended to have a well-balanced meal before the surgery.
After-care

You may suffer from swelling and pain in the days after the surgery, for which your doctor would prescribe pain-killers.
Regardless of the type of surgery conducted, the portion that was operated on would be stitched and bandaged. Therefore, it is very important to abide by the surgeon s instructions about how you should take care of the dressing in the days to follow.

Tummy Fat - Can Surgery Be Considered to Reduce it?

Menorrhagia is menstrual condition characterized by an abnormal loss of blood or heavy, prolonged bleeding. Although heavy bleeding is not uncommon in premenopausal women, menorrhagia is a severe condition which generally interferes with your daily activities. If your vagina bleeds irregularly or between periods, in addition to such heavy bleeding that at least one pad or tampon gets soaked every few hours, it is highly recommended that you seek medical attention.

Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of menorrhagia include:

    Soaking through more than one tampon or sanitary pad for every few hours
    The need to use double sanitary protection
    Heavy bleeding for weeks on end
    The need to wake up at night to change your sanitary protection
    Restriction of daily activities due to heavy menstrual flow
    Symptoms of fatigue, such as excessive tiredness as well as shortness of breath

Causes
Although the exact causes are unknown, here are a few causes that may be responsible:

    Hormonal imbalance is when there is an hormone imbalance, the endometrium develops in excess and sheds away with menstruation
    In Ovary dysfunction, if your ovaries do not ovulate, your body won't be able to produce the hormone progesterone resulting in a hormonal imbalance which may lead to menorrhagia
    Uterine fibroids are benign tumors which start appearing in your childbearing years
    Polyps are small benign growths found on the uterine lining
    Adenomyosis occurs when your glands from the endometrium becomes embedded in the uterine muscle
    By using Intrauterine device (IUD) menorrhagia may occur as a side-effect
    Pregnancy complications, for instance, an ectopic pregnancy can cause it
    Inherited bleeding disorders, such as von Willebrand disease
    Certain medications like anti-inflammatory drugs
    Other medical conditions, like pelvic inflammatory disease or endometriosis

Treatment
Treatment for menorrhagia depends on a number of factors like the cause and severity of the condition, or your tolerance for specific therapies or medications.
Some drug therapies for menorrhagia include:

    Iron supplements
    Tranexamic acid
    Oral progesterone
    Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
    Oral contraceptives
    Hormonal IUD

If drug therapy is ineffective, other treatment options may include:

    Dilation and curettage
    Focused ultrasound ablation
    Uterine artery embolization
    Endometrial ablation
    Myomectomy
    Endometrial resection
    Hysterectomy

All about Menorrhagia

Ovarian cysts is a common problem that affects women in their childbearing years. These cysts develop inside the ovaries at the time of ovulation. 
These cysts are of four main types: 
Polycystic ovaries
Endometriosis
Cystadenomas
Dermoid cysts


In most cases, ovarian cysts resolve themselves, but in some cases they can cause pain and grow. 


Ayurveda is a holistic form of alternate medication that can be quite effective when it comes to treating ovarian cysts. This form of medication has negligible side effects and hence, can be prescribed to women of all ages. Apart from medication, Ayurveda also involves changes in lifestyle and diet. Ayurvedic herbs help balance the hormones in a woman s body and thereby improve the overall functioning of the ovaries as well. 


Some of the Ayurvedic herbs used in the treatment of ovarian cysts are as follows:


Guggul: This herb has the potential to revitalise cells and can rejuvenate a person. Guggul or commiphora mukul also has purifying properties that helps regulate lipid production and increase iron levels in a person s blood. It also helps in weight loss and increases metabolism. 
Shilajit: The Ayurvedic herb asphaltum or shilajit improves stamina and the ability to deal with physical and mental stress. It is also known to increase sexual desire and enhance libido for both men and women. 
Amalaki: Amalaki or emblica officinalis is best known for its ability to rejuvenate cells and rid the body of free radicals. It also helps boost immunity, aids in the development of healthy skin and slows down the aging process. Amalaki helps with digestion and boosts metabolism along with maintaining the proper functioning of the liver. 
Aloe: Aloe is the most common Ayurvedic product used for skin care and anti-ageing products. Apart from skincare and hair care, aloe also helps relieve hypertension and has well known antioxidant properties. Additionally, it helps deal with high blood pressure and respiratory problems. 
Vitamins and minerals: Some vitamins and minerals boost immunity and have the ability to destroy abnormal cells such as cysts. Zinc helps prevent ovarian cysts, helps the body get rid of free radicals and aids in normal cell growth. Vitamin B complex helps in converting excessive estrogen into less weaker forms and hence balances hormone levels. Antioxidants like vitamin A and E protect the cells against damage and abnormal changes in the cell growth. Vitamin C also helps boost immunity and gives the body the ability to fight illnesses and infections.

Ovarian Cyst Treatment in Ayurveda - Effective Medicines

Obesity is a serious, chronic disease that can have a negative effect on many systems in your body. People who are overweight or obese have a much greater risk of developing serious conditions, including:

Heart disease
Type 2 diabetes
Bone and joint disease
The prevalence of childhood obesity has increased dramatically over the past few decades, and obesity during adolescence is associated with significant medical morbidity during adulthood. Eating disorders and obesity are usually seen as very different problems but actually share many similarities. Eating disorders (EDs) are the third most common chronic condition in adolescents, after obesity and asthma.

In fact, eating disorders, obesity, and other weight-related disorders may overlap as girls move from one problem, such as unhealthy dieting, to another, such as obesity. Understand the links between eating disorders and obesity and promote healthy attitudes and behaviors related to weight and eating.

What is an Eating Disorder?

Eating Disorders describe illnesses that are characterized by irregular eating habits and severe distress or concern about body weight or shape. Eating disturbances may include inadequate or excessive food intake which can ultimately damage an individual s well-being. The most common forms of eating disorders include Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge Eating Disorder and affect both females and males.

Signs & Symptoms of an Eating Disorder:

A man or woman suffering from an eating disorder may reveal several signs and symptoms, some which are:

Chronic dieting despite being hazardously underweight
Constant weight fluctuations
Obsession with calories and fat contents of food
Engaging in ritualistic eating patterns, such as cutting food into tiny pieces, eating alone, and/or hiding food
Continued fixation with food, recipes, or cooking; the individual may cook intricate meals for others but refrain from partaking
Depression or lethargic stage
Avoidance of social functions, family and friends. May become isolated and withdrawn
Switching between periods of overeating and fasting
What are the health risks associated with these disorders?

Stunted growth.
Delayed menstruation.
Damage to vital organs such as the heart and brain.
Nutritional deficiencies, including starvation.
Cardiac arrest.
Emotional problems such as depression and anxiety.
What is Obesity?

Obesity means being overweight by the accumulation of excess fat within the body. Obesity is defined to some extent by measuring Body Mass Index (BMI). People become obese by consumption of excess calories, imbalance between calories intake and calories outgoing, leading a sedentary life, lack of sleep , disturbances in lipid metabolism and intake of medications that put on obese.

What are the risks associated with obesity?

Obesity increases the risk for:

High blood pressure
Stroke
Cardiovascular disease
Gallbladder disease
Diabetes
Respiratory problems
Arthritis
Cancer
Emotional problems such as depression and anxiety
How eating disorder and obesity are related?

Eating disorders and obesity are part of a range of weight-related problems.

Body dissatisfaction and unhealthy dieting practices are linked to the development of eating disorders, obesity, and other problems.
Binge eating is common among people with eating disorders and people who are obese.
Depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders are associated with both eating disorders and obesity.
The environment may contribute to both eating disorders and obesity.
Help adolescents develop healthy eating habits:

Help children learn to control their own eating.
Offer children a variety of healthy foods at meal and snack times.
Eat dinner together as a family most days of the week.
Be aware of your child's emotional health or else consult a psychologist
Encourage children to participate in sports, dance, swimming and other physical activities.
Counteract harmful media messages about body image. 
The splendid approach:

The approach should be quite simple. A proper diet plan, nutritious foods and fruits with proper exercise can do a world of good to you. 

Obesity Due To Eating Disorders!

An ovarian cyst is a fluid sac that forms within an ovary or on its surface. The size and type of cysts vary from person to person and may affect women of all ages. There are different kinds of ovarian cysts

Functional Cysts are harmless and may disappear without any treatment. These kinds of cysts occur during the time of ovulation.
Follicle Cyst: If the follicle doesn't rupture during the time of the menstrual cycle, it gets converted into a fluid sac called as follicle cyst.
Corpus Luteum Cyst: After the ovulation process, the remaining part of the follicle is converted into corpus luteum which produces hormones and they disappear on their own. Corpus luteum turns into a cyst if it still remains.
Dermoid cysts and Endometrioma cysts are not common and if left untreated, may cause life-threatening problems.
Symptoms of ovarian cysts
Symptoms of ovarian cyst may vary from mild to severe based on the size of the cyst. Some of the symptoms are:

Pelvic pain
Fever
Nausea
Bloating of stomach
Irregular menstrual periods
Diagnosis
The doctor recommends few tests to determine the type and whether treatment is required or not:

Most ovarian cysts are detected through ultrasound.
In some cases, a CT scan may be advised if ultrasound is not enough
Pregnancy test
Blood test to check for hormonal imbalance
Most ovarian cysts go away after a while. If the larger ones persist longer, then it might need treatment. Birth control pills may be advised to stop the formation of new cysts. When the size of cysts causes problems in women who are nearing menopause, surgery may be advised.

Homeopathy treatment for Ovarian Cysts

Apart from conventional medicine or surgery, homeopathic treatment is an effective way to approach because it not only reduces ovarian cysts but also finds the permanent solution for an underlying cause of it. Homeopathic medicines are prescribed after examining the patient's lifestyle and habits to ensure targeted treatment and minimal side effects.
Surgery is not the right solution for all the large cysts. They can be reduced with homeopathy medicine and which is the safest way to live a long life without any complications.

Ovarian Cysts - What Homeopathy Can Do To Treat Them?

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